In the Storm

FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2020

I like to finish off the year with a reading roundup of my favorites, what my reading life has been like this year and whether I meet my reading goals. The answers to these questions - and others can be found scattered here and there, below.

 

FAVORITE FICTION

I read 55 fiction titles and 12 of those were book club reads. The remainder could be applied, mostly. to my left-unfinished 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published every year since I was born. Leaving a goal unfinished, I thought I would be more - upset - at myself. But, after the unprecedented year of 2020, that I was able to read 83 books this year was a miracle in itself. The year did not make me run toward books. Rather, I went through many periods of dry spells and without focus, especially for books. Now, of those 55 fiction books I did read,  I was able to easily narrow that down to my favorite 12 fiction books in 2020. 

It wasn't as easy to narrow the 12 down to just one favorite but I'm happy to say I gave it a go and chose one favorite fiction from those 12 'favorites'. The winner of the favorite fiction award goes to...

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

 

FAVORITE NON-FICTION

(Non-Christian)

I'll be honest. This was a tough decision. Many of these books were really good books. However, none of them I loved from start to finish, although several of them were pretty darn close. I feel I must narrow the non-fiction category down to sub-genre in order to give justice to the entire non-fiction genre. I broke non-fiction down into:

Memoir(s): Becoming, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Life In Motion, A Moveable Feast, Walk, and Travels With Charlie. Except for a few minor irritations in Becoming I can easily give the memoir by Michelle Obama the number one spot in the genre. I will say, however, that A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway is a classic for a reason and stands the test of time, as does Travels With Charlie by John Steinbeck. I'm not sure how Becoming will hold up with time, as a classic memoir. While I'm not a fan of Obama, I do believe her writing and memoir is excellent, Becoming.

Literary Non-Fiction: The Perfect Storm, Killers of the Flower Moon, Into The Wild, and Into the Woods. Literary non-fiction is becoming a favorite genre of mine, a non-fiction facts-based story that reads like a literary fiction novel. In other years, books I've read, like, Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing or Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson, would join this genre of literary non-fiction. While I enjoyed all four of these literary non-fiction books and Into the Woods is a close second, my pick for literary non-fiction is, The Perfect Storm.

Non-Fiction: Just Mercy, Be The Bridge, I'm Still Here, 24/6, and The Cloudspotter's Guide. This is a tough call. I read Just Mercy earlier in the year and it was an eye-opener to say the least. Even more frustrating that our justice system has come to what it is. In Killers of the Flower Moon a judge overseeing one of the trials in the Osage murders said something to the effect, "There has never been a country on this earth that has fallen except when that point was reached where the citizens would say, 'we cannot get justice in our courts." The bread crumb victories in our justice system make it clear that our country is and has been on its fall, spiraling quickly downward.  But, for the work being done now - I believe - and on a broader scale, and for the approach Latasha Morrison took in speaking about racial bridge building and how-to be a bridge, ever respectful to the white race (because I am white, yes, but also because I do not see how a bridge can be build without respect), I select Be The Bridge.

 

FAVORITE BOOK CLUB READ

I read 12 books for my book club. We were able to meet over Zoom during the pandemic, we didn't let the pandemic curb our reading for book club, nor let it interrupt our meeting. When we did return to my home our gathering was small and that continued for the remainder of the year. There is talk, recently, of several planning on returning in 2021. I hope so. Some of our best discussions have been when we've had more than six book club members.

Some of my favorite books of the year were actually book club reads. We read Gilead, Little Bee, The Dog Stars, Olive Kitteridge, What Alice Forgot, Little Bee, Code Name Helene, A Gentleman in Moscow, The Time Traveler's Wife, American Royals, The Vanishing Half, and Killers of the Flower Moon.

I adored several of the 12 books we read in book club, such as What Alice Forgot, The Vanishing Half, and Code Name Helene which was a close runner up. If I polled book club I wouldn't be surprised if many would pick What Alice Forgot as their favorite book. However, my favorite book club read hands down, a book I adored, goes to...   

