March was a good month for reading. I managed to fit in quite a few books, though a lot of them were relatively short. I'm enjoying the variety of genres that the different reading challenges are nudging me to reach for.

February was quite an eclectic month for reading, and with the way things are going, I suspect the whole year will be like this. I am enjoying being more deliberate in my reading choices and branching out into genres I don't typically manage to work into the schedule.

It's been a fun month for reading with my New Year challenges in mind. So far, I'm doing pretty well with "assigned" reading, but I'm also managing to fit in some mood reading, which I deliberately left room for.

Happy New Year! This is the post in which I lay out all my carefully planned literary ambitions for the upcoming year since I want to be more intentional in my reading.

A record of what I read this past year...

The 4th of July isn't--thank goodness!--a holiday for gifts or passing out candy like so many have evolved into. It's a midsummer day off that, for us, usually involves family, friends, and doing something outdoors. The perfect opportunity to think about and appreciate our freedoms as Americans. With that in mind, I wanted to share a round-up of a dozen…

Here are a few favorite seasonal novels for your reading pleasure this spring... perfect for enjoying on the front porch in that little patch of sunshine during the warmest part of the afternoon!

If you are fascinated, as I am, with stories about the World War II time period, here are 5 middle-grade/young-adult titles that are worth a read. These are not so much about the battles and politics of the war, but more about how the war affected children and families in Europe.