mini book haul + update on 20/20 reading goal

Too many books? There is no such thing. I believe that having a full bookshelf or two is good for the soul. Which certainly explains why my shelves are double stacked and overflowing with books, books, and more books. Reading has always been a passion of mine and it is something that I love more than anything else. Even if I am not always able to read as much as I would like! For the last couple of years, I have done the 20/20 reading challenge, which is essentially a goal that I set for myself at the start of each year. The challenge is to read at least 20 fiction books and 20 non-fiction books. This ensures that I am reading a lot of different types of books and also encourages me to make time to do what I love most. We are just over halfway through the year and I'm at 13 fiction books and 11 non-fiction books. Still a ways to go! Life has certainly been busy lately, but I do hope that soon enough there will be a little more downtime to focus on my reading list. As for today, I wanted to share some of the recent books that have been added to my shelf. That's right...this is a mini book haul. 

Dollar Store Book Finds. Finding great books doesn't have to be expensive. Of course, there are wonderful libraries all over the place, there are thrift stores, and there are also dollar stores. Most dollar stores have a small book section and the books tend to be between $1 and $4. Definitely a great price point for an avid reader! There isn't always something that catches my eye, but recently I was able to snag two books that are definitely suitable for summer reading. The first is "Hello, Summer" from Mary Kay Andrews. It is about a small-town newspaper, a dangerous news story, and romance. This is definitely my kind of read. The second book that I found was "Beth & Amy" from Virginia Kantra and it is a contemporary retelling of Little Women. As someone who has read the Little Women books many times over the years (and has watched every movie version), this is something that really excites me. I love the characters and can't wait to experience them in a whole new way. 

New Book From an Old Favourite. Next up is a fairly recent release from one of my favourite authors. Sophie Kinsella has written so many incredible books over the years, including the Shopaholic series. (One of my all time favourites. Becky Bloomwood is an iconic character.) Her style is so enjoyable, her characters are totally original, and she has an incredible way of infusing humour into both wild and real life situations. "The Party Crasher" is about family situations, significant life changes, and of course, an elaborate party. Since Sophie Kinsella has literally never let me down...I cannot wait to start reading this. 

Starting a New Mystery Series. The last books in this mini haul were somewhat unexpected. I was able to wander around Chapters for a short time and of course, did a little perusing of the mystery section. (I love a good mystery novel.) Though I was looking for some familiar favourites, two books from Angela M. Sanders caught my eye. The titles sounded interesting and there was a cartoon black cat featured on both of the spines. Consider my interest piqued! These books are the first and second in a new series and it is about a librarian who moves to a small town and starts to develop magical powers. I mean, so far, this series has a lot going for it. (I confess that I am already midway through the first book.) It has a librarian, small town, cozy mystery, magical powers, and a black cat. Yes, this checks off all the boxes for me. There is apparently a third book in the series coming out in about a month, so I will definitely be adding that to my wish list.

There you have it! These are some of the recent books added to my collection. One has been started so far and the others will hopefully be read in the next several weeks and months. There is truly nothing better than an afternoon with a good book.

Have you read any of these books yet? What is on your summer reading list?