First Quarterly Update Of 2013

So we’re already getting ready to welcome April! It’s crazy how fast the first three months of 2013 have disappeared. Life haven’t offered many changes, positive or negative, but the constant snow outside is taking it’s toll on our moods. We’re really looking forward to spring! Real spring with warmer temperature and flowers everywhere, not this kind of spring where it’s only the date on the calendar that reveals that it’s (supposed to be) spring.
The good thing about the cold weather is, that it’s perfect reading weather. I feel fine with my reading so far. Not only have I read a lot of good books, there have also been quite a few of them. At least for the amount of time I have to dedicate to reading.

1. Jennifer Egan: A Visit from the Goon Squad
2. Karen Thompson Walker: The Age of Miracles
3. Tom Perrotta: The Leftovers
4. Stephen King: The Drawing of the Three (Dark Tower #2)
5. Ben Marcus: The Flame Alphabet
6. Philip Roth: The Counterlife
7. Terry Pratchett: Making Money (Discworld #36)
8. Salman Rushdie: Joseph Anton – a memoir
9. Carol Birch: Jamrach’s Menagerie
10. Toni Morrison: Beloved
11. Daniel Miller: The Comfort of Things
12. John Lanchester: Capital
13. Erlend Loe: Doppler
14. Jonathan Safran Foer: Everything is Illuminated
15. SJ Watson: Before I Go To Sleep
16. Amy Chua: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

So this first quarter, what have been the best reads? Well, there’s absolutely no doubt that I am recommending Toni Morrison’s wonderfully amazing Beloved. I have to say, this is the best book of the first three months.
Close behind this one is Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated. Both of these have in common that they tend to confuse their reader – at least they confuse me – but in a good way. They keep you thinking and guessing and I like that. Both are books that I will return to.
Other good books these first three months are Philip Roth’s The Counterlife and Salman Rushdie’s Joseph Anton, both of which are by authors I’m really starting to love.
I also have to mention Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad which I really liked. I love how she played with how she told the story – or stories – and I would like to read more by Egan at some point.
I also got around to walking the dog enough to listen to one audio book.

1. Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl

I enjoyed listening to this book but in the end, I was a bit disappointed. Still, since I only listened to this one book, it is of course the best book. I do recommend this one because it did keep my interest and even kept listening at times where I normally wouldn’t.

In April, what I’m really looking forward to, is the Haruki Murakami The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle read along, hosted by Ti at Book Chatter.
I’ve been wanting to read this book for years because I love Murakami’s books. I have postponed reading it because I have been told that you are supposed to wait and read a few of his works before tackling this one. But I have read him now, several of his books, and I feel ready to tackle it together with what appears to be a great and fun group of other readers. And I might even continue on with 1Q84 since there’s supposed to be some connections between these two works. We’ll see!
I’m also (still!) looking forward to finally reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, more of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series as well as some of the many new books coming out this year (like Stephen King – this is really the Year of King!).
I’m hoping that the next three months will keep as high a standard as the first three – and I’ll try to be better at keeping up with my reviews…