Talking TBR and Gifts

Three questions:

1. What books did you love this year?
2. What are you reading now?
3. What are you giving as gifts this holiday season?

P.S. I asked the same questions last week, and only two people responded. I know more of you have opinions, and I need gift ideas!

Holiday Edition: What Are You Reading?

I've been musing on a variety of topics ... the rain finally falling (briefly) in Southern California, the decorating I want to do for the holidays (and the cleaning that needs to happen prior to that), starting my Christmas shopping, and so forth.

But all I want to do is read. I figure many of you feel the same.

So it's time for a semi-annual survey: what are you reading? and what books should I have on my list? what books should I give away as Christmas presents?

I'll start. This is a combination of what's waiting in my TBR and what I just finished ... pretty much guaranteed to all be excellent:

1. Michael Connelly (I read/re-read all of the Bosch series, the couple of Walling/McEvoy, and now I'm moving on to Mickey Haller).
2. Catriona McPherson's new Dandy Gilver book, A Deadly Measure of Brimstone.
3. Tina Whittle's new Tai and Trey mystery, Deeper Than the Grave
4. Jeff Siger's new Inspector Kaldis novel, Sons of Sparta.

What are you excited about reading? What did you just read that you loved? 

My Drug of Choice

I'm kind of boring. I don't drink, smoke, or eat many fried foods. I try to limit myself to Tylenol. The few vices I allow myself (and much of this has to do with having celiac disease and not wanting to irritate my insides more than necessary) are focused mainly on caffeine and chocolate, and I even limit those rigorously.

But I do have a means of escape. Of getting away from it all. Of quieting the fears and lists and "dammit, I really need tos" in my head.

Reading fiction.

I'm guessing I'm not the only one out there with the same "drug." So, my answers to "why do I read?" are escape and recharging.

Currently, I'm reading one of Anne Perry's latest, Death on Blackheath,which I got as an ARC at Left Coast Crime. And I just finished Megan Abbot's Dare Me, which was fantastic if not exactly relaxing.

What about you? Why do you read? And what are you reading right now?

What are you reading now?

While hosting a table at the Ladies of Intrigue event over the weekend, I asked everyone what they're reading now.

I'm not asking your favorite book ever, if what you're reading's good or bad ... even whether you're embarrassed to admit to it.

Just tell me: what are you in the middle of reading, right now?

My turn:
I'm reading Charles Todd's fifth Ian Rutledge novel, Watchers of Time.