2014 Book Report | December

Last year I set a small goal to read 10 books but soon I updated it to 20 books. By June I had read 12 books. In the next 6 months, reading was a lot harder. I got distracted easier and couldn't sit still long enough to get into a reading groove without falling asleep. However, I found a way to get the last 8 read.

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Harry Potter Years 1-3 // In December, I joined the Harry Potter Re-Read Along. I read these three using the borrow option with Kindle. I am not going to recap the stories since everyone knows the premise unless you have been living under a rock for the last 15 years. However, it has been fun reading the book and immediately watching the corresponding movie and remembering just how many little things they purposefully left out to strengthen the overarching series plot.
The Big, Not-So-Small, Curvy Girls Dating Agency // I was hoping this would be a fun cute read. I was sorely disappointed. The characters were undeveloped and the premise was predictable. A bigger girl full of insecurities just happens meets the dashing hunk and they realize their love is one in a million and nothing will stop them, not even his fiancé. I am not a fan of it. Above all else, the grammar was horrendous.
The Marriage Plot // If I did this based on stars, this book would get 4/5 compared to works by authors but only 3/5 compared to Eugenides' other works. It is a detail heavy weaving of the same few years told by three young adults that are semi-involved in a love triangle. My disappointment only comes to the writing itself. While the details are there, the writing is missing some of Eugenides' magical imagery and beautiful prose. There are glimpses of it but it is hidden under lots of tedious writing.
Husband Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth // I started reading this soon after we found out we were expecting as The Bradley Method is something I am interested in. Originally, I went into this book thinking it was a simple overview of the method. It is not. Instead it is a more of a background of Dr. Bradley's journey to developing his method of childbirth. It is much more scientific and I love that. One more caveat. This book was originally published in 1974, so it contains some antiquated beliefs about religion and different gender roles. I will also add that if you just want a book to supplement your Bradley Method classes, shoot for reading Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way as it is more practical.
I Don't Know Where You Know Me From // I tend to need something light and airy after heavy books. Judy Greer's compilation of biographical essays was just that after the total mind meld that was Gone Girl. I love that it wasn't full of juicy details about fellow actors or filled with hearsay about other people in Hollywood. It was just an easy to read account of her life. As a fan of Judy Greer, I enjoyed it.
Three Girls and a Baby // As much as I hated the other ChickLit title on this list, I loved this one. In the beginning, I really disliked Ginny, but as pregnancy evolved her character, I started to love her. The author wrote about serious topics in a way that easy to read but wasn't predictable, or cheesy.

Currently reading: Blue Plate Special: An Autobiography of my Appetites, The Potluck Club, and Dorothy Must Die, which I started at various points this fall and couldn't finish. Also on my list is Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and Great with Child.

My previous book reviews can be found here and my list of books read can be found on my Goodreads account.