Christmas Reading Challenge Update #3

A final update for the 2009 Christmas Reading Challenge. I managed to knock another four books off the TBR mountain. My goal for this challenge was ten books; I read twelve. Yay me! I would have liked to add a couple more to that total, but despite being home over the long, stormy Christmas weekend, I was busy finishing up Christmas presents needed for New Year's Eve. And, since one of these was a 2-in-1 collection, the total is technically five books, not four.

This batch was all romances (contemporary and historical) with the exception of A Cold Christmas, which was a mystery. Though this book was actually from the middle of a series, it read well as a stand-alone -- there was very little backstory needed to follow along and was good enough that I may try to track down earlier books in the series.

Hooper's "Holiday Spirit" was a pleasant surprise. I know she wrote romance before her popular psychic FBI series -- I've even read most of them -- but did not know she has written historical romance. I loved it! Maybe not as much as the Johanna Lindsey, but it was really good.

For more on any of these books, simply click on the covers below. Though I managed to clear twelve books from the Christmas pile, a towering stack remains. I may need to do a "Christmas in July" reading challenge to clear away a few more. *wink*

Book Challenges

So, I've been lured into three new book challenges. Granted, I haven't quite fulfilled the Casual Classics challenge set at beginning of the year, but I am working on it. Slowly. Three down, one more to go, and the title I have slotted for book four will also fill one of the new challenges below. Feel free to take the plunge and join me!


First up is the Really Old Classics Challenge. Yes, I know, I just said I still haven't completed the current classics challenge, and now I've gone and joined another. This one requires that you read no more than ONE classic written before 1600 AD between November 2009 and February 2010. Looking over the list of suggested readings, I discovered that I have in fact already read a few that qualify (some in both French and English), and realized that, aside from these works, I also have one not yet read in my TBR pile: Homer's The Odyssey. There you go, a book I can slide into January. And, since I intend to set myself the goal of reading at least four classics again in 2010, it will fulfill two challenges at once. Nice!


Next up is the Christmas Challenge — read at least three Christmas-themed books from 26 November 2009 through 31 December 2009. YA counts, children’s books do not. I had already gone through my TBR pile and pulled out a mess of Christmas titles before stumbling across this challenge, so this one should be easy to complete (and then some). Umm...yeah. You don't want to know how long that list is. There are books that have been languising in the TBR a decade or more. Sad, I know. And while I know I will not get through that entire list this year, at least I will make a healthy dint in it.


Last but not least is the Year of the Historical: A 2010 Reading Challenge. This challenge has no set book requirements, only asks that you read as many historicals as you can fit into your regular reading during the next year. Looking over the TBR, I realized that, if I read only one Johanna Lindsey a month, I will (finally) be caught up on her books. I used to devour her books, but realize the reason I fell behind wasn't because I tired of her writing, but because they switched from printing them in mass market pb to hardcover. A coup for her, but not for the reader. So, while I've continued to automatically buy each book, I haven't been so good at keeping up. This will be the year to do so!

There was a fourth challenge that intrigued me, but I have decided not to commit to it, feeling three are enough for the time being, but I will mention it in case anyone else wants to join. It's the Shelf-Discovery Challenge. This challenge asks that you look through the book by Lizzie Skurnick, then choose any six YA books mentioned in the book, whether it be one you want to reread as an adult, or one you missed as a teen, to read between 1 Nov 2009 – 30 April 2010. If you can't get your hands on a physical copy of the book, go to amazon.com and browse the book's table of contents; you can amass quite a reading list from that alone!


Let me know if you decide to join any of these. If these aren't your cuppa, but you like the idea of a reading challenge, check out A Novel Challenge. You're sure to find something that will suit you and your reading tastes!

Christmas Reading Challenge, Update 2

Time for a Christmas Reading Challenge update!

Didn't get as many read the last couple weeks as I did in week one, but am still on target to reach (and possibly exceed) my goal of ten books. Aside from one middle-grade book that was technically a re-read (though I have not read it since I was 10 or 12), I have gravitated towards romance these past two weeks. Two were contemporary books set at Christmas, one a historical romance. I had forgotten what a great book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is. If you have not read it since you were in school, you should. Share it with a younger reader in your house. The back cover says age 8 and up, and it is definitely one I am setting aside for my youngest niece.

