My reading goal for 2018 is 72 books, which is exactly where I ended up for 2017. My goal for this year breaks down to a nice and easy 6 books per month. But I somehow closed out January with EIGHT books. Crazy. I know. And this month is shaping up to be no different. Without further delay, here’s what I read, and currently reading in February.
READ THIS MONTH
The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
I love Amy Schumer. I’ve seen her live stand-up a handful of times and a huge fan of her. What I loved the most about her book was how honest and raw she was. I very much enjoyed! Books written by celebrities are usually my palette cleanser in between heady books, and this was a great choice. If you’re a fan of Amy, I highly recommend. I listened to the audiobook, Amy was the narrator and did a great job! Which is more than I can say for Drew Barrymore…
ASTROPHYSICS FOR PEOPLE IN A HURRY BY NEIL deGrasse Tyson
This was a great book. I thought Neil deGrasse Tyson did an excellent job of making such a challenging topic accessible to common folk (read: dumbing down black holes and things alike). It was witty and fun to read. I thought he brought up some really interesting points, and can totally understand why it won so many awards last year! Recommend!
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a WWII novel. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know WWII is my favorite war. KIDDING! But for real, I love a good WWII novel. Reading Lilac Girls gave me nothing but super complicated feelings, not in a good way. More here.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
I’m thrilled to have finally read Celeste Ng’s second novel. She has officially become one of my favorite authors, as she’s now written two 5-star books (at least in my opinion). More here.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is for Book Club #2, it was my suggestion to read this, and it was selected (SCORE)! I listened to it via audiobook and it was kind of impossible to stop listening to it. I thought it was extremelly well composed and totally gripping. Fingers crossed the rest of my book club feels the same way… we’re meeting in March to discuss.
The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
To be perfectly honest, I needed to DL a new audiobook before heading to a clients house last week, and this was one of the few books available that I had any interest in reading listening to. I figure it would be entertaining enough, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s an AWFUL book, I’m slightly miffed that I wasted my time. Oh well. FYI I gave it 2-Stars on GR.
How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price
This is an excellent read that explores the unhealthy relationship *most* people have with their cellphones. It’s a quick and easy read, broken up into two parts. The first part dives deep into how and why we’re so deeply addicted, constantly checking our phones, continuously and mindlessly scrolling and reading, and missing the world around us. Queue depression, anxiety, and loneliness — the first part of the book is filled with eye opening data. The second part is the 30 day action plan that will help develop a healthier relationship with your phone. The point isn’t to trade in your iPhone for a flip phone, but rather foster a better and healthier relationship. I highly recommend this book, and plan on doing a full review soon!
CURRENTLY READING
Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
With my 30th right around the corner, I figure there’s no better time to read this book. It’s also been sitting in my to-read pile for-freaking-ever at this point. Though I already feel like I do a decent job adulting (I’m very financially responsible, I remember to call my grandma on her birthday, I own property, run my own business, get regular dental cleanings, and keep two cats alive!), I know there are somethings I can learn from this book to help push me over to the adult side. Thirty seems like a good time for that, right? Like it’s probably time I learned how to fold a fitted sheet?
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Another book club pick that I suggested to Book Club #3, and it won (SCORE!). With 582 pages, it’s a doorstopper of a book, but the reviews were positively glowing. I’m nearly finished and I absolutely love it!!! While tackling some pretty heavy subject matter, the author somehow manages to weave in hilarious dialogue (I’ve laughed out loud several times) and creates excellent storylines. I’m actually glad it’s such a long story, in fact I don’t want it to come to an end!
Modern Buddhism by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Ugh, yes, this has rolled over from last months reading list. I’m trying to get through it, I really am. The problem is… this book is downloaded onto my iPad, which always seems to be out of battery, and lives inside the middle drawer of my nightstand. And you know what they say, right? Out of sight, out of mind! I do plan on finishing this so it isn’t on my March report!
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
My husband and I spent Presidents Day Weekend in Philadelphia. We opted on driving vs. taking the train and decided to DL an audiobook we’d both enjoy for the drive. Little did we know that the plan would go completely haywire. Our tire blew out on the BWI-Parkway, while it was heavily snowing, the whole thing was a mess. We only ended up listening to about 10 minutes before this happened. Once we were back on the road again, we were too paranoid to focus on anything other than safely arriving in Philly. I do plan on finishing this by next month.
And that’s everything in February!