                  A Gentleman in Moscow 

 

FAVORITE CLASSIC CLUB BOOK

In August I joined The Classic's Club and began reading 51 Classics in 51 Months (my personal goal). I read the following classic's beginning in August:

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (a Modern Classic)
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis

Multiple genre classics from a modern classic, The Kite Runner to a Christian non-fiction, The Pursuit of God. A couple memoirs: A Moveable Feast and Travels with Charley, and a Christian fiction classic by CS Lewis. My favorite Classic book I read (once I began the Classic's Club) is: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis

 

 

FAVORITE BOOK READ ALOUD

These are books that Jeff and I read aloud this year. These are the spiritual formation books we have been reading early in the morning, along with reading the Bible from cover to cover - together. I read aloud and he listens - intently. We have stacked the shelf of finished Christian non-fiction books. This year we read from a couple giants in the faith, The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer and Life Without Lack by Dallas Williard, a couple easy-to-read but just as hard hitting, How Happiness Happens and Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado, Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman, and Letters to the Church by Francis Chan, and a couple more-difficult-to-follow books, Louder than Words by Andy Stanley and Every Good Endeavor by Tim Keller.

Picking a favorite was tough! Almost impossible, because spiritual formation is imperative to growing in Christ and each book offered - something for spiritual growing. I could give you my least favorite: Louder than Words by Andy Stanley. I liked the book but didn't love it. It was choppy, and not as engaging as I would expect from Stanley. Although I did walk away having learned something. Of the 8 books we read it was still my least favorite. Here's what's hard in picking a favorite in the spiritual formation category? We read some heavy hitting books by some giant theologians and Christians in the faith. Francis Chan's Letters to the Church was a re-read for me but even better the second time through read out loud with Jeff. It is a heavy contender for favorite or, at least, in a top 3 spot. But, come on, A.W. Tozer! How do I choose?

Even for all the great reads the most memorable to me, the happiest little book, typical Max Lucado style - yet, insightful, engaging, and thought-provoking, I'm just going to say it, go with it...

How Happiness Happens

 

FAVORITE BOOK IN A SERIES

I only read a couple books this year that also happen to be a part of a series. Louise Penny's latest Chief Inspector Gamache series came out in September and I had All The Devils Are Here read in less than 24 hours. J.D. Robb's latest two in her In Death series arrived in February, Golden in Death (Book 50), and Shadows in Death (Book 51). The Memory Man series by David Baldacci delivered Walk the Wire and I began a new series, A Veronica Speedwell Mystery, reading the first two, A Curious Beginning and A Perilous Undertaking.

The Veronica Speedwell mysteries were a delight and I'm really looking forward to reading more in the series in 2021. I am such a fan of The Memory Man series. However, Walk the Wire wasn't a favorite. Louise Penny can rarely do wrong and I have devoured and own each of the, I think, 16 books in the series. These books are re-read worthy and I may just do that in 2021. Lastly, J.D. Robb's In Death series. Have I mentioned this is my favorite series? Yeah, pretty much is. Fifty-one books into the series and I still haven't tired of the characters or the story lines. They are a guilty pleasure. They're not a literary read but I am engrossed from word one and love every minute of them (minus a couple that have been a bit of a shallow read). That said, Shadows in Death was absolutely fantastic. Loved every minute of it! It also earns the top spot, favorite book in a series:  Shadows in Death by JD Robb.

 

FAVORITE BOOK OF 2020

Finally, I come to the ultimate. The favorite. The year's best - of the best. The top notch. The magnum opus - or at least my magnum opus. My favorite book of 2020.

 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Runner's Up: A Gentleman in Moscow, Shadows in Death, Code Name: Helene

 

And, that wraps up my 2020 reading year. I am looking forward to sharing my 2021 Reading Goals.

