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Austen in August Reading Challenge 2018

I found this book last year at a local thrift store and I’ve been waiting for August to sink into its lovely pages. Isn’t this a pretty book cover?

You either love her writing or hate it. You think it is well-written or insipid. Until 2015, I had no interest in reading any of Jane Austen’s books. Then I decided to accept the challenge to actually read her books. That August I read all six. .And I enjoyed each one.

This August I will participate in my 3rd Austen in August (AIA) reading challenge. I am joining with other folks from The Book Rat. This is The Book Rat’s 10th year to organize an AIA.

The Deets:

Austen in August is a celebration of all things Jane Austen, featuring reviews, discussions, vlogs, giveaways, interviews and more!
AIA will run for the entire month of August. You can read Austen’s works, adaptations, biographies, etc. Anything Jane Austen is allowed.
There will be an Austen Read Along to coincide with the event: Longbourn by Jo Baker.

I read all the Jane Austen books in August 2015. I also read Emma: A Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith and listened to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen.

I continued this challenge in 2017 where I reread Northanger Abbey. I read Austenland: Novel by Shannon Hale, The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, and Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld.

The following books are available from the library as eBooks. I will choose several to read during August. I will definitely do the Group read.

Group Read: Longbourn by Jo Baker – Read
The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay – Read
Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman
Jane of Austin: A Novel Of Sweet Tea And Sensibility by Hillary Manton Lodge – Read
Reread Sense and Sensibility

Your Turn . . . What Jane Austen book is your favourite to read? . . . What do you suggest I reread? . . . I hope you join us this year’s Austen in August Reading Challenge.

Related Posts . . . Reading Challenge for My 60th Year (2018)

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Follow Seven Principles to Make a Dream Doable

I am reading this book, finally after decades of it being on my to-read list. … I followed seven ideas to make this a reality.

Do you have a dream that you are actively achieving? Or, is the dream still in hibernation mode?

I am a bucket list maker. I have dreams in quite a few areas, including theological, cooking, and reading. I have things I want to do during specific seasons as in Summer. On my birthday, I write what I want to accomplish that birth year. I have more ideas than one person could complete in a lifetime. However, I am finally in pursuit of one dream that seemed impossible. At least it seemed impossible according to my original guidelines.

I began to learn Spanish when I lived in Puerto Rico for most of my middle school years. One of my teachers thrilled us with episodes from Don Quixote de la Mancha, to the extent I decided I wanted to read the 1,000-page book in Spanish. Even though I’ve had years of Spanish since then, my grasp of the Spanish is not yet advanced enough to read this adult classic (in Spanish).

“Mom,” my daughter said, “just because you used to know a lot of Spanish doesn’t mean you’re a failure if you can’t read Don Quixote in Spanish now.”

This year, my 60^th year, I decided to lay aside unrealistic expectations and make Don Quixote (DQ) the classic book I conquer. And to make this doable, I will read it in English. (In past years, I’ve read, in English, Anna Karenina, The Imitation of Christ, Moby Dick, and War and Peace, to name a few.)

For several months, I rummaged through thrift store shelves and garage sale piles for my very own copy of this classic, Don Quixote de la Mancha. I finally found a two-inch thick, paperback, in pristine shape for $1.99. I love a good deal, especially when buying things I don’t need.

And besides the bargain, I could check Step 1 off my list – Buy the book.

For Step 2, I cracked open the book to the Table of Contents to figure out a reading schedule. I became immediately daunted. Oh, no. This print is too small for me to read.

My daughter stepped in again, “Why don’t you go on Amazon and buy a large print edition?”

“Or,” I said, “I can get an e-copy, since I can control the print size on my Kindle.”

After an hour on Amazon, I still had not purchased an e-copy. There are at least 8 DQ versions for the Kindle. How do I pick the BEST version to read? Too many choices are paralyzing.

I grabbed my ear buds and took a walk to clear my head. When I walk, I frequently listen to an audio book or podcast. After 30 minutes, I put away my headphones and house key. I wondered, Is there an Audible English version of DQ? I opened Audible on my phone to check. Yes, there was an English book. Without any more research, I clicked on this first entry and bought it.

