July - This Month in Reading

Well, I managed to make my goal of reading at least two books in July - I even exceeded it, reading three. MUCH better than reading fewer than two, or reading none. So I'm OK with these results.

For August, I would like to read at least four books - I have some library books I have to read for a class I'm taking, so I'll be satisfied if I can finish these books quickly. I'd be over the moon if I can then go back and read at least one book from my TBR pile, but I don't want to get too carried away with goals, ha ha!

How was your reading this month?

Practical Demonkeeping - Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore is an author I've been meaning to read for a while now, but longtime readers will know that I'm a weirdo about having to read an author's books in the order in which s/he's written them, if the books are a series, and I heard that his books have a lot of the same characters, etc., so I figured that was close to a series, so I should read them in order. (Ugh, that's a terrible run-on sentence, sorry!) I haven't been using the library but I had to read a couple books for a class I'm taking so I had to break my own library ban, so I figured, why not get started with his books while I'm at it. I'll be honest, the first couple chapters weren't grabbing me, and I was tempted to give up. I can't stand abandoning books  if I can't help it, so I stuck with it, and in the end I enjoyed the book. It was a fast read with some funny moments that I found enjoyable. I have to get on with reading some other things or I'd get the next one; that will have to wait for a bit as I chip away at my assignments and also my neverending TBR pile, but  I look forward to reading more by Moore.

Book Blogger Hop - July 26

It feels good to get back into the Book Blogger Hop!

If you're new to my book blog, welcome! My reviews are deliberately spare so as to avoid spoilers. Please leave me a comment so I can be sure to visit your book blog and follow you!

This week's Book Blogger Hop question is a good one:

How do you organize your books to be read?

My response:

Not very well! Right now my TBR pile is on a bookshelf in my home office, and the books are horizontal (for space reasons) and in piles by size. I would like them to be alphabetical and/or organized by genre (fiction separated by non-fiction, for example) and author, but at this point, at least they are in relatively neat piles!

How are your TBR books organized?

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Yet another book that was all over the bookblogosphere (is that even a word?) a while back that I hadn't had a chance to read until now. The description sounded amazing so I really wanted to read it, and I went to the library anyway for some other books, so I figured, why not check it out now.

I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but just couldn't. I loved the idea of the circus, and the reveurs (a wonderful idea), but clunky writing kept interfering with my immersion in its world. Apparently no publishing house employs proofreaders or actual editors anymore - sad. And here's something: in real life I swear like a sailor at home, but go out of my way not to do so on this blog or in situations (work, classes, being in public places) where it isn't appropriate. This book has a single instance of the "F b0mb" that is completely unnecessary, since swearing isn't a general character attribute of the person who says it, for example. In addition, it's anachronistic, and pulls the reader out of the book. It's jarring and it annoyed me, since its only purpose seemed to be to make sure people know the book isn't YA. So if I, as someone who has no problem at all with encountering swear words of all kinds in books of all kinds, object to an author's single use of one, something is very wrong.

Speaking of YA, I think this would have been a MUCH better book if the author had focused on 2 younger characters - it could have been billed as a YA book that adults could also enjoy, and it might have worked a lot better than the plot as it stands now.

Overall I can't really recommend this book, as much as I would like to.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Apparently the last book I read, How to Buy a Love of Reading, was supposed to contain a lot of allusions to this American classic. As an English major, I have read this book multiple times, but ::cough cough:: that was sort of a long time ago ::cough cough::. Between reading the previously mentioned book, hearing about this movie that is coming out with ridiculously anachronistic music (BOO! I LOVE music from that era, and am not a fan of Baz Luhrmann, so I won't be seeing this film), and me realizing I barely remembered The Great Gatsby at all, I figured now was the time for a reread. I enjoyed this book more than I'm sure I did when I read it ages ago, since as an adult I can understand the adult characters better, etc. I'm glad I reread it and just sorry it has taken me this long. Highly recommended.