The world of books is never boring. Every week (well, most weeks) I'll discuss a different topic related to books, often inspired by or in response to what's going on in the online book community (or something I've seen another blogger talk about). I call this Book Thoughts on Thursday. Feel free to weigh in with your own thoughts in the comments, or even write your own post on the topic and share the link with me!
***I don't know about you, but where I live, winter is really setting in. The leaves have turned, the days have shortened, and there's a distinct chill in the air. There's even talk of snow next week. SNOW.
While the darkness is oppressive, it's difficult to find clothes that match in the dark every morning and I abhor being damp and shivery (I live on the west coast - better known as the WET coast), there are some things I enjoy about colder weather. I love fuzzy socks. I love thick, cozy scarves. I love warm drinks (especially Starbucks' peppermint mochas). But more than anything, I love the feeling of snuggling up in my flannel pjs with a fleece blanket and a really good book.
I've got high standards for winter reading, though. In spring and summer I'll push on as far as I can in a book I'm not enjoying. But in the winter, I'm having none of it. I need books that are going to completely immerse me, take all my attention and build a magical world around me to replace the drab reality of west coast rain.
I've always been one to save the best for last. The best cards in Crazy Eights, the best bite of my dinner, my favorite pens and notebooks, my Halloween candy. So it's not surprising that when it's coming up to winter, I start setting aside some of my most anticipated reads so I've got something to look forward to. (If you want to see which books I'm currently hoarding, check my most recent Top Ten Tuesday post.)
But no matter how many fantastic books I've stockpiled, every year, when Christmas is just around the corner, I have an overwhelming urge to retreat to a fictional world that I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, will not disappoint. My go-to? The entire Harry Potter series (and all the movies).
I'm not sure why. Maybe because it's already on my radar after Halloween (pumpkin juice, anyone??). Or because Hogwarts is my happy place. There's no literary world I'd rather escape to when the real one gets a bit too dreary. Whatever the reason, dipping into the series has become part of my Christmas tradition.
I mean, come on. Who WOULDN'T want to spend Christmas here?Which has me wondering - do you have any Christmas or winter reading traditions? Do you save summery reads for cold weather, or seek out seasonal stories? Do you like a good re-read to brighten up those short, dark winter days? (What about movies? This might be a book blog, but I love me a good Christmas story!) <div class="statcounter"><a title="blogger counters" href="http://statcounter.com/blogger/" class="statcounter"><img class="statcounter" src="http://c.statcounter.com/10144299/0/82f610c9/1/" alt="blogger counters" /></a></div>
