The Motley Reader

Hello! Time for thoughts from the Motley Reader. You may be wondering why I'm reading or sharing my thoughts on a Christmas book in January. First, this book has been on my TBR list on Goodreads since I first heard about it last year. It got a lot of buzz, so I've been waiting for the right time to read it, as I often do. Side note: If you are not using Goodreads, you need to! (they don't pay me to say that) Second, I requested it from the library back in December and only just last week received it. Since it took me so long to get it I didn't want to turn it down. Before I get to my thoughts on the book I want to just say that I enjoy Christmas books probably more than most people. Or maybe not, who knows? Anyway, I have several Christmas books that I use as part of my Christmas decor every year. I stack them on shelves, or put them in baskets near the tree. Of those, I have favorites that I reread every year even though I almost have them memorized.  There'...

Far beneath the surface of the earth,, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories..... Sounds lovely doesn't it? Such is the beginning of the summary for The Starless Sea, Erin Morgenstern's long awaited second novel. Morgenstern is the author of The Night Circus, which earned the number one spot on my list of top five books of 2019. Not only was The Night Circus my favorite book of last year, but it also makes the list of my favorite books of all time. Sadly, not only did The Starless Sea not live up to the summary, but it did not live up to my personal expectations from Morgenstern. It was a disappointment to say the least. And it was extremely long, which made for even more disappointment. The story is told in alternating chapters, each from a different point of view. Then there are fairy tales and fables interwoven as well.. That part didn't bother me so much. It is Morgenstern's styl...

Welcome to The Motley Reader! A place for fellow readers to enjoy my thoughts on the books I'm reading. My reading list is very eclectic. One week I may be reading a biography and the next it will be the latest YA fiction. Sometimes I enjoy romance, and sometimes I like a good murder mystery. I never know what type of book I may end up reading. Sometimes what I read is good, and other times not so much. I share my thoughts in the hopes of helping others make good reading choices for themselves. Last year I read 100 books. My original goal was 50 but due to a few interesting circumstances, I exceeded that goal in a big way. One of those circumstances was the March Reading Challenge, an event I participated in at my previous job as a librarian. During this time, the library challenged the students to see how many books they could read during the month of March. I also participated and engaged in a friendly, albeit heated head to head challenge with the other librarian. The othe...