December 2013, The Wrap-Up

Posted January 1, 2014 by Heather in Monthly Wrap-ups / 16 Comments

Code Name Verity quote

I still have my 2013 Year End post to write, so I’m going to make this one quick. December was fine…except we got a bazillion inches of snow and I had to shovel four times in two days at one point. Thankfully the snow has now melted and I can see the ground again. I did get my Green Christmas.

Speaking of which, Christmas was nice. My parents came to visit a couple of days later and we had a nice time. On the bookish front, my mom got me THIS:

The Book Seat

…and it is FANTASTIC. It’s called The Book Seat, and I love it. I read about them on someone’s blog, but I can’t remember whose. Thank you to whoever blogged about them and brought them to my attention!

Okay. December stats:

Books finished: 11
YTD: 204

Hours listened: 25 hrs, 6 mins

  • It, Stephen King
  • Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein (audiobook)
  • Murder of a Stacked Librarian, Denise Swanson
  • The Eyes of the Dragon, Stephen King
  • Winter Solstice, Rosamunde Pilcher
  • World War Z, Max Brooks
  • The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
  • Once We Were Brothers, Ronald H. Balson
  • We Are Water, Wally Lamb (audiobook)
  • The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
  • This House is Haunted, John Boyne

My favorites in December were Code Name Verity, The Eyes of the Dragon, and The Goldfinch. Rereading It was a good experience–it was still disturbing, but the friendship angle really struck me this time and I really enjoyed that part of it. The ending made me very sad, and the whole thing made me wish I’d had friendships like that when I was younger. As far as We Are Water is concerned, I love Wally Lamb’s books but this one was a bit of a disappointment. It was good, but it wasn’t great–I don’t feel like it was up to Lamb’s usual standards.

Pages read: 3,788
YTD: 68,938 (so close to an even 69,000!)

Pages Dec2013Pages read in December, by day

Currently reading:

  • Flowers in the Attic, V.C. Andrews (#SlutsInTheAttic)
  • Misery, Stephen King (Read All the SK)

And that’s all she wrote. Hope you all had a great December!

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  • Amy

    OMG BOOK SEAT. I want one! Like, immediately!!!

    I feel the same way as you do – loved “The Goldfinch,” meh on “We Are Water.”

    Happy New Year, Heather! Here’s to amazing reads in 2014!

    • Heather

      The Book Seat is so great. You can get them on Amazon. My hands are always cold (like, I’d be comfortable wearing gloves in the house), so now I can keep my hands tucked away until I have to turn the page. I love it. Haha!

      The Goldfinch was easily one of my favorite books this year.

      Happy New Year, Amy!

  • As a librarian (though far from stacked), I really ought to read Murder of a Stacked Librarian in 2014. I also want to read or listen to Code Name Verity this year. Loved The Goldfinch! It was my #2 favorite this year (just after The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer.)

    • Heather

      Murder of a Stacked Librarian was a cute, easy read.

      The audiobook version of Code Name Verity is WONDERFUL. I’m so glad I listened to it.

      I’ve been meaning to read The Interestings–that’ll definitely be one of my reads in 2014.

  • That book seat is GENIUS! You read some great stuff in December, I loved Code Name Verity and WWZ. I’ve also been meaning to read Rosamunde Pilcher forever- thanks for reminding me!

    • Heather

      It IS genius.

      I really liked WWZ…haaaaated the movie adaptation. Terrible stuff.

  • I have been eying that book seat. I get it – but I sort of don’t get it. I kind of want it because it’s a book accessory but nit sure what to do with it. Put it in my lap with the book on? And on my stomach when reading in bed??
    Turns out we’re not movie twins – I loved WWZ movie version 😉
    Happy happy new year, Heather!!!

    • Heather

      Yep–sit it on your lap, or on your stomach while lying down, or on some other surface while you’re eating…it makes reading hands free aside from turning the pages (works with ereaders, too). It sets the book at a nice angle to read instead of holding it up with your hands. It’ll be so nice to use with chunksters.

      Not movie twins?! We can’t win ’em all, I guess. 🙂

      Happy New Year, Christina!

  • This book seat looks interesting…

    • Heather

      ‘Tis…

  • Tif

    OMG! I just re-read The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King! I loved it, but then I made some connections and was so blown away that I didn’t make them before! I still have to write my review, but I think we should chat about this one!!

  • Beth

    I’m so glad you liked CNV. I read it back-to-back with Rose Under Fire and I got so completely wrapped up in them that I even dreamed I was a WWII pilot! Powerful books.

    • Heather

      Now I need to read Rose Under Fire–I had forgotten all about it! Thank you!

  • That thing is awesome! I bought something similar (it looks more like a sorting hat) for my 8 year old nephew because he’s a big Harry Potter fan.
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