If you've known me for any length of time, you know that I absolutely love to read. It has been my hobby for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, I could put down a chapter book a day if I wasn't in school. Vacations were taken with bags full of books and I would usually finish them all. When we went to Florida a few years ago, I read all my books and had to go to the store to get a few more. There is absolutely nothing more relaxing to me then sitting down with a good book.
I also love getting recommendations for books. My mom and I have similar taste in books, so we are often recommending books to one another. I've also found a lot of great blogs this past year that have suggested some great books. I will be forever thankful to Mojito Maven for blogging about The Hunger Games Trilogy. FANTASTIC. I could write a lot about those books; I don't even like science fiction but I couldn't read them fast enough. I actually was reading The Hunger Games when I found out I was pregnant but couldn't tell anyone (more on that soon). That book kept me company on a few sleepless nights when all I could think was OHMYGOSHI'MPREGNANTANDNOONEKNOWSANDOHMYGOSHI'MPREGNANT.
Anyway.
I do. I love to read. Going to the library is absolutely one of my favorite activities and it always has been. Cincinnati has a fantastic library system and the main library downtown is one of my favorite parts of living in this city. I am hoping that in the next year or so, I will get a Kindle as a gift (we're trying to save money, THANKS DAVE RAMSEY), but I really do love holding an actual book. I'm not big into buying books because I know I can get them at the library for free. Actually, I take that back. I am big into buying books that I write in, i.e. books about spiritual growth. There are a few books below that I will be buying so that I can write in them. However, most will be checked out at the library and I am totally okay with that.
This is my list of books that I want to read in 2011. I know there will be more because due to being in the car a lot (trips to Michigan, you know), I get a lot of reading done. I am so thankful that I don't get carsick when I read. I also am a very fast reader. I actually have three of these books finished already, which is why I didn't assign them to specific months. I may read three books per month, I may not even finish one. I do realize that in about 5ish weeks, a new person will be coming to live at our house and my free time will be limited, but I think that reading will give me the peaceful break that I need whenever I can get it. I will also try to review the book when I'm finished with it-- emphasis on the word TRY. I'm pretty sure I don't know what's about to hit me in 5 weeks, but you never know! I have a whole list of things I need to blog about right now and I don't have a person relying on me for their every need... not too promising! Oh, well.
Month 1-- Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks Finished!
Month 2-- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls Finished!
Month 3-- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Month 4-- The School for Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister Finished!
Month 5-- Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin
Month 6-- One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Month 7-- The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
Month 8-- Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Month 9-- Decision Points by George W. Bush
Month 10-- Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
Month 11-- Radical by David Platt
Month 12-- The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
If you have read any of these, I would love to hear your thoughts! Also, if you have any recommendations, I would love to hear those as well. I'm always looking for good book! I am on Goodreads as well-- come and find me!
