The Christmas Train

Every year I read a Christmas book. I use to buy really sappy romance novels to take on our trip to visit my husband's family for several years. This year I chose The Christmas Train by David Baldacci. I didn't realize it was romance, I just like traveling by train and thought it would be a humous fun read. I have read books by David Baldacci but they were very different. I did enjoy this one and would recommend.

Back to the Classics Challenge 2016

I got off the track for the Back to the Classics Challenge 2016 about 6 months in and never got on that train again. But I plan to do it again or at least start it again in 2017. Granted I did not read 12 classics but I did read 6 which is 6 more than I would have if I hadn't joined the challenge. Therefore I see it as a success for me. But here is the recap:

January - The Chimes by Charles Dickens
January - The Gift of the Magi and Other New York Stories by Henry James
February - Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (in French) by Jules Vern
March - Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
April - To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
May - Animal Farm by George Orwell

reading update

I have read more books than reviewed so far. I just haven't taken the time to review or list them. So here I go trying to remember the additional ones.

1) The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
2) Turbo Twenty-three by Janet Evanovich
3) Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
4) Amy Snow by Tracy Rees
5) A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

The Samantha Sweet series by Connie series:
6) Sweet Masterpiece
7) Sweet's Sweets
8) Sweet Holidays
9) Sweet Hearts
10) Bitter Sweet
11) Sweets Galore
12) Sweets Begorra
13) Sweet Payback
14) Sweet Somethings
15) Sweet Forgotten

16) Sins out of School by Jeanne Dams

There may have been more in the last 6 months but this is all I could remember.

More books by Dorothea Benton Frank

I have been going through her books like they were potato chips (You can't read just one). I enjoy the history she adds. They are romances without porn or sentimentality. So here is my list far the past couple of weeks: Folly Beach, The Hurricane Sisters, The Last Original Wife, Lowcountry Summer and Sullivans Island. All nice, light reads. Probably need to get back to reading my classics.

Without Warning by David Rosenfelt

I have read a couple of Rosenfelt's dog books before and liked them. Without Warning is a stand alone mystery, thriller maybe too strong of a description. I would still rank it with my cozy mysteries. This is good because cozy mysteries are my favorite reads for leisure. this is a book that keeps you guessing but you can read it alone at night and not have trouble going to sleep. I picked it up and to read anytime I had a free moment. Would definitely recommend.

The Four Agreements

Because of a recommendation on one of the blog I follow, I picked up The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz at the library. Over the next 2 days, I skimmed most of the first 24 pages but read the rest of the book. I liked the ideas presented so much that I bought the book and the companion book, The Four Agreements Companion Book: Using the Four Agreements to Master the Dream of Your Life (Toltec Wisdom). I feel this is a book that deserves rereading.

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank

A nice, light summer "beach" read. Romance without the porn. The main character is a recently widowed nurse who served in Afghanistan.