I got a LOT of reading down this month. I did read several short stories, which helped. But it was just a really read-y month. I read 17 books/short stories. A total of 4,034 pages. An average of 130 pages a day. This is probably my highest totals and average ever! So let’s get into it
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (369 pages). Young prince Patroclus is just 10 years old when he is exiled from his father’s kingdom. He is taken in by King Peleus and taught to fight. He also becomes best friends with Peleus’ son, Achilles. The boys create an unbreakable bond. And when they are called on for Patroclus to honor his oath to protect a kidnapped Helen of Troy, they join the fight. But the Fates and the gods control the outcome of the war. And the love between Achilles and Patroclus isn’t enough to stop what fate has decreed. I’ve read a lot of mythology. And I really love it. This was a much deeper look into what I always just assumed was a rumor of a relationship between these two men. I finished in 3 days.
Four Funerals and a Wedding by Rhys Bowen (291 pages). Lady Georgina Rannoch is thrilled to be marrying Darcy O’Mara, despite her dreams for a simple wedding turning into a much grandly scale, with the queen in attendance and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret set to be her bridesmaids (I mean, Georgie’s great-grandmother WAS Queen Victoria). When her former stepfather offers up his ancestral home of Eynsleigh as their new marital residence, Georgie is thrilled. But the estate isn’t the same as the one she remembers from childhood. And Georgie is going to have to figure out why. With a little help from her maid, her mother, her grandfather and her fiancé. I finished in 3 days.
Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton (328 pages). I always thought Paris Hilton was a spoiled party girl. Turns out, that’s not really the truth. She’s certainly privileged. And she loves the party scene. But there’s a lot more to her than that. Paris had a vision for her life and she’s worked hard to create that life. And she went through a lot more than I ever thought. Her parents sent her to one of those horrific behavioral camps for nearly 2 years. She tried to escape several times. And it created a level of trauma to her psyche that it seems like is only now healing after meeting her husband. And she did all of this with undiagnosed ADHD (which is most likely what led to her minor behavioral issues as a teen). I actually found myself respecting her a lot more, as a businesswoman and as a woman. I finished in 3 days.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (335 pages, including 70 pages of commentary). This movie absolutely terrified me as a child (yet I loved it). So I decided to read it. It’s the story of 12 year olds Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade and the October that the Cooger and Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show came to their town. The carnival is centuries old, feeding on the souls of people who are willing to trade everything for the fantasy of nothing. Even Jim is tempted by Dark’s fantastical carousel, a carousel that can age you in any direction. But with help from Will’s father (a significantly older father who is the janitor at the library), the boys figure out a way to stop Dark. Sadly, the movie isn’t streaming anywhere (I found a pirated copy on YouTube but the quality is horrific). So until Disney gets it together and puts it on Disney+, I guess there’ll be no rewatch. I finished in 3 days.
The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth (342 pages). Stephen Aston is a doctor in his 60’s. Pamela, his wife, is in her late 60’s and in late stage Alzheimer’s. Their adult daughters Tully and Rachel are in their 30’s. And Stephen’s new fiancée? Well, Heather Wisher is younger than his daughters. But as the wedding date draws closer, Tully and Rachel wonder about some family secrets that have begun to rear their heads. There were some interesting twists to each of the characters. I finished in 3 days.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (288 pages). This is my third time reading this book (once just for me, twice for totally different book clubs). And I will never NOT be happy about reading this book. I wish I could read it again for the first time. I finished in 1 day.
Coffee Shop Girl by Katie Cross (282 pages). Bethany is 24 years old and inherited her father’s coffee shop in a small mountain town 8 months ago when he died. Bethany hates coffee and wants to be a real estate agent. Maverick is in town, renovating a cabin. And he has a proposal for Bethany. No, not that kind. A business proposal. Meanwhile, Bethany’s younger half sisters Lizbeth and Ellie flee their father and show up on Bethany’s doorstep. As Bethany struggles to turn her coffee shop into a success so she can gain custody of her sisters, she also struggles with her feelings for Mac. This was the sweetest, most PG little rom com ever. I finished in 3 days.
Jane in Love by Rachel Givney (434 pages). In 1803 in Bath, a woman of a certain age (namely 28) who is unmarried stands a very small chance of finding a husband. Such is Jane Austen’s fate. While her writing helps ease some of her disappointment, it’s not enough. Especially because her mother hates it. So when she is given a chance to change her life, she takes it. Little does she know that her adventure will result in a change of time more than a change of place. Namely, time traveling to Bath in 2020. And the film set of Northanger Abbey! One of the stars of the movie is Sofia Wentworth, an actress whose star power is fading but who is desperate to save her marriage to the film’s director. When Jane meets Sofia’s brother Fred, she finally begins to understand what love is. But when Jane’s books begin to disappear, she must make a decision. Remain in 2020 with the man she loves and be erased from history as one of the most famous female authors of all time. Or return to 1803 to fulfill her artistic destiny. Which do you choose, love or the pen? This book was delightful! I finished in 4 days.
