February 2014 Reading Round-Up
Posted 3rd March 2014
Category: Round-Ups Genres: N/A
8 Comments
February was… interesting. The weather was good a lot of the time and the issues with the toilet and so forth finally got fixed. Flowers are beginning to grow again and we’re not having to use so much gas and electricity on heating and lights. But in February I had a bit of a slump and didn’t end up finishing a book until mid-month. I’m back to being motivated now but of course it’s difficult making up for 2 weeks little reading, especially when your current read is Anna Karenina…
All books are works of fiction.
The Books
Aimee Bender: An Invisible Sign Of My Own – Her difficult childhood still influencing her life, superstitious Mona tries to find happiness in a world where everyone has their habits and compulsions and where bad circumstances have awful effects. A good book but rather depressing – choose your reading time wisely.
Heather Walsh: The Drake Equation – Eco charity-worker Emily meets SUV-advertiser Robert and whilst the debates are constant, love becomes more prevalent. It needs a lot of editing, but the way Walsh has written the characters is excellent.
N K Jemisin: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms – Yenie is called to ‘return’ to her ancestral home to become one of the heirs of her grandfather, but the earth-bound gods have other intentions. An okay book but lacking in focus.
My favourite this month was Bender’s An Invisible Sign Of My Own. That said, however, I liked it more from an objective viewpoint than personally. It had a good lesson to teach but was hard to get through. Jemisin’s book was an addition, of sorts, to my list for Long-Awaited Reads Month, as I had wanted to read it since Aarti’s first A More Diverse Universe and I had had my copy for a good while.
Quotation Report
None this time.
March is the start of spring and thus busy-ness, so who knows how much I’ll read? But I’m glad for it.
What was your favourite book this month (or week if you round-up each week)?
March 3, 2014, 9:35 am
I think February has been a slow month for a lot of us book bloggers, I think I like it less as a month than January.
I don’t think I really loved a book enough to mark it out as a favourite of all I have read this month.
March 3, 2014, 10:44 am
I seem to be re-reading comfort reads at the moment as I’m trying to finish writing a piece of work that’s not coming right. However, I exclude them from favourites and I’ll say, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Fair Barbarian has made me feel happiest in February. A feel-good, simple story where everything works out: now if only my own work would do that!
March 3, 2014, 11:00 am
I sympathise it finally nice to see a bit more sunshine and the flowers starting to bloom. There are loads of purple crocuses starting to appear around me which I think are just lovely. I was also very busy in February. I think my favourite read would have to be Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson which sounds like it might be a similar read to your favourite. Happy reading in March!
March 3, 2014, 7:35 pm
Anna Karenina is and probably always will be one of the hardest books I have ever had to read.
Happy March reading!
March 5, 2014, 4:16 am
Nice books that you have read in February, Charlie. I love the title ‘The Drake Equation’ – quite interesting! I didn’t read much in February, but out of the few that I read, I liked Marina Tsvetaeva’s ‘Selected Poems’ the best.
Nice to know that you are reading Anna Karenina’ now. Happy reading! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
March 6, 2014, 11:31 am
I also read very little this month, but mine were academic reasons;)
I’m astonished to hear you had good weather there, because here in the south of Europe, we had a terrible weather! It seems unbelievable.
But March is here and yes, flowers are growing and people spend more time outside, so let’s see if we feel like reading a lot ;)
March 15, 2014, 10:10 am
Kailana: That situation is so difficult! It’s awesome having a good reading month but then you can’t choose! Thanks :)
Alice: I’d agree with you there, though it’s strange, really – shortest month, you’d think it wouldn’t be so bad! I hope March is better for you :)
Vicki: Good luck with your writing :) I’ve not heard of that book, I’ll have to look it up as I love The Secret Garden and have been wanting to read The Shuttle.
Jessica: The flowers sound wonderful! I can’t wait for the daffodils! I remembering reading about the Winterson, and yes, I can see there being a connection between it and Bender’s book. Happy March to you, too!
Freda: Although I was speeding through it initially, it’s been a good few days since I lasted picked it up so I can see where you’re coming from. There is just so much extraneous content!
Vishy: Yes, it’s something I didn’t add to the review, but the author’s used the astronomy in the book. Having read your review I’m going to look for the book of poems. Anna Karenina may be a long wait, as I’m sure you’ll understand!
Isi: I read so little whilst studying. Well, we do read a lot, but textbooks would be boring to write about on our blogs! Interesting – we tend to expect European, especially south, weather is better than ours!
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March 3, 2014, 1:32 am
I haven’t really pondered my February favourite yet… There were a few that I really liked, so it makes it hard to pick just one! I hope even if March is busy you find some reading time. :)