February’s reading (except for the Twin Peaks book which has gone into hiding)

Well, dear reader, what a month it has been.  We got off to a bit of a slow start this month and, as a result, we are now about 5 books behind where we should be in this challenge.  I need to read 21 per month, but as of the end of Feb, we are only at 37 books rather than the ideal 42.  But, let’s just remember that February is an indecently short month and we have another full 10 months stretching out ahead of us;  I’m sure we can catch up in the months to come.

It has been an interesting month of reading though.  We’ve travelled from South Sudan to Papua New Guinea to Deep Space 9.  We’ve learnt about London, love and how the Irish saved civilisation. And, if that weren’t enough, we made the voyage to King Solomon’s mines and returned alive.   Have you had any favourite moments along the way? Any books that you particularly loved?

The Delectable Pile

My highlights this month are:

1. Emma’s War: this was a fascinating real-life story about an aid worker who ended up marrying a Sudanese warlord.  It was brilliantly researched and beautifully written – well worth a read.

2. Dance, Dance, Dance: this one makes the list because I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it nearly as much as I did.  Murakami’s skill at blending reality and magic was spellbinding.

3. A Geography of Time: This is probably my number one book of the year so far.  It is a fascinating exploration of how people view time around the world. It provided so much food for thought.

4. Mister Pip: this captivating story of life in a small village in Papua New Guinea during the civil war in the 1990s completely drew me in. And then broke me.

The Defenestration Pile

There is only one book this month that has merited defenstration, but it was flung with some vigour.

1. Dead Until Dark: I just REALLY don’t like vampire stories.  And I don’t like the way they make horrible behaviour seem a) acceptable and b) appealing.  Ergh. Don’t do it.

Let’s see what the next month holds!  If there are any books on my booklist that you would like me to review in March, let me know and I will do my best.