The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren (100 pages). On February 14, 2014, c.sun16@ipsd.edu emails t.sol18@ipsd.edu about a missing assignment for class. But T isn’t his teacher, she’s actually another student in the Irvine California school system. Their email exchange ends with wishing each other Happy Valentine’s Day. And thus begins a decade’s long email exchange that only takes place on Valentine’s Day. They share very few details about themselves (no names, phone numbers or school information is exchanged). But they still share enough that they make a connection. But one year, T (real name Terra) goes to a party with friends and accidentally overhears a very embarrassing conversation involving Callum, the very hot TA in her graduate program. When she emails C this very funny story, he realizes that he finally met T face to face. Such a cute short story that was the first of a six book series called Improbably Meet-Cute. I finished in about an hour.
Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez (60 pages). Short story #2. Holly is a hospice nurse on her toughest assignment ever- being with her grandmother while she’s dying. John is the resident maintenance man at an apartment complex. But when he accidentally places a Valentine’s Day card meant for his brother’s girlfriend on Holly’s car, it sparks an interaction that results in the world’s worst wingman getting the girl. Another cute short story. I finished in about an hour.
Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne (43 pages). Short story #3. Rosie ‘s life never really seems to go well. Case in point- she decided to treat her sister to a fabulous Valentine’s Day treat. An all day spa-cation. But when Rosie’s sensory deprivation tank malfunctions, she trapped in total darkness. And mineral water. Enter fireman Leo to save the day. Through the metal of the tank, they have such a delightful exchange that it’s absolute love when she escapes from her watery doom. I finished in less than an hour.
Drop, Cover and Hild On by Jasmine Guillory (39 pages). Short story #4. It’s Valentine’s Day. And all Daisy wants is some pastry from her favorite bakery. But going in means she’ll have to see her least favorite baker, the scowling owner Harris. But pastries win out. As soon as she enters, she’s greeted with a scowl. And a 6.8 earthquake! After the quake, they are trapped in the bakery. And turns out Harris’ scowl was never really directed at her. I finished in about 30 minutes.
With Any Luck by Ashley Poston (42 pages). Short story #5. Audrey Love is super lucky. In everything BUT love (ironically). She’s lucky for others in love though- any time she kisses a guy, the next girl he meets is his soulmate. When her best friend Rhett asks her to be his best man, she happily agrees. When she arrives for the wedding, she unhappily learns that the bride’s maid of honor is Theodore Luck, with whom Audrey has a bit of a past. But when the groom goes missing after the bachelor party, Theo and Audrey have to team up to figure out what happened. I finished in about 30 minutes.
Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson (70 pages). Short story #6. Princess Ilaria of Monterra just wants one weekend of normalcy. so she convinces her assistant Anne to pretend to be her so she can enjoy anonymity in Rome for 2 days. She meets a charming man, Callum (no, not the Callum from the first book. Although the two Callum know each other). And enjoys a magical Valentine’s Day with him. Until the paparazzi spot them. To each of their chagrin. Because Ilaria isn’t the only one hiding a royal secret! This one was super cute too. I finished in less than an hour.
The Elite by Kiera Cass (324 pages). The second in The Selection series. The Selection is down to the Elite (only 6 of 36 remain). One of them being America. While she still has lingering feelings for first love Aspen, her feelings for Prince Maxon grow stronger with every passing day. But when Maxon must make a decision that causes America to question her feelings, she begins to wonder if she is cut out for the crown. Or is she actually what the country needs? As more girls are let go, America decides she is ready to fight for Maxon. I finished in 3 days.
The One by Kiera Cass (328 pages). The third in the series. The Selection is down to four. America. Her number one rival (and friend) Kriss. The only one with foreign political connections Elise. And everyone’s number one enemy Celeste. But as the girls begin to grow closer, the country remains in a state of unrest. rebels are fighting back against the caste system that was placed on them years against by the first King Gregory. But through fights and threats, Maxon and America can’t seem to deny that they belong together. I finished in 2 days.
The Heir by Kiera Cass (359 pages). The fourth in the series. Princess Eadlyn respects that her parents found love through the Selection 20 years ago. But that’s not what she wants. Despite the good her parents have done while in power, there is still unrest in Illea. So Eadlyn agrees to participate in the first ever female led Selection for three months to buy her father some time to fix things. But as she watches the love between her parents and the love between her twin brother and his girlfriend, the princess of France, she wonders if love could be in her future. The Selected slowly begin to make an impact on her heart (with some bad eggs along the way). I liked meeting the next generation of this family. I finished in 2 days.
This month’s favorite is…….The Song of Achilles and Jane in Love. I truly can’t pick just one. And I don’t feel like it’s fair to declare The Midnight Library the favorite of the month. It’s in my top favorites of all time.
