In the High Peaks
















Sunday, November 20, 2016

Michelle's Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

I'm really excited about this reading challenge. And for once, I'm not too late to join and participate. It starts tonight at midnight (i.e. Monday, Nov. 21) and lasts through January 6th, Epiphany. This is the 7th year that Michelle @ Seasons of Reading has hosted these events. She is also hosting a readathon all this week to get the ball rolling.

Best of all, it's possible to be involved and read just one or two books.

If ever there were a year that I need something like this--this is it. Most Christmas stories have themes of hope and peace and love for all. I could use a strong dose of all three.

Yesterday I had a wonderful hike--It was nearly 60 degrees, I was wearing a t-shirt without a jacket or sweater, the sun was brilliant--perfection. This morning I woke up to a winter wonderland. We're at 33 degrees with a lake-effect snow falling, and it will continue through Monday night. Our lake-effect snow comes down from Lake Ontario, which is to the northwest of us.

The first Christmas novel I'm reading is Rosamunde Pilcher's Winter Solstice, as I mentioned in my previous post. But, because I've been collecting Christmas books since I was twelve, I have many, many books, and still I have a good number I've never read. Many of those are Christmas short stories. 

8 comments:

  1. Right, I'll be starting the Pilcher book soon, are you going to compile a list of Christmas books? I have a few to read so I might join in with the challenge too.

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    1. Hi Katrina,
      Oh, it would be fun to have you join in. Something uplifting for this dark time of year.

      I am going to compile a list of sorts. I plan to make a list and then deviate when the spirit comes over me. But I do have a few books that are "definites."

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  2. BTW I love your winter wonderland photo.

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    1. Thank you! I took the photo this morning, because after I blogged about the Spirit of Christmas Challenge, I realized my header photo, showing a wildly colorful view from early October, just wouldn't do.
      We're getting two to four more inches tonight! Hoping for a white Thanksgiving.
      J.

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  3. That sounds like a great challenge. I've never read Rosamund Pilcher, but I have The Shell Seekers (probably not holiday-ish at all) on my shelf and hope to get to it eventually. Winter Solsice sounds lovely. Enjoy your reading!

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    1. I'm 56 pages into Winter Solstice and it is so, so very good. The dialogue is so true, and the various British landscapes are described so fully and beautifully, and Elfrida's innermost thoughts are conveyed so clearly. The dialogue enlightens and illuminates.
      I hope to get to The Shell Seekers, too, especially now that I'm reading this book.

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  4. Thanks for joining us for the readathon. I loved Winter Solstice when I read it. Enjoy the rest of the read-a-thon!

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    1. Michelle,
      I adored reading Winter Solstice. Thank you for commenting. I'm sorry to be so late in replying. As of the middle of November, without notice, Blogger totally changed comment notification. I'm so sorry I missed your message.
      Judith

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