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Waltzing in the Music City | Weekly Snapshot

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If you're in the US, do you have Monday off from work or school, to observe President's Day? All of us at our home do, which is lucky because this isn't a day that every company or institution observes with a day off. Even though it's not been too long since the Christmas and New Year holiday season, I'd been pining for a vacation for a while - something either low-key or relaxing that even the kids will enjoy.


Currently This post is coming to you from the Music City - Nashville - where we are spending the long weekend. We are technically here only for two days and will leave early on Monday so that we are home in time to pick our dog from boarding. Although I don't personally care much for the music scene other than to listen to what's popular on the radio, I had been hoping to stop by Nashville someday and check it out.

We are staying at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, which is a sight in itself, with its acres and acres of gardens and walkways. It's def…
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January and February in review

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At the beginning of the year, I promised not to make any goals and just let my reading take me on its own journey. I did have a little hiccup in January trying to decide what to read next. Even when there are no goals, or especially when there are no goals, I find it very hard to decide what I want to read next. I got through only 3 books in January, but by February, I had a scheme set up which worked very well for me when it came to deciding what to read next. The "scheme" involved a little bit of random.org but mostly building a running list of recommendations I get every day through blogs or book sites. I managed to read 8 books in February in the end.

My favorites of the 11 books are


Stuff was quite fascinating - more than I expected it to be. Family was a moving book to read.


The other books I read during these two months are:
Letters in the Attic by Bonnie Shimko
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zukoff (Nonfiction)
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Marbles by Ellen Forney (Graphic memoir)
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Calling Dr. Laura by Nicole Georges (Graphic memoir)
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki (Graphic fiction)

Blog highlights from the January and February:
2015 bookish plans, or lack of
Four Strange Books I've Enjoyed
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (review)
The Martian by Andy Weir (review)
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald (review)

And on the personal side...
A trip to Richmond and DC
Our Little Secret
And it's a...

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Comments

tanya (52 books or bust) said…
I've been doing some free range reading myself, and I must admit, I like having a plan. I like to know what my next book will be before I'm done the current one. I've been requesting more books from the library and that has helped my situation some. And I have a bunch of ARCs piling up, so it will be back to what needs to be read.
March 3, 2015 at 8:51 AM
Sheila DeChantal said…
I always have to much I want to read next - whenever a new book comes in the house i want it to be that one...lol
March 3, 2015 at 3:08 PM
iliana said…
Look at you, your plan worked and you read a lot in February! I try not to make reading goals or I guess I should say I don't like calling them goals :) I have a good start of the year with my reading plans and just hope it continues. Here's to great books ahead!
March 3, 2015 at 4:56 PM
literaryfeline said…
I am glad your plan for February worked, Athira! I read 8 books in February too, which surprised me. I am luckly to average 5 or 6 a month generally. Admittedly, some of those were short and fast reads.


I hope you have a wonderful March!
March 4, 2015 at 11:47 AM
Charlie (The Worm Hole) said…
I relented a little this week and made a rough short list of books I want to read soon - I agree with you that sometimes no plan equals difficulty.

That's a good number of books. You've reminded me to read more about Stuff. Hope March goes well for you!
March 4, 2015 at 12:53 PM
Andi said…
Now I'm tasked with trying to decide which J. California Cooper book to read next. #sigh
March 4, 2015 at 1:48 PM
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