In descending order of most to least enjoyed. My favorite read of the month was a reread…
The Stranger, Albert Camus (1942): Short, powerful novella; apparently emotionless dude in Algiera murders a nameless Arab and is condemned for it, but doesn’t ever seem to emote over anything. Life is absurd and a series of “normal” events frames him as a callous and calculating murderer. It sticks with you. (Personal collection, saved for posterity.)
4.50 Stars
2025 “Strange” Book Challenge (2/10)
UK Independent Top 100 of 21st Century (18/100)
Severance, Anonymous (2025): Excellent little teaser “story” comprised of a whistleblower email, reportings, and a Lumon employee handbook to complement the excellent Apple TV series. (Free via Apple Books)
4.50 Stars
Does not satisfy any of my 2025 Reading Challenges
A Museum of Early American Tools, Eric Sloane (1964): Oddly engaging. Great drawings, interesting histories of tools. Sloane was a CT Treasure. Full CTMQ Review here. (Picked up free somewhere, given to a LFL.)
4.25 Stars
“Read That Non-Fiction Shelf!” Challenge (1/25)
Connecticut Books List (87/200)
Bright Orange for the Shroud, John D. MacDonald (1965): Convoluted sorta legal financial con ruins an old friend and Chook. McGee saves the day but not totally, gets shot in the head, and doesn’t bed a beauty. He’s getting mature. Still, some amazing passages. (January’s Library Book.)
4.0 Stars
2025 “Orange” Book Challenge (1/7)
Travis McGee Series (6/21)
Best Mysteries, Capers, Thrillers (21/300)
The Stranger, Harlan Coben (2015): Coben writes thrillers really well. Kept me turning pages. But the plot was silly and tried to do way too much. Coben clearly knows teenage boys though. (From a LFL, given to a LFL.)
3.50 Stars
2025 “Strange” Book Challenge (3/10)
The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks (1984): I’ll give the stupid “twist” ending a slight pass because it was 1984, and I’m okay with all the dog torture and child murders because the writing is really good. Nothing like a sympathetic psychopathic child narrator. (Purchased through Pango Books, given to a LFL.)
3.00 Stars
Does not satisfy any of my 2025 Reading Challenges
UK Independent Top 100 of 21st Century (17/100)
Best Horror 150 (8/150)
Naruto Volumes 1-9: Off to a roaring start as our young hero and his friends learn the ways of the ninja. No dawdling here, the fights begin almost immediately. (My son owned these, given to a LFL)
2025 “Orange” Book Challenge (Ongoing 72 volume series that only counts as 1 book)
Best of Manga List (Ongoing)
“In the Tall Grass” (short story), Joe Hill & Stephen King (2012): Gah! So good for 75% of the story! Brother and Sister swallowed up by mysterious tall grass in Kansas trying to help a plaintive child. Then everything went to crap with grisly cannibalism and supernatural gibberish. (Borrowed Hill’s Full Throttle from library, but doesn’t count as a book borrow.)
2.75 Stars
2025 Read 5 Stephen King Works Challenge (2/5)
Read all Stephen King Works Challenge (31/117)
“Throttle” (short story), Joe Hill & Stephen King (2009): Inspired by a Matheson story I don’t know (Duel), a trucker mows down an outlaw gang of motorcyclists who just committed a heinous double murder. Good action, good dialogue, but stupid logic. Ruined the story. (Borrowed Hill’s Full Throttle from library, but doesn’t count as a book borrow.)
2.75 Stars
2025 Read 5 Stephen King Works Challenge (1/5)
Read all Stephen King Works Challenge (30/117)
Self-Imposed 2025 Reading Challenges:
1. Read at Least 25 Non-Fiction Books I Own (1/25)
2. Read All 10 “Strange” Books (3/10)
3. Read All 7 “Orange” Books* (1/6)
4. Read 5 Stephen King Works (2/5)
5. Read What Hoang and Calvin Read From My Lists (2/10 so far)
6. Read 1 National Book Award Winner (0/1)
7. Read 1 Pulitzer Prize Winner (0/1)
8. Only Borrow 1 Library Book per Month^ (Complied!)
*includes 72 Volume Naruto manga
^so as to focus on own bulging shelves
Books, manga volumes, and short stories read so far in 2025: 17
February 2025 Books
CTMQ’s Books & Reading Challenges
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