January Reads

I have finished exactly TWO books in February, so far. January already seems like it was so long ago and as I prepared to write this post today I was shocked to see just how much reading I got done last month. I'm honestly amazed.

January always seems to allow for plenty of time to read and this January, I found a number of fantastic books to settle in with. Here we go...

    

Have His Carcase by Dorothy Sayers // This mystery featuring both Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane was fantastic. It reminded me exactly what it is I like about Sayers's writing, namely, that it is the prosey-est mystery writing I have ever encountered. Her characters are hilarious. The crimes she writes about depend on technical details. She handles themes that stick with you. I've been talking about and recommending Sayers to ANYONE who will let me. You should read her!

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy // This was a read along that I did with both Julie and Shauna. The three of us have tried Binchy before and all have mixed feelings about her work. This particular book was unique in that Binchy used snapshot style stories of a number of people to tell one single story. It drew all three of us in and reminded us what it is to truly enjoy a book. I had been saving it for a week in winter of my own and wasn't the least bit disappointed with it.

The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier // I'll tell you more about WHY I picked this book up later, but for now you should know it's one that I can't recommend. I stuck it out and read it through to the end. It turned out to be the kind of book that I NEEDED to read right now. It's the story of one woman who finds herself pushing 50 with a life full of second chances. Click the title to read my full review.

   

Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson // I've been reading Henderson since I was in high school. Her writing style is kind of unique. She writes mysteries, but manages to tie in all kinds of human relationships that really add to each one of her story lines. This particular book dealt with some brutally heavy crimes, but she handled them without going into detail. I especially liked this book because she chose to give her two main characters a solid friendship rather than a romance. I'll admit that the mystery itself was a bit weak, but everything else had me wishing this book would never end!

The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott // This was a book club pick that we all really enjoyed. We agreed that it was more Austen than Alcott and were amazed that she was only 17 when she wrote it. The second half and the ending MADE this book for me. No spoilers, but there couldn't be a better ending. I'll say this...It's better than the ways Austen tied up both P&P and Persuasion.

Harry Potter number 5 by J.K. Rowling // I read this book off and on throughout January (and didn't actually finish it until 3 days ago). I'll feature it in the round-up of books that I read this month, but until then, you should know that I WANTED this book to be my favorite. Umbridge really, really bothered me. Rowling communicated the evil inside of Umbridge far better than the movie version did. I put this book down over and over again just because of how much that woman was disturbing me.

Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson // I get in the mood for the poetry of Dickinson when the weather turns cold and dark. I read a good portion of this volume in the parking lot while I waited for my Mom to get off of work on the day that I picked it up from the library. Dickinson's poetry will draw you in. You may read a single poem two or three times, move on, and then flip back to read it several more times. The really good ones will force you to read them out loud to whoever is nearby.

There you go, a book or two from each of the last several centuries highlighting a variety of genres that will be sure to give everyone some idea of a good book to pick up next.

What books have you had your nose in lately? 

Do any of these books look especially interesting to you?