Fifteen years ago, my father died at the young age of 44 while waiting for a heart transplant. Chances are, you too have someone in your family who has died or suffered from a heart-related illness. Heart disease is the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States. Further, women account for 52.8% of all heart disease related deaths!

This purpose of the reading event Books for the Heart is to raise money for the American Heart Association and/or to honor a loved one. [Edit: if you live outside of the United States you can donate to the major heart organization of your own country!] There are many ways to participate. You can sponsor yourself and donate a certain amount of money for every book you read or every page you read during February 1-14. You can ask for sponsors. You can donate a set amount. You can donate in a loved one's name. It doesn't really matter which books you read, but I do ask that by participating you commit to donating a minimum of $5 to the American Heart Association. Other than that, you decide on how you'll participate. I plan on donating $5 for each of the books that I read.

So far, I have read:

The Virgin's Lover by Phillipa Gregory
The World in Half by: Cristina Henriquez

Reviews, and more books, to come.