The romance books have all been sitting in the TBR pile for some time. Cole For Christmas had been lingering there since 2003. It was a nice light-hearted story with a bit of heat. I miss the Temptation line. Blaze books just don't have the same feel. The Present reminded me of how much I love Johanna Lindsey's books, particularly the Malory family, though the clan is now so huge it can be difficult keeping them all straight at times. This was a beautiful story illustrating how important love is over everything else, especially social status. The last book, The Gift, is actually two previously published books in one, Home For Christmas and All I Want For Christmas. Both are sweet, fairly short and easy to read holiday stories. I am actually still reading the second story, but expect to finish it tonight.

To find out more about any of these books, just click on the links above. I'll have a final Christmas reading report after the holidays! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

Once again this year, I am participating in the Christmas reading challenge hosted by The True Book Addict. The goal is simply to read as many Christmas-themed books between now and Epiphany as you can. I have more than 50 such books on the shelf, amassed over a number of years, and naturally I add a few more every year (three new ones for 2010 so far). Last year I read twelve Christmas books. I'd like to get through at least ten this year, though meeting last year's record would be even better. Click on the link above if you would like to join in, and let the holiday reading begin!

RULES:

* Challenge runs from Friday, November 26, 2010 (Black Friday) through January 6, 2010 (Epiphany).
* Crossovers with other challenges is both permitted and encouraged.
* These must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore or a book of Christmas short stories (sorry, no children's books, but YA novels are okay).
* Levels:
--Candy Cane: read 1 book
--Mistletoe: read 2-4 books
--Christmas: read 5 or 6 books (this is the fanatic level...LOL!)

Books Read in 2010

It's time for the 2010 Book roundup!

My goal for 2010 was a "conservative" 80 books, which I far exceeded. Considering the slow start to the year, I was worried I wouldn't even make 50, but around March I seemed to hit my reading stride, averaging about eight books a month, for a grand total of 104! Wow. The things you can accomplish when you get rid of cable!

I also had a goal to read at least four "classics," read more male authors, and read more new-to-me authors. Done, done and done! See the 2010 Reading List above for a run-down of what was read. Here's a look at my 2010 reading habits. Feel free to copy and post to your own blog, adding or deleting questions to suit your own reading habits. Let me know if you play along so I can visit!

Books read in 2008: 66
Books read in 2009: 85
Books read in 2010: 104


New-to-me authors read: 41 -- see list on 2010 Reading Challenges page.

New-to-me authors read more than once: 8

Authors read more than once: Kay Hooper, Nora Roberts, Johanna Lindsey, Nancy Atherton, Rett MacPherson, Aaron Elkins, Suzanne Collins, Cathie Linz, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Ann Voss Peterson, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Annette Blair, Julie Campbell, Susan Wittig Albert, Madelyn Alt, Donald Bain, Dorothy L Sayers, Cristy Evans

Most-read Author of 2009: Charlaine Harris (seven books from three different series). Rett MacPherson, Johanna Lindsey, Nancy Atherton, and VLT all tied for second place with four apiece.

Authors I plan to read again: Nora Roberts, Toni Blake, Charlaine Harris, Jennie Bentley, Sheila Lowe, Sheila Connolly, Johanna Lindsey, Aaron Elkins, Kate Collins, Nancy Atherton, Rett MacPherson (provided I can find the next 7 books in her no-longer-in-print series!), Madelyn Alt, Susan Wittig Albert, Alice Kimberly, Annette Blair

Genres read: Romance, romantic suspense, mystery, thriller, classics, chick lit, literary fiction, biography, childrens/YA.

Number of books won: Eight -- three from blog contests, and five from GoodReads (one of which I am still waiting for).

Favorite romance of the year: Sugar Creek by Toni Blake.

Favorite mystery/suspense: If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle and Aunt Dimity's Christmas by Nancy Atherton.

