Winter Reading Challenge - Wrap-up

As spring has just begun, it's time to reflect on the books I read for the Winter Reading Challenge. I began on the high seas with Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin in Patrick O'Brian's The Mauritius Command. Then, Nicci French led me on a dark and twisted mystery in The Red Room. Isaac Asimov's book Naked Sun taught me lessons in facing one's fears while Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan taught me lessons in friendship. Next, I return to the oceans in Pete Goss's memoir Close to the Wind. I then spent a long time with Simon and his friends in the Osten Ard as told by Tad Williams in The Dragonbone Chair. And finally, I visited late 19th century San Francisco in Karen Joy Fowler's Sister Noon.

I discovered many new authors for this challenge. They are: Nicci French, Lisa See, Pete Goss, and Karen Joy Fowler. I look forward to reading more books by them.

Of the eight books I read, my favorite was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I liked the descriptions and the characters. While Sister Noon was historically interesting, I didn't connect well with the main character, so that book was my least favorite.