I am now on chapter 72 of 126 chapters. I listen almost every day while I get in my daily steps. I am proud that I am finally tackling a long time dream because I modified it to fit my current lifestyle and skills.

Principles I learned from this process.

Choose a dream.
Make a list of steps from beginning to completion.
Identify expectations and remove the unrealistic ones.
Brainstorm (by yourself or with someone else) actions to achieve the steps.
Do necessary research. But don’t give yourself too many choices.
Choose a path that is doable for this stage of life. Realize that for most goals, there is no BEST path to achievement.
Start the process TODAY.

Your Turn . . . What is a longtime dream you’ve had, but keep pushing out of sight? Is there some way you can adjust it to fit your current lifestyle and skills?

Let us know in the comments. And we can cheer each other on as we make our impossible dreams possible.

Related Posts . . .

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Reading The ABC’s of My Bookshelves 2018

“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.” ~ Gustave Flaubert

I have more books than anything else in my home. They are the hardest things for me to declutter. Since I really want and need to streamline my home, boxes (and boxes and boxes) of books need to relocate. But first, I want to read or re-read them.

Have you read all the books on your bookshelves?
Do you have any you want to reread?

My answers are “No” and “Yes.”

How do you pick which books to read?

I have so many that sometimes it is hard to choose which ONE book to read first. That is why I am creating The ABC’s of My Home Bookshelf list. At least I’ll narrow the list to 26 books. Below is my (tentative) list. As I read a book for that letter, I will bold the entry.

The ABC’s of My Home Bookshelves

Actual Factuals for Kids: with Verses From the Bible by Nancy S. Hill
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Corelli’s Mandolin
Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free by Héctor Tobar
Extraordinary Results from Ordinary Teachers by Michael Warden
Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest by Bonnie Gray
Goliath Must Fall: Winning the Battle Against Your Giants by Louie Giglio
Hollow City (2^nd novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children) by Ransom Riggs
The Invisible Bond: How to Break Free from Your Sexual Past by Barbara Wilson
J
Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis .
Learning to Breathe: My Yearlong Quest to Bring Calm to My Life by Priscilla Warner
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
No Easy Jesus by Jason Mitchell
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, And Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Q
The Right Attitude to Rain (An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery) by Alexander McCall Smith …
Switch On Your Brain by Dr Caroline Leaf
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
U
V
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
X
b
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan

Your Turn . . . Have you read all the books on your bookshelves? . . . How do you pick what to read?

Related Posts – I’ve tried different things to narrow my reading choices.

I participated in classic book reading groups: 6 Month Update: Classic Book Reading Plan for 2015
I spent Two Augusts reading Austen books: Austen in August Reading Challenge 2015 and Austen in August Reading Challenge 2017.
I created a bingo reading challenge: My 2016 BINGO Reading Challenge.

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Reading Challenge for My 60th Year (2018)

These are some books from my bookshelf.

How do you improve yourself?

Take classes at the local college or online?
Hire a personal trainer or coach?
Participate in health or financial challenges with your mates?
Regularly follow your morning and evening routines?
Create and follow S.M.A.R.T. goals?

All if the above ideas are great ideas. But my favorite way to improve myself is by reading.

Below are 3 benefits of reading from my post, 13 Benefits of Reading,

,Exposes us to novel ideas, actions, geography and people so that we become more culturally, emotionally, politically, and historically aware.
Clarifies difficult topics.
Gives us the opportunity to learn from the mistakes and wisdom of others.

Every year (around my birthday), I decide what reading challenges I will do that year. My reading challenges this year are as follows ..

Read 2.018 minutes a month.
Read 60 books from the library, friends, etc.
Read the ABC’s from my own bookshelves. The list is here.
Read books for my monthly book club.
Read Don Quixote as part of my classics education.
Finish Mrs Dalloway.
Participate in the Austen in August Reading Challenge.
Leave Amazon reviews for books of people I know.

If I add anything else to this reading challenge for my 60th birthday year, I will update this post.

Your Turn . . . What is on your reading list for this year? . . . What would you add to my list?

Related Posts . . .