Favorite book of the year: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Favorite Series: I can't choose just one! I loved the Lily Bard (Shakespeare) series by Charlaine Harris, the Gideon Oliver series by Aaron Elkins, and The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

Challenges participated in: Too many to enumerate! In addition to the year-long challenges listed on the 2010 Challenge page, there were monthly theme challenges in the Cozy Mysteries group at GoodReads. Of the "official" challenges to which I committed, I was 10/12 in the historical challenge, 4/4 in classics, 1/1 in really old classics, 20/20 in the Cozy Mystery challenge, 17/26 in the A-to-Z author challenge (there are some letters that are really hard to get!), and so far I am 22/51 in the Read-the-USA Mystery challenge (which continues into 2011).

Classics read: Poetics by Aristotle; Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros ; Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Most imaginative world: Hands down, the world of Suzanne Collins in The Hunger Games trilogy.

Weirdest read: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Reading goal for next year: I have committed to reading 100 books in the 2011 Reading Challenge over at GoodReads. *Gulp* Let's see how close I get! I also plan to finish the Read the USA Mystery challenge and aim for six classics this year. I also need to concentrate on favorite authors/series currently sitting on my TBR shelves and read fewer new-to-me authors this year. I know I won't get completely through some authors' backlists, but at least I can pare them down a bit!

What about you? What was your year in books like? What was the best book you read?


Last year's report

Teaser Tuesday 11: A Dog Named Christmas

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share at least two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

This week's featured book: A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kinkaid, which I read as part of the Christmas Reading Challenge. It was a good, fast read suitable for reading together as a family. This is a beautiful passage that gives nothing of the plot away.

I could hear the water moving gently through the riverbed, not like a roaring Colorado mountain stream teeming with trout and gold dust but like a river that takes its time and can say a lot if you have the patience to listen, which is exactly what I did. My mood lifted thanks to its wise counsel.

(pg 90)

ETA: If this title sounds especially familiar right now, it may be due to the Hallmark movie based on the book airing on CBS Sunday night (Nov 29). That was what inspired me to choose this as my first book in the Christmas Reading Challenge -- I wanted to read it before I saw it. Overall, they did a pretty good job though, for some inexplicable reason, they changed the color of the dog from a black lab to a yellow one.

Christmas Reading Challenge, Update 1

The first week of the Christmas Reading Challenge has come and gone, and so far I am doing great at knocking books off the TBR list. My personal goal for the month is ten books, and I am already on number five. My choices have all been from different genres--contemporary fiction, mystery, romance and classic fiction--and on a whole, I've been quite pleased. All were good reads, not a single minute wasted on this set. The most recently finished, Capote's A Christmas Memory, also fulfills the 2009 Casual Classics Challenge, which was to read four classics. I have also officially exceeded 2009's goal of 75 books, as I am now on number 78. Below is what I read this week. Click on any cover to find out more about the book.

Thursday Thirteen 358: Recently Read

My last Recently Read post of the year! Here's a look at what I've read the last couple months. For a fifth consecutive year, I have successfully completed my Goodreads challenge of 100 books in a year — and I did it before Christmas this year. Last year I was struggling to get that last book in before New Year's Eve. It will be interesting to see how many over I go this year. As always, click on any cover to find out more about a book.














BOOK NOTES

ROW 1: I started November by catching up on a couple books in the "Pepper Martin" series by Casey Daniels, Dead Man Talking (#5) and Tomb With a View (#6). Three more to go . . . The Mournful Teddy was read for a November mini challenge and is first in a "Bear Collectors" series.

ROW 2: Under the Hill is a short mystery story by Sheila Connolly that is currently free at B&N and Amazon. Biting the Moon and Dakota are books one and two respectively in the "Andi Oliver" series by Martha Grimes. Dakota was chosen for a "Read the USA" mystery challenge (North Dakota was one of several difficult states to find). I recommend reading these in order, as I did. Also note that both contain gritty material some readers may not like.

