The start of February seems like an age ago, the depths of winter, whereas now, although it still is winter of course, the light has changed and the bulbs are are up in the garden and it feels like spring is on the way. I like winter a lot and that hasn't changed, but this year I think I'm ready for it to be gone.
Thank God for books, I do not know what I would do without them at the moment (and for the last couple of years), the world is so awful. Thus, lots of reading this month, eight books in all. These are they:
11. The Dead of Winter by Nicola Upson
12. Wintering by Katherine May
13. Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce
14. After by Dr. Bruce Greyson
15. The Lark by E. Nesbit
16. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
17. Murder by the Book edited by Martin Edwards
18. Bewildering Cares by Winifred Peck
So, quite a varied bunch this month. Six fiction reads, two non-fiction. A good month because there were no duds, nothing that was a terrible disappointment. I think this might possibly be because I'm getting more and more skilled at choosing books I think I will like. And also better at abandoning those I'm not enjoying. I don't do that lightly but there was one this month that I stopped reading after about forty pages thinking, 'I just don't give a monkey's!'
Favourite book of the month? I don't think I can choose. Three stood out: Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and After by Bruce Greyson. But all the rest were good too, and I would have no hesitation in recommending any of them. It's been a pretty good month all told.
So, currently reading? Well, this:
I mean, who knew? I certainly did not think I would become smitten with standalone books by Nora Roberts. But Shelter in Place is a 'terrific' read, set in Maine and dealing with the aftermath of a massacre perpetrated by three boys in their late teens. The book is about the survivors and is so, 'so' good, I can't put it down.
In my Books read in January post I listed eight or nine books as a pool to read from in February. I managed to read four of those and am quite happy with that, so I thought I'd do it again.
Books for the 'Round the World' challenge, category - Eastern Europe:
Along the Enchanted Way - William Blacker (Romania)
The Sunny Side of the Alps - Roy Clark (Slovenia)
The Thread - Victoria Hislop (Greece)
For the Back to the Classics challenge:
The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton
The Mysterious Mr. Quinn - Agatha Christie
Sundry:
Blind Search - Paula Munier
The Other Bennet Sister - Janice Hadlow
Percy Jackson and the Sea Monsters - Rick Riordan
The Buried Giant - Kazuo Ishiguro
The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra - Vaseem Khan
Waiting for the Albino Dunnock - Rosamund Richardson (non-fiction about bird watching)
Two books about The Queen:
The Windsor Knot - S. J. Bennett
The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett (a 3rd. or 4th. reread)
Of course there's no way on Earth I'll manage to read all of those in one month, but I'm a list person and find it helps to have some idea of the books I would like to read each month and most importantly - write them down! I don't feel compelled to always read from that list of course and very often do go completely off piste when a sudden fancy takes me.
Happy reading in March and take care.
17 comments:
That's excellent! I like how most every read was worth reading as well. I think I have less stick-to-it-ness these days when a story just isn't working for me. I hadn't heard of that Nora Roberts but, I do love a Maine setting and a compelling story so I may check it out at some point. Project Hail Mary is one I hope to get to as well. Have a great March.
Wow!.. that's my Sis! I bet if she put ALL her books that she's read together Cath could open her own Library!! love you!!
Goodness! So many great books in one post - where to begin!
I have read a couple of Nora Roberts thrillers, but didn't find them particularly gruesome or dark enough for me to read on a regular basis. However, like yourself, I do like to mix up my reading quite a lot, so the more easy-going thriller will always have a place on my shelves.
From your advance reading selection for March, I particularly picked out both of your 'Back To Classics' choices - again not overly difficult reads, but neither of those two authors needs to be for me to enjoy their writing!
Paula Munier is a new to me author, however the "Mercy Carr" series sounds so good that I might just have to add all four of them to my 'wish list'.
Victoria Hislop is of course a name that I know of, although I have to admit to probably being one of the few people who have never read any of her books, despite having a couple as physical copies on my shelf (but not the one you hope to read unfortunately)
I have a few Blog Tour Reviews coming up in March, for which I am already well prepared as I am about to begin reading an 850 page chunkster, which concludes the WWII series 'The Sturmtaucher Trilogy' by Alan Jones, so I'll probably speak to you again in a couple of weeks time!! :) :)
Happy Reading!
Very nice to hear about your good February reading, Cath. I agree that being satisfied with our reading life goes a long way toward making life better, especially during the times we've been experiencing for so long. I have a copy of that Nora Roberts book - Shelter In Place - but, I've not ever picked it up. Maybe this month. I'm in the midst of the latest 'Lady Sherlock' book by Sherry Thomas and then I'll report on my 'series catch-up' quest. Have a good week!
Those are impressive lists - both read in February and hope to read in March. The only one of your February books that I have read is the Andy Weir one but the others do sound interesting. I'm not really much of a list-maker when it comes to my reading. I tend to read whatever grabs my attention at the moment.
