One of my blogging goals this year is to write a monthly review post. Here I can keep better track of my reading overall, since I don’t post about every book I read. I would also like to highlight some of my favorite posts by other bloggers, and maybe some other fun things that I find. . . It will be an experiment! I’m planning to usually do it on the last Sunday of each month, so the “months” will be a bit off-kilter.
This month was the one where I “put the library on hold” to try to read the books that are piling up on my own shelves. There are still a few days to go, but it’s been a very successful enterprise so far. I would definitely consider starting out every new year this way.
I also joined the 2015 Book Blog Discussion Challenge to try to add more variety to my posts. Here’s this month’s discussion: What makes a great book blog design?. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll join the conversation.
Books I reviewed
- Bliss and Other Stories – My Classics Club Spin book.
- Wuthering Heights – A reread that made me look differently at a classic that has never been a favorite of mine. Thanks to Girl With Her Head in a Book for inviting me to read along!
- The Just City – A mind-bending new novel from the ever-inventive Jo Walton.
- Pinocchio – I looked at a beautiful Limited Editions Club edition, illustrated by Richard Floethe, in honor of the Classic Children’s Literature Readalong at Simpler Pastimes.
- Where Have I Been All My Life? – I hosted a stop on the TLC Blog Tour for this heartfelt memoir.
- The Nutmeg Tree and Cluny Brown – In honor of Margery Sharp Day, two fine entertainments by a unjustly neglected author.
Other books read
- The Hollow Land by Jane Gardam (reread) – Review to come in Shiny New Books
- The Rescuers by Margery Sharp (reread)
- Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen – Review to come
- How To Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis – Review to come
- Possession by A.S. Byatt (reread)
- A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong – I need to read more in the Canongate Myths series, and may do a group review at some point.
- The Dean’s Watch by Elizabeth Goudge (reread) – Gearing up for Elizabeth Goudge Reading Week in April.
- Finding Zero by Amir Aczel – A pleasant mathematical read, but less substantial than I had expected.
- The Bees by Laila Paull – Review to come
- An Appetite for Violets by Martine Bailey – Review to come
Most popular ECBR post this month
Favorite posts from other bloggers
- River City Reading pointed out some interesting cover trends. I’m always meaning to collect these too…
- Calmgrove snagged a copy of Puffin Post Annual #1, which reminded me of my old Cricket magazines.
- Fleur in Her World packed a beautiful box of books for 2014.
- Leaves and Pages had a hilarious “worst of 2014” list (her “best of” list is also worth a look).
- I enjoyed a review of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and a preview of the upcoming BBC miniseries at Books and Chocolate. I really need to reread this book before the year is out.
- Behold the Stars offered a gorgeous gallery of vintage illustrations.
- A Charlotte vs. Emily debate came to (virtual) fisticuffs at Vulpes Libris. I thought I knew which side I was on, but after my recent Wuthering Heights reread I’m not so sure.
Some other cool things
- There’s a handy new page listing book fairs and conventions at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
- The line-up for this year’s Battle of the Books has been announced at School Library Journal. This time, I’m going to try really hard to read all of them so I can actually have an opinion about the winners.
- And I also want to read the finalists in the Cybils Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category. I feel very out of touch with this genre lately.
That was quite a month! What were your highlights?
Linked in the Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
You reread The Rescuers? I remember loving those books when I was a kid. And I can't wait to read some of your upcoming reviews. Quite a month of books you had. 🙂
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It was a great month! After reading some of Margery Sharp's adult books I wanted to revisit her children's series. While I think they deserve their lasting popularity, it's a shame her other novels have lapsed into obscurity.
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Can't believe how busy you've been and will continue to be! But I do find it enervating, and so chuffed that you continue to display an enthusiasm for books and reading that I find positively inspiring.
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What a lovely comment, thank you.
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I hope you enjoyed The Bees! You read some great books this month. Congrats on the Shiny New Books review.
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I did enjoy The Bees and am still thinking about it. I'm putting off the review to coincide with the paperback release in May.
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You look like you had a great month! Happy Reading!Megan @ http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk
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I need to reread Wuthering Heights so bad! I loved it so much when I first read it in high school and own several copies, but haven't read it again in almost 10 years! I think I'm going to make that a priority next month. Here's my Weekly Recap!
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I hope you get to it sooner rather than later. It's hard to make time for old favorites when there are so many new books screaming for our attention.
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Sounds like you had an awesome reading week!! Check out my week in review! http://bookbabble.weebly.com/blog/sunday-post1
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I enjoyed your post about blog design. I've been trying to make some tweaks to my own blog over the last month in an attempt to make it more user friendly and easier to navigate. Have a great week! Terri M., the DirectorSecond Run Reviews
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I like your design a lot. I really appreciate that you try to make it easy to read and use.
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I love the idea of actually reading the books that are stacking up on my shelves. I'm going to try to do that in March and try really hard not to get too drawn into review books. Wuthering Heights is coming up for me this year for The Reading Assignment Challenge. I'm kind of scared! Have a great week!
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The Reading Assignment Challenge — haven't heard of that one before. Don't be scared, though, it's a wonderful book (even though I hated it for years).
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I think cover trends are fascinating. Lately I am seeing women in hats from the rear looking into the distance. My post: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/2015/02/superbowl-sunday.html
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That's a good one!
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I love your blog header, it's so pretty! Anyways, monthly wrap ups are great to really see where you are at, I like them too. I really need to take a break from the library too, I'm staring at 10 library books D: Thanks for stopping by Readers in Wonderland!
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So glad you like the header, I love it too. If you take a break from the library I hope you find it as productive as I did.
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Oh, Elizabeth Goudge ! It's been years since I've read her books but I remember them fondly 🙂 You've been very busy this month. Have a great week 😉
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Elizabeth Goudge has so many wonderful books to discover. I'm looking forward to our Reading Week.
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