What Are You Reading? (February 2014)
Open Book by Dave Dugdale
It’s the first Monday of the month, and you know what that means . . .
Book Reports!
If you’ve challenged yourself to—or even officially signed up for—a reading challenge in 2014, now’s as good a time as any to start reporting your successes. (And I’m a bit perturbed that the widget for the Goodreads reading challenge up there hasn’t updated to show that I’ve actually finished three books so far. 😉
In addition to telling us what you’re reading, go ahead and share your goal(s) for the year (if you have any) pertaining to reading. Then, tell us what you’ve finished over the last month, what you’re currently reading, and what’s on your To Be Read stack/list. (And if you’ve reviewed the books you’ve read somewhere, please include links!)
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- What book(s) did you finish reading (or listening to) since last month’s update?
- What are you currently reading and/or listening to?
- What’s the next book on your To Be Read stack/list?
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Here’s my report:
What book(s) did you finish reading (or listening to) since last month’s update?
- What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved by John Mullan
- Divergent by Veronica Roth; audiobook read by Emma Galvin
- Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers #1) by Lisa Kleypas; audiobook read by Rosalyn Landor
Click titles to read my reviews
What are you currently reading and/or listening to?
- A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare; audiobook read by Carolyn Morris—historical (Regency) romance. I’ve read glowing reviews of Dare’s books over the past few years, favorably compared to Julia Quinn, who is one of my favorites. I’m only about 1/3 into the book, but I’m disappointed that the “relationship” between the hero and heroine has so far been built only on the insta-lust they each feel for the other the moment they meet. It’s got a cute setup, and they’re both likable characters, so that makes me even more disappointed that there isn’t the same kind of emotional and intellectual relationship building here that I love so much in Quinn’s books. Otherwise, Dare seems to be a good writer.
- Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi—general-market contemporary romance. Cute so far (I’m about 50% into it), but a bit implausible and predictable.
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I started The Stand by Stephen King, but it’s just not the right time for me to try to get into a 40-hour-long audiobook, so I’ve put it back on the “shelf” for a while.
What’s the next book on your To Be Read stack/list?
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Each semester, my grad school program chooses one book from one of the representative genres of Popular Fiction that all students in the program must read, then the first session of the next residency (the week the students spend on campus at the beginning of the term) is spent discussing it. For the upcoming term, this is the Common Reading. There were 15 holds on it at the library, so I figured it would be a couple of months before I got it. But my notification came in last week, and I downloaded it Friday. So, as soon as I finish Love Overdue, I’ll start this one.
- I’m not sure what my next audiobook will be, but most likely something lighthearted and uncomplicated.
Comments are closed.
KayeDacus.com 
Previously Read: “Once Again to Zelda: The Stories Behind Literature’s Most Intriguing Dedications,” by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Currently Reading: “A Surplus of Memories,” by Yitzak Zuckermann
To Read: “Sophie’s Choice,” by William Styron
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That first one sounds absolutely fascinating—I’m going to have to look into it.
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About your Goodreads widget…that’s happened to me before, when I notice it hasn’t/won’t update. Typically If I go to GR and grab the widget code and re-enter it on my blog, it fixes the “glitch.”
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No can do. With WordPress, I can’t use GR’s widget—I have to use the WP widget. I’ve gone in and deleted it and re-added it a couple of times, but it still won’t update.
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Oh okay, gotcha. Well that is annoyingly buggy…
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January Audio–The Lesson, by Suzanne Woods Fisher–Book 3 in Stoney RIdge.
The Letters, by Suzanne Woods Fisher–Book 1 in Inn at Eagle Hill
To Love and Cherish, by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller, Book 2 in
Bridal Veil Island
To Honor and Trust, by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller, Book 3 in
Bridal Veil Island
January Reading–Deeply Devoted and Twice Devoted, by Maggie Brendan–Blue Willow
Brides (?).
Currently Reading–Rose Harbor in Bloom, by Debbie Macomber. Book 2 Rose Harbor
The Book Thief (half way through)–waiting to redownload to finish
Current Audio–Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival, by Jennifer Chiaverinni.
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I am trying to “play” reading bingo. I thought that would be a great way to diversify my reading. I tend to read a lot of Amish or historical and not a lot of contemporary. Nor am I all that fond of fiction. However with my bingo card, I can look at some new to me genres this year.
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This year got off to a great start reading-wise for me as in January I read the following:
*Revealed by Kate Noble
*A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway
*A Perfect Fit by Lynne Gentry
*The Courting Campaign by Regina Scott
*The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
*Downton Tabby by Chris Kelly
*The Summer of You by Kate Noble
*The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
*No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige
*Something Borrowed (Doctor Who) by Richelle Mead
By far my favorite discovery was Kate Noble’s writing (Quinn’s novel comes in a strong 2nd place!).
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Here’s what I read in January.
Currently I’m reading The Red Siren by M.L. Tyndall, re-reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, and listening to an audio book of, A Lady of High Regard, by Tracie Peterson. This is the first Tracie Peterson book I’ve ever read. Even though the reader is horrible I’ll probably try some more of her books. I’ve only read one other MaryLu Tyndall book and plan to read the rest of hers eventually.
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I love Tracie Peterson. Her Alaskan series are great. I think Christina Moore narrates. She is a wonderful narrator. She reads a lot of Beverly Lewis, as well. Along the same lines as Tracie Peterson is Colleen Coble. I really enjoy her books, too.
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I’ll probably try some more of Tracie’s books that aren’t audio. I actually have on of her Alaskan books on my TBR pile. She has sooo many books! I think she’s past 100 novels now. That is a wonderful accomplishment. I’ve read Colleen Coble’s lighthouse series. I enjoyed the historical aspects, but not the suspense as well. I think I prefer suspense in a non-romance, contemporary. When the two, romance and suspense, mix one of them suffers. The ones I’ve enjoyed the most have the couple already together and not trying to get to know one another on top of being involved with a suspense plot. Mindy Starns Clark does a good job at those kinds of books.
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I haven’t read Tracie Peterson in years, but my favorites from back then are the Harvey Girls books. I really enjoyed the settings and characters in those.
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I enjoyed the Harvey Girl books, as well. Those were my first introduction to Tracie Peterson, as a solo author. The first books I read were the Ribbons of Steel and the three book sequel series, she co-authored with Judith Miller.
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