This month has been a bit of a bust for me reading wise. Such a busy time of year – wrapping up work and getting ready for my kids to come home to visit. I have adapted well to the empty nester life but I am very excited to have them both home for a bit. Holiday prep galore! I had very little time to read this month and even less time to listen as I just had other things on my mind during my normal drive/Audible time. I did find a wee bit of time to hide in a book as I did have 2 long flights for a business trip and a few sleepless nights. I like to find time to read even when it is hard, it helps me find balance in everything else going on in my life. But the books that I did read were mostly just ok this month for me and I am looking forward to some great reads (and great wine🍷) in 2019! Here are the books I read in December!
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This was ok, I liked it but I can’t say I loved it enough to tell you to go out and get it right now. I listened to this book in the car and I had a hard time many times staying focused. This is not normally a problem I have with an audio book. When I was engaged I liked it very much but other times I just couldn’t get into it. It is very character driven and not so much plot oriented and is about so much and then not so much at all. Immigration, race, love, home and self identity are main concepts. I would be interested to hear if you have read this and what you thought.
3 🍷🍷🍷
Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan
I actually saw the movie Crazy Rich Asians before I read the book, and I am happy to say the book is much better than the film. This certainly is not a very deep book but definitely on the chick-lit scale and I found it to be a fun read in a time of crazy busy for me. I have put the second in the series on hold at the library and plan on reading it in January when I need a break from intense, sad, deep or dark.
4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Cuckoo’s Calling – Robert Galbraith
Oh I tried I really did try, to like this book. If you didn’t know, Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym for J. K. Rowling. I had heard so much praise for this book and the following series. But. And there is the but. There is something about this writing style that I just couldn’t sit through. I did enjoy the parts from Robin’s perspective that I got through, but that was about it. I don’t know exactly what it was and I really did try but I gave up about 25% in. I think there is a chance I will come back to this at a later time and give it another try as I keep hearing the following books are very good. But for now, it was a DNF.
One Day in December – Josie Silver
One Day in December sums up why I feel ready at times to stop picking up the celebrity picks. This was a Reese Witherspoon pick this month and I raced to the library to pick it up when it was my turn in line for it. I think the problem with these picks for me is I get so hyped up thinking it is going to be so great, that the let down can be surprising. Not sure why since it keeps happening to me. If I had to listen to one more line about the boy on the bus or what occurred after they met again I was going to scream. I didn’t agree with pretty much anything any character did. Was it horrible? No. Would I read it again if I was stuck in a waiting room and it was the only thing on the coffee table? Yes. I didn’t dislike it but didn’t love it at all.
2🍷🍷
My December book of the month: Crazy Rich Asians – especially if you wish to read something light and not deep.
And that wraps up 2018. Here’s to many great, awesome books in the new year! Happy New Year! Cheers! 🍷
