Sunday, February 6, 2022

January Wrap-Up and February Reading Plans



January was one long month around here. It started off on a pleasant note with holiday visitors remaining though the first week, but went downhill after that as my father-in-law's health deteriorated dramatically, resulting in his death a week later. The rest of the month seems like a blur. 

Surprisingly, I still managed to read four books. 


Books read in January:

1.  The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
     - read/listen combination 
     - literary fiction
      - 4/5 stars (my review)

2. A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell
    - read/listen combination
    - nonfiction
    - 3/5 stars (my review)

3. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson
    - ebook
    - literary fiction, longlisted for 2021 Booker Prize
    - 5/5 stars (my review)

4. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
    - audiobook
    - nonfiction, essays
    - 4/5 stars (my review)

My favorite book of the month:




February is a short month but, since moving to Florida, it has become one of the busiest. This is the beginning of 'high season' around here... lots of visitors, social engagements,  and seasonal programming and fundraisers for many organizations. The pandemic curtailed much of it over the past two years, but we are cautiously optimistic this year. 

My daughter and her boyfriend are here this weekend for her birthday celebration, my sister and BIL will visit over her February break, and we'll also welcome a friend from NY for a few days at the end of the month. Most of our activities and all dining will still be outdoors, but that's progress!

February reading possibilities:

What was your favorite book in January? What are you planning to read this month?

The small starfish in the photo above was discovered on a recent evening walk. Since it was alive,  I scooped it up for a quick photo and placed it gently back into the gulf.

49 comments:

  1. Your oceanside photo is pretty. I loved The Lincoln Highway, and I hope you like it too. Reviewed here:
    https://maefood.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-lincoln-highway-by-amor-towles.html

    best... mae

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    1. Thanks, Mae. The Lincoln Highway has a lot fans in the book blogging world!

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  2. That starfish photo is amazing - definite keeper. Sounds like you will have lots of people to entertain in February - but, nice to see those you don't see often. For books - I love having a plan or guideline for the coming month and this has worked well so far for me. In January I read a lot of enjoyable books but, I think Winter Solstice and Mala's Cat: A WWII Survivor's story were my favorites. I picked up A Town Called Solace from the library and I've also had The Ten Lives of Nishino on my future TBR list since I saw it in the Europa catalog. Have a great month.

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    1. Diane - I'm still disappointed I didn't get to Winter Solstice last month, but will put it on my list again in December. Planning out my monthly reads, even roughly, has made a huge difference for me, too. The Ten Loves of Nishino was just okay for me. Hope to write a quick review this week.

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  3. Good luck with your February entertaining! I finished The Lincoln Highway a few days ago. I liked it too.

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    1. Aj - Glad you finished The Lincoln Highway and enjoyed it, too. Such a good story!

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  4. What a wonderful photo of the starfish!

    I know you are looking forward to having guests this month. We are tentatively planning to stay with my aunt in a couple of weeks and we're (hopefully) going abroad in late March. We'll see.

    Great reading for you. I loved Lincoln Highway, too.

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    1. Deb - At first I thought the starfish was dead, but a tip of one leg moved and I realized it was still alive. Maybe it was just sluggish from the cold?

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  5. I'm so sorry again about your father-in-law, but it looks like you have many things coming up to look forward to! Hope you enjoy February!

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    1. Angela - Thanks you. February is shaping up to be a much better month...

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  6. I've never seen such a small starfish (sea star?). Very pretty.

    I'm looking forward to The Lincoln Highway, A Town Called Solace and The Anthropocene Review. They all sounds wonderful!

    I had a few winners last month (finally posted my monthly summary) and have already finished a couple of good ones this week. Taste is probably my #1 read for January, followed closely by Winter Solstice.

    Enjoy all your visitors and beautiful weather. It's still too chilly and damp to eat outside, but take-out works well, too.

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    1. Les - That is one the smallest starfish I've seen. Most have smaller bodies and longer, thinner legs... usually 7 or even 9 of them! Initially I thought it was dead, but one of the legs started to move ever so slightly. Very cool!

      You know I loved Taste, too, and am still disappointed I didn't get my reread of Winter Solstice in. This year for sure!

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  7. My favorite January read was a YA book called The Chandler Legacies that dealt well with boarding school hazing/abuse.

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    1. Helen - I just looked up The Chandler Legacies and it sounds wonderful! Will keep an eye out for a copy at my library.

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  8. Ok that's it. I had said "If one more person mentions that dang Lincoln Hwy book, I'm adding it to my list."

    Added.

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  9. Wow February does sound busy! It's so cold here...our main engagements will be celebrating my son's birthday. I have Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow on my list before I get to his new one. I'm hoping next month I can get to it. Glad you enjoyed it.

