Spring is definitely here in Wisconsin. As soon as my Jane Magnolias start blooming, I consider winter to be banished for another year and they’re just starting to open. We really did have a mild winter, only having to use the snow blower a few times, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain that it’s still too chilly for my liking. On Tuesday, it should be in the 70’s, so that’s something to look forward to.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m trying to downsize my collection of books, CDs and DVDs/BluRays. I’ve got a huge box of children’s DVDs that I will be bringing to the resale shop this week, and I’ve boxed up all my duplicates of series’ books to donate to my daughters’ school library.

I saw this book tag over at The Journeying Bibliophile. The creators of this tag is Amanda @ Between the Shelves! The rules are …

↠ Link back to the original post.
↠ Tag as many friends as you want.
↠ Have fun!

Spring Cleaning Book Tag

1. Getting started: A book series you’ve been wanting to read

One series I would like to read would be the Chief Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny. I started reading them a few years ago but stopped for some strange reason. They’re excellent mysteries with wonderful characterizations.

2. Cleaning/organizing the closet: The best way to organize books

For nonfiction, I always organize my books the same way as the library, with the Dewey Decimal system. I actually have a chart that I printed and laminated to put with my books. As for the rest of my books, which are mostly series’ books, they are in order of publication.

3. Getting rid of unnecessary things: Book/series you no longer need

I adore the Amelia Peabody Emerson books by Elizabeth Peters, but I’ve never actually read them. I’ve only listened to them, yet I own all the hardcover books. I really don’t need them, because if I’m in the mood for a Peabody, I’ll just pull out my Kindle and listen to the audiobooks. Barbara Rosenblatt does such an amazing job with all the different voices, my husband even mimics her, “Good God, Peabody!” That’s 20 books which can be released back into the wild and free up one bookshelf.

4. Get some air: Your favorite light-hearted read

This is actually a tough one because I rarely read light-hearted books. Some of my most recent favorites include The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner and The Royal We (Royal We #1) by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan and it’s sequel The Heir Affair (Royal We #2) by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. I really do need to read more light-hearted stuff!

5. Clean out the kitchen cupboards: Favorite food-themed read

Generally speaking, I don’t read books that talk about food because reading about food makes me hungry and I’m trying to lose the “quarantine 15”! But I will say that the Nancy Drew books are full of mentions of food, so much so that there’s actually a Nancy Drew Cookbook in several different formats.

6. Dust the shelves: What’s the fifth book on your bookshelf?

On the bookshelves closest to my computer is The Moor by Laurie R. King, the fourth book in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery series. I recently finished the ARC of the newest book, which comes out in June, Castle Shade (Click here for my review)

7. Wishing for the end: A 2021 release you’re really excited about

The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary. I discovered and quickly devoured O’Leary’s first two books, The Flatshare and The Switch and can’t wait for her next book, which is due out June 1.

“Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.

Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland–he’ll never get there on time by public transport.

So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart–and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.”

8. Long but satisfying: The longest book series you’ve read

Nothing can beat the original Nancy Drew Mystery series, which numbers 175 books published from 1930 to 2003. I’m currently at #28. It’s going to take another couple of years to get through them all, but I’m determined. I spent years collecting the books, I might as well read them!

Anyone that would like to do this Book Tag is welcome. Link back here so I can read your answers!

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