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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the...

A look at January and plans for February


As with a lot of things lately, I'm a little late posting about how January turned out to be. I thought I'll skip this post altogether but it feels better to slide back into blogging through some kind of non-review post. I've been having a fun couple of weeks, first with Wii, and then with finally teaching myself how to knit after fascinating over the art of kitting for more than 15 years. When I finally wrapped my head around it, I almost whooped! It's wonderful to be doing more than reading or blogging.

Back to January - I read six books, which is way more than I managed in the past many months. While I'm no longer too fussed about the number, it's nice to feel that I did get a good amount of reading done. Two were audiobooks, which, thanks to my now longer commute between home and work, I'm beginning to appreciate more than ever. So here's what I read:

The Secret KeeperNavigating EarlyMr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
The Twelve Tribes of HattieThe Man in the Rockefeller SuitInto the Wild

Five of those reviews are pending. What a way to start the year! At least, better there be reviews to write than there be no books to talk about.

What I recommend: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Disappointment(s) of the month: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane

What I hope to read in February
I rarely plan my reading except when it comes to review books. Sometimes, I pick a book from the library, only to send it back the next week, because the mood isn't striking. Stephen King's The Shining is thiscloseto becoming a casualty of that. I picked it to read with Jill's #shineon, but it looks like February will be over before that. I'm also looking at Markus Zusak's The Book Thief with increased interest, after hearing about plans to make it into a movie. Other than that, my main preoccupation has been the 2013 Tournament of Books list, which I've oohed at in the past, but never bothered to read with. I've already read Gone Girl (liked) and Where'd You Go, Bernadette (loved a lot!) and I'm currently reading The Fault in our Stars (which is okay but leaving me in sniffs). I'm not too keen on some of the titles on the list, but there are a few I hope to read - HHhH, Ivyland, Building Stories, and Fobbit. Other than that, I have a couple of ARCs that I need to crack open - Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason and Ten White Geese by Gerbrand Bakker.

So that's my tentative plan for this half-over month. What are you reading?

Comments

Jackie Bailey said…
I hope that you decide to read HHhH and love it as much as I did. Don't worry, I won't be offending if you don't enjoy it - it is the kind of book that divides opinion. Have a wonderful month of reading!
Kelly TheWellReadRedhead said…
Wow, great month of reading! Into the Wild is a long time fave of mine, Jon Krakauer is such a fantastic researcher. I hope you do get to read The Shining eventually, it's amazing! And sequel coming in September :)
rhapsodyinbooks said…
I agree, books on tape are wonderful for commuting, but it sure takes long to get through a book that way. Plus, I kind of hate that I can't take notes or mark passages! (although I have been known to pull into shopping centers or gas stations and make notes!)
Tanya Patrice said…
I absolutely love audiobooks for that same reason - I have a long commute and I'd much rather listen to a book I'm into, than the radio. I think the Tournament of Books this year is HEAPS better than last year, in terms of the choices. I'm not really reading along though, but look forward to seeing the reviews.

Tanya Patrice
Girlxoxo.com
bermudaonion(Kathy) said…
I quit trying to plan out my reading because I've discovered that I never read as much as I think I can, so I'm always disappointed.
Oh the 24 hour book store. I can't wait for your thoughts. I'm thinking of picking that up soon on audio.
zibilee said…
I love that you are learning to knit! I made my husband learn and teach me, because I am a leftie, and just couldn't get it down, and then I forgot how after not practicing much. I am really good at crochet though! I have The Secret Keeper right here, and need to make time for it, as I recently finished a Morton book on audio and loved it. It was my first. Good luck keeping your numbers high this month! I swear that the only way I ever get anything done is through audio anymore.
Helen Murdoch said…
Sounds like you've got a good February planned. I just finished Scarlet, the sequel to Cinder and I liked it!
Tea Time with Marce said…
Hi Aths, I haven't been posting either, just can't seem to get a rhythm. I can't wait to try my first Kate M this year. I keep considering Book Thief also, didn't know a movie was being discussed. I felt meh over Gone Girl and was really impressed with Fault in our Stars, i think that one will pass the test of time.
Athira / Aths said…
HHhH definitely sounds very intriguing and one that could leave me thoughtful. I really hope to get to it soon.
Athira / Aths said…
What I love most about Krakauer's books is how much research goes into them. He doesn't hesitate to talk about every single nuance about the subject.
Athira / Aths said…
That cracked me up! I don't take notes ever with audiobooks - just file them away in my mind for future reference, which never happens. I really wish we could have an intelligent audiobook - in which I can say "notes" and it will let me speak and record my thoughts. That would be awesome.
Athira / Aths said…
I thought the Tournament of Books this year was pretty good too. I hope to discover some gems this month.
Athira / Aths said…
That happened a lot to me too! Not doing that anymore but just going with the flow really helps!
Athira / Aths said…
I will be eager to hear your thoughts on that book, should you choose to read it! Hope you enjoy it!
Athira / Aths said…
I'm so glad that you enjoyed a Morton book! I need to get more of her books and read them.
Athira / Aths said…
The plans do sound good - but the reading is going slow. I'm glad that you are enjoying the Lunar Chronicles books - I will have to check them out.
Athira / Aths said…
The Fault in our Stars was definitely well-written. I thought some parts were cheesy but it left me crying a lot. It was beautiful!
Fay_C said…
Oh no sorry to hear that Penumbra was a disappointment - what happened?! :D
Athira / Aths said…
I'm upset about it too but it just did not work. The characters were too flat and the circumstances were far too convenient for me. :(