January started of very well. (See my mid-month update here.) I read four 5-star reads and one 4-star read in the first two weeks. So, that’s awesome. I think it created a little book burn-out because I started A LOT of books, but I couldn’t quite commit to anything. So I’m currently in the middle of reading nine books. *sigh* Hopefully I will finish most of those in February. 🙂
Here are the official “stats.”
- Books Read – 17
- Pages Read – 5167
- Average Pages/Day – 167
- Average Days Per Book – 1.82
These are great books. Both my daughter (10.5 years old) and I enjoyed them. The books deal with difficult and challenging topics in an accessible manner. The characters are challenged and experience both heartache and growth. (4.5 and 4 stars)
My first Manga. It took me awhile to get used to reading backward. 🙂 The premise and themes were interesting. It’s a nice thought – to be able to go back in time to change the present. I appreciated the dual timeline perspective; it wasn’t heavy sci-fi, but it was at least an explanation. The characters fell a little flat to me, especially in the second volume. Although I appreciated the themes of sacrifice for the sake of friendship.
However, I have concerns with the idea presented that if you love a person enough, you can prevent suicide. It suggests a responsibility and burden of guilt to those who know a loved one who has committed suicide. Better for them to have encouraged him to talk to a counselor. (3, 2.5 stars)
A sweet story about childhood and growing up. I loved the fairy tale/folklore element. 4 stars.
I loved The Hating Game and was happy to read another book by Sally Thorne. And this, too, was a really enjoyable read. I love the best friend’s brother or the brother’s best friend “trope.” I liked Darcy’s voice and character and had fun reading from her perspective. 4 stars.
Caryn Considers 