 

 

 

what I've been reading | november 2020 edition

Today I am sharing what I've been reading in November 2020. I did I big review of my 2020 Reading Goals (check out my mid-year check up here) recently and found gross shortfalls. I decided I needed to buckle down in November and December or I would not be able to reach all of my goals. So, I made a plan. I still need to read 24 books by the end of the year, almost all within the category of read a book published every year since I was born. I have two books yet to read for my book club, and two books yet to read for Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020 Reading Challenge.

I wrote down the missing years I still needed to read for a book published every year since I was born, most are from the 70's - 90's, then I searched for books published in those years, visiting mostly Good Reads because they have a plethora of book lists by years published. If I own one of those books I simply decided that is the book I'm going to read. 

With a week long birthday trip this month to north Georgia with Jeff, and waterfall hunting, what looked like going in to that week, was going to be a jam-packed month of reading fell quickly along the wayside and I pretty much dashed all hopes of meeting ALL of my 2020 Reading Goals. That being said, for some reason unexplained, I am not dissatisfied or upset that I didn't complete all my reading goals. It was simply a tough year all around.

If you've missed what I've been reading this year you can find them here: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and October.

And here is what I've been reading in November:

 

 

100 Things About Me as a Reader

 Source

The other day when I visited Modern Mrs. Darcy's blog she had posted  100 Things About Me as a Reader. It was based on a project introduced by elementary school teachers who wanted their students to learn about the importance of knowing themselves as readers. The project originated 10 years ago with this blog post. 

I was tremendously intrigued by the project and decided to challenge myself to learn about myself as a reader by writing out (I actually typed it out) my reading proclivities and quirks and simply who I am as a reader. I did it in list form - because - lists. And, lists make me happy. I realized many things on my list have evolved over the years and what I once might have been able to include in my list no longer is true about myself. I can see the ebb and flow of my reading life. I could also envision how I might be a similar reader to some and yet, a far different reader than others.

This would make great book club conversation - and comparison. It would be interesting to hear about, talk about others' reading lives. Here is what I've come up with so far.

