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. (Picked up from 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 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 (0/1 so far)
6. Read 1 National Book Award Winner (0/1)
7. 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
Books read since turning 50: 294 (Does not include short stories or manga volumes)
February 2025 Books
CTMQ’s Books & Reading Challenges
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