Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Books of the Month: January

Inspired by one of my fave bloggers, Angie of Addicted to Books,  I have decided to use her feature/meme on my blog (thanks Angie)


I really like the idea of chatting about the books I read in the month, as I can casually talk about the books I have loved (ones that I may not ever get a chance to reviewing).


First off, I decided to consciously read less books this year, so I am really pleased and a little stunned with my count. This is the lowest reading month I have had in a few years. November and December of 2011 were really slow for me as well, but I am really enjoying the pace of not racing through books all the time and immediately diving into the next one. 


I also decided to only read and finish books I am genuinely enjoying (I am pretty good at this, but sometimes persevere at the urgings of others who love a book I am struggling with, not going to do that any more ;)).


Just like Angie, I am going to do a quick recommendation using the * symbol. 


* means I really liked it
** means it's a favourite


(both these * ratings mostly reflect my personal taste and enjoyment rather than the books brilliance)


Books I read in January:







1. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith
Read this one with my book club and it didn't really charm me like I was hoping it would. Cute enough though (my review)


2.** Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
I am officially an Ockler fangirl. This one made me ache and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A n early fave for the year. (my review)


3. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
I can see how this book is (probably) brilliant. However, I must be jaded or something as it wasn't for me. Maybe more on this one later (in a full review). A side note: this took me nine days to read (and I was exclusively reading it), and not because I was savouring it :/


4. * Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Oh, I love Kinsella. She always hits the spot for me. Have to confess, the beginning few chapters of this one were a little tedious/painful (nearly to the point of DNF) but the book got much better as it progressed. Kinsella is the master of embarrasing/humliating her heroine, but in such a fun way. I was (surprisingly) touched by Sadie's tragic love story :'( And, as always, Kinsella's leading men bring on the swoon. YUM. Also, best meet cute ever, haha. Still chuckling. If I were the editor, I would have pared some of the superfluous scenes down (especially in the first half). However, this book is as crazy, silly and fun as her other novels and is the perfect rainy day comfort read. I am seriously craving some more Kinsella now, can't wait for her 2012 release :) 


5. Angelfall by Susan Ee
A self-published angel, post-apocalyptic title making some waves in the YA community.  I started out impressed, had some fun times (it is compulsively readable), but in the end felt lacklustre about the whole thing. I'm recommending this to fans of (darker) angel/post-apocalyptic stuff.  (some of the scenes in this one were too gory for my tastes)  (my brief review on goodreads)


6. *How it Ends by Laura Wiess
Oh, I really liked this one, I just finished last night, so my thoughts are a little scrambled. Not at all what I was expecting. Hopefully more on this one later.


My Audio Books for January:
For my birthday/Christmas I (finally) got an iPod. So I tried out my first ever audio books and am really enjoying the whole audio book scene.



Both of these are re-reads (well, you know what I mean, I didn't actually "read" them ;))

1. While I Live (The Ellie Linton Chronicles #1) by John Marsden
I still love Ellie, but I think Marsden was really onto something with the whole gang dynamic in the Tomorrow series. Really missing that in this one :/


2. **Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
Oh, I am ever so nostalgic to read the whole series now. I will revisit them throughout this year for sure. Love Anne and Prince Edward Island and the whole cast of characters there <3 (I cried in this one. every time I cry...)


Currently: 


Here's my kids yesterday after their first day back at school. It stopped raining (ever so briefly) so we went to our local headland for some kite flying. Our poor beach is so trashed (see the top pic) after so much rain and some flooding :/ It's thundering down as I type this O.o (back to being on flood warning)



It's been pretty much non-stop rain for a couple of weeks now. And Coffs Harbour rain is not pretty, gentle stuff. Here's a sneak peek of my week ahead *groans*


Next up in February:

I am really looking forward to some of my February reads, a little batch of reservations have arrived at my library for me to collect, including an urban fantasy (hope I am saying the right genre, haha, that's how clueless I am about it) that is completely outside of my comfort zone, but I am going to give it a try :)

Also really looking forward to reading on of Jess's favourite YA books, The School for Dangerous Girls.

Currently listening to Kate Morton's The Distant Hours. It's al gothic-y and intriguing, but gosh, it is LONG, 24 hours, I am about 7 hours into it...

19 comments:

  1. Man, I really need to read Sarah Ockler's latest books, I loooved 20 Boy Summer but haven't got a chance to read her other books. And I keep seeing Sophie Kinsella's books everywhere! :P Also, your kids are TOO cute, it's kind of unfair, hehe, and DUDE I would SOO take that weather over my -5 degree butt-freezing-inducing snow here XD Love the books of the month idea/post! :)

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  2. Oooo I'm glad you are going to give The School for Dangerous Girls a go. It's not a well known one but I really got stuck into it. Hope it lives up to my recommendation :/

    I might have to give Sarah Ockler another go. I didn't like Fixing Delilah that much but you are such a fangirl, maybe I misjudged...

    And the kids look like they are having a great time :)

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  3. I love the idea of conciously reading fewer books! These days I feel like reading is sometimes a second job and I feel obligated to get so much done. I honestly stress about all of the books I'll never get to read in my lifetime...which is why I also only try to read books I genuinely enjoy! I have Magic Bites on my list for February too, it's sitting on my coffee table waiting for me right now.

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  4. You know? it's raining here too and is SOO Cold!
    *sigh*

    I don't know why but I guess I'll be like you when I read The Fault in Our Stars, :P
    Oh and I so wanna read Bittersweet, I didn't love Twenty Boy Summer but I thought the writing was brilliant

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  5. Oh my god, a new Ockler book? I've been so out of it but MUST CHECK IT OUT IMMEDIATELY. Hope your weather picks up! It's been nothing but rainy then perfect weather then rainy again over here. hm, strange winters.