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Did I Reach My Goal of Reading 59 Books?

Book cases are valuable pieces of furniture in my home. You? They contain treasured books that I’ll reread and books I’ll read for the first time. I like setting reading goals so that I make sure to regularly indulge in this favourite hobby.

My goal last year was to consume 59 books. I finished 63. I read from a wide variety of genres. My newest one is decluttering. I have made great decluttering progress and such books keep me motivated.

AUDIO BOOKS

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter by Matt Kepnes
I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
Lila: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington

CLASSICS

War and Peaceby Leo Tolstoy
What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey

DECLUTTER

Coming Clean: A Memoir by Kimberly Rae Miller
The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life by Robin Zasio
Housebroken: admissions of an untidy life by Laurie Notaro
Unf*ck your habitat: you’re better than your mess by Rachel Hoffman
Year of No Clutter: a memoir by Eve O. Schaub

HEALTH/HOBBIES

Architectural Photography: Composition, Capture, and Digital Image Processing by Adrian Schulz
Fully Alive: Discovering What Matters Most by Timothy Shriver (audio book from Library
Getting To Know The World’s Greatest Artists: Picasso by Mike Venezia
Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott
Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain & Do Everything Better by Wendy Suzuki, PhD
How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries by Kathy Lynn Emerson
Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen: Learning to Cook with 65 Great Chefs and Over 100 Delicious Recipes by Dana Cowin
Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis by Lauren F. Winner
TED Talks Storytelling: 23 Storytelling Techniques from the Best TED Talks by Akash Karia

JANE AUSTEN (her books and adaptations)

Austenland: A Novel by Shannon Hale
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Jane Austin Book Club: A Novel by Karen Joy Fowler

MEMOIR

Glitter and Glue: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan

MISCELLANEOUS

The Dinner: A Novel by Herman Koch
The Eden Prophecy: A Thriller by Graham Brown
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Hearts And Bones by Margaret Lawrence
The Sleepwalker: A Novel by Chris Bohjalian
The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Joanna Fluke
The Young Messiah by Anne Rice
False Impression by Jeffrey Archer

RECOMMEND

small great things: A Novel by Jodi Picoult

SERIES

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (1/3)

Blackwell Cold Case

Traces of Guilt (#1/2) by Dee Henderson
Threads of suspicion (#2/2) by Dee Henderson

Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny

Glass Houses: A Novel (13/14)

A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Banana Cream Pie Murder (Book 21/21) by Joanne Fluke

In the Land of the Long White Cloud saga Book

In the Land of the Long White Cloud (Book 1/3) By Sarah Lark

Mitford Series

To Be Where You Are (Book #11) by Jan Karon

Ruth Galloway Mysteries by Elly Griffiths

The Crossing Places (#1) by Elly Griffiths
The Janus Stone (#2) by Elly Griffiths
The House at Sea’s End (#3) by Elly Griffiths
A Room Full of Bones (#4) by Elly Griffiths
Ruth’s First Christmas Tree (#4.5) by Elly Griffiths
A Dying Fall (#5) by Elly Griffiths
The Outcast Dead (#6) by Elly Griffiths
The Ghost Fields (#7) by Elly Griffiths
The Woman in Blue (#8) by Elly Griffiths
The Chalk Pit (#9) by Elly Griffiths

Women’s Murder Club Series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

10th Anniversary by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
11th Hour by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
12th of Never by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Unlucky 13 by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
15th Affair by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
16th Seduction by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

YEARLONG BOOKS

A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman by Joan Anderson
The Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

Your Turn . . . Did you meet your reading goal for last year? What one book do you think everyone should read? I think everyone would benefit from reading small great things: A Novel by Jodi Picoult.

Related Resources . . .

Follow Seven Principles to Make a Dream Doable – How I made it through the giant Don Quixote book.
My 2016 BINGO Reading Challenge
Top Ten Books I Read in 2015
Quotes from A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman

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Austen in August Reading Challenge 2017

You have a few days to sign up, so do NOW.

Which Jane Austen books have you read? I did this Austen in August challenge two years ago and read all the main Austen books. I want to participate again this year. I plan to reread at least one book and read several related books mentioned by Roof Beam Reader.