    My favorite book I read in January was T: The Story of Testosterone, The Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us by Carole Hooven.

    I hope you have a lovely week!

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    1. Heather - It will be a busy month, but full of good things this time. I hope you enjoy A Gentleman in Moscow. The Count is an unforgettable character... I still think about him from time to time.

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  10. I listened to one book which I reviewed, and read 3 short ones which I didn't review.. Still not in the reviewing mood, hope I am soon. I still haven't reviewed the last few books I finished in 2021 :(

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    1. Forgot to say that I LOVE the photo! Beautiful beach and beautiful starfish!

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    2. Vicki - I think we all go in streaks when it comes to writing reviews. If you don't worry about it, you're sure to swing in the other direction soon! Glad you like the photo... it was a beautiful evening and an unusual find.

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  11. That Mary Lawson book reminded me how much I enjoyed her "The Other Side of the Bridge" and "Crow Lake" novels. I read both of those in early 2007 and then forgot all about her for some strange reason. I really do need to re-explore her work. I can't imagine why someone as good as her slipped from my radar this way.

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    1. Sam - Crow Lake will be my next Lawson novel, and I'm not going to let myself wait too long - March or April for sure! Glad to know you liked that one and The Other Side of the Bridge, too.

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  12. I just finished The Lincoln Highway and absolutely loved it. I thought it was so clever to have different narrators and everyone tell their story! My Sunday Salon

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    1. Anne - The audio version had three narrators and all were terrific!

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  13. love your pic. sorry about your father in law. mr wonderful lost his father last year. glad you have had some visitors and books to help.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. Thanks, Sherry. I think February will be a much better month.

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  14. Wonderful picture of the starfish and the beach, especially for us surrounded by snow and indoors because of the cold! Hope your February goes well and all will be well with the family.

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  15. I love that picture of the starfish. I'm not sure if I've ever found an intact one on the beach. The few I've seen have been dead and... showing it. I have seen some live ones on rocks in the water though.

    Have fun with your visitors!

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    1. Jen - Most of the dead starfish that wash up on the beach are not in great shape... most have a leg or two missing. I thought this one was dead initially, but watched it a while and one leg started moving. That's when I decided it needed to go back in the water!

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  16. I hope February will be a better month for you, especially with family visits. It sounds like your reading was good overall--several good books. What a lovely photo of the Starfish! Take care, JoAnn and have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Wendy. We have a lot to look forward to this month and that definitely helps.

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  17. February sounds like a busy one for you. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. Yvonne - It will be a busy month... we're looking forward to seeing friends and family. Hope your week is off to a good start.

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  18. I love your photo with the starfish! Just beautiful! Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of your father-in-law! I'm so glad you were able to read a bit.
    A Woman of No Importance is on my TBR and I just added A Town Called Solace based on your review. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Thank you, Miaismine. I hope you enjoy A Town Called Solace as much as I did. Have a feeling it will be on my list of favorites at the end of the year.

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  19. So very sorry to hear about your father-in-law.

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  20. So sorry to hear about your father-in-law. :(

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    1. Thanks, Erin. He was 94 and had a very full life.

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  21. I had two favorites in January: Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti and The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair. Have a great week!

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    1. Cindy - I'm not familiar with either of those, but am on my way over to goodreads now to look them up. Thanks!

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  22. What a beautiful starfish. I'm so sorry about your father-in-law. Between grief and all the work that has to be dealt with after a death I'm sure everything is a blur. Hopefully February will be a much better month with lots of wonderful books.

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    1. Thanks, Katherine. We're still dealing with the all the work, but February is already looking better.

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  23. Wow that starfish is so little - I don't think I've seen one like that before, Interesting! You did so well with reading in January despite all that happened. I'm amazed by the long books you finished. I think I will try Toni Morrison's short story Recitatif this month which might be perfect for Black History Month. I assume Sula would be good too. Have a great month.

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    1. Susan - I'd never seen a starfish quite like that either... glad he was still alive! Right now I'm engrossed in Devil in the Grove, which is quite intense. Not sure whether I'll go directly to Morrison next (I've only read The Bluest Eye) or read something on the lighter side first. Hope your month is off to a good start!

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  24. I'm sorry about your father-in-law. Sometimes swift and sudden is easiest for everyone, but it doesn't leave time to get mentally prepared.
    Great review of The Lincoln Highway! My mother is discussing it with her book group tonight, and I'm sure it will be a good discussion.

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    1. Thanks, Laurie. For 94, he was pretty amazing... a big golfer, he got his first hole-in-one when he was 90! Hope your mother's group had a good discussion with The Lincoln Highway. I'm sure they must have. Our library group still hasn't restarted yet, but I'm already looking forward to the library groups up north this summer.

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