The first three books I read in 2024 were not on any book list I’ve ever looked at or compiled myself – they were absolutely random.
1 – Reign by Katharine McGee – it’s a teen romance novel that one of my kids got from the library. It’s set in modern times with texting and SUVs, but as if the USA had made George Washington a king and stayed with royalty terms, such as the Duchy of Texas, and GW’s descendants were now the King and Queen of America. That could have been really interesting, but no, it was not – just lots of uber-wealthy and privileged teenagers and young adults drinking and sleeping around, and deciding who would eventually end up with whom in a relationship. And this was book FIVE of a series, the conclusion. This goes on for FIVE books? Ugh. I’m glad I just read the last one.
Why did I read it? Because sometimes I pick up my kids’ books to see what’s out there and what they’re absorbing. Meh – the same “rich people are amazing” fantasy stuff I read as a kid, just with smartphones.
2 – The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett – set in the 1950s/60s at a Catholic home for unmarried but pregnant young women. Again, I didn’t particularly like it because the protagonist was a mean and selfish person. The whole thing was kind of depressing.
Why did I read it? Because I read online that it’s banned in Florida, thank you to book banning whackheads that are trying to take over the entire US education system, so I got it from the library and read it for sheer spite.
3 – Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery – yay! A book I liked! It’s a memoir of … a person who writes books about animals – I don’t even know what to call her. I don’t think she’s a scientist, but she interacts with people who are, and this time, it was a “turtle hospital” in Massachusetts, either on or near Cape Cod. I also liked it because it made me think of New England. (I like being in the DC area, but I miss New England. It’s both/and.)
Why did I read it? Because I saw it on the New Books display at the library and picked it up on a whim. I started flipping through it and one of the turtle stories got my attention even though I’ve NEVER been interested in turtles. So I checked it out.