February Books

I spent a lot of February finishing the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson. I'll write a blurb for them, but they were thrillers in a pretty unique way!

1. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

I am definitely a Nicholas Sparks fan, and I enjoy a good dose of his style every now and then.  I don't want to give too much away about this book, but aside from obviously having the romantic element, there was a certain amount of suspense, particularly toward the end, that had me staying up later to read and get to the conclusion. If you have read Nicholas Sparks before, you probably know whether he's for you or not, but that being said, I really enjoyed this one!

2 and 3. The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

These books are dark, violent, and thrilling. Even more so than their predecessor (Dragon Tattoo) they keep one engrossed for hours. Larsson does a really good job of weaving all his story threads together, leaving off at certain moments that will of course then keep you reading. I also enjoy the way there's all these puzzle pieces that slowly click together as you get toward the end. I'm glad I read these books and I would definitely recommend them!


4. The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler

It was good to switch gears and do some non-fiction at the end of this month. I technically finished this book in March, but I started it in February so there it will go. I really found this book fascinating, useful, and insightful. Especially since I am in a time when I'm being relatively careful about what I eat, the advice and the science felt very relevant (though they are relevant to anyone who eats, aka everyone). In a nutshell, Kessler addresses the types of factors that can lead us to keep eating sweets and fat- and salt-laden foods, even when we know we don't need them or possibly even want them. He talks about what goes on in the brain through a series of examinations, and discussions of studies. He also addresses the food industry side (both processed foods and restaurants, especially chains). In a similar fashion to In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, this book inspired me to continue focusing on produce and other basic foods, to keep cooking in the kitchen at home, and to continue making going out to eat a sometimes thing. I am also hoping that having read about the physical and mental processes related to overeating will help me to maintain even better self-control when I want to. Sorry to go on so much, I guess I had a lot to say about this particular one!

So far I am definitely sticking to my goal of reading at least three books per month while hubby is gone (5 in January and 4 in February). The total number, 9, is rapidly approaching the number of books I read for pleasure (not school) in 2010 (11). Crazy! Makes me feel good though. There are so many books out there and I really love using my current free time to read them.

I'll put this out there again - any recommendations or books you all are planning to read soon?