I have a new passion in my life.
Or an old passion rekindled.
I figured if I was in survival mode for most of 2010,
I may as well accomplish something.
So for my moments of needed escape,
I gave in to my all alluring friends.
Books.
They are my free entertainment.
They are my free therapy.
They are my free daydreams.
They are my free history lessons.
They are my free writing critics.
They are my free friends.
They are even my free lover on the nights when my hubby and I are too tired to hash it out.
Wow, that sounds gross. K - so not really my free lover, but they are usually way more romantic than my main squeeze, even if I don't do romance.
My friend Rita just sent me the nicest compliment.
She said my librarians said that I am one of their favorite patrons.
I think that may be the best compliment I've had in a long time.
Because it means that they know that I love to read.
But it also means that they don't think that
I am all that bad of a parent
even when I have had many melt down moments
with my children while perusing the shelves with a toddler in tow.
Well, I was proud of myself because in 2010, I read 41 books.
That is 3+ per month.
My goal in 2011 is to do 48.
One book a week.
I will do it.
(Oh, and yes, I just came back to fix these numbers
because after the initial publish I realized that
there aren't 48 weeks in a year,
but I can't remember how many weeks there really are...52?
I am laughing at myself so hard right now.
Math was never my thing.
I'm an English kind of gal.
And the goal is staying at 48
because I am giving myself
however many other weeks there are in a year OFF.
Geez louise. I'm a mess.)
Just as soon as I get past reading The Scarlett Letter.
It is taking forever because the Old English is hard
and I don't know all the vocabulary words.
Oh to have that kind of eloquence.
So, I know you are dying to hear what I read.
Since I quit writing book reviews.
(My other goal of the year is to let go of guilt - so get over it.)
Here it goes: (in no particular order)
1The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (I read every Christmas)
2The Help by Kathryn Stockett
3The Book Theif by Markus Zusak
4The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
6The Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
7He Did Deliever Me From Bondage by Colleen C. Harrison
8Ford County by John Gresham
9Still Alice by Lisa Genova
10Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
11Leaning into The Curves by Nancy Anderson
12These Is My Words by Nancy Turner
13Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
14A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to the Future by Michael J Fox
15The Maze Runner by James Daschner
16Afternoons with Emily by Rose MacMurray
17The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
18The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
19The Titans Curse by Rick Riordan
20The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
21The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
22The Last Talk with Lola Faye by Thomas H Cooke
23Uglies by Scott Westerfield
24Pretties by Scott Westerfield
25Specials by Scott Westerfield
26Extra by Scott Weseterfield
27Cars from a Marriage by Debra Galant
28The Walk by Richard Paul Evans
29The Past by Jodi Picoult
30To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
31Boundaries by John Townsend
32Driven to Distraction by Edward Hallowell
33Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey
34Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakaner
35Defensive Tactics by Steve Westover
36The Seeker by Ann Gabhart
37Behind Ever Good Man by John Bytheway
38AA - The Big Book
39The Peacegiver by James Ferrell
40The LDS Guide to Addiction Recovery
41Motherhood: the 2nd Oldest Proffession by Erma Bombeck
I heart books and reading and writing and all things literature.
It is my dream to write a really good novel someday.
I came up with a great idea while reading this year.
It's a mixture of survival and future like Hunger Games
but with a cowboy indian flare like These Is My Words.
Those were two of my favorite books this year.
As a mother of 4, I find my 2010 reading accomplishments congratulatory.
If I could just include in my numbers all the children's books I've read this year.
I am sure I read Brown Bear at least 100 times.
I love to read too! I keep a list of the books that I read too. Which fiction books were your favorite besides the Rick Riordin (sp?) ones? I have already read those. I need a good book to read. Something that is a real page-turner. I like your blog by the way. It is nice and refreshing that you keep it real.
ReplyDeleteI sit (I would stand but my back is killing me & I am at the computer) amazed!!! YOU go girl! I am so jealous. I have to be in the mood to read... and I really should do more. I am going to have to read some of the ones that I remember you recommending.
ReplyDeleteGee I wish we lived in the same neighborhood.
ToOdLeS.
Oooh, great list! I see a few that I've been wanting to read sometime. These Is My Words is one of my all time favorites too.
ReplyDeleteI love to read as well. That is why I connected with friends on goodreads.com..... so we could share book reviews.
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time reading a book on time because of the vocabulary.... I read it with a dictionary by my side.
You have a great list.
Alice,
ReplyDeleteReading is about my only hobby right now. And I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. I love to read!! except for the scarlett letter. In high school i hated it and struggled with it so much that my mom bought me the cliff notes. I've tried to read it since and still can't get through it. maybe someday. Happy reading
Thanks for sending me your favorites my way! I'll have to start reading them!
ReplyDeleteGreat list of books!! You are amazing. I'm a "lover" of books, too. My sister in Seattle just finished *On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet* and tells me I must read it next. I’m currently in the middle of the bio of Pres. Monson, *To the Resque.* And on my nightstand waiting for me to read them are *Three Cups of Tea,*These is My Words,* and *The Remarkable Soul of a Woman.* (all Christmas gifts) :)
ReplyDeleteMy niece in Seattle has a nice on-line book review blog. You might enjoy checking it out here: http://kammysbooks.blogspot.com/