Sometimes I find myself in the middle of 7+ books at once. I never know why, or how that happens. Well, actually, that’s not entirely true. I have a long wait list at the library, and sometimes 3 become available at once. Sometimes the timing lines up perfectly when I have two book clubs in one week. Oh, and before all that, I was in the middle of two books that I purchased online. And right now, I’m in that situation exactly.
You may notice my GoodReads ‘currently reading’ section has been looking completely and totally bonkers. Who in their right mind would read 7 books at once? Great question! —>
And since I have barely blogged at all this month (starting off the New Year strong, ladies! #fail), I thought I’d take the easy way out and recap the books I did manage to finish earlier this month, in addition to what I’m currently reading. I have so many books on my list and it just keeps growing as the days go by. Send help.
READ THIS MONTH
Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
I really enjoyed this! I thought the pacing was great, it was suspenseful, and a good read. If you’re into mystery thrillers, with a murder-porn component, this one is for you. The ending was a tad predictable, but I enjoyed it!
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
Meh. I’m slowly learning that I never give non-fictions a 5 star, and it’s rare that I give them 4 stars. Non-fiction isn’t really my jam, and neither was this book. It was informative, and quite interesting, but very, very boring. I wouldn’t recommend.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
FIVE STARS. All the feels with this one. Oh my gosh… I also listened to it via Audible, and highly recommend. It’s definitely a book that should be listened to. It follows Star, a 17 year old black girl who witnessed her best friend get murdered by a white police officer. It was SO GOOD. I cried at least 5 times.
CURRENTLY READING
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
My husband bought me a gorgeous leather-bound ‘The Agatha Christie — Mystery Collection’ book from Powell’s when we were in Portland. In August. AUGUST. That’s how long I’ve been waiting to read this. Anyway, I’m nearly finished, and loving every second of it. Obviously. It’s a Hercule Poirot. It’s excellent. Highly recommend, even though I haven’t finished it.
Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom – Volume 1 Sutra by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
I’ve been attending meditation classes and modern Buddhist lessons at our local Buddhist Meditation Center, here in Southwest. It’s been life changing, and in pursuit of learning as much as possible, I started Modern Buddhism. The book is filled with golden nuggets of wisdom, and is the perfect compliment to the Buddhist teachings I attend every Sunday morning.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
This is a book club pick. Did I mention that I joined a third book club? Yep. Brain-overload. It’s quite an interesting read, as far as non-fiction is concerned. But I spend half the time reading, wondering certain statements apply to me. Does that mean I’m an introvert or an extrovert? I find myself exactly on the line, and could go either way.
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
This was a 2017 winner on a million different lists. I was going to order a physical copy, but noticed that it’s narrated by over 160 celebrities, which sounded really cool. I’m about 1/4 in, and so far, it reads like a gorgeous poem. It’s a beautiful story, and I feel deeply moved already — though the format is a total cluster f*ck.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Another book club book. The Red Queen series has been blowing up my GR feed, and figured we’d give it a go. Book club is this upcoming Friday night and I still have 1/3 to finish… The other two LOVED it, so I’m happy it was a winning choice!
And that’s everything in January. Holy books! Am I right?!
*I’m determined to get through these five books before February roll around. Wish me luck!
**Usually Squeaks is in my book photos, but Max decided he wanted a turn. And he yawned his way through each book… what a goofball — and the cat shown in each photo for this post.