Goodreads Reading Challenge - January

 

Due to my ever expanding TBR pile, I've decided to do the 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge. The first time I did the challenge was in 2018 with a goal of 50 books. I reached my goal...by a few days! The next year I wanted to read 55, but due to my work schedule I reset the challenge to 30 and got 36 books read. I've decided to dive back in and so far I've done well. 6 books in a month and 3 books ahead of schedule.

 

 

My first book of the year was quite delightful! I had heard of this book for a while and got to read it during an Instagram reading challenge. It's typical L.M. Montgomery with a list of zany characters both likeable and nonlikeable. It reads like a modern day fairytale and I found little to complain about 

 

A Peter Pan continuation (not really a retelling) told from the POV of Wendy, her daughter Jane and Captain James Hook himself. I had read the first book Wendy, Darling a couple of years ago and liked it, but didn't love it. The same with this one as well. The question of what happens when the Darling children grow up or who was Captain Hook before he came to Neverland are given a more psychological twist. The books aren't badly written, but they read more like stream of conscience which can be aggravating when you want to get to the true point of the story. (And there's the LGBTQ bent that really serves no purpose at all).

 

My first time reading this and to be honest, I really don't get the generational appeal. The book was good, but I find Little Women to be somewhat overrated. There were some chapters that dragged endlessly and I really hated Jo March throughout most of it. Surprisingly enough, I thoroughly enjoyed Amy! I give a full review soon!

For some unknown reason, my book club continues to choose books by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who I don't really find that good of a writer. Her storylines have potential, but unfortunately, she executes these storylines like an early fanfiction writer (over description on everything). The concept of One True Loves was interesting, but I found the actual romances to be dull compared the other family relationships in the story.

I'm making my way through the Anne series and it's an unfortunate truth to realize what a thoroughly unlikable character Anne Shirley really is. She can be such an idiot who is so locked away in her own narrative that she's incapable of seeing others. One of the best guys in Avonlea is in love with you and yet you don't want to ruin 'your friendship' because he doesn't measure up to your unrealistic expectations of what a man should be. Your best friend did you a kindness and got your story published, but you find that the humble and unexpected to be an embarrassment. Get over yourself Anne.

 

(I started off with a castle and end with a chateau). This is one of the Lamplighter books that I've had for ages and was one of the first books on my list to read. A combination of romance, mystery and adventure all told within a Christian context. This was very good and held an element of mystery that really had me guessing throughout the whole story.