January BookKeeping

In years past, I've shared my annual "what I read" book list at the tail end of December. While I still plan on keeping and sharing this end of the year list, like I've done ever year since 2005, I thought I'd also try something a little different this year. Inspired by Holly's recent post, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I thought that this year I'd break my "what I read" books down by month as well. Which, beyond entertaining any and all of your readers out there, allows the extra added bonus of helping me more accurately remember the plot points of recent reads. Without further adieu, I give you - January.

January 2012 Reads:

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

I was given this book as a gift last fall. My friend explained that he'd noticed one important author missing from my bookshelves when he'd been over at my apartment recently. And he was right. Amazingly enough, I'd never read (or owned) anything by Tom Perrotta before The Leftovers. Set in present day, the premise of the story is that on October 14 - a day that begins like any other - millions of people around the world simply and suddenly vanish into thin air. Is it the rapture? Something greater? The Leftovers focuses on a picturesque New England suburb called Mapleton, the eighty-seven townspeople who disappeared on October 14th, and the friends, family, and residents of Mapleton that are left behind.

I was intrigued the minute I read the jacket of the book and totally hooked after the first few chapters. What a compelling idea for a story, yes? Perrotta's writing is excellent and he creates a world that feels immediately normal and relatable, yet utterly surreal at the same time. As you read you can't help but wonder how you and your own family and friends might behave should something like The Rapture occur. What if you were one of the ones left behind? I found Perrotta's novel utterly compelling, realistic, and fascinating and was thrilled this was my first read of the New Year.

22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson

Unfortunately, I followed up my excellent first read of 2012 with a total and complete dud. Now, I love a good WWII story. I find that time period one of the more fascinating in recent history and 22 Britannia Road had all the elements that would normally lend itself to a heart-wrenching, excellent tale. Set in post-war England, a Polish family separated during the war is reunited. The mother and son had spent most of the war years hiding in the woods outside of Warsaw while the husband, Janusz, has most recently been a member of the British army. As you might expect the novel is filled with flashbacks and the true story of all that happened to this family in occupied Poland is slowly revealed. Sounds good, right? Well, friends, I am sorry to say it is not. At all. Unfortunately, I realized this pretty quickly in, but I stuck with it, hoping it would turn itself around. It did not. In fact it got worse. And the poor writing style didn't help much either. The more I think about this book, the more holes I've found in the story, the more frustrated I am with underdeveloped characters, and the more I wish I'd put my time and energy into a different book entirely. But, well, at least now I know.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Technically, I finished The Night Circus in February, seeing as I read the final, satisfying pages last night. But, I read the majority of this novel in January so I'm squeaking it in with these other two. That, and well, I just really want to talk about it. I'd read a bit about this book in 2011 and was intrigued, but most likely would have waited for it to come out in paperback if it hadn't been selected as our most recent book club pick. I'm pleased I didn't wait for the paperback copy, as I thoroughly enjoyed this novel - one that whisked me away from the realities of every day life, and transported me to a black and white colored circus filled with illusionists, magic, mystery, and love. The writing gets a tad bit lofty at times, but The Night Circus is unlike anything I've read in recent years. I often felt, while reading it on the T, or in my living room, or tucked into bed before falling asleep, that I'd been magically transported to a land of fairy tales. I really enjoyed this one - far more than I'd anticipated and already miss the fantastical world Ms. Morgenstern created.

I'm currently making my way through my February issues of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar before picking my next read, but trust me, my bookshelves are overflowing with good options. Tell me - what did you read this month? Anything amazing? Anything terrible? I've got four weeks before my next bookkeeping post - and a lifetime of books I'd like to tackle. Happy Reading to all!