(image used is not actual home library space – just wishful thinking there!)
Reading from my shelves….It Will Be a Thing for me in 2021.
I bought A LOT of books in 2020, and they sit on the shelf with all the books I’ve bought in the many years prior. Therefore I fully intend, no NEED to reach for more from my shelf this year. I mean, I really do have every intention of doing so! So far, it is going well….
I did start this year reading a book from my own shelf. My first book completed in 2021 was something I’ve had on my Kobo (you don’t even want to get me started on all the books I have on that thing, or the new ones I’ve bought for it! That could be a whole new post. Maybe it will be?). The Other Half of Augusta Hope was such a fantastic book to be the first pick from my shelves and kick off my new year of reading!
The Other Half of Augusta Hope is such a beautiful story and is one I haven’t stopped recommending. I was all in before I even reached page 20. It is so heartbreaking but heartwarming at the same time. It is beautifully written with many poignant moments. There are two stories running parallel to each other – Augusta’s and Parfait’s stories – with moments where their connections make you smile and pause. In the end their connection comes together and it’s all quite clever and wonderful. A bit of a book hangover after reading it to be honest.
I also listened to an Audible book I have had for ages! Listening to Eleanor Bron read (the rather dry) The House of Mirth was a complete delight to my ears. I fell in love with Eleanor Bron when I listened to Irène Némirovsky’s All Our Worldly Goods, so I was highly anticipating a wonderful listening experience for The House of Mirth. I did indeed get that and it helped quite a bit for this classic novel.
After reading a few “just okay” books (some from the library, one from my shelf), I pulled the big monster 650+ page book Where The Light Enters by Sara Donati from my shelf. It has been sitting there for a bit of time waiting patiently after reading the first in the Waverly Place series, The Gilded Hour. I thought this one would pull me from this tiny slump. I’m not very far into it, but oh yes, the slump will be gone with this one! It is a beautifully published book and story – the first parts all letters, newspaper articles and telegrams which has this Hoarder swooning with delight. The Savard cousins have also quickly endeared themselves to me once again!
I’ve also owned this edition of Doctor Zhivago for quite some time and I’ve moved it to the shelf that is right where my favourite reading chair is. Right beside it is another book Penguin Random House Canada sent some time ago, a nice companion book to Doctor Zhivago, Lara Prescott’s debut, The Secrets We Kept. The audiobook for The Secrets We Kept is narrated by multiple narrators (six of them!) and that’s always an exciting thing, so I’ve downloaded it to listen to when I’m on my walks (another New Year thing for me – get out every single day and walk).
My plan here is to read them back-to-back. I wondered if one should be read in front of the other, but feedback from some at Litsy have said reading The Secrets book only made them want to read Doctor Zhivago more, so I’m starting with Prescott’s book first! (Plus, 6 narrators? This should be fun!)
So far, listening to The Secrets We Kept has been a grand plan indeed! I’m already planning on recommending it to a couple of people that I know would love the book.
Of course, some of my plans to read from my shelves are stalled because all those books I put on hold at the library are tumbling in! I will prevail however, especially since most of the ones I’m pulling have been successful pulls! (but it does mean I keep having to push back Where the Light Enters.)
Just one more thought concerning my 2021 reading, I do want to read more non-fiction. I have plenty, plenty of it on my shelves as well and I really need to turn my attention to picking more of those books up this year.
How is your 2021 reading going so far? We’re closing in quickly on the end of the first month and after a bit of a rocky start, January 20th really seemed to usher in some much needed light and hope! Cheers!
