April in Review

Near the end of the month I start to see a lot of (MONTH) IN REVIEW posts. I usually like to read other peoples but rarely think of doing them myself. Mostly because several of the ones I see are posted hastily on LiveJournal and lack substance. However I was reading through Lily's Bookshelf today and I like her system, so in an attempt to put off homework and organize my thoughts I bring you Aprils in Review


Books Read:
Remarkable Creatures by Chevalier (review)
Politically Correct Bedtime Stories  by Garner (review)
The Seduction of Water by Goodman (review)
A Vintage Affair by Wolff (review)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Larsson (review)
The Heights by Hedges (review)
Total Number of Books Read: 6
Most Anticipated: The Heights, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Biggest Let Down: The Heights, Remarkable Creatures
Favorite Read: A Vintage Affair, The Seduction of Water, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories
Highest Rank: 5/5
Lowest Rank: 2/5
Overall Reflection:My spring break was at the end of March and I remember being in a reading frenzy for those two weeks. When I got back to school at the beginning of April I was restless and couldn't settle on anything.  I started Nausea, Lolita, The Book of Dead Languages, Jane Erye and rarely got more than a dozen or so pages in. I'd ordered Remarkable Creatures, The Constant Princess, The Book of Dead Languages and The Phsyicks Book of Deliverance Dane online, but they came in  about 3 weeks after I ordered them.


 The first of that lot to come in was Remarkable Creatures.  I've been a Tracy Chevalier fan since I became a book fanatic when I was 12. I wasn't really looking forward to matter but knew sooner or later I would end up reading it.  I write all of this because while I was reading Remarkable Creatures I had an interesting conversation with my roommate. It turns out we read very different ways. For me, if I find a book I absolutely love (Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Unbearable Lightness of Being) I go on an author marathon, reading everything they've written that I can get my hands on. Often times this leads to some dud's (Remarkable Creatures and the Queens Fool being some on my list) by I've also found other favorites through this system, and I while on these marathons I read quicker, falling into the authors writing style early in the first book and letting it carry me through the 3- 7 i'll read.  My roommate is different. She thinks my method is crazy. For her to read something It must be well reviewed and of interest to her. For her the author isn't very important unless they're J.K. Rowling or Mark Twain. I just thought it was interesting how opposed our views could be. 


Overall this month was a very productive one, reading wise. I didn't really love much. I have found memories of several books but remember being annoyed and frustrated while reading them. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was the best example of this. It's a sad month when i've read nothing that will ever go into a reread pile, but I guess we need to have off months to really appreciate the good ones.


-Sarah