Click on the link to read the details – Austen In August: Year 5! (Call for Participants). There will be “giveaways, guest posts, and other shenanigans, all of which are meant to inspire a great, interactive event.” Doesn’t this sound like a tempting challenge? Sign up today. To share/discuss this challenge on Twitter and/or Facebook, use #AustenInAugustRBR.

In a perfect world, my goal is to read the following. EDITED TO ADD: I read the first three.

I will reread Northanger Abbey along with others from RoofBeamReader.
Austenland: A Novel by Shannon Hale – READ IT.
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. READ IT.
Jane Austen, the Secret Radical by Helena Kelly
Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman

Your Turn . . . What Austen book is a must re-read? . . . Will you join us in this endeavor?

Related Posts . . .

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Simplicity Day Reminds Us of the “Simple” Life

Today is #National Simplicity Day. When was the last time you looked to simplify your life in terms of goals, balance, meaning, and social media?

Answer the questions below to get you started on this reflection.

How balanced is your life between the various areas like sleep, work, and recreation?
Are you spending quality time with the important people in your life and on projects that advance you towards your goals/dreams?
Is your spiritual life a relationship that you cultivate?

GOALS

One of my goals for this summer is to finish unfinished projects. And one of these projects is decluttering. Yesterday, with the help of my daughter, I went through ALL of my clothes. I tried on everything and only kept what I really liked or loved. The rest is in the give-away pile.

I have given myself a month to mend (mainly shorten) the clothes that need it. Otherwise they, too, will be given away. And after a month, I will check to see what I’ve actually worn. My tentative goal is to do something like Project 333.

I still need to do more work in my closet. I am surprised at how many non-clothes items are in there. I am also surprised at how many scarves I have. Tons, I tell you, tons!

“My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants.” ~ J. Botherton

BALANCE

I tend to work too much. As a result I neglect the important people in my life. That is one reason I wrote a Summer Bucket List. I want to make sure I have friend-balance in my life. So far this summer I have done well with having “dates.” Read #4 for an update.

These non-romantic times have been fun. I’ve eaten, chatted, walked, viewed vacation photos, and crafted. It may seem weird to some to have to schedule in dates, but I am finding that works for me.

MEANING

One thing that gives meaning to my life is a relationship with God. I want to and need to spend daily time reading and meditating on Scripture. I need to and want to spend time talking and listening to God. And finally I need to and want to spend time at church and with the people of the church. This type of focus keeps me maturing and balanced.

Also to add meaning to my life, I am thinking about what’s important to me. I am listening to an audiobook, Thrive. Arianna Huffington wants us to consider four areas to get back to living a life that counts: wonder, giving, wisdom, and wellness. I want to focus on these as well.

Joelle from 21 Delights wrote a list (of 21 things) that brings meaning to her life. Her top 10 are as follows … her husband … her children … her relationship with the Divine … Her extended family … witnessing goodness … life stories … friendship … solitude … Music … and art. Go here to read the complete list and post about why she wrote it.

I haven’t written such a list yet. What would your list include? What do you want to do more of? Less of? Read how a STOP DOING list is helpful.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media use can, at times, consume way too much of my time. I go on for just a quick minute. And then an hour later I am still on there. I want to and need to declutter that area of my life, too.

It’s good practice to look at your social media use the way you would closets full of stuff. Ask yourself: Am I using social media intentionally or out of habit? What benefits does it bring me, what are the trade-offs, and do I need to change anything? If I cut back on social media, how else do I want to use that time? ~ Ellen from Simplifying at Home: Living Better with Less

In conclusion, in honor of National Simplicity Day I am reading a real book and not something from social media. I am reading Walden by Henry David Thoreau. He was an advocate for living a life of simplicity. If you’ve read this book, what are your take-aways?

Your Turn . . . How “simple” is you life? . . . Where would you like to make a change in the areas of GOALS, BALANCE, MEANING and/or SOCIAL MEDIA?

Related Posts . . . Check out the article that was the brainchild of this post: NATIONAL SIMPLICITY DAY from the National Day Calendar website.

