January Book List (5/5)

I made a goal this year to read 60 books by the end of the year, and at least 5 books each month. Every month, near the end, I'll put up a list of the books I've read that month and maybe a few thoughts about them. Here's my January list, a month late.

The Red Tent – Anita Diamant
The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova
Temptation – Jude Deveraux
Coldfire – Dean R. Koontz
Bitten – Kelley Armstrong

The Red Tent – Anita Diamant
What I liked most about this book was the sisterhood. I thought about my experiences in childbirth and I wouldn't have wanted even my own sister in with me while I was laboring, and she's told me she wouldn't want me there for her either. I definitely wouldn't want my mom there. Yet these women were all there for each other, including neighbors, sisters, mothers, daughters. Even though they still fought and had their feuds and disagreements, their female-ness reunited them. It makes me wonder what has changed so much that modern women don't rely on this sisterhood. Is it because we're supposed to be independent? Is it because we are too busy? I wonder how much more fulfilling my marriage would be if I had close women friends to fill roles that my husband isn't really cut out for.

I was also fascinated by the idea of the women's cycles all following the moon phases. It seemed like such a great idea to me, and I wondered how I could achieve that synchronicity myself. So I checked the calendar only to find that I *am* in synch with the moon. How amazing is that? I've always thought I had an irregular cycle, but ever since I've been paying attention to the moon (3 months now), my cycle is a regular 28 day thing, and always starts with the dark of the moon. It makes me feel tied in to something in a way I don't really understand. But a deep part of me feels a wonder when I look at the moon now, as if I can feel its pull on my own inner tides.

The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova
I read this for the book club I'm in at work. I felt the book was teasing me along into the reading, because the action unfolded very slowly at first but I felt compelled to keep turning pages. I liked the stories within stories, and I liked the history aspect of the book. I'd recommend this for anyone that likes Dracula or history, or who has aspirations to travel. The descriptions of the foreign places were one of my favorite things about the book. This wasn't a great book club book though, as it was pretty straightforward overall and didn't lend itself to much of a discussion, at least within my group.

Temptation – Jude Deveraux
This was just a cheesy (and I mean seriously cheesy) romance. I like a good romance now and then, but this wasn't a good one. It was about a woman and a highlander, and it had everything you'd expect. The guy's name was even James. This made me compare it to the Outlander series by Gabaldon, which is a great stab at a romance set in Scotland. Temptation was lacking in every way possible.

Coldfire – Dean R. Koontz
I found out my mom was reading something by Koontz and that surprised me so much that when I saw this in the library I picked it up out of curiosity. I had always avoided Koontz, because I don't really like traditional horror (I've always equated him with Stephen King). Coldfire was just okay. I liked how it started out, with the guy stepping in and saving people who would otherwise die. I like the idea of cheating fate, or being led by a higher power to change what might be. But then the book just got weird. And even though it tried to de-weird itself at the end, it was too late. Weird.

Bitten – Kelley Armstrong
Someone asked me what I was reading and I responded, "Well, it's a werewolf book, but the main character is actually a good werewolf that has to fight the bad werewolves." Although that does sum it up, I actually enjoyed the book a great deal. The lead character is a strong woman that's a werewolf. She's in great shape, she's smart, all the guy werewolves are attracted to her and she has awesome sex. What's not to like?