What I'm Reading

The first chapter book I remember reading on purpose and without malice was A Woman Named Damaris by Janette Oke when I was 8. I read the entire book in one night - huddled in my closet with my lamp, until the wee hours of the morning.

After that day, I devoured books. One after the other. Quickly. I would run out of new books and read the Anne of Green Gables series and the Little House books over and over and over.

As a young mom, I stopped reading fiction books. I became so engrossed in them that it was hard to put them down and I neglected other things.

And then my life just got so busy that it seemed like I couldn't concentrate on a book. I tried several and couldn't finish them.

Earlier this year, as we've felt led to simplify our life, I've picked up a few and was reminded of why I loved it to start with.

I love character driven stories that are more about the people than the plot. A good plot is nice too, but I want to know who the people are, why they do what they do.

I love nonfiction books and I've gained so much insight by reading spiritual books. But I feel like my head is so full of all of that. I constantly feel the need to improve myself, I want to always be growing. I've been in overdrive for about 10 years now, as far as all of that is concerned, and I feel the need to rest. Not relapse or "backslide", just rest.

Anyway, at the beginning of the year I set the goal to read 12 fiction books. I read 3 by February and then life got SUPER busy and I didn't pick up another one until about a week ago. I'm currently on book 5. I have 8 books read in the next 2.5 months in order to meet my goal.

Here's what I've read so far:

Gray Mountain by John Grisham (for some reason I like John Grisham when I am having to drive on road trips)

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Clockmakers Daughter by Kate Morton<

Here's what I'm reading now:

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff (So far this is only okay, good enough to finish...not sure I'll recommend)

What I plan to read over the next 2.5 months:

1: My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray

2: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

3: The Huntress by Kate Quinn

4: America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray

5: Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

6: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

7: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

8: Varina by Charles Frazier

What have you been reading?