Booking and biking my way through 2020.
Books
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (fantasy)
So I haven’t given up on HP. Book 3 has brought some redemption. It was deeper, more exciting, and, now that I know the characters better, much more emotional. I really liked the change-up in this one from the Voldemort focus to the prisoner of Azkaban. We needed a change and this one was perfect. 4 STARS
6. The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray (contemporary)
This was February’s book club choice. I campaigned hard for it because the author is from St. Joseph, MI and the book takes place in that area. Plus, she’s black and it’s Black History Month. I wish I could say it was a homerun, but I was a little disappointed with it in the end. Once it got going, the bones were there, but it took a while for me to sort out the characters and then I found the ending dissatisfying. 3.5 STARS
7. Don’t Miss It: Parent Ever Week Like it Counts by Reggie Joiner, Kristen Ivy (parenting)
I can see why this book is so necessary for a lot of people, but it mostly just felt like a 78-page panic attack for me. The entire book is a reminder of how fast your kids will grow up and that you should make the most of it. I already feel the pressure to do that and think about it constantly. However, my church suggested we read this per our child dedication process, and so I did. For me, personally? 2 stars. But because I think a lot of people do need to hear this message… 3 STARS
8. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (contemporary)
March’s book club pick already – did anyone hear about “the controversy” of this book? Because it was deemed one of the most-anticipated books of 2020 and then there was all this fuss over it and I’m like kind of confused about the hype. The first quarter of this book had me on the edge of my seat, and then it turned into a rather predictable immigration story. I didn’t feel controversially threatened (and I kind of wanted to feel that way). The story was good, and if you have strong thoughts about undocumented immigrants, I would recommend the read. But it did start to drag for me at about the halfway mark. 3 STARS
Biking
And now, onward with the goal to ride 2020 miles in 2020 on a bike.
2020 miles in a year means approximately 5.5 miles/day. I’ve been trying to do at least 8 each time I sit down, with the goal of 202 (10%) per month in these lead-off months. So far it’s happening! My total?
410 miles.
As of yesterday, I was 20% done with 2020 in 2020. Eek!
My knees seem to have adjusted to all of the riding, which is a major relief. I can’t exactly afford an injury with a baby and toddler at home. There have been other minor discomforts, but as a whole, I’m just cruising along!
Hope you had a great February!
