Books I read: January 2014

This was supposed to be the year of the reread, and while I did some rereading, I also read a helluva lot of new books. This is mainly because I finally picked up a series that my BFF has been recommending for a year, and also that when I would forget my book at home, I would download a new book to start from the library. I read a lot, but I also don’t feel like it was the only thing I did, which is a change. The Gregor books were super quick reads. (I also watched 64 episodes of Veronica Mars in the last 7 days of January)

reread

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban - JK Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling (continued into February)

new:

1. Flash Gold - Lindsay Buroker A novella by one of my favorite authors. A little different – more like a steampunk wild west – but very enjoyable.

2. The Interestings - Meg Wolitzer I didn’t know if I would like this at first. I was a little bored, but then I really really got into the characters and by the end I was openly weeping. The nonlinear storyline is jarring for me, but acceptable in the grand scheme. This was my favorite new book of the month.

3. Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins Bex recommended this forever ago but I kept forgetting about it. The first book (this one) is a little young, I didn’t think I would care enough to read the rest of the series, but they are really well written and I just kept finishing one and immediately picking up the next (it helped that the library got all of them for me at the same time). Good stuff.

4. The Bat - Jo Nesbo This is Nesbo’s first Harry Hole book, and since I’ve read several of the others, this was way tamer. It was well written, less bloody, less insane (but still some insanity). Like when Criminal Minds first started versus where they are now. Can only get more shocking, right? I would always recommend these books, but maybe this one before you get to the others.

5. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane - Suzanne Collins

6. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods - Suzanne Collins

7. Gregor and the Marks of Secret - Suzanne Collins

8. Between Sisters - Kristin Hannah This was not the best of hers I've read. It was very formulaic, and honestly and terribly, a week later I can't remember at all what it was about. Not a ringing endorsement.

9. Gregor and the Code of the Claw - Suzanne Collins This one was my favorite.

10. A Visit from the Good Squad - Jennifer Egan I hated this. Hated, gleefully dropped it in the library's return box not even halfway through.