Non-Fiction Challenge (7.3% complete)

1. Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart  4 stars

2. The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae 4 stars

Classics Challenge (16.7% completed)

3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 4 stars

The Great and Powerful TBR Pile

4. How to Catch a Wild Viscount by Tessa Dare 0 stars

5. An Improper Lady by Jane Goodman 3 stars

6. The Lullaby: Shania's Story by Lola Grace Stevens 3 stars

7. The Lawyer's Luck by Piper Hughley 2.5 stars

8. Lost in a Royal Kiss by Vanessa Kelly .5 star

9. Macaron Murder by Harper Lin 1 star

10. The Duchess of Love by Sally Mackenzie 3 stars

11. Mail Order Misfit by Kristin Osbourne .5 star

12. Miss Amelia Lands a Duke by Sandy Raven 2 stars

13. Twelfth Night by Deanna Raybourn 3 stars

14. Claiming the Duchess by Sherry Thomas 1.5 stars

15. Royally Ever After by Loretta Chase 0 stars

16. The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress (Dukes of War #3) by Erica Ridley 0 stars

17. His Lady Peregrine by Ruth J. Hartman 2 stars

18. Wonder Woman: Beauty and the Beasts by George Perez 4 stars

Reading Challenge: 29 out of 150 books (20%)

Stats:

# of books read: 18

# of fiction titles: 16

# of non fiction titles: 2

average star rating of total books read: 2.11 stars

average star rating of non-fiction: 4 stars

average star rating of fiction: 1.67 stars

Well, it is a good thing I read a great classic, a WW comic compilation, and two great non-fiction books or my rating average would have really tanked. So many of these books were NOOK freebies, so maybe this month could serve as a lesson to me to maybe NOT download every free book that looks remotely interesting. I did read many new-to-me authors...and found that I don't like most of their writing.

Most disappointing read: The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress (Dukes of War #2) by Erica Ridley. Hoping the next book in the series returns to the humor and great storytelling.

Best read: Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart. Hilarious and true.

Bring on March!

Trigger Warning: attempted rape, numerous suicide attempts, and completed suicide

I'm kicking myself for not reading this. I had such negative bias against this book, but it was wickedly funny and sharp, unromantic observances of life in 1950 (and a few that is still around in 2016). I am really glad I took the leap and read this book.

However, I am confused as to how this book is similar to Catcher in the Rye. I read Catcher a long time ago (I think I was 13 or 14) and it seemed less literary gem and more of non-stop whining. The Bell Jar had a point and a plot, which is more than I got out of Catcher. 4 stars.

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

I decided to do my own reading goals this year.

Personal Reading

1. Read 166 books - I decided to up the number of books read. 166 is one-third of my TBR pile. Still doable as long as I don't get into any reading slumps. Most of the fiction books will come straight off my TBR mountain - I will use the library to complete my reading challenges for Austen and Steinbeck and keep up with the ...In Death series. Also, I want at minimum 55 books to be non-fiction, although I would like to see a 50/50 mix of non-fiction and fiction.

2.  Continue the Jane Austen Reading Challenge (7 books total, 1 completed, 1 currently reading) - Current pace is one book every other month.

        A. Pride and Prejudice (completed)

        B. Sense and Sensibility (currently reading)

        C. Northanger Abbey (January 2016)

        D. Mansfield Park (March 2016)

        E. Persuasion (May 2016)

        F. Lady Susan (July 2016)

        G. Emma (September 2016)

3. Courtney Milan Reading Challenge (10 books total) - One book per month and I can be done by autumn.

         A. The Carhart Series (3) January - March 2016

         B. Brother Sinsters Series (7) April - October 2016

4. Read the Harry Potter series (7 books) - if I can get through that first book this time around (stopping point the first time I tried to read it was 30 pages in), I know I can get through (and maybe enjoy) the entire series.

5. Women in Military Reading List: I developed this list after reading 4 non-fiction books about women in the US military.

6. Continue John Steinbeck Reading List: So far I have read 2 novels but I would like to read 5 more of his work in 2016. I will read Steinbeck in the months I don't read Austen.

7. Read 4-6 classics. This will not include any works of Steinbeck's or Austen's. I am hoping to get to two of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels sitting on my TBR pile and Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. I would like at least one novel to be from a POC/WOC, so if you got suggestions, please let me know in the comments!

8. Frank Sinatra at 100 Reading List: Today marks Sinatra's 100th birthday. Going to spend the year with my favorite solo artist.

Reading Related Goals

9. Continue to blog here about books.

10. I would like to do more bookish traveling. Maybe go to famous book stores or take literary walking tours. I have never been to the British Library - a fact of my life I will correct this year, even if I go by myself! Trying to expand my bookish interests to go beyond books. I do plan on attending the London Book Fair 2016 in April, although I am not sure I will go all three days.

11. I am also looking to volunteer more with my local libraries (two base libraries and my local British one). This will only work around my hubby's work schedule and my schooling, but I think it's doable. I plan on keeping my weekly date with the kids to go to Story Time.

12. Keep working on my manuscript that I started with NANOWRIMO 2015. I was solidly writing for about the first 10 days, then haven't touch it since. I felt the goal of writing 1,667 words every day was sucking the fun out of writing my story.