100 Things about Me as a Reader

1. I don’t like books in the highly suspense-filled genre (think, Stephen King).
2. I remember reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books growing up - and not much else.
3. When I was a teenager I read nothing but Harlequin Romances, and especially loved the ones from the 1970s by Essie Summers. I dislike Harlequin Romances now.
4. My favorite book series is by J.D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts), the In Death series. I began reading the series in 1997; own all 51 books in the series. I re-read the series regularly. This series is my guilty pleasure.
5. I have read very few Classic books, the majority of which I have read has been in the past few years, or in the years I homeschooled John and Jarrod and I read quite a few classics aloud.
6. I began recording what I have been reading in 2015.
7. My favorite genre are police procedure murder mysteries.
8. I usually have multiple books going at one time (at least two, sometimes 3 or 4).
9. I read a plethora of Christian Non-fiction.
10. I used to read (in my 30s and 40s) Christian fiction but haven’t picked up the genre in over 5 years - at least.
11. These days I will try almost any genre of books (except suspense-filled books).
12. I only read physical books. I tried digital books and let those go quickly. I miss so much if I listen to audio it just isn’t worth it.
13. I started a book club in July 2019 and I have been hosting book club in my home, once a month, ever since.
14. I read more if I am reading for a challenge such as Modern Mrs. Darcy’s yearly reading challenge, or my personal challenges.
15. I rely heavily on book reviews for what to read next.
16. I scour book blogs and articles with book lists for possible to-be-read books.
17. My to-be-read list is so long I will never be able to finish the list because I am always adding more books to the list.
18. I read more books I own than from the library.
19. I usually only read about half of the books I check out from the library (unless I check out only a book or two).
20. I almost always wait until the week before (sometimes, even, the weekend before) my book club meets to actually read my book club book, except the month we read Cutting for Stone which took the entire month to read.
21. Some of my favorite book club discussions have been books either I, or others, did not like.
22. I sometimes, although not often, read the last couple of chapters if I am having difficulty getting into the book and I don’t feel this spoils the book at all.
23. I have a lengthy list and multiples of favorites but I still have a hard time picking those favorites.
24. I keep a document on my computer of what I have read throughout the year, but over the past 6 years I have created scrapbooking pages (plus albums) of what I have been reading.
25. I find it easy to abandon books that I am not enjoying.
26. I mostly read for pleasure. But, sometimes the pleasure lies in checking off as read from my goals list.
27. Some of my most favorite reading memories were the years I homeschooled my twin boys and I read a-loud all of their required reading throughout their high school years.
28. Yes, I have read The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit.
29. Books where the characters have no redeeming qualities I will rarely like and often abandon.
30. I cannot read silent in a car but I have no problem reading aloud (to my husband) while riding in a car.
31. For years I have been skipping the parts of books during sexually explicit scenes.
32. I don’t particularly care for graphic novels.
33. I love books and memoirs that involve food and recipes.
34. I will read recipe books word for word, cover to cover and consider recipe books as a genre to be read.
35. The Monster at the End of the Book is still one of my most favorite children’s books, especially when Jeff reads it aloud in character.
36. When my kids were in elementary school I loved those Scholastic magazines the schools would send home. I always ordered books!
37. I don’t have enough shelves for all the books I own.
38. I’m a sucker for a good spy novel.
39. My husband doesn’t like any of the books I read but I enjoy all of the books (genre) he reads (military/counterintelligence/special forces fiction)
40. Because I work as a weather observer I am able to get much of my reading done while I am at work.
41. These days, and because I enjoy sleep more, it is rare that I will stay up past my bedtime to finish one more chapter.
42. I like a lot of balance in my reading life- old and new releases, light reads and heavy reads, modern day and historic settings, long and short lengths….
43. I write in books. Usually non-fiction Christian and only books I own.
44. I love book darts. I use them all the time, especially marking the place I left off in the spiritual formation book I am reading aloud to Jeff.
45. I don’t remember having required reading lists – ever - in grade school, middle school, or high school.
46. I joined the online community, The Classics Club, this year so I could challenge myself to read more classics.
47. I don’t always remember what I’ve read, although since participating in a book club I have learned to take notes. I hate that I can’t remember what I have read because it makes me feel dumb.
48. I don’t have a preference between male authors and female authors. I think I read a fairly even mix between the two.
49. I would like to say, studiously, that I won’t watch the movie before I read the book, but I have truly enjoyed many of books after watching the movie (ie. The Lord of the Rings, The Martian, The Princess Bride, etc.)
