A bit of background on my book list...

So have you wondered about my random selection of books read yet? Perusing through the titles in my "2008's List of Books Read" is a bit of an adventure, I admit. So I thought I'd dedicate a post to my choices in literature...

My very favorite genre to read is historical fiction. I love learning about history when it's related to a character I actually care about. How many of us remember much from the history tomes we had to lug home from school every day? Not me and I actually liked history class! So when I open a big, fat novel full of life and vibrancy and excitement, I'm sucked in. Good bye to all until I'm done!

I'm currently about half way through reading Nancy Cato's The Heart of the Continent. It's about 500 pages and I started it on Friday. Emma rolled her eyes at me this morning when I came into the bathroom, with the book under my arm, to brush her hair. She said, "Mommy, can't you go anywhere without your book?" I had to laugh. I wasn't actually going to read while brushing her hair! I was simply carrying it downstairs to read while I ate my over-crisp and somewhat burnt English muffins. But I totally understand her point.

But listen to this... a couple days ago, I was around the corner from our subdivision and I noticed a lady walking her dog. What caught my eye, though, was that she was simultaneously reading a book! Trust me, if I tried to do that, I'd end up with a broken ankle. I laughed, though, knowing I'm not the only one with such a deep book addiction!

So back to the list. You'll notice a great variety of children's literature on there. I love, love, love children's fiction (both picture and chapter books). Only chapter books are listed, though. My very favorite children's novel of all time is The Princess Academy. If you haven't read it, do so immediately! I have heard nothing but praises about this book from everyone I've met who has read it.

Here's my little disclaimer for my list. I do not (intentionally) read romance novels, so even though some of the titles might sound like romance, they're not. I've been enjoying the Love Comes Softly series for the past couple years. (Similar sounding titles are on the list.) It's a Christian series (several of the books I read are Christian-based) and have been made into movies over the past decade or so. The movie Love Comes Softly is a wonderful! It's successors (the movies, I mean) are also good, but become progressively cornier and less realistic.

I had to insert the word "intentionally" in my earlier sentence regarding romance novels because I did indeed read one last Spring. Melanie and Amy and I planned to do a long distance book club. I choose the first book last year, then Melanie chose "Naughty Neighbor", a Janet Evanovich mystery. Ok, it was more romance than mystery, but I read it nonetheless and pretty much blushed my way through it!

Non-fiction is SO not my thing. It bores me to tears. I'm trying, though, really hard to like it. I've just finished Anne Lamont's Grace (Eventually) and I really enjoyed it. I can read parenting books without a problem since I can relate to them, but other non-fiction? Ugh! Let me know if you have any great suggestions (barring finance, the economy and politics)!

Also let me know if you there are books you adore. Recommendations are a bibliophile's calling card!