Books do help make life more palatable these days when the world is so crazy. I almost hate to turn on the news any more, and yet I can't seem to ignore all the badness either. But I am grateful for books and the escape reading can offer! I like the sound of Shelter in Place. And I loved both Blind Search and the Uncommon Reader. Happy reading in March! :D
I agree so much that books and reading have been a life saver in these last two years. And blogging too.
I have enjoyed reading about all your book for February, and some of them I would like to follow up on and read myself. And your list of possibilities for March is interesting, although some I don't know much about.
I loved The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett and I can see how it could be fine for a reread. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan is one I have wanted to read for years, so I will be interested in your thoughts on it, whenever you read it.
Diane: Oh yes, I definitely have much less 'stick-to-it-ness' (great description) these days. To do with getting older I think, you begin to realise it doesn't seem sensible to waste time reading books that aren't working for you. This Nora Roberts is certainly compelling, I'll be reviewing it next week probably.
Pat: Now don't put ideas into my head about libraries. LOL
Yvonne: I wouldn't put Shelter in Place into an 'easy going thriller' category. There's a horrible gun massacre at the beginning which is described in a pretty thorough manner. After that there is a serial killer on the loose and although it's not really psychologically frightening, it is definitely an alarming scenario made more so by the background of the beautiful Maine coastline and lifestyle. Very interesting book.
If I don't read anything else this month I definitely want to read that Mercy Carr book, possibly because of the snowy setting.
That makes two of us who've never read anything by Victoria Hislop (she's related to Ian somehow). Not sure why as I suspect I will like her writing.
I'm planning to read that first book by Alan Jones sometime soon. Like you said, it could take a while!
Have a good week!
Kay: I think we're very fortunate to be readers and to have this method of escape. I don't know how people who don't read cope at the moment to be honest.
I can recommend Shelter in Place but beware, there's a very realistic gun massacre right at the beginning and it's quite disturbing. Possibly make sure you're in the right frame of mind.
Look forard to your 'series catch-up' post as I'm intrigued by the Lady Sherlock book.
Dorothy: I'm always rather excited at the beginning of each month to plan which books I'd like to read and I find the structure of having a list helpful. Of course that's not to say I stick to it. LOL But it does help me with challenges, especially to check where I am with them and what needs to be done. I also think the lists help because I'm such a ditherer, hopeless at making up my mind about what to read next, due I know to having so much choice.
Lark: Absolutely books do that and I have no idea how people who don't read cope. Immerse themselve in TV shows perhaps. I agree the news is almost unwatchable and I'm rationing our consumption of it as it's seriously not good for your health.
Shelter in Place is excellent but like I said to others here, beware of the beginning as it's quite disturbing.
Definitely going to read Blind Search this month!
Tracy: Yes absolutely, blogging and the friendship of fellow bloggers has been hugely important over the last couple of years. I feel like we've created a nice little support network.
I want to read The Windsor Knot which is all about The Queen becoming a sleuth I think, and I rather thought that a reread of The Uncommon Reader would go with it very nicely. I get some strange ideas sometimes. LOL
I'm definitely going to try to read the Inspector Chopra book as it's this month's book for a Youtube book group I follow. I have it on reserve at the library so hopefully it'll arrive soon.
Cath, I absolutely loved Along the Enchanted Way, and really enjoyed On the Sunny Side of the Alps. I don't know the rest, but feel I need to read some Nora Roberts myself. I'm still busy with the Sicilian Carousel by Lawrence Durrell that I bought on the basis of your review. I'm finding it's a bit like a curate's egg. Not that it isn't all good, but I'm no Greek classical scholar and I feel I'm missing a lot as a result. I'm really enjoying the travel parts and am very interested in the history, but I often don't know what he's referring to (not having Greek mythology in my education). That said, it's made me want to go to Sicily for sure!
Val: I'm halfway through The Sunny Side of the Alps and I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying it. Learning so much about life in Slovenia (love how everyone thought they were moving to Slovakia) and it's 'so' well written. I'm hoping to fit in Along the Enchanted Way too this month.
Lawrence Durrell makes me feel very ignorant. Like you it's Greek the mythology, although I did an O level in it as an 'extra' when I started A levels, very little of it stuck. So I'm trying to put that right a bit by reading some of the excellent Greek myth based fiction that's around at the moment. Yes, having read a few books and watched Montalbano on iPlayer I definitely now want to go to Sicily!
I've never read An Uncommon Reader! Clearly, I must rectify this situation. I suppose I thought it was a nonfiction book about reading.
Constance: No, An Uncommon Reader is a fictional imagining of how The Queen might take up reading. It's gentle and funny and I love it... Alan Bennett as I'm sure you know is king of a very specific sort of British humour. The book is a delight and I feel sure you would like it.
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