February Recap

It was a good reading month for me.  I'm off to a better start on all my reading challenges.  I had promised to fulfill last year's 100+ challenge before I started anew and I accomplished that this month.  I'm feeling pretty happy about that

1. The Reluctant Tuscan by Phil Doran;  old ARC from my favorite deceased bookstore in Little Rock, made the move with me here. I finally read it and need to pass it on.  Anyone interested?  Good story about trying to settle in, well,  Tuscany.  Reading from my own shelves project challenge.

2.  Sophie the Hero by Lara Berger (elementary fiction)cute story about a young girl trying to find her own special talent.   Read it with Groovy Girl.

3. Milo; Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg-best middle grade fiction book I've read in a long time, so innovative and personal.  Everyone should experience Milo!! Library Project Challenge. Click here for my review.

4.  The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters-book club read for Feb., spooky but filled me with questions.  Waters is an exceptional writer who I plan to read more of.  Click here for my review.

5. Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella-bought this at our local used bookstore when Tina suggested I read it.  I surprised myself by enjoying the heck out of it.  Plan to read more of them.  Perfect summer sitting-by-the-pool-read.  Last year's Reading from my own shelves project. Need to review.

6. Clara's Kitchen by Clara Cannucciari- great Depression-era memoir cookbook.  Food and Library Project Challenge. Click here for my post.

7. Come to the Table; The Slow Food Way of Cooking ed. by Katrina Heron-Lovely California farm stories withe recipes.  Food and Library Projects Challenge. Click here for my review.

8. The Bluest Eye  by Toni Morrison-I bought this one when it first came up, my mom borrowed it and "lost" it.  I rebought it at the used bookstore one day and decided this was the book to read from Reading from my own shelves project for this month.  Reading from my own shelves project. Need to review.

P.S. While I was feeling all spunky about reading 8 books this month my reading/blogging/librarian friend, TINA, commented that she had a good reading month with like 16 books!!  How does she do it??

I also had a great month of Rodale Plastic-Free thinking.  While I am already neurotically earthy this challenge did make me consider packaging more...I couldn't buy  a few favorite items and well, I lived through the month so I guess I don't need my fancy orange juice, every month.  Perhaps it will make it a rare and delicious treat.  I did point out to  my husband that I at least reuse the plastic orange juice jug time after time.

I do have a large collection of ball jars and Pyrex dishes for food storage.  This challenge did make me think creatively outside the box, digging deeper for solutions. 

I hope February was filled with innovative solutions, good cooking and lots of reading.