2016 February Reading Challenge

[Elizabeth]

For February, love is in the air, and your challenge is to read something you love. You can re-read a book that's a favorite, read a new, (or new to you) book by an author you love but haven't read yet, or read about a subject you love. Tell us the book and why you selected it. Enjoy your February.

[Drew]

Oh, fun challenge! I think I'll read Abandon by Blake Crouch! He quickly became a favorite author of mine in January as I was engulfed by the Wayward Pines series. I have finished with that trilogy, but I now love Crouch's work enough to keep reading!

[Audrey]

I am starting Blood of Thieves. I haven't read it yet but love the author's work. I found the first book through Reader's Choice.

[Linda]

I love the 'I Survived' books. I think I will read one of the books I haven't read yet.

[Lisa]

I plan on reading 5th wave and its by an author ive never read any books by it a book I plan on reading for my other challenges i'm doing this year . and its a book thats new to me.

[Susan]

I'm going to read Blossom Street Brides by Debbie Macomber. It's a live story and it is by an author I love.

[Elizabeth]

I'm listening to an audiobook of Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh. Love it so much. I think this is my favorite book in this series. But a new one's due out in Spring!

[Linda]

I read I Survived Five Epic Disasters. They are always good, and uplifting stories of courageous children

[Tiffinie]

I love learning something new to me so I'm going to listen to great world religions : Hinduism by Mark W Muesse

[Elizabeth]

So far we've got people reading new (to them) books from authors they love, and people who love learning about something new, or reading completely new books. I wonder what else people will love!

[Karen]

I decided to re-read Harry Potter this year and began it right around Christmas. I am ready to start the Half Blood Prince, just love these books. I am listening to the audio with Jim Dale, excellent!

[Debbie]

Karen wrote: "I decided to re-read Harry Potter this year and began it right around Christmas. I am ready to start the Half Blood Prince, just love these books. I am listening to the audio with Jim Dale, excellent!"

Isn't his reading wonderful!

[Debbie]

I read Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick, the new Caldecott Medal winner. I loved the story and I loved the the link of the author to the bear. If you like genealogy, you will have a special treat with this book, beyond the story itself.

[Carolyn]

I am a Jessica Day George fan, so my current read fits this challenge. Right now it is "Thursdays with the Crown". The next in that series was just released, but I need to get caught up first.

[Karen]

Debbie wrote: "Karen wrote: "I decided to re-read Harry Potter this year and began it right around Christmas. I am ready to start the Half Blood Prince, just love these books. I am listening to the audio with Jim..."

His rendition is wonderful, I think this must be at least the 10th time I have listened to his narration. I needed a comfort read so this is just the ticket. :)

[Becky]

The book I want to read, Pax, I read about on NPR, and just the description made me cry! It is about a fox and his boy, and I love foxes and this book sounds great. Can't wait!

[Elizabeth]

Is everyone finding something to read that they love, or are inclined to love? Did anyone start something hoping they'd love it, and end up not liking it at all?

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I read and really enjoyed Lions of Little Rock and Breakthrough.

[Audrey]

I am about three-fourths through both Blood of Thieves and Fire Light. They are both really good. Fire Light is written by a local author, and the Bingham Creek Library gets mentioned in it.

[Jennie]

I read a lot of books, but some of the really goods ones were Puzzle Pieces by Betsy B Green, Star-Struck by Kathi Peterson, Matchup by Laura Walker, The Storm Descends by Gerald Lund, and My Fair Gentleman by Nancy Campbell Allen. One Last Spring by Sian Ann Bessey was also very good, but I might have read it last month.

[Debbie]

I have just finished the 1999 Newbery Medal winner Holes by Louis Sachar. The title seemed odd, when I first picked it up. As I started the book, I was very surprised with the storyline. But it was a wonderful read ... well, listen as I did the audiobook. 46 Newbery's left and I'll have read them all (i.e. not finishing this year!)

[Debbie]

And now I have finished the 1975 Newbery medal winner M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton It was a wonderful story.

[Becky]

I wasn't sure about this challenge this month, at first, because there were so many directions to go with 'read something you love': a reread? something that's been on my shelf a while (but how would I know if I LOVED it?)? a book by an author I love?

Then I read the first few lines of an article on NPR, http://www.npr.org/2016/02/10/4662747..., and I knew I had to read this book, Pax, by Sara Pennypacker. From the opening sentences, I knew I had found the book I would love reading, and read over and over. I don't know how that happens, how sometimes a book fits perfectly with your personality from the first line, how it feels like the author wrote it for you. I want to open my heart and stick this book in it. I love animals and I love seeing the foxes when I drive past Airport #2, so it is a perfect fit. I may start over and reread it right away and I only ever remember doing that one time before (Eleanor & Park).

This month, for book club, I also read, Big Little Lies, which I also enjoyed as a light, girlfriend read. Also something I love, though maybe not with the same passion.

[Lisa]

Elizabeth wrote: "For February, love is in the air, and your challenge is to read something you love. You can re-read a book that's a favorite, read a new, (or new to you) book by an author you love but haven't read..."

do know what march's reading challenge topic is going to be yet?

[Tiffinie]

I just finished Calamity 3rd book in the reckoner series by Brandon Sanderson ... love the author, love the series, love the book!!!

[Heidi]

I read "Shades of Milk and Honey" by Mary Robinette Kowal. It's a regency romance style of book with a splash of magic. The overall flavor is regency but the glamour is there to add a little more. If you aren't into fantasy but love regency romance then this book can still interest you. The magic is treated more like painting or musical ability than wizard - style magic and is considered a form of housekeeping skill like flower arrangements.

This was the first book I'd read of hers and I'm hooked. There are five in this series and I've put the other four on hold. I fell in love with the characters right away.

[Donna]

I only had 1 5-star read this month. The author is a solid 4-star author for me, but I really really liked this one:
Prayers for Rain

I also read a book from 3 separate series that I enjoy a lot. Two of these series are Urban Fantasy, which I have always steered clear of. But I am now finding, I like that genre (especially these two particular series).

1. The Lunatic Cafe - series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter

2. Proven Guilty - series: Dresden Files

3. Tricky Twenty-Two - series: Stephanie Plum (not Urban Fantasy)

[Susan]

I read Blossom Street Brides a book about love. I also read Failsafe by an author I love. I read Tricky Twenty-two also.

[Debbie]

March challenge? Hmmm. March. Sounds positively military. Perhaps the challenge should be something that relates to a military topic. Now, remember, I have absolutely no responsibility whatsoever here (a quote from the film "A Few Good Men", a military topic movie). So don't go by me. Just a suggestion.

But it is March and we don't have a topic.

[Elizabeth]

Karen is our prize drawing winner for February’s reading challenge. She listened to the audiobook of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling.

[Karen]

Thanks!

[Debbie]

Hooray Karen!