2025 Reading Challenge discussion
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40 Book Challenge - CategoriesChildren's Literature
Newbery Award Winners
1: Julie of the Wolves
2: A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers
3: New Kid
4: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32
5: Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
6: Lincoln: A Photobiography
7: The Wheel on the School
8: The High King
9: Strawberry Girl
10:
11:
12:
Adult Literature
Literary Fiction
1: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
2: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Poetry
1: The Princess Saves Herself in This One
2: The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One
Biography/autobiography/memoir
1: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
2: Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains
Historical Fiction
1: The Mercies
2: Orphan Train
Horror/Thriller
1: Carrie
2: Horrorstör
Nonfiction
1: The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country
2: Martha Stewart's Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines
Romance
1: Things You Save in a Fire
2: Red, White, & Royal Blue
History [nonfiction]
1: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong [this might be a stretch but I'm counting it because it's my list and my rules, right? 😉]
2: Underwater Ghost Towns of North Georgia
Humor
1: Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life
2: Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir
Paranormal
1: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
2: Mind of Winter
Mystery
1: Low Tide
2: Murder on the Red River
Science-Fiction
1: Edge of Tomorrow
2: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Fantasy
1: Trail of Lightning
2: Spells of Blood and Kin
Award Winners
1: How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy
2: Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Others:
1: Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter, and Thrive - Nonfiction
2: Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School - Nonfiction
3: The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything - Nonfiction
4: One and the Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I've Learned About Everyone's Struggle to Be Singular - Memoir/Nonfiction
5: When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family - Nonfiction
6: More Than Enough: How One Family Cultivated A More Abundant Life Through A Year Of Practical Minimalism
7: Permission to Parent: How to Raise Your Child with Love and Limits - Nonfiction
8: Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World - Nonfiction
9: Sunset Beach - Romance
10: A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living - Nonfiction
11: Lost Towns of North Georgia - Nonfiction
This is my favorite quote of all time! I hope it brings you luck with your reading in 2020! 
This month has dragged so much that I swear I read some of these a year ago. ;P January Books:
[1] Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life - 40BCA - HILARIOUS
[2] On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft - 40BCA - Interesting
[3] Things You Save in a Fire - 40BCA - so sweet [if a little farfetched]
[4] Rules for Vanishing - highly recommended, I actually BOUGHT it because I didn't want to wait on a hold from the library. MAJOR disappointment.
[5] Matilda - Readaloud with my students. They hardcore loved it so much that we're reading The BFG now.
[6] A Heart So Fierce and Broken - highly anticipated sequel, major let down [I'm sensing a theme here]
[7] Carrie - 40BCA - Creepy and a little gross but that might have been the point. ;)
[8] Red, White & Royal Blue - 40BCA - Another highly recommended book that was a disappointment. Ironically too predictable for me.
[9] Julie of the Wolves - 40BC-Newbery - eh....
[10] A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers - 40BC-Newbery - strike two in the Newbery realm.
[11] The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country - 40BCA - I hardcore LOVED this book [minus a few bits and pieces]. Great nonfiction!
Eleven books in the first month! Not too shabby. :)
February Goals:
[1] Read One Newbery
[2] Read two adult books for the challenge
[3] Read five books overall
Happy reading!
A mixed bag this month. 🤷 But this was also the month that I started reading novels out loud to my three year old! ❤️️January Books
[1] The Hand on the Wall - I was so excited about this book and . . . it disappointed. Big time. And I paid for it! 😤
[2]Martha Stewart's Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines 40BCA [Nonfiction] - Confession: I love these types of books. For a while, it was because they offered something I didn't naturally know - structure, order, household management. And now it's fun to go down memory road to when I was a clueless newlywed. Okay, and to laugh a bit about how the rich live.
[3] Horrorstör: 40BCA Horror/Thriller]- Interesting concept and points for actual creepiness but I think this would have been better as a movie.
[4] New Kid Newberry - The newest Newbery! I was excited to see a graphic novel as the winner, especially since my students LOVE graphic novels. I also thought it was an important story to tell in this day and age.
[5] Sarah, Plain and Tall - FIRST READ ALOUD WITH MY TODDLER! ❤️️❤️️❤️️ Technically, this is a Newbery but I've already read it. My son enjoyed it and it's always been one of my favorites.
[6] Mercy Watson to the Rescue - Second read aloud with my toddler. He liked the pig but I thought the story was dull, even for a kid's book.
