Whoa! Is it March already?? What happened, where did the month of February go? You know the saying, Time flies when you’re nose is buried in a book! At least I was able to complete my unread shelf project goal for February, but I’m not on track for posting any reviews. Obviously balance or time management is something to address. The more I read the less I write!
This is How I’d Love You
However, I selected 4 books from the unread shelf project choices this month, and was off to a great start. First, This is How I’d Love You was a surprisingly enjoyable story. I purchased this book off a one dollar table quite some time ago, and stashed it with my other TBRs as a some day option. This title was selected for February, because, you know…love was in the title!
Love That Boy
After completing This is How I’d Love you, I dove right into Love That Boy again because, you guessed it, love was in the title. This book is a truly phenomenal account of how a father comes to terms with the uniqueness of his son, who is diagnosed with high functioning autism. They travel together to build bonds, thinking the son will take lessons from the father. Ultimately it’s the father who learns from son.
An Untamed State
While This is How I’d Love You and Love That Boy were knocked out in the first two weeks of February, and I made the mistake of beginning An Untamed State on a work travel day. Mistake, mostly because I was in the back seat of the rental, reading furiously while co-workers drove and navigated and I was being blown away by the story. So much so that I had no idea I’d finish that book in one day. I could not stop reading, except to take deep gulps of air as I processed the trauma of certain passages. This book was difficult to read, but I wouldn’t have missed it. And by difficult, I don’t mean big words and complex ideas. The descriptions of the situation the main character is faced with surviving conjured a visceral reaction, a gut punch at times. It was a gift from someone special, who knew any book set in Haiti would immediately have my attention.
In Farleigh Field: A Novel of WWII
Unfortunately, that book was done by the time I reached the work destination, so I needed a follow up. Kindle App on iPad to the rescue so I just switched out another TBR and I’ll get to the previously selected one later…or next year. I had downloaded In Farleigh Field: A Novel of WWII through BookBub on a free day, so it was waiting for me. I enjoyed the historical fiction set in WWII, even if the ending was a tad bit predictable.
All in all, February was a satisfying month of reading, with one exception (SEE BELOW). Who knows, at the rate I keep adding books to my Kindle and bookshelves, I need to start planning #theunreadshelfproject2019 now. Here are the links to my February reading list if you’re interested in picking one up to read. Remember, I might make a few pennies when you purchase a book, but I’m hooking you up with free ones too, so it is obviously not all about that money!
February Unread Books Completed
- This is How I’d Love You, by Hazel Woods
- Love That Boy, by Ron Fournier
- An Untamed State, by Roxane Gay
- In Farleigh Field: A Novel of WWII, by Rhys Bowen
Fifth Book -From Unread to Unfinished
A fifth book I began after I read In Farleigh Field: A Novel of WWII was going to be book number 5 for the month of February. I selected The Book of Love, Improvisations on a Crazy Little Thing, by Roger Rosenblatt, in keeping with the Valentine’s LOVE theme. Actually, this one had been sitting on my shelf for several years, and I would occasionally pull it down to browse, but had not actually committed to reading cover to cover. I expected it to be essays on love, personal musings of the author with some direction or point. Honestly, I felt I was reading someone’s random stream of consciousness. Due to that, I couldn’t pick up the rhyme or reason behind the organization, although there were song titles or lyrics involved somehow. Maybe if I were better acquainted with obscure lyrics?
I struggled with this book, determined to power through, kinda like eating the beets. It’s good for you, but you won’t enjoy it. About half way through though, I came to the realization that I was punishing myself and making what I wanted to do become what I had to do. Life’s too short and my TBR list is too long, so I tossed it.
Here is the magic of reading, though. While I may not have enjoyed this book, you perfectly well may. So I’m including it in the links as well.
