It is too late to be creating a reading log for the year in April. But still with nothing much to post and boast, thought I would keep both my reading and writing operating with these posts. This year being a good one in that I could read more than 70 books by March thanks to the GoodReads group that lured me into taking up challenges and races.
This being more than the annual target I subject myself to I am falling into a slump. So, I am trying to plan my reading, make a few lists, try completing a few yearly challenges and blog about all this. So I am starting with my January reads here, the list followed by reviews and rants whenever I come across the need to. So I completed 19 books in January, shelved one, The Idiot on 17th after completing Part I.
1. Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, #1) by Jill Shalvis
This happens to be the first book I started the year with, a light read with lots of cliches and usual characters that are in a mess which gets fixed by the end of it all. Though not my kind of read, it was a sweet way of starting the year with nothing to think leave alone over think.
2. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J. K. Rowling
Another great one from the witch herself, this was also a pleasure to watch with kids, more so I knew the beasts, their inside story and other facts better. That reminds me I am yet to start the Cursed child.
3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Too old to start a Christie am I not? This happens to be my first Agatha Christie ever. I did enjoy reading it but I think I would have apprreciated better at a younger age.
4. It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
This happens to be my first non fiction this year, an autobiography at that. But couldn't enjoy this as much as I really wanted to, on the one hand sounds inspirational, on the other sounds rants of a pompous and egotistical person. Ghost written by Sally Jenkins, there are tiny packages that come embellished and crafted a little if not totally.
5. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
This is the third book I read of the author and whatever order they were written, the order in which I read makes me like the author better. Fangirl was a failure for me, though the writing was brilliant, there was so much of loathing by both the main characters. Eleanor and Park was a breather and Attachments is by far the best, the characters being more relatable.
6. Lady Cop Makes Trouble (Kopp Sisters, #2) by Amy Stewart
This is part of a fictional series based on Constance Kopp, the first women police officer in rural New Jersey in 1917, and her sisters. It was an enhancing experience to read the related history and anecdotes. Though it happened to be the second in series, it could easily be read as a stand-alone. But the story has too many fictional elements.
7. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
This was a read aloud with my son and it was fun.
8. Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee
This was the first serious book that I read this year, detailed review already posted here.
9. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
A long awaited journey into the fantasy genre that I fail to grasp. This was a weekly group read of a small whatsapp group bookclub that I am part-of. I understand these stories were created like bedtime stories, and so the narration and style have just one goal, to put the listener to sleep, and this it did. Every time I started reading this story I ended up going to sleep instantaneously. We took up the audio version and thankfully completed. The narrator was Rob Inglis and it was a wonderful experience listening to him on my way to and from office. It felt like back to childhood, closing eyes, visualizing the story, laughing, feeling ticklish and giggling. I have seen the movie several times, but still this was simply awesome.
** to be continued
This being more than the annual target I subject myself to I am falling into a slump. So, I am trying to plan my reading, make a few lists, try completing a few yearly challenges and blog about all this. So I am starting with my January reads here, the list followed by reviews and rants whenever I come across the need to. So I completed 19 books in January, shelved one, The Idiot on 17th after completing Part I.
1. Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, #1) by Jill Shalvis
This happens to be the first book I started the year with, a light read with lots of cliches and usual characters that are in a mess which gets fixed by the end of it all. Though not my kind of read, it was a sweet way of starting the year with nothing to think leave alone over think.
2. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J. K. Rowling
Another great one from the witch herself, this was also a pleasure to watch with kids, more so I knew the beasts, their inside story and other facts better. That reminds me I am yet to start the Cursed child.
3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Too old to start a Christie am I not? This happens to be my first Agatha Christie ever. I did enjoy reading it but I think I would have apprreciated better at a younger age.
4. It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
This happens to be my first non fiction this year, an autobiography at that. But couldn't enjoy this as much as I really wanted to, on the one hand sounds inspirational, on the other sounds rants of a pompous and egotistical person. Ghost written by Sally Jenkins, there are tiny packages that come embellished and crafted a little if not totally.
5. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
This is the third book I read of the author and whatever order they were written, the order in which I read makes me like the author better. Fangirl was a failure for me, though the writing was brilliant, there was so much of loathing by both the main characters. Eleanor and Park was a breather and Attachments is by far the best, the characters being more relatable.
6. Lady Cop Makes Trouble (Kopp Sisters, #2) by Amy Stewart
This is part of a fictional series based on Constance Kopp, the first women police officer in rural New Jersey in 1917, and her sisters. It was an enhancing experience to read the related history and anecdotes. Though it happened to be the second in series, it could easily be read as a stand-alone. But the story has too many fictional elements.
7. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
This was a read aloud with my son and it was fun.
8. Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee
This was the first serious book that I read this year, detailed review already posted here.
9. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
A long awaited journey into the fantasy genre that I fail to grasp. This was a weekly group read of a small whatsapp group bookclub that I am part-of. I understand these stories were created like bedtime stories, and so the narration and style have just one goal, to put the listener to sleep, and this it did. Every time I started reading this story I ended up going to sleep instantaneously. We took up the audio version and thankfully completed. The narrator was Rob Inglis and it was a wonderful experience listening to him on my way to and from office. It felt like back to childhood, closing eyes, visualizing the story, laughing, feeling ticklish and giggling. I have seen the movie several times, but still this was simply awesome.
** to be continued