[7] The BFG - Read aloud with my class. We all loved this one - best of the Dahl books we've read this year [the others were [book:The Witches|6327] and Matilda]
[8] Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter, and Thrive - So much promise, so much disappointment. It's not good when the author doesn't seem to practice what she preaches. It made her seem super hypocritical. And it stank of privilege.
[9] Dinosaurs Before Dark - Third read aloud. I've never read a book from the series and I found it to be delightful. This was my son's favorite from this month.
[10] Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School - I'm a public school teacher, not a homeschooling parent, but I LOVED this! So many wonderful resources and ideas. I ended up buying my own copy.
[11] Anna Dressed in Blood - oh, LAWD, this book took forever to get through. I really liked the first half but once the main ghost was "released," it got really . . . dumb. Instalove/friendship, stupid decisions abound, and the big "reveal" at the end had me shaking my head. I wanted to DNF this one about 3/4 of the way through but I pushed through because I liked the beginning. Regret.
[12] A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 Newbery - This is another one that dragged. Very convincing as a young girl's diary but I think a little too authentic. It made the story pointless. The most exciting thing was the runaway slave and it was a teeny tiny part of the entire story.
[13] Two Times the Fun - fourth read aloud of the month with the toddler. Super repetitive and not much of a plot but the antics were silly enough to keep us entertained.
[14] The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything - Okay, there was something about Martha Stewart that sucked me in this month. 🤷
Fourteen books AND I met all my goals - or surpassed them! Great month for reading!
March Goals:
[1] Read one Newbery
[2] Read two adult books from categories I haven't touched [already got poetry lined up].
[3] Five books overall
Happy reading!
What a month, right?March Books:
[1] The Princess Saves Herself in This One 40ABC - Not too bad, even for someone who doesn't really care for poetry
[2] The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One 40ABC - Eh, this one was a little over the top. It finished off my poetry category but I'm tempted to read another to replace it.
[3] The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe - For someone who isn't too good at the clothing thing, I like this book. Direct and to the point.
[4] DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community - If I had checked this out from the library instead of paying for it, I would have DNF'd super quick. Alas, I finished it and I wish I hadn't.
[5] The Children of Noisy Village - Read aloud with the three-year-old. Super sweet and cozy.
[6] The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful - This book did not age well. Super outdated and cluttered.
[7] Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus Read aloud with three year old. He thought it was hilarious but Miss Sassafrass was too much for me to read another one to him. 😂
[8] City of Bones - Fun reread because of COVID. 🤷 I forgot why I didn't like it that much until I got to the end but it was a nice distraction.
[9] Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains - This was good but I didn't really care about the middle part.
[10] Twister on Tuesday - Read aloud with three year old. He loves Magic Tree House!
[11] Carry On, Mr. Bowditch Newbery - This one was fantastic!
[12] Lovely War - Hands down the BEST book I've read this year! So unique and touching. Loved it!
[13] Thanksgiving on Thursday - Another read aloud with the three year old. So-so.
Thirteen books altogether and all goals met! And a majority of the books were ones I liked. Not too bad.
April Goals:
[1] Read one Newbery
[2] Read two adult books from categories I haven't touched yet - I want to do something about American life in the early 1900s but not sure if that'll happen.
[3] Five books overall.
Happy reading!
April - what a month. 😂 Super stressful so I turned to books as an escape, as you do.April Books:
[1] Better than Beauty: A Guide to Charm - charming book 😉
[2] The Mercies - 40ABC Historical Fiction - I liked this one a lot! Historical but still gripping. Highly recommend.
[3] Inside Laura's Little House: The Little House on the Prairie Treasury - cute companion book
[4] One and the Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I've Learned About Everyone's Struggle to Be Singular - Half memoir, half pure nonfiction. Fascinating.
[5] Little House in the Big Woods - Read aloud with my three year old. Love these books!
[6] No Mistakes - interesting and creative prompts
[7] Lucky Caller - lovely little rom com. Emma Mills always has the cutest books
[8] Charlotte's Web - read aloud with my three year old. A bit more depressing than I thought it would be.
[9] The World of Little House - very cool companion book for Little house. Highly recommend for hardcore fans.
[10] The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - read aloud with my three year old
[11] A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840 - I ordered this thinking it would be a lovely picture book for my boys. Turns out it was 200+ pages. 😂 But I enjoyed it!
