April 2010 Reading Wrap-Up

Apr 302010

So I’m fairly proud of my reading this month for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I read 22 books this month, which is more than I have ever read in a month except when I have participated in a Readathon. Although there was a Readathon this month, I wasn’t able to participate. Yes, four of the books from this month were audios, but that still leaves 18 paper books read in one month, which is really huge for me – especially because I’m also in the middle of readalongs of “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” and “Wolf Hall” which aren’t finished so aren’t included here. That (not counting the unfinished readalongs) was a total of 5,412 pages and just over 1.5 days of audio.

The other thing I’m proud of, is how many of the books I read already have reviews posted.Eight of the 22 still need reviews, but 3 of those are audios (which I’m terrible at reviewing) and 3 are already scheduled for dates in May.

After my list of what I read this month, you’ll find a list of the other reviews and posts I posted this month.

What I Read:

Fiction
Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff
Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

Young Adult/Middle Grades Fiction
The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

Historical Fiction
Pearl of China by Anchee Min
Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees
Claude and Camille by Stephanie Cowell (review scheduled for May 3rd)
Within the Hollow Crown by Margaret Campbell Barnes
The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
The Blue Orchard by Jackson Taylor (review scheduled for May 4th)

Nonfiction
Sisters in War by Christina Asquith
A Parisienne in Chicago by Mary Beth Raycraft (translator)
College in a Nutskull by Anders Henriksson (editor) (review pending)
Eat Nap Play by Robyn Spizman and Evelyn Sacks
The Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook by Kim West (review scheduled for May 19th)
The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea (review pending)

Audio
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson (review pending)
My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme (review pending)
Paper Towns by John Green
Leaving the Saints by Martha Beck (review pending)

Pick of the Month:

In “The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott,” author Kelly O’Connor McNees theorizes about a secret love for the beloved author Louisa May Alcott, and I loved it.

What I Posted:

Guest Posts and Discussions
Oh, D.E.A.R.
“Discovering Madame Grandin’s Chicago” - guest post by Mary Beth Raycraft, translator of A Parisienne in Chicago

Fiction
The Anthologist by Nicholas Baker
31 Hours by Masha Hamilton
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

March 2010 Reading Wrap-Up

Apr 022010

I did pretty well in March, finishing 17 books, including 4 audio books for a total of 5,172 pages and 2.35 days of audio. I’m sort of surprised, because most of my weeks seemed slow, but I guess they added up pretty well.

After my list of what I read this month, you’ll find a list of the other reviews I posted this month, as well as an update of how I’m doing in my challenges.

What I Read:

Fiction
Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian (audio) – review pending
Double Fault by Lionel Shriver
Still Life by Louise Penny
The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry – review pending
The House of Tomorrow by Peter Borgnanni
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (audio) – review pending
The Language of Secrets by Diane Dixon
The Anthologist by Nicholas Baker