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Quotes from “A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman”

Do you have particular books you want to read this Summer? I do. My list is here. I just finished this book A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman by Joan Anderson. It is FULL of quotes I want to remember.

BE HAPPY WITH ME

Related Posts . . .
7 Ways to EXCHANGE Grumpy for Happy … How to Be Happy, Healthy and Holy

All is ripely quiet, and I lift my glass to me, a woman turned inside out, no longer wanting to become happy because, finally, I am.

“You mustn’t fret. There is no arriving, ever. It is all a continual becoming.” (Joan erickson)

When I need centering, I sing a favorite hymn, “Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart,” which also allows me to ease drop on my spirit and pick up on its mumblings. ·

HAVE FRIENDSHIPS THAT CAUSE ME TO GROW

Every woman should have a mentor – not her mother, but someone who doesn’t have a stake in how she turns out, who encourages her to risk, who picks her up when she falls flat on her face. Joan prods, pokes, and coaxes me each time we’re together. ·

“Want to get into some trouble today?} What did you have in mind I ask, smiling at her devilishness. “Oh, I don’t know – just getting out and gathering up some experiences!” ·

BECOME WHOLE BY PAYING ATTENTION

Of primary importance now is for me to retrieve the buried parts of me-qualities like playfulness, vulnerability, being at home in my skin, using more of my instincts. Like so many pieces of a puzzle, I need to find a way to create the whole once again

I have learned to pay attention to my instincts and take notice when I feel anxious – to remove the pebble from my shoe before it blisters, get the chicken bone out of my throat – in short, to be mindful of feelings and emotions and work with them, not run from them.

LAUGH MORE

What do you want? We usually answer with some material object. Imagine If we said something like a better state of mind, or togetherness, or simply to be surrounded by laughter.

Sitting here alone is satisfying enough, but the night would be far better if shared with another-with someone whose mood meets mine, who relishes moments, whose wonder remains untainted, who appreciates simple things and says so, who laughs much, indulges heartily, is spontaneous in spirit, is quick to embrace, and sees joy as a duty.

Related Posts . . . Finding Laughter – What I Learned From a Funny Friend … Laughter Quiz … Laughter Has My Gratitude

LIVE A FULL LIFE

I am no longer just passing through the world, but digging deep and collecting moments.

“Vital lives are about action,” Joan Erickson tells me. You can’t feel warmth unless you create it, can’t feel delight unless you play, can’t know serendipity unless you risk.” I’m trying to bring more of the spontaneous beach back to the cottage and incorporate it into my everyday life.

I must live a little each day, watch the sun as it rises and revel in its setting, swim naked, sip coffee and wine by the shore, generate new ideas, admire myself, talk to animals, meditate, laugh, risk adventures

CHOOSE TO AGE WELL

Pam with Christmas Lights

“Why am I more cautious as I age instead of the other way around? I wonder if it’s all tied in to failure. I tend to forget my gains and remember only the losses. The failures have piled up, wreaking havoc with my confidence until, as an adult, I’ve become afraid to take chances.”

“I’m coming to see that life is not a lesser thing than I imagined it to be,” I say, thinking out loud just now. “Rather, it holds more than I have time to seize. The big secret is that everything doesn’t happen in youth.”

Related Posts . . . Singles Thanksgiving Bucket List … 3 Ways to Encourage Others Year Round … 16 Ways to Comfort Yourself

Your Turn . . .

What quote from this book strikes you and why?
What’s on your summer reading list?

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Did I Read 58 Books Last Year? Summary of My 58th Year Challenge

I recently had a birthday, so it is time to evaluate how well I did on my birthday challenge. I challenged myself to read 58 books because I was 58 years old last year. Did I meet that goal?

Turns out I was a reading fool! I read 111 books.

I’ve always loved books and last year I read differently.