ROW 3: I am trying to catch up on Lisa Scottoline's books, beginning with Think Twice, (Rosato & Associates #11). Two more to go there, as well as a couple non-series books. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is a classic children's book I had never read before and loved. I highly recommend this to writers and those who love word play. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham was read for a quarterly group read. I liked this one a lot more than anticipated.

ROW 4: The Aristocrat by Catherine Coulter is a slightly older romance plucked out of Mount TBR for an "Autumn/Fall" challenge. A White Cougar Christmas is a Christmas novella that is currently free at B&N and Amazon. I won The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak through a contest at Goodreads. It is book seven in her "Whiskey Creek" series, but other than some confusion on relationships, I didn't feel I missed much by not reading the previous six books.

ROW 5: Book number 100 in my Goodreads annual challenge is by a favorite author, Vicki Lewis Thompson. A Last Chance Christmas is book seventeen in her "Sons of Chance" series.



YOUR TURN: What are you reading right now?


LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...For Reading

There's no better time of the year for snuggling in with a good book or two, and yesterday kicked off the 2009 Christmas Reading Challenge. The object of the challenge is to read at least three Christmas-themed books bwtween now and end of the year. I have a towering pile of such books and just found seven more in my stash Tuesday, bringing the current total to 42, several of them anthologies. Obviously, I am not getting through that many books in thirty days. My goal is 5 to 10, a fairly reasonable number don't you think? And these are all off the TBR pile; I have bought no new Christmas books this year.

I decided to start with Greg Kinkaid's A Dog Named Christmas, after seeing that the Hallmark movie will be airing on CBS this Sunday night Nov 29). I am a bit over halfway through so far. It's a good, fast read, something families could read together. Up next will be He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. That one has been lingering in the TBR a couple years now.

Back to the reading!

Thursday Thirteen 185: Recently Read

The last Thirteen books read...













NOTES:

* Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain was the November featured author in the Cozy Mysteries group. Sorry to say, I did NOT like these. I had difficulty getting into the main character's POV and the pacing was too slow to me. It's the first FA I did not like and will not read again.

* I did like books three and four of Rett MacPherson's series. Now to find books 5 through 11, which are out of print!

* I participated in the Christmas Spirit reading challenge again this year, which ran from Nov 26, 2010 to Jan 6, 2011 (Epiphany). Did not get through as many as I'd hoped, but still managed to pare down the Christmas TBR shelf by eight. You know it's only going to grow again over the coming year...right?

* The top three books are the start to a brand new year of reading. I have also signed up for the 2011 Reading Challenge at Good Reads, with a goal of 100 for this year. Wanting to see that meter move should be good incentive throughout the year!

* My first classic for the year, A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys, and Dickens' A Christmas Carol were read on my Nintendo DS, as I received 100 Classic Books (US version) for Christmas from my sister.


LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)
Stephanie Bennett * Adelle Laudan * Alice Audrey
Darla M Sands * Bratty * Maddy Barone * Xakara
Shelley Munro * Tatiana Caldwell * Virginia * Harriet
CountryDew * Kimberly Menozzi * Jeanne St James
Savannah Chase * Paige Tyler * KS Manning A Catherine Noon * Mary Quast

A Book Meme

Picked this up out there in the blogosphere--feel free to lift it for your own use (Jana!) . . .


Hardback, Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
I mostly prefere mass market, and not the oversized ones that are an inch taller than they should be. I will not buy an oversized mm as they won't fit on the shelf with my other books.

Waterstones, Borders or Amazon?
None of the above. We don't have a Waterstones (never even heard of them), Borders is too out of the way and nowhere near where I do the majority of my shopping, and I rarely buy off Amazon. Most of my books come from Barnes and Noble or local stores (Target, Wal-Mart, Woodman's).

Bookmark or Dog-Ear?
Ack! Bookmark, definitely. Dog-eared pages drive me crazy. Dog-ear one of my books (or use one for a coaster) and you'll never borrow another.