50. While I have read through most books of the Bible, and I have read all of the New Testament several times, I have never read through the entire Bible in, say, one year. Although, Jeff and I are reading through the Bible right now – but we won’t be able to finish in a year; it will probably take us about 14 months.
51. I am true near-sighted and have to remove my glasses to read close up. Although recently I have noticed a slight cloudiness and I’m wondering if I am going to have to buy some reading glasses.
52. The only ‘classic’ I remember reading in high school was Catch-22, which I read for a class paper.
53. I regularly pay library late fees.
54. Dinner and a bookstore is a worthy date night. If I can walk out of the bookstore with a stack of books, even better.
55. Although I believe there is a devil and demons because the Bible speaks of them and you cannot miss their presence in the world, as a new believer in Christ, it was the book, This Present Darkness, that made the devil and demons seem real.
56. I only keep books I’ve enjoyed even if I’m sure I will never read them again. Eventually I go through a purge and give, out of necessity.
57. My favorite way to display books on my shelves is in rainbow colors. But, I won’t do this if it is a series because I won’t break up the ‘set’.
58. I read to ‘take me away’.
59. I will rarely pick up a 600+ page book unless it is for a challenge or book club.
60. I re-read book series if I re-read anything; except Christian non-fiction I will re-read multiple times.
61. I adore well-done epistolary novels, such as The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Dear Mr. Knightly, The Screwtape Letters, 84 Charing Cross Road, The Martian, or Flowers for Algernon.
62. I can’t read when the television is on, or music is playing as both are to distracting.
63. I love the power of words and highlight and re-write quotes from books that speak to me or make me ponder the words and ask questions.
64. Books are my favorite to give as gifts.
65. The Chronicles of Narnia were the first read a-loud books we read a-loud as a family and I still remember that time at the dinner table as some of our best time!
66. When life gets overwhelming I re-read my favorite books.
67. I don’t necessarily get excited to have my book autographed by the author, although I wouldn't pass up a signed copy as a gift.
68. I enjoy young adult (YA) books only if they’re plausible and without sex.
69. Books that have ‘triggers’ are difficult to read and I will often put them down because they ‘trigger’ so many memories and then I have to decide if I am going to pick them back up again.
70. I am not a fast reader.
71. I consider reading middle grade, chapter books, and YA books as a book count if I’m counting how many books I’ve read, but I don't count children’s books - usually.
72. I have been known to spend as much time reading about books as reading books.
73. I really like series books. Besides the In Death series which is my favorite easy-read series, I adore Louise Penny’s Inspector Armand Gamache series, Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series, all of W.E.B. Griffin’s series’, Brad Thor’s series, the Maisee Dobbs' series, and of course, Harry Potter.
74. While I love series’ I don’t particularly like when they end in a trilogy because 3 books is enough to become invested in the characters and I don't want their stories to end.
75. Since I began reading so much more in 2015 and broadening my genre scope I don’t think I have an all-time favorite book anymore, although I could break down my favorites to yearly or genre favorites.
76. I almost always will go over my book budget for a new book.
77. I’m a firm believer that not all books are the right time to be reading because I’ve picked up books in the past that I held little interest for, but later, sometimes years later, I enjoyed that same book immensely.
78. I have no problem disliking or liking a book someone else likes or dislikes. I don’t need to follow the crowd and it doesn’t offend me if someone thinks differently about a book.
79. Although it sort of pisses me off if someone infers I am stupid or ignorant or intolerant if I don’t like a book they think I should like, or read a book they think I should read.
80. Most often I can tell you if I love the book I read – or not, but I have a harder time describing why.
81. I prefer not to read heavily open door (explicit sex scenes) novels and won't intentionally pick them up.
82. I am often a mood reader. It is the #1 reason why I will bring at least 2, sometimes 3 or 4 books to work with me on easy weather days. Because I don’t know what reading mood I will be in.
83. I love reading books a-loud (but I was told once I don’t have the voice for reading a-loud).
84. It drives me crazy when the publisher of a book series switches the size and/or covers of books midway between the series.
85. I do not judge a book by its movie.
86. While I write exceptional directions, procedures, or how-to's, I cannot stand to read them.
87. I don't really like to share (as in lend) my favorite books, especially series', except to family. I would rather purchase them their own copy.
88. My dream room would be a library with shelves of books stacked to the ceiling with a sliding ladder and comfortable chairs to read in.
89. I love books with strong female characters, or with women that are becoming stronger or learning from their mistakes.
90. I dislike books where the characters have little or no redeeming qualities.

