It's been a banner year for me when it comes to reading library books (actually reading them and not just checking them out, bringing them home and then wishing I had more time to read them). I've not looked at my book statistics, but I'm sure I've read more library books than in previous years. I had wanted to slow down my borrowing this winter for practical purposes--as I usually walk to or from (or both) the library and the weather is at least cold and sometimes snowy as well and it is a drag to carry a load of library books, but here I am with a load of library books. Some habits die hard obviously.
I have decided, however, that I am going to skip my library's winter reading program. I have quite a collection of book bags and coffee mugs, and as much as I enjoy and use them, I want to concentrate more on my own books. The winter reading program lasts from the beginning of January to the end of February. Maybe in the end I will break down and join in, but as I have a few other reading plans up my sleeves, it would be nice not to have the added pressure of reading more library books than normal.
But I have lots to choose from in the interim. I have a full ten days off from working coming up very soon, which I hope to spend reading, though I've not made any specific plans--other than try and finish more books from my nightstand pile. And I might just pick one or two of these as well.
I read Susan Fletcher's Eve Green years ago, and after hearing good things about Corrag I added it to my wishlist. It's finally been published here in the US--I do hate the lag time between US and UK publications. Corrag is an accused witch and the story of her life is told to an Irishman as she awaits her death. This is set in 1692 Scotland.
I saw a good review somewhere of The Countess by Rebecca Johns. Another novel set in the 1600s, though this one in Hungary. "Was 'the blood countess' history's first and perhaps worst female serial killer? Or did her accusers create a violent fiction in order to destroy this beautiful, intelligent, and ambitious women?"
I guess no library visit's complete without at least one mystery, so I have Mignon Ballard's Miss Dimple Disappears. This is a new to me author. Although she has written a number of other mysteries, this is her first featuring Charlie Carr--Charlie being a young schoolmistress whose fiance is away fighting in the war. The story is set in a small town in Georgia in 1942.
And a Penny Vincenzi novel. She could easily have been in my list of comfort reads as her books tend to be nice sprawling family dramas that you can loose yourself in. I prefer her historical novels and Forbidden Places is another wartime story about three friends. I have to say for once I prefer the US covers to Vincenzi's books than the UK versions--there's such an elegance about them as if the photos are off the cover of a Vogue magazine ca. 1940.
Between this stack and the last I think I have a sufficiently large enough pile of library books now, so I am off to choose one to read.