Alphabetize by Author, by Title or “Other”?
By author, and I usually tend to shelve books in order rather than by title, and I separate hardcovers from paperbacks.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?
Generally, keep. Occasionally I will give one to a friend if I think someone else will really like something. Being in the process of looking for a new apartment, I did make the sacrifice of donating a couple boxes of old books. You do not know how much that hurt! And anyone who throws a book away when done ratehr than giving it away should be shot.

Keep Dust Jacket or Toss It?
Depends. I have some books without them, some that still have them. Guess it depends on how annoyed by it I am.

Read with Dust Jacket or Remove It?
Remove it. It only gets in the way and gets ruined.

Short Story or Novel?
Generally, novels. I will occasionally pick up an anthology of short stories/novellas if it includes an author I love, but very rarely.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter, no contest.

Buy or Borrow?
I buy most of the books I read, but occasionally exchange books with a friend or one of my sisters.

Buying Choice: Book Reviews, Recommendations or Browse?
I find most of my books by browsing the shelves or monthly newsletters. I tend not to read reviews, but will occasionally check out books recommended to me.

Tidy Ending or Cliffhanger?
A cliffhanger is okay if part of a series--it can whet your appetite for the next book in the series--so long as those loose threads are tied up in the next book.

Morning Read, Afternoon or Nighttime Read?
I read any time I can, but generally more in late afternoon and evening.

Stand-Alone or Series?
Both.

Favorite Series?
Kay Hooper's Bishop series, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse, Johanna Lindsey's Mallory family...

Favorite Children’s Book?
Sophie and Gussie, sadly no longer in print (and my copy desintegrated eons ago, I read it that often), and Goodnight, Moon.

Favorite YA Book?
I haven't read any YA in ages -- well, except the Twilight series, which I did like -- but LOVED anything by Lois Duncan or Lois Lowry as a teen.

Favorite Book of Which Nobody Else Has Heard?
Witch of the Glen by Sally Watson.

Favorite Book(s) Read during the Last Year?
There were a lot of books I loved this year, but honestly cannot single out any one book.

Favorite Book to Re-Read?
I can't remember the last time I reread a book...probably not since college. Books I've read more than once include Mandy by Julie (Andrews) Edwards, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, The Ghosts by Antonia Barber (this book saved my butt when I had to write a paper on my least favorite poet, Yeats).

Do You Ever Smell Books?
Depends on where the book came from. New books, maybe. Used books, not if I can help it!

Do You Ever Read Primary Source Documents, Like Letters or Diaries?
Rarely. I'm not big on reading bios or autobiographies, so something like this would have to be on a subject that really interested me.

What Are You Reading Right Now?
He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark

What Are You Reading Next?
As I am currently participating in the Christmas Reading Challenge, another Christmas-themed book, the title and genre of which depends on my mood. At top of the pile are: Marry-Me Christmas by Shirley Jump, A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote, Christmas Wishes by Betty Neels, The Gift by Nora Roberts, First Impressions by Nora Roberts, and The Present by Johanna Lindsey.

Books Read in 2009

(Meant to post this earlier this month, but as you all know--life happened.)

This year I had a goal to read 75 books or more, and I exceeded that goal. Yay me! I also had a goal to read at least four "classics" from my TBR stack. Here's a run-down of my 2009 reading habits. Feel free to copy and post to your own blog, adding or deleting questions to suit your own reading habits. Let me know if you play along so I can visit!

Books read in 2007: 30
Books read in 2008: 66
Books read in 2009: 85


New to me authors I read: Barbara O'Neal, Karen Rose, Lisa Gardner, Sheila Lowe, Kate Carlisle, JK Rowling, Laura Childs, Jennie Bentley, Elise Hyatt, Charlene Weir, Darlene Gardner, Greg Kinkaid, Lucy Lawrence, Wendy Lyn Watson, Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Elise Hyatt, Julianne MacLean, Karen Joy Fowler, Bernhard Schlink, Stephanie Dowrick, MH Clark/CH Clark

Authors I read more than once: Kay Hooper, Nora Roberts, Rebecca York, Lisa Gardner, Karen Rose, JK Rowling, Sheila Lowe (loved her forensic handwriting series), Jennie Bentley, Johanna Lindsey, Julianne MacLean