I realize it's not 100 but it's pretty darn close. It is an interesting exercise, and revealing. If I were to discuss a list like this with, say, my book club, I'll bet - for sure - that I could easily come up with 10 more things about me as a reader - and maybe, even more!

 

 

 

What I've Been Reading Lately | October Edition

 

 

 

Today I am sharing what I've been reading in October. A few so so books and several fantastic reads. Maya Angelou's And Still I Rise is definitely a favorite of this month as was Max Lucado's, How Happiness Happens and A.W. Tozer's, The Pursuit of God; the last two of which Jeff and I read together and we're still pondering and reflecting and their words are still coming up in conversation as to how to live our lives in Christ. 

I gave the classic The Invisible Man, which I read for The Classics Club, 4 Stars because of the writing and the story, however I wasn't really a fan of The Invisible Man himself. I do think it would be a highly discussable book for book club. I also read Ballet Shoes for The Classics Club and I was not a fan. Disappointed, actually. Beach Read was blah and American Royals, which I read for my book club, was cute and I liked it enough and intrigued enough I would like to read the sequel, although it wasn't very discussable, but I think it could have been if the author had went a bit more in-depth into the historical impact if the United States had a monarchy and not a presidency.

 

 

What I've Been Reading Lately | September Edition

I read two highly anticipated new releases that did not disappoint, both receiving 5 Stars, each for their own reasons. My husband and I continue to read aloud together every weekday morning from the spiritual formation genre, almost finishing up one this month that carried over from August - and one of my favorite reads thus far that we've read together by A.W. Tozer, a book chosen by Jeff. I read a Classic's Club, Travels with Charley which I adored. My book club read The Time Traveler's Wife. I am probably in the minority when I say I hated it. Hate is such a strong word, though. I highly disliked it. I could have easily pitched it across the room as garbage if it wasn't for book club.

 

30 Pages in 30 Days | 4

For my 30 Pages in 30 Days - #4 I am simply documenting joining the Classics Club and adding to my 2020 Reading Goals - and beyond - reading 51 Classics in 51 Months. These pages will go into my ongoing 4 x 8 READ album. Simple 2-page, 4 x 8 digital page using a photo of the classics on my Classics TBR list that I own, using One Little Word, In a Creative Bubble, and Ali Edwards digital designs.

What I've Been Reading | August 2020

While I didn't read very many books this month, unusual for me, I did, however, read quality books; fabulous books; memorable books. Take, for instance, A Gentleman in Moscow, my book club read for August. I will recommend this book to everyone. It was breathtaking, absorbing, - amazing! 5 Stars! Surprisingly, my entire book club loved the book, too! This. Rarely. Hppens. 

I recently did a mid-year review of my 2020 Reading Goals and realized I am behind in the heftiest category, read a book published in every year since I was born. However, this month did not help that category much at all, adding only 3 titles to my goals.

This is what I've been reading in August 2020:

2020 Reading Goals Mid-Year Check-in

I have been wanting to run a thorough mid-year check-in on my 2020 Reading Goals for over a month now. Since I actually added to my already lofty reading goals when I began the Classics Club reading challenge to read 51 Classics in 51 Months, I also figured, instead of a brush over of my goals, I needed to take a hard look at where I stand with my goals, how far I've come and what I might need to do to accomplish those goals, or even change things - mid-year. Although I am not typically a 'change my goals in the middle of year' kind of gal, I listened to this podcast recently on the value of a mid-year check up of ones reading life. "It's not necessarily looking back. It's what do I want to change moving forward."

I also wanted to take a moment to celebrate my successes, however small they may be. Learn from, maybe, where I have taken a wrong turn away from, instead of towards, my reading goals. And, to set my mind and heart into re-focusing on the end goal.

Here is a look-see at where I stand today?

I began with updating my spreadsheet I had created, a simple 2-columned word document with every year since I was born in one column and as I read a book published in each year included the title of the book in another column for a total of 57 books. Plus, I am charting the additional goals in the same way.

Read a book published in each year since I was born. To put it bluntly, I have read 28 of 57 books for this category of my reading goals. At more than half way through the year I am not even half way done with this goal. The difficulty, I am aware, is that 1) I am not simply reading for this goal. I am reading for my book club that I host once a month and I am also reading for enjoyment which, I cannot lie, often supersedes my goals. And 2) it is more difficult to acquire a book for a specific published year than I thought, in a timely manner. It also hasn't helped that for a couple months our local library was closed due to COVID-19 quarantine procedures. But, it has also been trying deciding on a book for a specific published year. While I don't necessarily want to read the most popular, some of the most popular books I've already read, or I have zero interest in reading. I have found over the course of these months that the 70's were a difficult publishing decade for really good books, or books that I might find of interest and it is the decade I have the least read in.

The 1980's books I have read are mostly back-listed books of other authors, such as The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingslover and The Housekeeping by Marilynn Robinson, the author of Gilead (a favorite of mine from earlier this year) I have read before and enjoyed, or books that have made a comeback, or revival such as Kindred by Octavia Butler.

