What Are You Reading for the Holidays?

Many of us will be taking time off in the next week or so to celebrate the holidays. That vacation may include visits with family and friends, opening presents, watching sports, going out to the movies, food (plenty of food, more than likely), or simply time to just kick back and relax!

 
One of the best ways to relax is reading and there are sure to be folks who already know what they are planning to read during their Holiday vacation. Some folks may currently be reading (or have already finished) the book they were planning to read in  December. Or perhaps you have a favorite title you enjoy re-reading at this time of year. 

Soooooo, tell us ... 

What ARE you reading for the Holidays? And if so inclined, let us know why that book for this Winter season. 

Use the COMMENTS link below.

RA Tip: FAVORITE READS FOR 2014!

For the last 10 days, library staff from all over have be tweeting TOP 10 titles for 2014. If you didn't know, tweeting about your Top 10 reads of the year has become an annual event with the titles posted once a day in reverse order from December 1 through December 10. [NOTE: you can play catch up if you miss the starting date or happen to skip a day ... ]

See last year's post RA Tip: FAVORITE READS OF 2013!

Using #libfaves14, participants list title, author and a brief description using fewer than 130 characters. I participated again this year so here are my Top 10 reads for 2014, posted on Twitter over the last few days: 

10. Gaiman’s THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE: part childhood reminiscence, mythology, & innocence lost, with lyrical language #libfaves14

9. DRACULA VERSUS SANTA - DeJesus & Power: hilarious Graphic Novel with Christmas symbols facing off famous monsters #libfaves14

8. THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY – G. Zevin: made me feel like I was wandering the aisles of a small cozy bookstore #libfaves14

7. THE BOOK OF LIFE: search for Ashmole 782 concludes with life & family becoming more complicated for Diana & Matthew #libfaves14

6. Cain’s ONE KICK: dynamic between Kick & Bishop is intense, 2 determined, flawed individuals working toward a common goal #libfaves14

5. DANGEROUS WOMEN: great anthology of new short stories by 21 different authors who write is multiple genres #libfaves14

4. STORM FRONT: listened to with family during long drive, believe have turned my children into lifelong Dresden fans!  #libfaves14

3. FIRST LORD’S FURY - on a Jim Butcher kick in 2014: finished listening to last title in his Codex Alera fantasy series #libfaves14

2. IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE: fascinating nonfiction about lost ship & crew searching Arctic passage to the North Pole in 1880s #libfaves14

1. THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen: an epic fantasy debut with magic, mystery, adventure; 1^st in series #libfaves14

What were your top 10 reads for 2014? Let's use the COMMENTS: link below and you'll only need to list the title and author. :-)

RA Tip: FAVORITE READS FOR 2013!

Library staff from all over have been tweeting their TOP 10 titles for 2013 over the last 10 days. Check out today's post on EarlyWord to see more details about the 3rd Annual #libfaves Tweetfest which ends today at 11:00 PM Central time.

Listing title, author and a description for each title in 140 characters was a challenge but lots of fun. Below are my Top 10 reads for 2013, on Twitter using the hashtag #libfaves13:

# 10 - SCARLET by Marissa Meyer. Love this revamped, futuristic fairy tale series; 2nd book in 'Lunar Chronicles' and sequel to CINDER!!
# 9 - LONGBOURN by Jo Baker, gives the servants view of the events taking place during Austen's Pride & Prejudice!
# 8 - THE RETURNED by Jason Mott, fascinated by Harold & Lucille's joy & grief at the 'return' of 8-yr old son Jacob
# 7 - FURIES OF CALDERON by Jim Butcher, read by Kate Reading; love Dresden Files, how could I have missed this series!
# 6 - A romance: LORD AND LADY SPY by Shana Galen; 1st in fun series about misunderstandings of married 19th Century British spies
# 5 - READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Weaton. Wheaton's voice is perfect for this & he gets to cite himself too! :-)
# 4 - THE OUTCASTS by Kathleen Kent; a Western alternately follows a prostitute & Texas policeman east towards a meeting in New Orleans
# 3 - THE THINKING WOMAN'S GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC by Emily Croy Barker; 1st in new Fantasy series, D Harkness meets Pride & Prejudice
# 2 - LEXICON by Max Barry; Suspense; secret society of 'Poets' manipulate people via language & persuasion, makes you wonder...

and just tweeted this evening, my favorite read for 2013 ...
# 1 - COLD DAYS by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden is back from dead; cried at end screaming "Nooooo!" - eager for next book!