Last round.....

Day 10 Rainbow - IG post from COYER Summer 2017 edition https://www.instagram.com/p/BXm9lPTBN_U/?taken-by=tearainbook

Day 9 Spines - another IG post from COYER Summer 2017 edition https://www.instagram.com/p/BXtcs5LhArT/?taken-by=tearainbook

Day 8 Funny - Is it Just Me? by Miranda Hart (and it is a shame she isn't more loved by folks in the US)

Day 7 Sad - The Mercy of the Sky by Holly Bailey (the part when she wrote of the rescue and recovery at the elementary school killed me)

Day 6 Time - Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (a great middle grade book about a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia)

Day 5 Place - The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport (Chicago during the World's Fair)

Day 4 Plans - my bedroom will be center stage for my reading - it is the only place I can get some quiet.

Day 3 Break - I plan on taking a break to sleep. A short catnip can give the reader a better recharge than drinking caffeine. I plan to get a few hours over the course of the read-a-thon.

Day 2 New - Saga series by Brian Kl Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Day 1 Stack - Books by Michael Lewis I have read and recommend:

                       Moneyball

                       Liar's Poker

                       The Big Short

                       Boomerang

                       Flash Boys

Miranda Hart is my soul sister. I laughed too loudly (and garnered so much attention from strangers) reading this book. Fun and lighthearted but a lot of truth about the modern life. Although some of her pop culture references would only be recognizable to Brits/Commonwealth residents, I think the humor would be appreciated by Americans. My favorite chapter was the second one, about Miranda's taste in music - I could have written that chapter, as I too do not have an edgy taste in music. 4 stars.

Getting this one out early due to the holiday tomorrow, my son's 5th birthday on Thursday, and the combined birthday party on Saturday. Add in school and husband taking time off work to study for promotion testing, and we are a busy household. I have a trip to London tomorrow to see Motown the Musical and will be using the four hour round trip to get in some reading.

This week's reading:

1. Finish Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart. So far, so hilarious. I started this book today while the kids enjoyed the local indoor playground (it is so cold here). I was laughing out loud, sometimes so hard that I garnered some attention from the other parents at the playground. She is as talented and funny of an author as she is an actress. BTW, I saw the movie Spy over the weekend and Miranda and Melissa McCarthy should do all the female buddy movies from now on.

2. Finish The Lawyer's Luck (Home to Milford College Prequel) by Piper Hughley. A great novella so far, but the religious tone is HEAVY. I started this book yesterday while waiting to bring friends home from the base's airport shuttle service.

3. Lost in a Royal Kiss by Vanessa Kelly. Quick novella.

4. Claiming the Duchess (The Fitzhugh's #0.5) by Sherry Thomas. Quick novella.

5. Twelfth Night by Deanna Raybourn. Quick novella.

6. Mail Order Misfit by Kristin Osbourne. Quick novella.

I hope to get these novellas out of the way so that I can concentrate on the second book in Milan's Carhart series and knock out the second book in the Regency boxed set next week.

Happy Valentine's Day and more importantly, happy reading!

The birthday is in reference to my bug's (daughter) upcoming third birthday, happening on the 12th. I can't believe it has already been three years since she came into our lives. So I have birthday errands to run this week. Among the celebrations, I hope to knock out the following:

1. Finish The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress (Dukes of War #3) by Erica Ridley. I would have had this done already, but the heroine is bugging me to no end.

2. Finish The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I am enjoying the light-heartedness so far, but I know I am in for an emotional ride soon.

3. Start (and maybe finished) Is It Me? by Miranda Hart. Need some non-fiction to break up the monotony of historical fiction I have set aside to read this month.

4. The Lullaby: Shania's Story by Lola Grace Stevens. NOOK freebie and a short 100 pages.

This month's goal is to read and archive/delete those e-books that are 100 pages or less - Basically Short Month, Short Stories. A few full length books will be read to keep making progress on personal challenges and get the TBR pile down. This month also includes darling daughter's and darling son's birthdays (born two years and six days apart), their joint birthday party, a trip to see Motown the Musical, and the binge watching of the final season of Downton Abbey.

Courtney Milan Challenge

1. Proof of Seduction (Carhart Series #1)

Women in the Military Challenge

2. The Lonely Soldier by Helen Benedict

Non-Fiction Challenge

3. Is It Me? by Miranda Hart

4. The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough (I would just like to progress in this book)

From the Ballroom and Beyond: 9 Regency Box Set

5. More Than a Governess by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Classics Challenge

6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (53 years after first publication counts as "classic" right?)

The Great and Powerful TBR Pile

7. How to Catch a Wild Viscount by Tessa Dare

8. An Improper Lady by Jane Goodman

9. The Lullaby: Shania's Story by Lola Grace Stevens

10. The Lawyer's Luck by Piper Huguley

11. Lost in a Royal Kiss by Vanessa Kelly

12. Macaron Murder by Harper Lin

13. The Duchess of Love by Sally Mackenzie

14. Mail Order Misfit by Kristin Osbourne

15. Miss Amelia Lands a Duke by Sandy Raven

16. Twelfth Night by Deanna Raybourn

17. Claiming the Duchess by Sherry Thomas

18. Royally Ever After by Loretta Chase

19. The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress (Dukes of War #3) by Erica Ridley

20. His Lady Peregrine by Ruth J. Hartman