One positive of the books I have read in this category is the books that I have read that I would never have read without this goal (or self-challenge), such as A Wizard of Earthsea, published in 1968, a young adult fantasy novel which is so far out of my reading genre, yet, I loved it! Or A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. Honestly, I had little interest in Hemingway, although as I have become the best part of a reader, I am sure I would at some point pick up the classic.

Right now, the question is can I make a comeback and actually finish this portion of the goal? How would I modify the goal, even, if I decided to scale it back? Without being able to answer those questions, and while I have less months to read the second half of this goal is a lofty endeavor, I still think I can make it to the finish line.

Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020 Reading Challenge. The categories I have completed are in read. As you can see below I am almost finished with this challenge. I am positive I can complete this challenge and this part of my reading goals for the year.

    a book published the decade you were born: Where Eagles Dare

    a debut novel: Little Bee

    a book recommended by a source you trust: The Poisonwood Bible (my book club recommended this; they actually could not believe I had not already read it)

    a book by a local author: Flannery O'Conner's, The Complete Stories

    a book outside your (genre) comfort zone: A Wizard of Earthsea (a young adult fantasy)

    a book in translation: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

    a book nominated for an award in 2020: TBA

    a re-read: Gilead

    a classic you didn't read in high school: Slaughterhouse Five

    three books by the same author: possibly Barbara Kingslover (already read 2 books), Deanna Raybourn (read 2 books), or Marilynn Robinson (read 2 books)

Read a-loud books with Jeff. My goal this year of reading a-loud with Jeff is 8 books. We have read a-loud together, Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman, Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado, Life Without Lack by Dallas Willard, and Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller. We are currently reading and are more than half way through, Louder than Words by Andy Stanley. I'm sure we'll finish this book by the end of August, easily. Which leaves 4 months to read the remaining 3 books needed to complete this goal. I am fairly comfortable, barring an unforeseeable surprises, that we'll continue our morning reading time together and finish strong, reading at least, the 8 books.

Between the Covers Book Club reads. This, at the beginning of 2020 would have been a no-brainer, but post-COVID-19 had me concerned. Thankfully, we have Zoom and while we did not discuss our March Book Club book (I hadn't figured Zoom out and we were all in shock mode), I read our book club read each month. We began meeting again in person in June, even though it was a small turnout. I've already scheduled our books for discussion for August, September, and October and I am beginning to gather potential book club books for November and December.

NEWLY ADDED: Joined the Classics Club. Because I am a voracious reader these days and eager to read everything and challenge myself and broaden my reading horizons, I have added another challenge, or goal, to the year. However, this goal is long term and will surpass this year and even the year after. I joined the Classics Club. The requirement was to read at least 50 classics in less than 5 years. I set my Classics club goal at 51 Classics in 51 Months. You can go back and read all about my goal and the books I hope to read here.

Classics Club | A Moveable Feast

Classics Club: Read 51 Classics in 51 Months

Classic: A Moveable Feast

Book: 2 of 51

Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Classics Club | The Kite Runner

Classics Club: Read 51 Classics in 51 Months

Classic: The Kite Runner

Book: 1 of 51

Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

While some may not consider The Kite Runner a true classic I have found numerous definitions of what is and isn't a classic. The Classics Club even stipulates that it is up to the reader whether a book is considered a classic to them. While The Kite Runner was only published in 2003, over 17 years ago, it was quickly deemed an instant classic. Plus, I see it on 'classic' lists, often. Therefore, I included it in my classics list of TBR and I'm comfortable including it. 

I decided to give my Classics Club books their own posts, but I will include them in my 'what I've been reading' monthly roundup as well. Mostly, because it will be an easier way to track my classic books that I've read - giving them their own posts (and category on the blog).

Of course, any classic that I read that can fulfill other reading goals (ie. The Kite Runner also fills the 2003 slot for read a book published in every years since I was born, goal), I will mark as read.