4.20.2015

a goal




In January I quietly set a goal and didn't announce it here because I didn't know if I'd stick with it or if any of you would care. So far I think I'm doing okay. But I still don't know if you care. 

I want to read 60 books this year. 
I thought that seemed reasonable but, you see, math isn't my strong suit and I didn't realize that there are 52 weeks in a year which means I have to read more than a book a week. So there's that. 
But I'm loving it! I love having a goal and being intentional about making time to read. 

And oh my word I have such a long and growing list of books I want to read, books downloaded, and a stack of borrowed books on my shelf. PLUS "Go Set a Watchmen" by THE Harper Lee is arriving on my doorstep on it's release day. And that will take priority. 

My pace slowed down a bit when I stopped nursing, because I wasn't getting those little pockets of time to sit and read, but I was totally okay with giving that up ;). My friend, Carrie, reads about 60 books a year, and she told me she just has to make sure it's a priority. Since she is even busier than I am with three kiddos, I figured I could do it too! 

I have also always been a person who didn't like reading more than one book at a time. In the last couple of years that has changed though. I still don't like to read more than one book in a particular genre at a time, but am typically reading 2-3 books, and then bore down on one until it is finished. I've enjoyed the variety. Brent's grandma reads different books in different rooms of her house, and I think I'm slowly getting to that point! 

So that's my goal. Here is the list of books I've completed so far. The last couple of weeks have slowed me down, but I'm still fairly "on pace." 

A Painted House/ Grisham
AHA/ Idleman
The Opposite of Loneliness/ Keegan
Wonder/ Palacio
Seabiscuit/Hillenbrand
Scary Close/ Miller
Bringing Up Girls/ Dobson
The Mockingbird Next Door/ Mills
Ford County Stories/ Grisham
The Winter of Our Discontent/ Steinbeck
Let's Pretend This Never Happened/ Lawson
Nourished/ Johnson & Randolph
Alice in Wonderland/ Carroll
Landline/ Rowell
Women are Scary/ Dale
The Worst Hard Time/ Egan
You & Me Forever/ Chan

Currently reading:
Unoffendable/ Hansen
Murphy Must Have Been a Mother/ Bloomingdale

Next in Line:
Orphan Train/ Kline
Travels With Charley/ Steinbeck
Yes Please/ Poehler


I've only put one book down so far [The Orchid Thief], but I may pick it up again at some point. I just have too many great ones to read that I don't want to waist time on one I'm not enjoying. I've really enjoyed these so far, and if you're a "book person" and want to know my thoughts on any of them, just email me! My favorites on this list so far have been: Seabiscuit [her writing is just perfect], You & Me Forever [one of THE best books I've read on marriage], A Painted House, and my love for Harper Lee made me enjoy The Mockingbird Next Door. I also really liked getting back into some short story reading with Ford County Stories and The Opposite of Loneliness. The Worst Hard time took me awhile because it is very "heady", but incredible. Also, Unoffendable is great and I'll be writing a separate review for that soon. The Winter of Our Discontent was also excellent and so very unlike Steinbeck in a lot of ways but the characterization and plot development were true to nature. Landline was different and clever, and Bringing Up Girls and AHA both made me think a lot and were helpful. Let's Pretend This Never Happened had me laughing out loud, but is also a bit crass/lots of language so not for everyone. 

Okay. I kind of told you about most of them. Whoops. 

There ya go. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go read a bit. ;) 

And as always, PLEASE tell me of any of your MUST READS!! I would love to add them to my list. 

Also, I had a dream last night that I was being mentored by Annie Dillard and Anne Lamott. ?!?!? It. Was. Awesome. Unfortunately I woke up. 

Also, here are my top five picks for books currently: Click HERE


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5 comments:

Mrs. White Writes said...

This is awesome! I was just lamenting that I'm going to need a legit hobby here in a few weeks since we'll be a 1 car family in a foreign country. Reading was obviously on my list! Can't wait to try some of these! Do you tend to borrow or buy for your Kindle?

*carrie* said...

Hey, that's great you set this goal!

And I am TRULY not trying to one-up you, but I noticed last night when I finished a book and recorded the title that I am on pace to go way past 60 this year, which is exciting!

The book I finished is called Inside the O'Briens. Wow. Super-compelling story. HOWEVER. It is full of language and some "mature themes" as they say for movies. I stuck with it, because I've read all the author's books and I knew it would be worth it, and the language fit the characters and setting.

If you haven't heard of Lisa Genova, I would start with her first book, Still Alice, which was just made into a movie this past year. Really amazing stuff.

Happy reading!

julie said...

For one that is both "easy reading" (although 500+ pages) but also very beautiful and compelling, I read "All the Light We Cannot See" over Spring Break. It's told from the perspective of a blind teen during WWII. So good.

Also over Spring Break (my only chance to read non-law books), I read "Cloud Atlas" (also 500+ pages) which was weird sci-fi/futuristic and strangely wonderful.

Also! (can't stop won't stop) my absolute favorite author is Connie Willis. I enjoy sci-fi to some degree, so she may not be your cup of tea...But she writes historical time travel (yea you heard me right). Start with "To Say Nothing of the Dog" which really introduces her style well.

Ok I'm really done now.

jenny said...

You need to put "Boys in the Boat" on your list. Excellent read. Also, "The Emerald Mile." :) Great goal!!

Ellen said...

I just read Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour bookstore. I liked it! The Paradise War is up next for me.