I’ve made a goal to do more reading in 2014. I don’t have a set goal, like 50 books in a year, or anything, but over the years I’ve noticed I was reading complete books less & less often. Pretty shameful, for a librarian…
I also have enough social media sites to manage as it is, so instead of keeping Goodreads updated, I’m keeping a running spreadsheet of the books I read in 2014.
I’m off to a running start! 9 books in 3 weeks (I didn’t start until the 7th). I’m counting audiobooks, because I’m the boss.
In January 2014, I read:
- On a Pale Horse (Incarnations of Immortality series #1) by Piers Anthony
Genre: Fantasy Recommend? Yes.
- Bearing An Hourglass (Incarnations of Immortality series #2) by Piers Anthony
Genre: Fantasy Recommend? Yes.
- With a Tangled Skein (Incarnations of Immortality series #3) by Piers Anthony
Genre: Fantasy Recommend? Maybe not.
- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Audio book)
Genre: SciFi/Humor Recommend? Yes!
- Wielding a Red Sword (Incarnations of Immortality series #4) by Piers Anthony
Genre: Fantasy Recommend? Nah, unless you’ve read the others.
- Being a Green Mother (Incarnations of Immortality series #5) by Piers Anthony
Genre: Fantasy Recommend? Nah, unless you’ve read the others.
- For Love of Evil (Incarnations of Immortality series #6) by Piers Anthony
Genre: Fantasy Recommend? Yes, this one is enjoyable again.
- A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do by Kathleen Baty
Genre: Self-Improvement Recommend? Yes.
The Piers Anthony Incarnations of Immortality series is one I read many years ago & enjoyed. I had tried to put together a collection of the books over the last 15 years, but some are out of print. Huzzah for ebooks!
I have mixed feelings about the Incarnations of Immortality series. The concept is really intriguing, Death, Time, War, Fate, Nature, God & Satan are offices held by mortals, temporary made immortal while they carry out the tasks required of their office.
On a Pale Horse is a solid fantasy, enjoyable, as is Bearing an Hourglass. Then they become deeply flawed books. Anthony’s writing of the female characters is so painfully sexist that I was actively rolling my eyes while I read. Intelligent, capable women exist only to be partnered with men, but then in later books, the gross sexism balances out when we learn that men are only big balls of rapey lust, who exist to sexually conquer beautiful women.
Book 6 is enjoyable again, but really only if you’ve read the first 5. I’m on the last book in the series right now (with an additional extra book which was written later).
Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy audiobook is pure win. It is read by Stephen Fry, delightful in his own right, who was friends with Douglas Adams. I couldn’t dream up a better executed project. We listened to this as a family on a road trip & everyone was giggling.
A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do by Kathleen Baty is another book I sincerely recommend. If you’ve read Gavin de Becker’s Gift of Fear (which I also recommend) Kathleen Baty’s book is based on similar ideas (in fact, the forward is written by de Becker), but it’s geared towards young women. A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do teaches girls to listen their gut feelings about men, what to do if you find yourself in certain situations & provides a solid list of resources.
This is a fantastic conversation starter with the young women in your life.
That’s my book round-up for January!
The links in the post are Amazon Associate links & I receive a percentage of sales made after clicking those links. My opinions aren’t biased by this. All proceeds received from my Amazon Associate account go towards the kids’ homeschooling materials & supplies.
