#BookLoversDay updates - August 9th
Since this blog post was written June 15th, I'm happy to say I've finished four more books! They are as follows:
- The House We Grew Up In: Lisa Jewell
- The Rocks: Peter Nichols
- Free Bird: Jon Raymond
- Aftercare Instructions: Bonnie Pipkin
While my list is far from complete - it grows almost daily - it's been a great accomplishment to have read 11 books in 8 short months.
As always, if you have any recommendations for great reads please don't hesitate to contact me!
This past January, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to read more books. Being a recent grad of Michigan State, I had a bit more time on my hands now that my nights and weekends weren’t filled with studying (and partying).
I wanted to dedicate myself to a new hobby. I’m not too crafty, and it’s tough to play piano in a studio apartment. I’ve always enjoyed reading, but just never had the time. Now, as a 20-something young professional with an abundance of time, I figured it was a good time to start a personal library.
What to read first? I had a CADL card, but walking through endless rows of books without any direction was a bit daunting. So, I did what any other millennial would do and Googled “Best Book Lists 2016.” This resulted in 20+ pages of results so I adjusted my searches occasionally, to “Best Book Lists for Women” or “Best Book Lists for Recent Grads.” I repeated this exercise on Pinterest, which helped me get a good foundation of reads to begin with.
I also took a trip to the bookstore. Looking at books, reading back covers and seeing what I could add to my list. I’m a big supporter of libraries and it’s where I get all my books, however the atmosphere of a bookstore, with that fresh-page-new-book smell is irreplaceable.
I love historical fiction books. To me, they seem more realistic because they take place during an actual historic event and the characters seem like they all could have existed. I think it’s interesting to look into what life was like during time periods we can never experience.
There is a lot of trial and error when it comes to finding a book I’ll really enjoy. Something that sounds interesting could end up being a flop. You literally judge books by their covers, and that’s as dangerous as they say. Still, with a world of possibilities, there are treasures on almost every shelf, and I’ve found a few.
While I don’t have a goal for a specific number of books I’d like to read this year, I’d like to make it a goal to keep reading. It’s incredibly easy to veg out in front of Netflix or scroll through Twitter for the 20th time that day. Neither are nearly as rewarding as discovering that perfect new world, character, or story in the pages of a good book.
I’ve included my 2017 list below, and if you have any recommendations please let me know.
Here’s to the next page turner!
2017’s Reading List as of June 15th:
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
- Home Going: Yaa Gyasi
- Caleb’s Crossing: Geraldine Brooks
- The Secret Place: Tara French
- Small Admissions: Amy Poeppel
- In Twenty Years: Allison Winn Scotch
- The Cuckoo’s Calling: Robert Galbraith