I read series. In fact I read books from 8 series. The first series I’ve read to completion as an adult is The Mitford series by Jan Karon. Then I discovered Louise Penny, Shannon Stoker, Douglas Preston and James Patterson (to name a few). I don’t know why I went on a series binge, but it certainly was fun.
I finished some unfinished titles. I was able to read to completion four books that have been languishing in my to-finish pile. I am most proud of finishing Moby Dick. I really s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e-d with the first part of that book. Then when I picked it again last year, I LOVED reading it. And I wondered why it took me so long to finish. The Imitation of Christ was such a deep read, I just couldn’t rush through it.
I discovered the Gilmore Girls reading list. I read 8 books from that diverse list last year. I plan on reading the 339 books that Rory read. So far I’ve read 82 books.
I am obsessed with yearlong quests. Several years ago I read Living Oprah: My One-Year Experiment to Live as TV’s Most Influential Guru Advises. And I was hooked on this genre. This year I read three such books. The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life was my FAVE book in this category. And it is one I will reread so I can re-immerse myself in its helpful ideas. This link has 12 ideas and I plan on reading from this list this 59th year.

Read the rest of the post to see the 111 titles and other categories.

Assorted Titles

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – I read and did the assignments with my daughter.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Gratitude: 101 Stories about How Being Thankful Can Change Your Life by Amy Newmark and Deborah Norville
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Daughters of the Dragon by William Andrews – I read this as an e-book while traveling in Taiwan.
The Einstein Prophecy by Robert Masello – New author to me which I enjoyed a lot.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
The Good Life Lab: Radical experiments in Hands-On Living by Wendy Tremayne
Iscariot: A Novel of Judas by Tosca Lee – I want to read more books by this author.
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones – This book has beautiful pictures and words
Long Way Gone by Charles Martin – This is a title for the reread list.
Miss Julia Inherits a Mess by Ann B. Ross (published this year-2016)
One Memory At A Time: Inspiration & Advice for Writing Your Famiy History by D.G. Fulford
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty
A Paris Apartment: A Novel by Michelle Gable – While reading this book I kept Googling historical events and people.
Pure Heart, Enlightened Mind: The Life and Letters of an Irish Zen Saint by Maura O’Halloran
Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation by Gabriele Oettingen
The Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher – This is also a must reread.
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller – I confess, this is not the fist time I’ve read this book.
A Spy’s Guide to Thinking by John Braddock
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
Still Alice by Lisa Genova – Tears, and more tears as I read this book about Alice, a 50-year-old Harvard professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
Thinner in 30: small changes that add up to big weight loss in just 30 days by Jenna Wolfe
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battle by Steven Pressfield

Audio – I am not usually one who listens to books on tape. And I enjoyed doing this while walking or driving.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel by Arthur Golden
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spears

Austen in August – This is the second time I participated in this yearly internet challenge.

Emma: a Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen

Book to Movie – So far, I’ve only seen one of these books as a movie. If you’ve seen these movies, which one(s) do you recommend?

The BFG by Roald Dahl
The Circle by Dave Eggers
The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins
A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ramsom Riggs
Silence by Shusaku Endo

Gilmore Girls Book List – There are 339 books on this list. I read 8 of them this past year. Now the total # I’ve read is 82.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Deenie by Judy Blume
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn
S is for Silence by Sue Grafton
Swimming with Giants: My Encounters with Whales, Dolphins and Seals by Anne Collett

Recommended – I got these ideas from friends, blogs, and Facebook.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilber
Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr
The Chocolate Snowman Murders: A Chocoholic Mystery by JoAnna Carl
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
Lying Awake by Mark Salzman ]
Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
The Nazi Officer’s Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust by Edith H. Beer and Susan Dworkin
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson

SERIES – I read books in EIGHT series this year

One. Alexander McCall Smith: Isabel Dalhousie Series – I plan on reading all the books in this series. I started reading this because I found books #57 & 58 at the dollar store and loved them.

The Careful Use of Compliments (book 4/11)
The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds (book 9/11)

Two. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child: Gideon Crew Series – Completed the series.

The Ice Limit
Gideon’s Sword
Gideon’s Corpse
The Lost Island
Beyond the Ice Limit

Three. James Patterson: Women’s Murder Club (books 1-9) – I plan on reading all the books in this series.

