Saturday, February 1, 2014

Reading Challenge Update

One month down...eleven to go! For January's challenge, we were to read a book that was written in the year we were born. I chose Agatha Christie's A Murder Is Announced.  I love to read mysteries, and I am sure that I have read some of Christie's mysteries in the past...I know I have seen the movies!...but I forgot how really much I like them. She is very descriptive and the details just move the story along. The characters are interesting, and so are the plots, with little twists and turns everywhere. And I did not figure out the ending in advance!

For February, the challenge is to read a book that we have read about on a reading/book blog. I checked out Powell's Books blog (Powell's is a wonderful bookstore here in Portland), and decided to read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. I've heard some good things about this one, so I think I will enjoy it.

We have just officially launched this challenge at the library. I hope we get lots of people to participate. You can like our library's page on Facebook...Oregon City Public Library

Last night, we hosted an author program at the library. Well, we actually held it in a church across the street because there was more room there. The authors were Gregory Nokes and Phillip Margolin. Gregory Nokes has written a non-fiction book called Breaking Chains about a slavery case in Oregon in the 1850's. Phil Margolin has just released a fictional account of the same case called Worthy Brown's Daughter.  It was really interesting to hear about the story from both perspectives.

I also discovered a new cozy series by Laura Bradford this week...well, it's not a new series (in fact, I think they were issued under different titles at one point), but it's new to me. It is the Jenkins & Burns mystery series, and the first is called Deadly Readings. I loved these characters so much that I got all four on my kindle and just plowed right through them (now, of course, I am anxious for the next one!) But something I found out was that Laura Bradford also writes as Elizabeth Lynn Casey, and her Southern Sewing Circle mysteries are another of my favorites! It made me wonder how many of my other favorite cozy writers may actually be the same person! I will have to look into that some more!

Anyway, I was reading so much this week that I didn't do any stitching, so hopefully I will catch up on that tomorrow watching the game!

Thanks for visiting!

9 comments:

  1. A great challenge your library offers. And a great author programme too. Whenever it comes to libraries I would like to live in or near a big city, sigh. There's nothing like going along all these book shelves and pull out all the books that you'd love to read and take them home.

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  2. What a great idea :) love reading so this challenge sounds right my street! :)
    Enjoy!

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  3. The reading challenge sounds great. I have been looking for a new cozy series, I am going to give Deadly Readings a try.

    CJ

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  4. This sounds great! Will you be posting the themes every month? I would like to join in but don't use Facebook. I am off to check now for books published in the year I was born.

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  5. Your reading/book challenge sounds good. I need to look into the cozy series you mentioned. I have read all but the last 2 in the Southern Sewing Circle which have been quite enjoyable.

    Enjoy your day!

    Robin in Virginia

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  6. Powells is an awesome book store. We were there last fall when we visited Portland.

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  7. Great challenge at the Library - I'm reading so much more now I've finished working. I read 5 books in January - one was the chosen book on Needlecraft Haven, Longbournby Jo Baker. It's a servants story based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I haven't heard of Elizabeth Lynn Casey, and her Southern Sewing Circle but am off yo check them out.

    I found your blog through Stitch from Stash

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  8. I hope you enjoy Robin Sloan's book. I did. The very cool fact is, I know the author, his parents, and aunt & uncle! Robin lived in our small town for awhile when he was little. His Aunt and Uncle still live here.

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  9. Quite a case, that reading list of yours.

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