Books I've Read

This year, 2014, I have tried to allow myself to be swallowed up in the joy of reading. I love reading but throughout my college years I just didn't have or make time to sit down with a good book. Since I was already reading so much for classes it seemed like my free time would be better spent doing different activities.
I kind of got stuck in the rut of not reading after college and in 2014 I made a goal to sit down and read again. I forced myself to read "From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" first thing. I remember loving this book in grade school and it was a fun and quick walk down memory lane.
Then I found out I was pregnant. Ever since we started trying to get pregnant I told myself that when I was pregnant I would read the Harry Potter Series again. I thought it was a good idea because it would give me a deadline. Well I immediately started with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone" and made it through "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" before I took a quick break from Harry Potter. Reading the first four books of the series really sparked the love of reading fire inside of me. I loved being engulfed in the story while I was reading and when I wasn't reading I looked forward to entering the world of Harry Potter again when I got a free minute.
I took a little break to read some parenting books that we checked out from the library. "Bringing Home Bebe," a fun look at French parenting, was really insightful and a joy to read. "The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," an intense book about a Chinese mother, was thought-provoking and interesting. For my birthday I received "The Giver" quartet. I love "The Giver" and was excited to read the follow up books "Gathering Blue," "The Messenger", and "Son." Those were all quick reads and it was really interesting to follow up on "The Giver" and see how all the stories were pieced together.
When I finished that series I dove back into Harry Potter and finished out books 5, 6 and 7. They were so so good and when I finished the last one I knew I would have withdrawals for days. It is tough putting so much of yourself into a story and then having to leave it when it ends. I obviously finished the series well before my end of pregnancy goal, I didn't even make it half way!
I needed a new book to fill the void of not knowing what kind of journey I would go on next. I started looking up top 100 books on the internet and doing all sorts of searching to find ideas of where to go next. I found a food blogger who posted books she had read and decided I would try out a couple to see what I thought. So I worked my way into adult fiction starting with "Joy for Beginners." It was a good read, nothing spectacular and I liked some parts more than others. Then I started "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" a book I found charming. Next on the list is "Maine" and I am not quite sure what it is about. I have made a list of books I want to read over the summer since I feel like I will have a lot of time to myself. So far I feel really good about my read more in 2014 goal. I love reading more than I thought I would and so I have already read more than I thought I would. It is a great escape and use of my time. I can't wait to see what other adventures await me in the wonderful world of literature.