My ever-growing list of Books To Read certainly isn’t lacking for subjects to choose from. It’s one of those lists that’s constantly evolving and will never be completed (thank goodness)! I love a good challenge, though, so when I came across Modern Mrs. Darcy’s 2015 Reading Challenge I just had to join in. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut, reading the same kind of books one after another. So between that tendency, and my meh year of reading in 2014, I thought this might just help turn 2015 into a year of fantastic reading. Here’s what I’ll be reading for the Challenge:
A book I’ve been meaning to read:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. This is one of those books that keeps popping up on my horizon. I’ve yet to hear of anyone reading it for whom it hasn’t transformed their way of thinking. And you know how I love anything related to organizing!
A book published this year:
Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are by Shauna Niequist. Shauna’s previous book, Bread and Wine, was one of my very favorite reads last year. It helped inspire a resolution this year entertain more. I have a feeling this one will be just as inspirational, but in a completely different way.
A book in a genre I don’t typically read:
Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream by H.G. Kissinger. As much as I love, live and breath football, I don’t typically read books about football. In fact, I’m not sure I ever have! Everyone seems to love the movie and television version, so I thought I’d give the book a go and see where it takes me.
A book from my childhood:
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien. I was mildly obsessed with this movie as a kid. (Although not quite as much as I was with The Fox and the Hound, for which I had the backpack, lunchbox, and insisted on play-acting it out with the neighbor kid every damn day.) I think I read the book, but I’m not quite sure. Anyhow, this will be a fine read-aloud for Eli and me.
A book my mom loves:
The Marranos by Liliane Webb. My mom has been subtly … and then not-so-subtly recommending this one to me for well over a year now. Last month she put a copy in my hands, so I don’t have any excuses. It’s out-of-print historical fiction based on the lives of the Jews in hiding during the Spanish Inquisition.
A book that was originally written in a different language:
Nicholas by René Goscinny. Originally published in French in 1959, this is the first in a series of five books about the day-to-day adventures of a young schoolboy and his friends. I’m reading it aloud to Eli right now, and we’re loving the characters and the narration. The kids are kind of wild, and they’re always punching each other and calling each other splendid names, which is 98% of why Eli and I like it so much. The other 2% belongs to the fabulous illustrations. So fun.
A book “everyone” has read but me:
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I actually just finished this one before I finished writing this post, so I guess it’s official. Everyone has read this book. I really, really enjoyed it, and it was so good to kick off 2015 with a book I couldn’t put down (except to go grab more tissues, of course).
A book I chose because of the cover:
Hollow City (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children) by Ransom Riggs. In full disclosure, I chose the first book in this series, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, solely on the cover. The cover is definitely creepy, so much so that I had to flip it over at night because it gave me the heebie-jeebies on my nightstand. I haven’t read the sequel yet, but the cover is even creepier:
Someone else needs to read this series with me, because I loved the first one and I want someone to talk to about it!
A book by a favorite author:
Landline by Rainbow Rowell. I’m hearing from some that this isn’t their favorite Rainbow Rowell book, but I don’t care. She’s one of my newer favorites and I’ll read anything she writes!
A book recommended by someone with great taste:
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler. I would like to single out Amy Allen Clark of MomAdvice as the biggest influence on my reading habits. She’s a voracious reader, and I look forward to her book reviews so much. If she gives something five stars, it jumps to the top of my “Must Read” list! This is one such book. I just picked it up at the library today, and I’m so excited to dive in.
A book I should have read in high school:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I love the idea of revisiting classics I loved (Hello, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Outsiders!), but I’m terrible at reading classics that somehow passed me by. As if books have an expiration date! Hopefully this will inspire me to keep barreling through the list of books I should have read by now.
A book that’s currently on the bestseller list:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I actually held this book in my hand at the library last week and then put it back down. I’ve heard great things, and I want to read it, but I just couldn’t do a WWII-themed book when everything is dull, grey and cold around me. Then again, it’s probably not a beach read, either! I’ll tackle this one in the crisp days of fall, and I bet I’ll love it.
I hope you’ll join along! If you had to pick one of the challenge categories that really excites you, what would it be? And what would your book choice be for that category? Be sure to check out Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Pinterest board for even more inspiration!
chrisgharmon says
Love this idea! Please update throughout the year on these, rather than waiting to just write about them in your year-end wrap-up!
angie says
Oh good! I’ve been feeling like I’d like to write more about books throughout the year, but wasn’t sure if I should. Now I know I have at least one person that will read it!
Kelly says
Awesome! I love finding new books from your lists!! 🙂 I just finished Eleanor and park as well as another book, attachments, by rainbow Rowell, I’ll add Landline to my list too. 🙂
angie says
What did you think of The Attachments? That’s another one of hers I haven’t read yet.
Kris Parmelee says
I just finished Landline and while I haven’t ready anything else by Rainbow, she writes amazing dialogue, which I think can be a gift. Loved We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. Thought it was such an entertaining story. Also loved Me Before You but it’s the only JoJo Moyers I have read. Have you read any of her other books and if so, which one did you like?
Angie Six says
So I just picked “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” for my book club. It’s next up on my nightstand. “Me Before You” is the only JoJo Moyes book I’ve read as well, but several people have told me that “One Plus One” is just as good, if not better.