2012 Book Challenge

So, it's almost the end of the year, and I read 10 out of the 12 books I planned to read this year.  One of those, The Marriage Plot, I started, but really couldn't get into.  It happens.  The other, The Emperor of All Maladies, I just couldn't get in the right mood to pick up.  But, there's always next year, right??  Unless, of course, the Mayans were right ;)

I did surpass my goal of reading 1 book a week this year (average, of course), with 56 books - and I have a long weekend at my parents' house coming up where I'm sure to finish off a few more!  I'm in the middle of Russian Winter, a story about a Russian Ballerina who defects to the West during the upheaval in Russia.  The Russian history side of it is really interesting, reading about how people lived, and how much control the government had.  But, the story is also about her famous collection of jewelry, her love story, and a secret. 

I'll be sure to give you an review when I've finished!  This book has been on my list for a while, and I picked it up at Books A Million on their used shelf for $3.  How could I pass it up???

I've also been rereading the Harry Potter series.  It's kind of an obsession.  Austin would say that's the understatement of the year!  Anyway, I haven't read them in a while, and while Austin was in Korea, I decided to read them again.  Every time I reread the books, I pick up something new - a character that has a major part in the later books is mentioned in passing in one of the first books.  I just finished Order of the Phoenix, and while Harry, Ron, and Hermione are helping Mrs. Weasley clean up Grimmauld Place, a "locket that they can't open" is mentioned.  It's the horcrux locket!!!!!  Little details like that made rereading these books so worth it!  I'll probably take the last 2 books to Mom and Dad's to read over Christmas.  What else did Rowling hide????  I know I've been promising a post on my Harry Potter obsession, but I can't find the words to do it justice. I'll work on that.....

Merry Christmas!!!