What I've been reading

In late January of this year, I took up the challenge to read 25 books in 2013.  I got this idea from Nikki Stafford’s amazing Nik at Nite blog.  It seemed like an easy enough thing to do.  After all, I love to read and have several unread books lining the shelves.  I could not wait to get started. 

As May ended, I marked my progress or rather lack thereof.   I had tallied three completed books.  Not good.  How had I fallen so quickly off the pace?  There were a few answers to this question.   When you have a family that you love dearly and with whom you enjoy spending time, there isn’t as much time for solo pursuits. (and that is totally fine with me)  Combine that with an overflowing dvr and a game backlog that will most likely never be cleared and things were going slowly.  The biggest mistake I made was in book selection.  No, not for the quality of the writing but more the voluminous nature of two of the first three novels I chose.  Deciding to complete two of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire tomes really slowed me down.  Both A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords were incredibly enjoyable reads.  But, their length meant it was going to take more time than normal to consume them.  In between I read The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers.  It was short but powerful.   While I had enjoyed what I read, I was left wondering how I was ever going to make ten books read let alone getting through 25 of the things.

Since that time, I have made a lot of progress.  As this is being written,  I am currently on the eleventh book in the drive to 25.  June was a great month for reading as has been July.  I have also been lucky in that I have enjoyed everything I’ve read over many genres.  I decided to write a bit about each book,  even if briefly, saying what I liked (or perhaps disliked) about them. Hopefully, someone will be inspired to read more whether it is something from my list or not.

To be honest, I had started A Clash of Kings in late December but had not gotten very far.  Inspired by HBO’s Game of Thrones series, I wanted to get back to reading some good fantasy.  I read A Game of Thrones after watching the first season.  I was determined to read A Clash of Kings before watching season two.  Having the HBOGO app on both the Ipad and the 360 meant I didn’t have to add to that already bulging dvr list mentioned above.   I didn’t get around to reading Kings until the third season was almost here but that’s neither here nor there.  I tremendously enjoy the world of Westeros that Martin has created.  The characters are deep and believable.  The political intrigue and machinations intrigue me to no end.  I can’t wait to read on and see who is betrayed next.  I was glad I was far enough ahead in A Storm of Swords to not be spoiled by the Red Wedding talk all over social media after that episode aired.  When I read Martin’s books, I find myself not wanting to leave that world  and savoring every word on the page.  It may be that it is not the length as much as the pure delight I get from reading them that leads to the time taken to complete each one.  I can't wait to get back to the Seven Kingdoms but wait is what I will have to do if I am to reach my goal. 

In between the two Martin novels, I read The Yellow Birds.  It was a touching tale from Iraqi war veteran Kevin Powers.  It was not a memoir but rather a fictionalized account about things that could happen in a war theater.  Not just for the ones experiencing it, but also for their loved ones back home.  The author is a poet by trade and that comes through in his descriptions and depictions of life in a warzone and at home.  The main character’s return after serving shows how difficult it is to readjust.  There are things that happen that can never be forgotten and will stick with him forever.  I thought this was extremely well-written, especially for a debut novel. 

While I was off to a very slow start, I had read three incredible novels.  Thankfully, I was able to build real reading momentum heading into the heart of summer.  The books have run the gamut from genre faves sci-fi, horror, and fantasy to mysteries, memoirs and thrillers.  It is my plan to write a little about each book I have read upon completion.  I have some catching up in my writing, and hope to do so over the next few weeks.   Until next time…