Ah, Autumn!

I am well aware that it is only August 9th and that August is still considered summer (in most parts of the world). Fall is my favorite, absolute favorite, season of the year and I may or may not be doing a little wishful day dreaming about cool weather, clear skies, orange leaves, crisp afternoon walks, boots...*sigh*.

In South Carolina we don't get many of those luxuries of the autumn months, but I can settle down and read some wonderful cozy mysteries that will make me feel like I live in a very fall-like place.

Today I'm sharing with you guys some books that I have been saving for the cooler months and days where I can sit on my couch with a cup of hot chocolate and just read!

Scared Stiff
This is book number 2 in the Mattie Winston series. I haven't read book 1 yet, but from the reviews I have read it doesn't seem to make much difference. I'm saving this one for Halloween since the story is about trick-or-treater's who discover a model dead! Can't wait to read this one, I have heard such wonderful reviews about it.

Murder is Binding
This is the first book in the Booktown Mystery series. I picked this one up when I first got my Kindle last year and still have yet to read it. The book is about a woman who moves to New Hampshire and opens up a mystery bookstore. Tricia is having a great time with her stores, but when the cookbook bookstore owner is found dead everyone begins blaming Tricia.

Uncommon Grounds
This is the first book in the Maggy Thorsen cozy mystery series. All about lattes, small town politics and the wealthy city of Brookhills this one is sure to be a winner for the fall season! Goodreads has given this book excellent reviews and it's been named as one of the best cozy mystery series!

Academic Body
I picked this book up as a freebie on Amazon! The cover reminded me of the board game "Clue", and since it's one of my favorite games I decided that this could be a good read :) The book takes place in Maine, and I love anything that takes place in the New England area. As a retired theatrical director struggles with the idea of becoming a college professor while still trying to woo his wife away from the glitz and glamour of the NYC stage, he finds himself a murder suspect with a limited amount of time to prove himself innocent!




What books are you looking forward to reading soon?

Join the club!

When I joined Goodreads in April of 2011 I was so happy to have stumbled upon this great community of book lovers!  I thought it would be a great way to keep tracks of the books I read, keep track of the ones I wanted to read, and to find new books to add to my "to-read" list. After poking around the site for a few months I came across the groups feature.

I have always enjoyed the idea of being a part of a book club and participating in reading challenges. When I found that you could do these things on Goodreads it instantly became my favorite site on the internet! I wanted to share with you guys some of the groups I participate in that I think you would all find fun! All of them are open to join, and an awesome way to chat with people who have similar reading tastes as you and to participate in some fun monthly challenges and group reads. 

The Red Dress Ink Fans

Stacy is the moderator of this awesome group! This is my most recently joined group and so far I am loving it! Stacy posts a new challenge every quarter for participants. The challenge is to read as many of the books as you can off your list, rack up the most points, and there are even prizes for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners! The group also does a quarterly read! Join the group on Goodreads. 

Chick Lit Book Club
I posted a little bit about this group last week because I'm hosting the September book of the month. This is the perfect group for chick lit lovers! Each month the group votes on a new book and participates in a month long discussion about the book. There are also a variety of other topics going on over on the boards! Join the group on Goodreads.

Cozy Mysteries
This is a great group if you love reading a good cozy mystery every now and then! The girl's over at Cozy Mysteries host monthly challenges as well as several other creative reading challenges throughout the year. They read 2 group books monthly, if that's your thing! The boards over at Cozy Mysteries have some great threads- especially a topic dedicated to free and cheap cozies for the Kindle. Join the group on Goodreads.



Which Goodreads groups have you found that you enjoy being a part of?  Don't forget to look for me on Godreads too! 

The Chick Lit Book Club

I wanted to fill all my readers in on some fun news! I am part of the Chick Lit Book Club on Goodreads! The ladies over there are always reading some fantastic chick lit novels. A few months back I offered to host the September book of the month and discussion. It's an open book club and I would love it if some of you joined and read along with me in September!

The schedule for the book club is: 
1st of August: Book Suggestions thread will be set up to nominate books for the month of September

10th-20th of August: A poll is set up and members will vote on which book they want to read in September 

21st of August: The winning book is announced so members can start getting their copy! Discussion for the September book opens on September 1st. 

The theme for September is "school". So suggested books need to be focused around school or take place primarily at school. I figured since September is the start of both the fall and school for most places that this would be a good topic! 

I hope some of you come and join me! It will be a great time, and great way to kick off my favorite season! 

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I really enjoyed watching the women's Olympic gymnastics events. It's my favorite summer Olympics sport, even though I'm not an avid follower by any means. Although I was sad to learn Shawn Johnson retired back in June due to knee problems! I always did like her. 

Xo-Laura

Books I Wish I'd Read in High School

If there is one thing I hate it's required reading. I think it's a pointless assignment and tends to turn students away from reading altogether. Instead, they go out and buy the SparkNotes version of the book, just so they don't have to read that "terrible" novel that a teacher assigned them. If teachers allowed students to choose their own books to read, they would actually read.

Now that I'm past high school I look back on some of the titles that teachers assigned and actually wished that I had read the book. Perhaps it's because I'm older now and have more of an appreciation for these novels. I do remember reading Perks of Being a Wallflower and thinking that was the ONE exception to the "required reading rule". I actually thoroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to seeing the movie in the Fall. Although, since I read that book during my freshmen year in high school, and that was oh about eight years ago, I might need to brush up on it a bit.

With that being said, here are a list of classic, required reading novels that I wish I'd read back in the day, but am adding them to my "to-read" list now! Better late than never, right?

Pride and Prejudice 
Yikes, I hate to admit it but I have never read Pride and Prejudice. I've read bits and pieces of Jane Austen and I have it downloaded on my Kindle. But, I'm guilty of never having read this book in its entirety.

The Great Gatsby
Have you seen the trailer for the movie? Looks amazing!! I can't wait. But, I must read the book before I see the movie, because if I don't I will never end up reading it. This is one of those classics that winds up being everyone's all-time favorite book. I need to see what the hype is about!

The Beautiful and Damned 
Another F. Scott Fitzgerald that I need to read! So many people are raving fans of his, and this is another one of those books that people swear by. So I'm adding it to my book of classics that I must read (sometime soon!). 

What are some books that you wish you'd read that were required when you were in school? What required books did you read that became your favorite books?

Xo-L

Beautiful & Unique Bookshops

I am a Kindle owner, and therefore most of the books I read are on my Kindle. But there are few things I love more than spending time in an actual bookstore. And, even better, one-of-a-kind, family owned bookshops. Not the big book conglomerates like Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, and Borders. Those stores are just fine and dandy (I spend lots of time at B&N and Amazon is responsible for my Kindle purchases), but nothing beats the feeling of stumbling upon a quaint bookshop. A store that can't be found anywhere else. A store of it's own genre. 

via

Shakespeare & Company in Paris, France

via

Libería El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires, Argentina 

via

Cook & Books in Brussels, Belgium

via

Corso Como Bookshop in Milan, Italy

What are some of your favorite bookstore's? Have you been to any of these?

Xo-Laura

Snuggle Up!

My perfect day would be spent lying in a cozy place, reading a good book and enjoying a cup of coffee. Most likely a fall day, reading by the fireplace, while it stormed outside my window. 

I'm thinking that I could get used to the idea of any one of these reading spots though... 

Those all look perfect to me. 

What is your favorite place to read? 

Xo-Laura

All images via Pinterest.