1st to Die
2nd Chance
3rd Degree
4th of July
The 5th Horseman
6th Target
7th Heaven
8th Confession
9th Judgement

Four. Jan Karon: The Mitford Series (books 3-10) – This is the first series I read to completion as an adult. There are only two book series I read when younger (and again as an adult): Chronicles of Narnia and Anne of Green Gables.

These High, Green Hills
Out to Canaan
A New Song
A Common Life: the Wedding Story
In This Mountain
Fluke Light from Heaven
Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good
Come Rain or Come Shine

Five. Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swenson Mysteries with Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (book 1/21)
Strawberry Shortcake Murder (book 2/21)
Blueberry Muffin Murder (book 3/21_
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (book 4/21)
Blackberry Pie Murder (book 17/21)
Double Fudge Brownie Murder (book 18/21)
Wedding Cake Murder (book 19/21)
Christmas Caramel Murder (book 20/21)

Six. Justin Cronin: The Passage Trilogy

The Passage (1/3)

Seven. Louise Penny: Chief Inspector Gamache Novels (books 1-11) – Completed the series and I wish there were more!

Still Life
A Fatal Grace
The Cruelest Month
A Rule Against Murder
The Brutal Telling
Bury Your Dead
The Hangman
A Trick of the Light
The Beautiful Mystery
How the Light Gets In
The Long Way Home
The Nature of the Beast
A Great Reckoning

Eight. Shannon Stoker: The Registry (books 2-3) – Completed the series.

The Collection
The Alliance

Unfinished: Books that took me several years to finish reading

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Umapped Darkness: Finding God’s Path Through Suffering by Thomas Finch

Yearlong Theme – I am captivated by books in this genre

The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan
My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife: a One-Year Experiment and Its Surprising Results by Sara Horn
Learning to Breathe: My Yearlong quest to Bring Calm to My Life by Priscilla Warner

Your Turn . . .

Did you make any reading goals last year? Did you meet them?
Did you read “differently” this year? If yes, how so?
Were any books a surprise?
Which one(s) would you recommend that I read?

Related Resources . . .

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My 2016 BINGO Reading Challenge

My 2016 Reading BINGO List.

Are you competitive?

I am. I am even competitive in my reading. Therefore reading challenges spur me on to read more consistently. Last year my goal was to read 57 books.

Did I make that goal? YES! And I did so with 30 books to spare!!!

This year, (starting in my birth month) I want to read 58 books. I will use various “techniques” to get there. One such technique is using BINGO.

In past years I have used other people’s BINGO lists. This year I came up with one of my own. I picked categories because I like to read a bunch of books from the same author, from a series, etc. In other words, I LIKE to batch read from categories.

Below are the 5 categories I finally settled on

5 Books by the Author Charles Dickens
5 Books I’ve Never Finished
5 Books from the Gilmore Girls Books List
5 Books from the The Mitford Series by Jan Karon
5 Books That Have Been Recommended
. My list of books is at the very end of this post.

You can go here to fill out and then print your own BINGO Reading List card.

Each time I make a BINGO, I will allow myself a treat. As I am not so good in the reward department, I am not sure what that will be. I would like it to be book related.

I don’t want to buy another book as there are TONS of choices on my Kindle and bookshelves and from the library.
Maybe read a book not ON THE LIST?
Give me some ideas, please!
And when I get a BLACKOUT, at that time I will BUY a book from my Amazon Wish List. I have hundreds to choose from. Seriously.

Your Turn . . .

Are you competitive – even in reading?
Do you ever do BINGO Reading Challenges? Why? And how do you reward yourself for completing a BINGO? A blackout?
Have you ever made up your own BINGO list? If yes, how about linking it?
If you were to design one similar to mine, what categories would you include?
How many of the books on my list have you already read? The list is at the end of this post.
It would be so fun if you’d read along with me. Let me know if you decide to.

Related Posts . . .

Below are the books in each category. Of course I reserve the right to make changes at any time!

