End of Spring Reading

I can't believe it's been 3 months already since I posted about Karina's Spring Reading Challenge. It ended this week, Monday to be exact - the first day of Summer. I thought I'd recap and tell you how I did. You can see my original post on it HERE. I listed 6 books in total and a few I hoped to read with Kristen, they were:

Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
Made From Scratch by Sandra Lee
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Magic Tree House series (to read with Kristen)

I must admit as much as I love reading, I don't do it half as much as I'd like to ... it always seems to take a back seat to my knitting and I only seem to pick up a book at bedtime, but I did read the first 3 books on my list (mainly because they were book club picks - ok, not totally true, I couldn't get in to Atonement so I only read 1/4 of it and then rented the movie!)

I still haven't finished Sandra Lee's Memoir nor have I got very far with reading Pride and Prejudice (this could take me months but I'm determined to finish it). I did start reading Redeeming Love but had to take it back to the library and couldn't renew it because it had a hold on it, so I hope to get it back out next week and finish it.

I also read one other book which was The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love. It was a sweet and easy read about 3 elderly ladies who start life again in a small town. There are a few books in this series which I may read also. It reminds me of the Jan Karon series in Mitford :-) Now that Spring Reading is over it doesn't mean reading is over. I have just started reading Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for July's book club meeting.

Kristen and I read a few Magic Tree House books together, and I'm happy to say she is in to reading more right now too. She's picked quite a large chapter book called Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism! She reads it at bed time too and keeps telling me it's rather funny.

I've ordered Julie of the Wolves from Amazon that we should get this week, I'm going to read that with her this summer. I'm not sure if there is an actual 'Summer Challenge' in blogland, I think Karina only does Spring and Fall, but I think I'll make myself a list and see what I can get read while school is out.

What are you reading this Summer? One book? Two? I'd love to know!

Spring Thing

Today not only marks the start of Spring, but also the Spring Reading Thing over at Callapidder Days. I joined in with the last reading challenge back in the Fall last year and thought I would join in again, more for my own enjoyment than anything else, I love books but sometimes don't get to read as many as I would like. This challenge helps me to at least try! And I also like to visit other blogs and see what everyone else is reading.

Because I'm in a Book Club I know for certain I will be reading 3 books between now and June (that is when the challenge ends).I've thought about what other books I might like to read over the next few months and I've made a list for myself which I'm sharing here. I haven't gone crazy, as much as I would love to read more I am being realistic here.... Spring marks the start of longer days, lighter nights, garden work, growing veggies, and well to be honest, less time wanting to even open up the pages of a book, but here's my list anyway. If you love to read, hop on over to Katrina's blog and join in the fun. And leave a comment here so I can come visit you and read about what you're reading ;-)



Atonement by Ian McEwan - this is book club pick for April. I know there's a movie out too which I was told recently was very depressing! Not sure how I will like the book.










The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - sounds like a much lighter read. May's book club pick










The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry - Book club pick for June.












Made From Scratch, A Memoir by Sandra Lee - I started reading this a few weeks ago before I went home to England. It has since taken a back seat to other things, but I would really like to finish it off.









Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - seen the movie many times, and wanted to read the book. I won this in a bloggy giveaway and have started reading a little each night. Hope to finish it for the challenge too.










Magic Tree House series - hoping to read a few of these with Kristen over the next few weeks. We are trying to read them in order and #9 is next 'Dolphins at Daybreak'.





and finally... I've heard so much about Francine Rivers but never read one of her books. I've heard this one in particular is REALLY good, so I'm going to challenge myself to read it before the end of June.









Today hardly feels like the first day of Spring. We had a thunderstorm during the night, the yard looks like it has a pond in it, we had so much rain, it's still very windy out there and cold. Much different to the lovely weather we had all week, but a great day to stay in and, yes you guessed it . . . READ :-)