January - What I Read

I just started using GoodReads in december and not sure what I would do with out it. I love lists and keeping track of things, so it's a god-send to have a place to easily track my reading and books I want to read. I set a goal of reading 50 books this year, so having read 8 this month, I'm 16% ahead of schedule... maybe I set my goal too low.

So, thanks to GoodReads, I know everything I read this month...

Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America, by Robert Whitaker
While I didn't technically finish this (I skipped a couple chapters), I read it for my book club and discussed it so I feel I have a good understanding of that I skipped over. While this book is a bit alarming, he backs up everything with statistics, making a good case for doctors to think twice before prescribing medicine for psychiatric patients. I'm not a doctor, and not giving out advice, but I recommend this book to anyone who finds this topic fascinating. It can get a little repetitive, so if you do skip over any parts, be sure to at least skip ahead and read the last chapter.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel, by Maria Semple
OMG, so good! A bit of satire, a bit of Gone Girl, a whole lot of fun. A quick read, great for a trip to the beach.

Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son's First Son, by Anne Lamott
In some ways a follow up to her book Operating Instructions, this book follows the first year of her son's first son. I love Anne Lamott, and enjoy her memoirs the mosts.

The Boy Next Door, by Meg Cabot
Quick, fun, chick-lit. Meg Cabot is one of my more favorite chick-lit authors, and I've read most of her book. What I didn't like about this was it was all told through emails. So it was all told in first person, which got old really fast.

Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection Hardcover, by A. J. Jacobs
It took me a long time to read this, a few months, since I was just reading it at lunch time. I've enjoyed all of Jacobs' books, maybe I see a little but of me in him. While I sort of wish I had the guts to commit to the experiments he does, it's nice to be able to just sit on the couch as I read his struggles and successes and laugh with him about it. (I also reviewed his book The Know-It-All)

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Novel (Flavia de Luce Mysteries), by Alan Bradley
The second book in a series for young adults. I don't hear much about it (i.e. not as popular as Hunger Games, Harry Potter, etc....) but I have really enjoyed the series so far and will continue to read the rest of it. FYI: the German edition has a much cooler cover design.

Water for Elephants: A Novel, by Sara Gruen
I've been wanting to read this for awhile, and was glad I finally gotten around to it. Fascinating story, and much better than I expected. Haven't seen the movie yet. Is it any good?


In Process......
This Book is Not Good For You, by Pseudonymous Bosch: love this series!
The Casual Vacancy, by J. K. Rowling: I own this so library books usually get read before this.
Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell: Had to return it to library, but was enjoying it so far.