I can hardly believe it thanks to the way my year started, but I almost think I have a shot at this 52 Books in 52 Weeks goal. I’ve gotten behind on reviews here, since a lot of books I’ve been reviewing for Tales From the Hollow Tree anyhow, and my life has gotten sadly chaotic lately—not that that’s much of an excuse, life has a tendency to do that every time we turn around, doesn’t it?
I’ve worked myself up to having read 4o books this year, though, just a dozen books shy of my ultimate goal—with that exact number of weeks left, as a matter of fact, so you see, I really do have a chance here, especially since I’m well on my way through a few books at this very moment. I’ll let you wander over to the Hollow Tree if you want to read about YA Fantasy books, but these are a few of the other things I’ve been finishing off lately:
Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
Still really enjoying browsing slowly through the Anne books. This was about the point where my attention would wander when I was younger—Gilbert wasn’t in it at all, and in my first, single-track-mind reading of this series, that was all I wanted to pay attention to. It amazes me how many kinds and types of people L.M. Montgomery was able to write, though. The latter part of this book, especially, feels like little more than a sampling of every-day humanity, though, and I think that’s why Montgomery’s books are as lasting as they are, because people don’t really change all that much, and Anne’s view of the sweet to the absurd is such a clear, kind way. It’s like what I heard the actor who played Kirk (the town oddity) on Gilmore Girls say once about the creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, that she loved each one of the characters, even the odd ones, and that’s what made the characters so great. I think the same is true for Montgomery. She and Anne both love the range of humanity they’re presented with, and it shows.
A Book of Luminous Things edited by Czeslaw Milosz 
I’ve been trying my best to get back into reading poetry this year. In fact, the only New Year’s Resolution that I can actually remember, was to read a poem a day. I failed pretty miserably in this, considering Milosz’ book is the same one I cracked open on January 1st and it took me until mid-September to finish reading through it. I’m glad I finally did, though. This book was given to me in high school as a Christmas present from a good friend of mine, and every once in a while I’d open it up and read a poem or two, but I’d never have the forethought to actually read the thing through, which is a shame, because it is organized beautifully. This was, quite honestly, the first collection of poems I’ve read straight through that wasn’t from a single author, but Milosz has it divided into segments, or “chapters” with introductions, that make it a truly enjoyable read. I admit, too, that part of my love for it has to do with the fact that so many of the poets included are California poets, and there’s a certain flavor to Californian poetry that simply doesn’t come from anywhere else, just like there’s a flavor to Russian novels or Italian opera. It just is. And that little taste of California is something that I always have, and always will love.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I had to give in to this one, once I saw the commercials for the movie start to show. The idea was to read it in time to see the film, and while I did that, I haven’t seen the movie yet. That’s okay with me, though, I’m sure I will in time. This book… hm. I can understand completely why so many people recommended it so highly to me, because it’s a beautiful read. I enjoyed just about every moment of it, because it swallows you up and keeps you in Clare and Henry’s world pretty fully, and Niffenegger’s handle of language and even more so of the timelines involved in the story—an impressive feat in and of itself. I have to confess myself a little disappointed by the ending, though—I can’t tell you exactly what disappointed me, as it’s a big-time spoiler, but let’s just say I would have hoped more for Clare. Really a gorgeous book, though, all in all, and definitely worth the read.
Austenland by Shannon Hale
This was one of those books that I was dying to read when I first heard about it… but then I kept passing it up at the bookstore for other things. Or maybe I’m the only one who ever does that. I admit, being broke and book-loving does not always mix supremely well together, so sometimes I run into conundrums like this. The minute I saw this at the library, though, I snapped it up as quickly as I could. I was due for some Austen-spin-offy fiction, having just read through the gamut of the master herself, and this fit the job nicely. It was a bit odd that the focus was so much on Colin Firth as Darcy, rather on Darcy as Darcy, (like the outtake from Bridget Jones’ Diary where Bridget interviews Colin Firth as Colin Firth—if you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend) but maybe I only feel that way because I think Mr. Firth is much more like Darcy in the book in… well, almost every P&P-ish adaptation movie I’ve seen him in, than he is in the actual BBC production. But that’s just my own personal thing. I can’t get too excited about Dracy jumping into a lake—I thought that scene was actually pretty silly.
Really, though, this was a fun book, all about a girl who treats every relationship (even the passing, childhood ones) as if they’re going to end up at the alter, and the Darcy-esque fellow she snags by the end is a perfect combination of stuffy and sweet.
Now I’m going to duck and hide as all the BBC Pride and Prejudice fans throw old vegetation at me. Ah well, I stand by my words. Colin Firth continues to get better and better, that’s all I’m saying. 😛
by Holly Black
by Melissa Jacobs
by J.K. Rowling (audio, read by Jim Dale)
by Lisa Magnum
—he was pure beauty.
My favorite Austen. I don’t think I can deny that now, after the third time reading the novel. When I was assigned Austen novels in school, this is the only one I ever finished by the due date—and that I did twice. Now reading it on my own, though, I enjoyed it more than ever.
As much as I have a soft spot for him (thanks in large to Jonny Lee Miller) I found it hard to believe that the end of the book would convince me that Edmund really loved Fanny in the way she would have liked him to love her, when even through the penultimate chapter he is talking and sighing over the sparkling eyes of Mary Crawford, who he so fully loved, or at the very least believed himself to love. Anything else could only be settling, right?
I’m starting the third volume of 
tie me in a knot and throw me over your shoulder 