January summary

I did say that I’d update the blog with what I’d been reading as part of Runalong the Shelves TBR challenge. So here it is.

“January – End to end temptation

The most recent book on the TBR

As my birthday is in January I shall try and finish all the books I got for Xmas & birthday this month – I have already finished several of my Xmas books)

Stretch Goal – Read the oldest book in Mount TBR it has waited long enough.”

So I didn’t quite finish all the Xmas and birthday books – but I had a good go. So, obviously I didn’t get to the stretch goal.

An Inventory of Losses By Judith Schalansky – Rating: Unfinished

Nice writing but failed to grip me and when I found I was doing anything but read it I DNFd it

2120 by George Wylesol – Rating: Brilliant

Brilliant CYOA GN with an existential AI -really well planned out, great story and tricksy

Ducks by Kate Beaton – Rating: Average

This is a bit of a weird biography – I learned very little about the oil sands, the environmental issues, the ducks, her life or the jobs done there. I did learn a lot about how difficult it is being a woman working in the camps. Trigger warning – contains sexual violence/abuse

The silent gondoliers Rating – Good

A novella ful of gentle whimsy, a tall tale well-told

Feral Rating – Average
Shame about the last act – can’t really say what put me off without massive spoilers, but it had a trope I’m not fond of and then compunded that with another and when I was disliking that added another. As this falls further in the rearview mirror the more I dislike it.

Devouring Dark – fun supernatural gangster thriller set in London

The jaws log – excellent ‘making of’ documentary style book about the film Jaws – if you love the film it’s worth a read

What If? by Randall Munroe (XKCD) – this has been an entertaining ‘dip into’ read – not a book to be read through all at once (imho) but more a dip into. A book of essays where people ask absurd What If questions and the author answers with serious science.

And for TV & Film?

I rewatched series 1 & 2 of Mythic Quest in order to be up to speed for series 3. 1 & 2 are great, 3 not so much.

Also watched series 3 & 4 of Community – think series 2 is the best of this programme

Watched Our Flag Means Death which I liked for its gentle whimsy. (and now that’s the second time I’ve said gentle whimsy in this post which is possibly one too many)

Enjoyed See How they Run and hated Corsage

Tried The Rig, didn’t get on with it. But loved The Devil’s Hour.

Tried to watch Jung_E, got bored and wandered off, but had a lot of fun with The Big 4.

And so onto February challenge which is all about short work – short stories, novellas etc. ‘Luckily’ two of the books from my January challenge are short story books with a total of 26 stories which is almost the right number – so I’ll be trying to read them ( Dark tales and Illuminations ) a little synchronicity of titles there. I just need to find another short story book…