Like February, March was a lighter reading month for me. I didn’t even manage to finish this month’s SBC selection (The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford) before April 1. I do have some decent excuses, including volunteer work, a family wedding out of state, and my son and I each getting the flu (although being bedridden for two full days actually helped me finish two books that I might not have finished otherwise; I was surprised to find it easier to read than to watch Downton Abbey while I was sick, perhaps because I was at the Spanish Flu episode), but I hope that April proves more read-y for me.

Here’s what I read during March:

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A strange thing happened this month: Halfway through February I lost interest in reading.

I still crave books. I still get excited about picking them up from the library and adding them to my wish list (and even buying a stack, which I hardly ever do). I just don’t really feel interested in actually reading. I’ve even listened to two audiobooks with my kids (Ice Whale by Jean Craighead George and The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall—I only just now realized they’re by women with homophonous first names) and only rarely tuned in enough to pay attention to be able to say that I’ve “read” them this month.

It could be because I’m super busy doing volunteer stuff or because I’m focusing a lot of attention on healthful living (exercise, nutrition, sleep) or because I’m spending so much time on home repairs/improvements. Or maybe it’s just the ebb and flow of my reading life. Maybe I’ve just got spring fever.

What am I doing besides reading? That is a very good question. I’m really not sure. I know I’m not watching movies/television shows because I’m not interested in those either. My house is clean, so maybe I’ve been housekeeping.

Whatever’s going on, hopefully I’ll feel more like reading in March. I miss enjoying reading.

Here’s what I read during the non-blah half of February:

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Did you all know it’s February?

Turns out it is, and it has been for nearly five days now. And I totally missed posting my Bookends post for January on February 1!

Part of this is simply losing track of time in the midst of all of the other things I’m doing, but part of it is related specifically to my being consumed with trying to organize my books and tags to make LibraryThing more usable for me. Although I find Goodreads more intuitive to use and more visually attractive than LibraryThing, I’m not keen on the Amazon/Goodreads connection (why must everything I do become a means for promoting someone else’s wealth?). I have a sense that Goodreads is better as a social network for readers while LibraryThing is better for cataloging books, but many people happily use LibraryThing for both. Knowing there are so many people who love LibraryThing, I’m trying to really dig in and see what I can do with it myself.

This digging into my library is rather distracting and is another part of why I lost track of where I was in the calendar and didn’t post my Bookends according to the schedule I devised for myself.

Oh, well. Late > Never. Or so they say.

Here’s what I read during the first month of 2016:

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November was a whirlwind of a month. I read bits and pieces of multiple books, but only managed to finish the kid books (including an impromptu Lois Lowry marathon two weeks ago). Ah, well.

For December, I’ve committed to spending less time online, so hopefully that will translate into spending more time reading. But then, if I spend so much time reading that I don’t get online at all, how would the world know how much I’ve been reading? It’s a dilemma.

In any event, here’s what little I read in November…

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Last night, I strapped glow sticks to my wrists and took my kids around the neighborhood begging for candy. Now we have enough sweets to carry us to Easter (and beyond, if I don’t start throwing the candy away piece by piece).

Now it’s November, and I have only a little more than a month until I’m 39. It’s strange: this is the first birthday that’s snuck up on me. I’ve been so comfy being 38, and now all of sudden I have to say farewell to that age. Thirty-nine’s an okay age, though, I think. Thirteen times three and all. All the same, I think I’ll try to really enjoy what’s left of 38.

In any event, here’s what little I read in October…

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We’ve had an oddly hot September here in southern New England, which seems to be confusing the trees. The maples in our yard are dropping their leaves without even changing colors. With as many years as I spent in California, I’m accustomed to this kind of fall, but if I’m going to have a California autumn, I’d prefer to have a California winter, which I think is unrealistic to expect (at least for a few more decades).

But we’re coming into some cooler, rainier weather that promises to feel more like apple-picking weather, so maybe the leaves will get the hint before the snow falls.

In any event, here are September’s books…

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As August vacates the premises, and September leaps in to fill the void, I find myself feeling tired. Nothing in particular is tiring me, so I have to assume it’s just the rush of time. Perhaps the whooshing noise as it rushes by is keeping me from sleeping well.

My youngest turned six this month and has a very wiggly tooth. My eldest is nearly as tall as I am and entering that “I don’t know why I’m crying” phase I remember so well from my growing-up despite all of my attempts to forget it. It’s been a month of anniversaries and milestones, cake and martinis, berry-picking and humidity. I’m looking forward to the cool of autumn and trying not to dread the chill of winter. At least the cold weather will give me ample excuse to curl up with a book.

August’s books…

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Between ordinary busy-ness and re-joining Netflix, not a lot of reading happened this month.

Well, that’s not really true. I read for my class, and I read to my kids, and I listened to kids’ audiobooks, but I got precious few books read from my personal reading list. I expected to be done with Uncle Tom’s Cabin long ago, but it’s been surprisingly challenging, subject-matter-wise. Poor Herodotus got no attention at all in July.

But, it’s August now, so let’s just look at the list and then put the past behind us. Onward!

July’s books…

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