First, it’s Monday. (‘Nuff said.) The sun is finally out. But, I’m not sure that makes up for the weather being meh (yes, that’s the official term for gloomy and dreary) for the last several weeks. Even though it’s January and we should be in the full tilt of a frigid winter, it feels like we’re between seasons. We’ve had highs in the 50s and even 60s with mostly overcast skies. Then we had a brief flirtation with snow. Then, back up near 50. I’m not really sure what to call this season anymore. It’s not really winter by Northern Virginia standards. Pseudo-winter? Fake winter? Identity crisis winter? Winter of my discontent? (to steal from Shakespeare.)

If it were a real winter I’d be curled up by a cozy fire with my book. Instead, I guess I’ll have to settle for the wood-burning fire channel or at least a pretty candle. Perhaps this is why I have not made it as far as I would like in my reading goals this year. (Well, it’s that or work, and book promotion and writing Travelers part 2 – see part 1 here – and more work and life and planning a revolution.) But, let’s blame fake winter instead.

So, how am I doing?

Well, right out of the gate in January, I was doing great! I finished the first in the Harry Potter series and Americanah, both great books. (Both also checked boxes on my New Year’s Resolution Reading Challenge.) The latter book I might even call a life-changing piece of literature. It was so good I couldn’t even write a review because I wasn’t sure I could do it justice. I still might try, when I can get a handle on that whole having more time thing. Here’s my quick review: Read it. Please everyone read it.

Then, things started to slow down in my reading progress.  I got depressed reading The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood (see review here) and floundered a bit.

And now, I’m trying to get back on course. I’m reading about 3 books at once (per usual. Although usually it’s 4-5. I have book ADD.) And they are, drum roll please….

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

me-before-youThis is our latest Nightlighters Book Club pick and I’m excited to read it. I know it’s beloved by many, but not typically a book I would pick up. I love it when we read books I wouldn’t normally read in book club. It expands my reading horizons! Don’t want to spoil things for book club, but I’m about 30% through and so far I’m liking it more than I thought I would.

Harry Potter Book 2 – The Chamber of Secrets

Ooooo, it sounds so mysterious. Can’t wait to read more than 1 page. That’s as far as I’ve gotten. Last week was, let’s say, at best depressingly distracting and, at worst, the most terrible week of all time. I said that about the week before last week too. That’s not a good sign from someone most people would call an optimist.

Dante’s Inferno

This might be an eternal read. It takes an hour for me to read just a few pages and then I spend an inordinate amount of time online confirming my interpretation of what is happening is correct and the ‘deeper meaning’ behind it all. At this pace, when I finish this one I might be 60. Just assume this is always on my “currently reading” list for the foreseeable future. It may eventually go the way of James Joyce’s Ulysses. (I’m just not smart enough to read that. I did try. It lost me when the pages of ads started.) But, I’m going to keep trying to pretend like I have a functioning brain for a bit and push on with Dante.

Up Next…

Once I finish one of the above books (and it’s pretty obvious which one will probably be first since I’m on a book club timeline), I’m going to dig into my next set of books that I got when I went to Green Apple Books in San Francisco. I can’t wait! The excitement of starting a new book always makes me feel all squishy with happiness on the inside! It’s the little things that keep me going in life. That’s my Monday Motivation – when the day is over and everyone stops working, I might just might get to read!

20170203_142955