5 Dickens Books

Oliver Twist
The Old Curiosity Shop
Our Mutual Friend
~~David Copperfield~~
The Pickwick Papers‎

5 Unfinished Books

~~Moby Dick by Herman Melville~~
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Simply Christian by NT Wright
~~The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis~~
~~Unmapped Darkness by Thomas Finch~~

~~5 Gilmore Girls Books~~

S is for Silence by Sue Grafton
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
~~Elle Minnow Pea by~~
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy

5 Mitford Books

~~These High, Green Hills~~
~~Out to Canaan~~
~~A New Song~~
~~A Common Life: the Wedding Story~~
I~~n This Mountain~~

~~5 Recommended Books~~

The Passage by Justin Cronin (Barb)
Chocolate Snowman Murders by Joanna Carl
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (Elizabeth)
Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr
The Lost Island by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (book 3/4)

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I Read 87 Books in 2015

My goal is to read and reread all the books I own. Then I will purge the shelves.

One of my goals for my 57th year of life, was to read 57 books. To help me accomplish that goal I signed up for reading challenges. I am competitive and I even like to compete against myself!

I signed up for the following challenges . . .

. . . Austen in August Reading Challenge. I read all her majour works.
. . . #write31days where Finding Laughter was my topic. I read a bunch of books on this topic.
. . . Back to the Classics Challenge. I read books from 10/12 categories.
. . . Reading to Know Classics Book Club. I only read 6/12 of their suggestions.

The rest of the titles I read came from recommendations, gifts, and from my bookshelves.

I met my challenge of 57 books and raised it by 30!!!

Your Turn . . .

Did you make a reading goal for 2015? Did you meet it?
How do you motivate yourself to read?
What are some books you’d recommend that I read?
Have you read all 87 books on my list?

Below is the list of books I read in 2015.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (audio)
A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz
A Light in the Window (book 2) by Jan Karon
A Man of Grit and Grace: Paul by Charles Swindoll
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
An Acceptable Time by Madeline L’Engle
An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louise May Alcott
At Home in Mitford (book 1) by Jan Karon
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Choosing Gratitude: Learning to Love the Life you Have by James A Autry
Christmas Day in the Morning By Pearl S Buck
Dawn’s Light by Terri Blackstock
Emma by Jane Austen
Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World by Douglas Wood
Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day by Sam Bennett and Keegan-Michael Key
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
Heart of Darkness by Joseph ConraD
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam
I’m Glad I’m a Mom: Inspirational Stories of Love, Laughter, and Everyday Life by Hearts at Home
Inspiration Sandwich by SARK
Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding
Laddie; a true blue story, by Gene Stratton Porter
Last Light by Terri Blackstock
Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent
Let Magic Happen: Adventures in Healing with a Holistic Radiologist by Larry Burk
Living Oprah by Robyn Okrant
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Miss Julia Lays Down the Law by Ann B. Ross
MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche
Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
Night by Elie Wiesel
Night Light by Terri Blackstock
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
On The Outside Looking Indian by Rupinder Gill
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of Mary Todd by Jim Fergus
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
Prayer: Life’s Limitless Reach by Jack R Taylor
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
R Is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton
Seasons in Rome: on twins, insomnia, and the biggest funeral in the history of the world by Anthony Doer
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon
Skipping Christmas: A Novel by John Grisham
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Still Life by Louise Penny
The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion: A Novel by Fannie Flagg
The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance by John Trent & Gary Smalley
The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter’s 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds by Rip Esselstyn
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
The Great Divorce by CS Lewis
The History of the Snowman by Bob Eckstein
The Hope Quotient by Ray Johnson
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
The Pursuit of God Paperback by A. W. Tozer
The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
The Registry (Book 1/3) by Shannon Stoker
The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen
The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Grove at Home and Work by Christine Carter
The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Fiction by Henry James
The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Thrush Green by Miss Read
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading by Nina Sankovitch
Too Busy Not To Pray by Bill Hybels
True Light by Terri Blackstock
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Walking the Road to Bethlehem: Your Journey to Christmas by Adam Hamilton
We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson
What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey
Wide My World Narrow My Bed: Living & Loving the Single Life By Luci Swindoll
Writing is My Drink by Theo Pauline Nestor
Zero Belly Diet: Lose Up to 16 lbs. in 14 Days! By David Zinczenko