The Whole Five Feet: What the Great Books Taught Me About Life, Death and Pretty Much Everything Else by Christopher Beha. Grove Press. New York Times Book Review. Excerpt from the first chapter of The Whole Five Feet. Why do I so enjoy reading books about people reading books? About reading projects? It’s addictive and tempting. I want to start another project of my own, write a book about it, have everyone read about my reading. Which is what I’m doing here at the blog, isn’t it?

The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner. A fictional account of the life of Juana la Loca, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella and mother to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Reviewed here by Heather at A Lifetime of Books. I really like historical fiction about royals, IF it’s done well and not too romanticized. This novel sounds like a winner. (But I could do without the partially decapitated model on the cover.)

Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas. This memoir of an Iranian American refugee growing up in California is reviewed at Small World Reads. I’ ready for something funny since most of my reading has been quite serious lately.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. I’ve read a lot of buzz about this YA novel, and now I see in Jennifer’s review that the protagonist of the novel has a favorite book: A Wrinkle in Time! Since I’m a Madeleine L’Engle fan from way back, how can I resist?

The Widow’s Season by Laura Brodie. Reviewed by Carrie K. This one just sounds like fun.

Pastwatch by Orson Scott Card. Reviewed by Seth Heasley at Collateral Bloggage. (By the way, I like the title of Mr. Heasley’s blog, don’t you?) I may need to move this sci-fi/historical fiction novel way up on the list since we’re starting this year’s history unit with Christopher Columbus.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore. Reviewed by Kathy at Bermuda Onion. Georgia, Baptist church, Dairy Queen, I’m hooked.

The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert. Reviewed at Framed and Booked. This series of cozy mysteries sounds as if it’s worth a try at least.

Sometimes a Light Surprises by Jamie Langston Turner. Reviewed by Barbara at Stray Thoughts. Read here about my love for the writing of Jamie Langston Turner. I’m pleased to read about this new book by a favorite author. (Yikes! another half head guillotined by the edge of the cover!)

Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch. Carrie makes this book sound like a must-read, and I heard someone recommend it at the homeschool conference I attended this weekend. So I’ll read it.

Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films With Wisdom and Discernment by Brian Godawa. Another Carrie (Reading to Know) pick.