Wrapping Up 2016 - Hello 2017

I'm glad we're wrapping up 2016. I'm ready to throw it onto a fire and burn it to a crisp. It wasn't good when it came to private matters, it wasn't good when it came to politics and it wasn't good when it came to people I look up to dying. I doubt 2017 will be much better, simply because nothing that made 2016 bad is resolved.

But. I love new beginnings. I love a clean slate. And I have quite a few goals for this year and I'm hoping to bring a better structure to my day and spend more time doing what I love doing.

These are the goals, that I hopefully will stick with for longer than 9 days.

• Run or walk every day. My SO loves running. Not me. But we've got two dogs, and they love when they get to run along. I often choose the lazy version to tire out my dogs and throw a ball for hours while listening to podcasts. This year, I'd like to go for either a run or a walk every single day. Make a habit of it.
• Write a 1000 words every day. Make a habit of it as well. I write a lot, but I also stare at blank pages a lot. Instead of staring, writing... that's the goal.
• More Blogging. I need more ideas for things I can blog about. Hit me with ideas! Please!
• 104 books. I managed to finish my goal this year. I'd like to try again in 2017.

I did actually finish my 104 books. I wasn't sure I'd managed and it's almost midnight. But I am done! My favorite books in 2016:

I hope everyone had happy holidays. We spent most of it in pajamas eating ham and cheese and drinking Sherry. Like an old British couple!

Happy New Year Everyone!

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Book Title: A Gentleman in Moscow
Author: Amor Towles
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads, Amazon UK 

Goodreads Summary: On 21 June 1922 Count Alexander Rostov – recipient of the Order of Saint Andrew, member of the Jockey Club, Master of the Hunt – is escorted out of the Kremlin, across Red Square and through the elegant revolving doors of the Hotel Metropol.
But instead of being taken to his usual suite, he is led to an attic room with a window the size of a chessboard. Deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the Count has been sentenced to house arrest indefinitely.

While Russia undergoes decades of tumultuous upheaval, the Count, stripped of the trappings that defined his life, is forced to question what makes us who we are. And with the assistance of a glamorous actress, a cantankerous chef and a very serious child, Rostov unexpectedly discovers a new understanding of both pleasure and purpose.

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What did I think? As I get older it seems like I fall in love with books less often than when I was a child. Maybe I've just seen it all. The twists, the turns, the reveals... but every once in a while I still stumble over a book that captures my heart.

This year it was Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes) and Tom Toner's The Promise of the Child. And this one...

Not at first though. It took me quite a while to get into the book. The first hundred pages, I wasn't convinced, but before I knew what was happening I fell in love... 

I don't usually like when there isn't a healthy amount of action in a story. In A Gentleman in Moscow not a lot happens. At least not inside the hotel where the entire novel takes place. History happens outside, but the Count doesn't get to participate. It's an uplifting tale, but one where the main character is stuck in the same location throughout.

Once I've adjusted my expectations and was willing to just follow the Count's journey through the hotel, having dinner and living his life to the best of his abilities, I discovered a wonderful novel. 

The writing is elegant, tender and so very warm. Towards the end I had goosebumps all over and tears streaming down my cheeks.

Amor Towles created a world with likeable characters, filled with Russian history (from 1922-1954) and despite the story taking place in one location only, the book kept my interest and is filled with little tidbits that made me smile. Whether it be the gourmet food, the accompanying wine or quotes from Russian literature. It's all exquisite.

I highly recommend this one to anyone interested in Russia, historical fiction or just a charming read.