Passing the Winter by Reading

I've been something of a hermit lately. It's just cold outside and, while I'm a fan of snow, we haven't gotten much and, even when we do get snow, I don't go out and run about it unless my nephew, Macca, who is a dog, is over. Then I go out and toss snowballs to him with my mom, brother-in-law and sister. He loves some snowball catching! So I've been holed up inside; mostly on my couch watching movies of questionable taste ("Rachel Getting Married" and "In Dreams") and those that are good but not, in my humble opinion, Oscar worthy ("The Help") and reading. 

In short: I've been in heaven.

The last four or so books that I've read have turned out to be the first books in a series. Unknowingly, I walked into all of them without knowing they were part of a series! And now I'm hooked on them. In some cases, I'm left very impatiently waiting for the next book to come out. And so, in an effort to spread the anxiety, I talk to anyone and everyone about the books. I don't want to be alone in my anxiety-ridden waiting period! I've told coworkers about the books and even the very nice woman at Lens Crafters when I was getting new prescription sunglasses the other day. She was running my credit card and I was making her a reading list. Happy as a clam, I tell you!

So, here's what I've been reading, in no particular order:

• A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness. Oh, goodness. By far my favorite of my current reads. Though, I have to note that it's incredibly addictive and the next book doesn't come out until July. JULY. Can you believe it? How many times can I re-read book one before book two comes out?
• Hex Hall, Rachel Hawkins. A young-adult story of a teenage witch who gets sent to the magical equivalent of military school. Hex Hall is the first book and Demonglass is book two. Book three comes out in March, so I don't have to wait too long for my next fix of this series. Very, very quick reads - also extremely addicting.
• Matched, Ally Condie. Again, a trilogy. A young adult series set in a future dystopian society where boys and girls are matched based on the best genetic results. If you liked The Hunger Games books, you'll like these. The second book, Crossed, is what I'm currently in the middle of. I'm anxious, though, because I don't know when the third book is coming out! 
• Night of the Living Deed, E. J. Cooperman. The first in a series of mystery books set on the Jersey shore. Fun, relatively quick reads. I was sure that I had figured out the killer in this one but, um, yeah. Wrong again. I can never guess these correctly!
• Saving Audie. A children's picture book about one of the Vick dogs. Very cute, very quick read, very big thumb's up. (For more about the Vick dogs, you can check out The Lost Dogs - excellent book. Many of the dogs also have blogs, as well!)
• The Night Bookmobile, Audrey Niffenger. I was so disappointed in this one. I really wanted to read it and then I found it really sad and disturbing. Not one I'd recommend at all.

So, that's what I've been reading. What about you, Greenfield? Read anything good lately? 

P.S. Thank you, , for keeping me in books to read!