Fall Reading Challenge: Update #2

No worries, my fellow book lovers.  I am still working on my fall reading challenge, if only little by little. 

I was waylaid by my vacation—for that I strayed just a little in my challenge.  I brought with me three books, one that is not on my list, one that is on my list, and one I added to my list just before leaving.  They included:

• Bookends by Jane Green (not on my FRC list) – Jane Green is one of my favorite authors.  She started out as being tagged as a “chick lit” author, but her writing has grown from that genre, in my opinion.  With every new book, she tackles new topics and emotions that go far beyond the sometimes looked-down-upon chick lit.  However, seeing as I was headed to a tropical place, my desire for pure chick lit ran high.
• Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani (on my FRC list) – As I mentioned in my original FRC post, Adriana Trigiani is another favorite author of mine.  She’s hysterically funny but is a great storyteller too.  I have read this book before, but since it’s a light read I figured I could get through it without a distraction while on vacation.
• Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard (added to my list) – Just before we left for vacation, my husband asked to hit the bookstore so that he could pick up a book for himself.  While there I figured I could get something as well.  I ended up with this book.  I figured I could add it to my FRC list—with a cover like this, how could it not make my list?

The trouble with bringing these books with me, however, is that I didn’t get through any of them.  I started off with the Jane Green book.  I got about three-quarters of the way through.  It is a great book but I found it very difficult to read.  There was too much people-watching to be had, too many quirks to keep tabs on, too much beauty to tear my eyes from the beach.  Needless to say, the Trigiani and Shepard books stayed in my suitcase, never to be brought out while away.  Once we got home, I finished the Green book and moved on to the Shepard book, which is what I’m currently reading.

I did finish The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston, so that is book number two finished.  This book is about one woman’s eternal life as a witch and her struggle to defeat the evil man who follows her for centuries.  If you like stories about witches and witch trials, I recommend it.  It wasn’t an outstanding read, but interesting and entertaining if you like the subject matter.

If I continue to follow my challenge, I will have three books left to read (after my current book) before I am done.  This is a worthy goal.  However, knowing myself as I do, by the time I am finished with my current book, it will be after Thanksgiving, and I will have a desire to move on to a few holiday reads.  So the likelihood that I will officially finish my challenge is slim.  But that’s okay.  I have no one keeping tabs on me—I set up the challenge for myself, and I can end it when I see fit.  I also mentioned that I don’t usually set reading challenges for myself for this very reason.

So, whatever. 

I will write another update when I am finished with my current book and let you know what my plan is then.  In the meantime, happy reading!