For the Love of Books.

I have been a reading fool so far this year. I set out to read 50 books this year and I'm already crushing that goal, being almost halfway through in March. I am apparently 12 books ahead of schedule, or 22% if you prefer.

I committed and shared here that one of my goals for 2012 is to get through some of the books I've been putting off. I've been checking those off book by book on both my Kindle and at home bookshelves. But perhaps the most fun has been passing them along. A week ago now I finished the book 'American Wife' and after seeing via Goodreads that Amber was wanting to read it, I dropped it in the mail to her.

There are very few books that once read I will ever read again. With so many books available and more being written every day I just don't find that I want to go back and cover the same territory. I already feel like I will never have enough days in a year or years in my life to cover all the literary ground I desire. So, swapping books is a great way to get fun, fresh reads and keep your shelves from going stale.

In my mailbox in the last week I've gotten this book from Amber:

Listen to this from Amazon:

In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child.

CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she also knows what happened to the missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth, and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die in order to protect a lifetime of lies…

Um, let me guess - you want to read it next? ; ]

And this one from MK:

Literature according to Amazon:

In his 14th book, bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells the unforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life. After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck -- winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph -- his lucky charm.

Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother -- and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart -- destroying not only their love, but also their lives. Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

I'm SO excited because after reading reviews and seeing the stars pop up on Goodreads I can't wait to read both. Also they seem like perfect vacation reads. So as I was packing, I added these to my carry on. Hoping for some quality reading time on both of my upcoming trips.

Who's in favor of putting together a summer reading list and/or doing a summer book swap? I know I'm not the first to come up with the idea but I've loved each one I've participated in AND I've found some of my favorite bloggers through swaps. If I put one together would any of you be interested?

Love, B
Ps: If you have a Goodreads account and we're not friends yet, add me. I love seeing what people are reading and if I own something you're interested in, you might just get mail!