Inspired by Sarah from Harry Times All Jacked Up (who reads SO MUCH and also has awesome recommendations), I set a Goodreads reading challenge last year to read at least 52 books over 2017. According to Goodreads, I read 55 (though I think maybe there were more?). I embraced Gretchen Rubin's advice and did not finish any book that I didn't want to. That was a challenge in itself but so empowering and now I'm all about it. Seriously guys, don't finish a crappy or uninteresting book! I also didn't count any kid or work books that I read.
So 55 books (or just over a book a week, which I think sounds more impressive.) I'm not going to list all of them, but a few stood out.
Best author I'd never heard of: Fredrik Backman. I read both A Man Called Ove and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry and I loved both of them so much. This man does character development in a way that is so beautiful. I ugly cried alone on my patio at the end of A Man Called Ove. Read these, and anything else he writes.
Best non-fiction: The Secret History of Wonder Woman. OMG. This book was awesome and I don't typically love this type of book. I love superheroes, but it was so much more than that. Dr. Marston was such an interesting character, and his relationships with women and the feminist movement is fascinating. I still quote or reference this book several times a week.
Girl Power Books: I definitely had a theme this year of strong female characters, but these stood out as the most empowering. The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. The Alice Network. Code Girls. Mischling. This one broke my heart in a million tiny pieces but also had a resiliency theme that was pretty awesome.
Best book for when you feel like the world is a dumpster fire: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. This book was such a lovely story and I recommend it as a palate cleanser for when it seems like everything's going to hell in a handbasket. Crimes Against a Book Club was a close second. This book is hilarious and light. Definitely a good vacation read.
Don't bother reading these: The Fifth Child. This could have been good in a drugstore pulp kind of way but was just weird and ended in a strange way. The Art of Frugal Hedonism. If privilege were personified and decided to write a book. The Woman in Cabin 10. I wanted to like this one and it had so much hype, but ugh. Not great.
I have a few books that I didn't get to this year that I'm excited to start 2018 with. Little Fires Everywhere came in from my library holds at an inopportune time and I had to redo my hold. Now I'm 241 in line, so I may actually buy it. I'm kind of feeling a horror vibe so there a few Stephen King's I'm looking forward to, including rereading It (OMG. Has it always been a million pages long?) I also want to reread some old favorites including Anne of Green Gables (really hoping the girls will read it with me.)
What are you guys reading? Any goals for next year, or books you can't wait to get your hands on?
I am so excited that you have books on this list I haven't read-- adding them to my library holds right now.
ReplyDeleteI need to not read the bad ones, too, but this advice is really hard for me to follow. WHY??
Do it! It’s so freeing!
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