Authors I plan to read again: Barbara O'Neal, Rebecca York, Nora Roberts, Toni Blake, Charlaine Harris, Lisa Gardner, Karen Rose, Jennie Bentley, Sheila Lowe, Sheila Connolly, Johanna Lindsey, Elise Hyatt, Lucy Lawrence, Wendy Lyn Watson, Elizabeth Lynn Casey, MH Clark/CH Clark

Genres read: Romance, romantic suspense, mystery, thriller, classics, chick lit, literary fiction, nonfiction, childrens/YA. About the only thing I didn't read was memoir, LOL.

Best overall romance read of the year: One Reckless Summer by Toni Blake

Best overall mystery/suspense read of the year: This is a tough one. I really got into the Berkley Prime Crime books this year, always enjoy Kay Hooper's Bishop books, and also read a lot of older suspense books by Lisa Gardner and Karen Rose. Hmm... I think I'm going to go with Evil Without a Face by Jordan Dane. As creepy as Hooper's serial killers are, this book gave me serious chills.

Best overall read of the year: The Lost Recipe For Happiness by Barbara O'Neal.

Challenges participated in: I participated in two reading challenges in 2009: the Casual Classics--read at least four classics, which I completed--and the Christmas Reading Challenge--read at least three Christmas-themed books of any genre. I set a personal goal of ten and read twelve.

Classics read: Summer by Edith Wharton, 1984 by George Orwell, The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway, and A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote.

Most imaginative world: Charlaine Harris' southern vampires and JK Rowling's Hogwarts.

Weirdest read: 1984 by George Orwell

Most-read Author of 2009: Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Lisa Gardner

Biggest confession: I had never read any of the Harry Potter series before this past autumn, though I have seen all of the movies to date (some enough to quote entire scenes). I know, I know...a decade late to the party, but at least I finally got there! Tree down, four more to go...

Reading goal for next year: What the heck, let's aim for 80 this year! I really need to peck away at the TBR pile, especially where fave authors are concerned. I have books piling up by long-time favorites such as Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, Iris Johansen, Johanna Lindsey, and Elizabeth Lowell. Some authors are just too prolific!

What about you? What was your year in books like? What was the best read? To see more of what I've read, or want to read, click on the "books" label below, or check out my page at Goodreads.com .


Last year's report

Thursday Thirteen 363: Recently Read

As one might expect, there were many holiday-themed books read at the end of 2014. Here's a look at those books, as well as the first few read for 2015. As always, click on any cover or link for more information.















ROW 1: Antiques Slay Ride, Christmas in High Heels, and How the In-Laws Wrecked Christmas were all free reads read over Christmas. The first two were okay, while the last was rather depressing.

ROW 2: The Christmas Violin and Christmas Truce were free reads read over Christmas. Hercule Poirot's Christmas was a December group read for TNBBC, and was the first book purchased on the eReader received for Christmas. Greatly enjoyed this one, but how could you possibly go wrong with Agatha Christie?

ROW 3: The steamy romance Christmas selections, and ones I think Paige especially would like. Naughty Christmas Nights was borrowed from a friend, Vampire for Christmas was a free novella and was pretty good. Last Chance Christmas is the final Sons of Chance book by Vicki Lewis Thompson.

ROW 4: The Collector by Nora Roberts was her most recent single title rom-suspense, which has a Rear Window-esque beginning. PD James was the December featured author for the Cozy Mysteries group -- The Lighthouse was my chosen selection solely because I found it in our local Little Free Library. I did feel a bit lost, not having read previous books in the series, so may go back at some point and read book one. This book straddled December and January. Free Fall is an older contemporary romance plucked out of Mount TBR for a January mini-challenge.

ROW 5: Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales was a free book read over Christmas, and one I think both Colleen and Anita would like for those story-telling basics. I began with a childhood favorite, The Snow Queen, then started back at the beginning. It was interesting re-reading some of these, as well as those I don't remember reading previously.



LINKING TO: Thursday Thirteen