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  6. Sorry to hear that you'll be having bad weather for the rest of the week! It's like that over here as well during typhoon season. :( All you want to do is curl up in bed with a good book. I'm excited for you to read the Kate Daniels novels because that's my favorite urban fantasy series. I don't get to read a lot under that genre but I love Ilona Andrews.

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  7. Oh my gosh, just look at you with your ipod picture! I remember poor, naive Nomes of just a month ago. You are a totally different person now:)

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  8. It goes to show that everyone has different tastes. I am a HUGE John Green fan, and I read TFIOS in one sitting, alternating between sobbing and laughing.

    And how random has the weather been lately?? You call this summer?

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  9. Can't wait to read Bittersweet as I enjoyed, Twenty Boy Summer, but was mostly pulled in by the fact that the book trailer is delicous, yummy and cute! Check it out if you haven't done so yet!

    Sorry you didn't love TFIOS, I'm really anxious to read it though after I watched the video of John Green reading the first chapter. Also, I really can't wait to read ony of his books as I have yet to do of yet! Lets hope I get to it soon!

    Awesome post Nomes! :)

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  10. Sorry to hear about all your rain and storms! I also live in a coastal area which takes a fair few bashings! It's freezing over here at the moment, not so much rain though!

    I've been hearing all these amazing things about Angelfall. Not quite sure if it's my thing - I'm not one for gore, but I'm tempted to check it out nonetheless just to see what all the buzz is about!

    The Distant Hours has been on my shelf for over a year. I really want to read it, but it's so big! lol! I will get to it, though. Hopefully sooner rather than later!

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  11. Agreed. Kinsella does hit the spot.

    LOVE those pictures. Beautiful!

    Oooo please say you'll be reviewing that audiobook? :)

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  12. Wow! I think you're the first to say that Green's latest didn't blow you away. Every review I've read for it keeps saying the same thing. Thanks for offering a different opinion.

    And I can't believe I haven't read anything by Sarah Ockler, yet. I need to try her someday soon. Magic Bites has been on my TBR forever, and I plan to get that series read this year.

    Your kids are adorable. I'm glad you got to enjoy some time outdoors for a while.

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  13. Oh, my gosh those gorgeous kids!! And that beach!!! haha, so jealous of you. Well, while you've been getting hit with lots of thunderstorms, we've been having unseasonably warm weather up here. So much so that I'm beginning to wonder if there really is an apocalypse coming. :)

    Love your list, adding your double stars to my TBR list. I enjoyed TFioS, more so than some of his other ones, though the voice didn't grab me as much as LFA or AoK. I have heard a few people say that it wasn't for them though, so I don't think you're alone.

    Just saw, Night Beach is on Netgalley - and guess what? It's only for AUSTRALIANS!!! Soooooo unfair. :(

    Feel honored that you adopted my little meme; it was really just a short cut because I'm too lazy to do many reviews. Loving it though! :)

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  14. OK. Seriously. I'd been putting off buying any more books, but I just caved and went and ordered Bittersweet. Seriously just now. It's ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT (I can't get your review out of my head) :P

    Seriously? MAGIC BITES? OMG. YES. It's definitely Urban Fantasy. Sometimes the lines can blur between adult UF and PNR, but Magic Bites is DEFINITELY urban fantasy. Try be patient with it. The world is STRANGE, and you're thrown straight in, learning bits as you go along. There's NO info dumping to acclimate you, but it's brilliant. It has a real fantasy vibe... the kind of dense complexity (I mean this is a good way) and world building I expect to see in a book about dragons and sword fights and epic battles? It's dark, and it reminded me a little of a low-tech Blade Runner. I SO hope you like it!

    Sorry, I'll stop gushing now :)

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  15. I can't believe you're going to read less books! ;)

    I still need to get around to reading TSPoLaFS! I think you're the only one I've seen that hasn't loved it. :(

    I <3 Sarah Ockler! I still need to read this one though!

    I gave Angelfall 4 starts, not five, like most (or even all) people I've seen.

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  16. I love that you did this post! It seems that you've had quite a few disappointments this month, but I'm sure February will be much better for you (on that note, I wish you'd reconsider reading Suicide Notes, it's really a funny, beautiful, unpretentious story).

    I enjoyed both Angelfall and The Fault in Our Stars, though not nearly as much as other people did.
    And yaaay about you reading urban fantasy! I'd dance, but then I'd probably fall and break something because I'm graceful like that, so it's better that I express my enthusiasm with words. :)

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  17. I've really enjoyed Ockler's 3 previous novels, so I'm hoping I'll love Bittersweet as much as you did!

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  18. I loved Sarah Ockler's first two books, but I haven't read Bittersweet yet - the title doesn't give much away and despite reading a couple of reviews I'm not entirely sure what it's about, I'll have to read it for myself.

    I'm trying to decide whether I'd rather have your temperatures with the rain, or our mostly dry and sunny bitter cold. I'm fed up with having to wrap up in jumpers and coats and tights under jeans and still be cold.

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  19. I have copies of Bittersweet and The Statiscal, and The Fault in our Stars. I'm so excited to read them. I love me some Kinsella too. She has a great sense of humor and her characters are always fun albeit crazy. We have a few rainy days here as well but no floods yet so I guess we're on the good side.

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Thanks for the commenty love :)