[12] Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Digital read aloud with my students.
[13] Tweet Cute - so cute. Farfetched for sure but enjoyable.
[14] Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction - Tracy Kidder wrote my all-time favorite nonfiction book [[book:Among School Children|10446664]] so I was delighted to find this book about how he and his editor work together. It was like a behind the scenes tour!
Fourteen! Not too shabby. I didn't read a Newbery and while I did read a few adult fiction/nonfiction books, only one counted towards my challenge. But I'm okay with that since I'm ahead anyway. 😉
May Goals:
[1] Read a Newbery
[2] Read 2 books towards the 40ABC.
[3] Something light and sweet
[4] Read at least five books.
Happy Reading!
I am all about magic this year. I hope that your reading goal is your little touch of magic.
May Books:[1] Caraval - Enjoyable but I dnf'd Legendary.
[2] Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong 40ABC - as a teacher, I almost felt like I had to read this one in secret. 😉 Great insight on how the education system can be used to perpetuate harmful and downright inaccurate facts about our nation's history, especially in regards to POC.
[3] The Bookish Life of Nina Hill 40ABC - on the back, it calls itself Literary Fiction so I'm counting it towards that category. 🤷 I thought it was light and fun but a bit rushed at the end.
[4] When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family - not the target audience AT ALL but still enjoyed the premise. It's basically an expansion on the "when you die, will you be regretful for not spending more time at the office or with your family?" theme but on how and why you should skip the office and be home more. Heavy on Christianity but I think people who struggle with home/life balance could gain insight with it, regardless of religious beliefs.
[5] Orphan Train 40ABC - This is beautifully written, heartfelt, and still a page-turner. One storyline is much more compelling than the other [which I think is the fault of the author. The present-day narrative could have been better but seemed to rely to heavily on tropes to get it through]. A great historical piece on an oftentimes overlooked part of American history.
[6] More Than Enough: How One Family Cultivated A More Abundant Life Through A Year Of Practical Minimalism - I don't know why I keep reading these books. I have such high hopes due to the hype but they all tend to be overprivileged humble brags. I do think a certain audience benefits from this perspective shift but it's not me and it's not a majority of people, in my opinion. The writing was good so I guess that's something.
[7] Lincoln: A Photobiography Newbery - and so starts an obsession with Russell Freedman. I thought this was fantastic. Absolutely well done, a good mixture of artifacts and narrative nonfiction writing suitable for elementary/middle school students.
[8] The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires 40ABC - Grady Hendrix does creepy rather well. I wish the female characters had been stronger throughout the entire book. They just seemed so wimpy over and over again. But it was an interesting take on vampires.
[9] Permission to Parent: How to Raise Your Child with Love and Limits - not mind-blowing at all but a great reminder for me on how I want to parent. Robin Berman does such a great job of meshing together all sorts of worries - discipline, screen time, connecting, etc - into one readable, short volume. Outside of Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids, I would highly recommend this to any parent.
[10] In Defense of Liberty: The Story of America's Bill of Rights - second long book by Russell Freedman, though I did get a couple of his picture books, too. Again - so well done! The Bill of Rights is such an important part of our society but it's often poorly taught [in my opinion, of course]. This does a great job of not only explaining each one but why they were put there in the first place and how those rights have helped shaped our nation - both good and bad. I wish someone would write a 2020 edition!
[11] Farmer Boy Readloud with three year old - Oh, lord, I forgot how longggggg this book is! While it was one of my favorite Little House books, it dragged as a readaloud with all the technical passages of farm life. Still enjoyable but it took us a full month to read.
Eleven books! Not too bad AND I met all my goals! And with the library starting curbside, my reading should be golden in June. ❤️️🎉
I almost forgot, I also met my yearly goal of 60 books this month! You know, a full seven months ahead of schedule. 😅
June Goals:
[1] a Newbery
[2] 2 books for 40ABC
[3] 5 books total
June Books:[1] Edge of Tomorrow 40ABC - man's man kind of book - not really my style but an exciting story!
[2] Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two - LOVED this one! Well done historical fiction suitable for later elementary/middle school students
[3] The Skin I'm In - Kind of meh for me. A lot going on.
[4] Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine 40ABC - After reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, this one was recommended to me. I thought it was going to be similar to The Bookish Life - light, a bit melodramatic, chick-lit - but it wasn't in every good way imaginable. Such a great book!
[5] