I‘ve only read 54 out of my goal of 80 “grownup” books this year, but I‘m incredibly proud that I‘ve read over 20 chapter books with my four year old since June. We‘ve enjoyed Roald Dahl and My Father‘s Dragon, but the family favorite this far is the Junie B. Jones series.

I thought a phone booth had appeared in my tiny town and was pleasantly surprised to find our very own little library!

I‘ve waited my whole life for this moment.

Heavy on the female authors in 2018 this far!

I haven‘t had my world completely rocked in a long time. Thank you, Mr. Backman. I want to talk about it, but don‘t know what to say. That was a doozy.

Seven challenges down for 2017, four to go! #litsyreadingchallenge #litsyatoz #locationedition #mmdchallenge #ispy #aroundtheworld

Wish me luck, friends. I have read and reread the Harry Potter series, but this will be my first attempt to read one of the books in German. I feel like I should put on the theme song to Rocky to mentally pep myself up. #lifeandlit #hpreread
Ps I‘m already thrown off because Hermione is spelled Hermine instead. What?!?

I picked Salt to the Sea on a whim - I‘d heard nothing about it and it was available on audio so I went for it. I‘m so glad I did. It was haunting and, like most war novels, had some tough scenes, but I came out of the story having learned more than I knew going into it which is always a win in my book. I really enjoyed this one. #lifeandlit

One of my favorite introductions of all time. #reread #litsy

My three year old up past his bedtime with a book and his flashlight. I‘ve never been prouder.

I like Inspector Gamache and Three Pines, although I generally don‘t receive the satisfaction I‘m seeking at the end of the books, but Louise Penny sure has some beautiful lines.

My neighbor gave me this because English isn't her first language and she was struggling with the dialect. I know absolutely nothing about it. I like starting a book that way. Zero expectations!

Help! I'm on my last letter for this challenge. I read Kubla Khan, a poem set in Xanadu, but I'm not sure if I can count it. I've found one or two other obscure books with an "x" setting, but I'm not willing to pay $10 for a book I'm not really interested in. Any ideas of books set in a place (real or fiction) beginning with X?
#litsyatozchallenge #locationedition

Nothing is better than than a cozy blanket, a cup of tea and a great book on a rainy Sunday. I couldn't put Broken Harbor down and feel like French is really finding her stride. I hope I'm not on the hold list for the next Tana French for too long!

Sometimes, you get a book at the perfect moment. This was a much needed break from some heavier books, a quick read, and I really enjoyed how the authors went all in. The obsession with women's bodies and the latest health craze is out of control! Plus, I'm pregnant and nervous that I'll gain like I did with the last one, and this was a good reminder to chill out and enjoy life and the body given to me.

I have always enjoyed Philippa Gregory novels. They are well researched without being overwhelmed with minute details. Three Sisters, Three Queens runs parallel to the Other Boleyn Girl and is told from the point of view of King Henry's sister Margaret Tudor in Scotland. This was my first Gregory on audio and I loved it. Always a sucker for a British accent.

Woohoo! I really underestimated myself and I've read some great ones in the bunch. It's been a good year o' reading and I still have a few months to go. #2017readingchallenge

I'm 34 years old and this is my first Agatha Christie? I'm disappointed in myself. The whodunnit style is a breath of fresh air after the recent mysteries I've read that go for the biggest, most gruesome shock factor (although i love those, too!)

1. Library. I get too distracted people watching in cafes.
2. Fictional character although I wouldn't say no to walking in JK Rowling's shoes for a day and seeing how that mind works.
3. Cry.
4. Read 1000 pages.
5. Never. I love opening a new book with zero expectations.
#bookishwouldyourather
Thanks, @Kalalalatja

When I return from my parents' house in the US, it's not my old clothes or knickknacks that I'm bringing back with me....

I think I'm set for a ten hour flight.... Kite Runner, Homegoing, and a Louise Penny on the ol' Kindle and Night Circus along with a David Sedaris on Audio. I loved reading Night Circus a few years ago so I'm hoping the audio is fab as well.

I seem to be in the minority's here.... I wasn't a fan of Cinder at all, but after hearing so many people say that the series gets better and better, I decided to give it a try again. Scarlet and Cress were all right, but this fourth installment dragged. And dragged. And dragged. And then there's another battle. And then a few "could he really love me?" moments. Then, back to dragging. It just wasn't for me.

I feel like an ass for having an opinion, for thinking I understood the police violence, the riots and the Black Lives Matter movement. For thinking I could try to empathize with what it's like to have to behave differently in different situations because of nothing more than skin color. I will never truly get it. This book is so important.

1. Currently Stansstad, Switzerland. Originally and forever a Colorado girl.
2. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
3. Harry Potter. No question.
4. Remember the Titans
5. Gilmore Girls
6. Eric Clapton
7. Yellow. That could change at any moment.
8. Historical Fiction. That could also change anytime.
9. Currently stay at home with my three year old.
10. No, but I hope to soon!

#meetthelittens
@maich

My timing in reading The Handmaid's Tale has nothing to do with buzz of the series and everything to do with my library waitlist. As a result, I'm not sure if I was in the right mindset to really fall into the story as I believe I would have if read at a different moment in life. I need time to process. On another note, #litsyatoz #locationedition is coming along nicely. I'm trying to be very precise. #rforrepublicofgilead
@BookishMarginalia

It took me a while, but I found my stride with this one. While I figured out whodunnit quite early, what really captivated me was how French relentlessly beat the crap out of her characters. I'm not sure if I can say I liked it, but I'm intrigued enough by French's style and unique character development to try the next in the series. #litsyreadingchallenge

I'm about 20% into In The Woods which is around the point I gave up on it last time. Everything I hear about it screams Sarah but I just can't get into it. Please tell me the book gains momentum. Please.

I knew nothing about this book. My world was rocked. After the initial feelings (so many of them!) washed over me, I was able to see that it's definitely not historically accurate, but the perspective was so new to me that I didn't care. I need a moment.

Nothing beats a cup of tea, a glass of cold orange juice, and a good book when one's stuck with a terrible cold on a rainy day.

My #aprilbookshowers #shelfie. I was only able to bring a few favorites when I moved overseas and now I'm building up my library again bit by bit. The clock itself is always wonky, but I don't care. I love it.
@RealLifeReading

And I'm spent. I took a big risk and decided listen rather than read To Kill A Mockingbird for my very first time. Sissy Spacek's narration was fantastic. The book lived up to the highest of expectations and I'm even thinking about reading a hard copy now. My son enjoyed it, too, because I plopped him in front of a movie with a chocolate egg for company while I finished my book. #motheroftheyear #litsyreadingchallenge

My guilty pleasure: Sarah Addison Allen. Her books just miss the mark, but they're so sweet and whimsical. I love them.

I'm do believe I'll add this to my all time favorites list. Part of me naively wants to sell my belongings, pack up my family, and move to Africa to donate my time and energy to saving all the hungry people. The other side of me knows that many problems there exist because of foreigners like me throughout history thinking they can come in and save the day, if only they can push their beliefs/ideals/etc. I'll never understand.

Finished #mmdchallenge #readingforfun a few days ago. I have three to go to finish my #readingforgrowth challenge. I love these things.

Knee deep in this gem right now. The four sisters' perspectives are so unique and interesting. I generally prefer one character's perspective over others in stories told from multiple points of view, but not this tale! #siblings #aprilbookshowers

@RealLifeReading

I love Emma Donoghue's ability to create such unlikeable characters. #mmdchallenge #litsyreadingchallenge

I can't imagine how it feels to be Sue Klebold, to find a way to mourn her son's suicide while living with the pain of knowing he murdered other students before shooting himself. She has questioned every single decision made as a parent. She devotes her time now to suicide prevention and understanding depression and the importance of mental health. My heart goes out to her. It was a difficult, but good read.

My ambitious #apriltbr (and this isn't counting eBooks)! I have a couple of goals - I would like to set my Kindle aside and read more actual books, and I want to finally read To Kill A Mockingbird. It sounds like everything I love in a book rolled into a neat package, plus I already own it! What the heck, me?
#aprilbookshowers #mmdchallenge #litsyreadingchallenge

I stumbled into Not My Father's Son entirely by accident (thanks to Litsy). I enjoyed the story, but the real shinning star was the audiobook itself. Alan Cumming narrates with his lilting Scottish accent and his colorful ability to tell his tale. Audio is the way to go with this one. #mmdchallenge #litsyreadingchallenge

Few things in the world make me happier than moments like this.

As a high schooler in Colorado at the time of the massacre, I remember being bombarded with information for months until eventually I just stopped following the story and believed the last "truth" I heard from the media. Dave Cullen's Columbine was a fantastic read, so thoroughly researched and well written. Much of what I remember proved false. I'm following it up with Sue Klebold's book now. #mmdchallenge #litsyreadingchallenge

Do you think I went a little overboard buying cookbooks these past couple? Darn you, Amazon, and your free shipping on books to Switzerland!! Not many things make me happier than receiving a book every day in the post, whether it be a cookbook, a book for my child, or the latest greatest novel. #marchintoreading

You guys... When she called him "Granddad?" Oh, my goodness. I LOVED this one and it's quirky cast of characters. #mmdchallenge #aroundtheworld #litsyreadingchallenge #marchintoreading

I love those books that keep you up late and get you up early, excited to continue the story. I am not a super emotional reader, but The Sun Is Also A Star really got to me. I enjoyed it immensely.

583 on my To-Read List and this is just my top tier!?!?! Plus, some authors had too many to list so I gave them their own category. The fact that I'll never run out of good books is a source of comfort, but the idea I'll never read them all stinks! Angel's Game is up next...I think. #marchintoreading #mmdchallenge #litsyreadingchallenge

My February reads numbered about half of January's, but I had a couple that took me longer to read, namely American Gods and The Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad wasn't a book that I could just sneak in a couple pages here and there before bed. It was tough stuff, a commitment for me, but I'm happy I read it. #mmdchallenge #litsyreadingchallenge

I've been listening to Deaver's Solitude Creek and enjoying it, but nothing special. My family visited the town of Bellinzona for a quiet day exploring castles and found ourselves in the midst of a huge Carnivale celebration, complete with a parade. I realized in this moment how terrifying it would be if something happened to create chaos like in Solitude Creek, the crush of people and pure panic that would ensue. I'm invested in the story now!

Since my son was born, I have picked up a children's book for him in each place we visit. I love the little multilingual library we've collected thus far. I chose a Krtek book in Prague last week after spotting the little mole character everywhere.

Not my fave. I didn't like the main character, but didn't dislike her enough to make it interesting. I listened to the audiobook so perhaps the print version would been a better choice for me. Eh. I have heard it's interesting to reread it from end to beginning (day 1-15) but I'm just not that into it.

My two-year-old went to pick out a bedtime book and was kind enough to bring one for each of us. German-English dictionaries all around! #kidswhoread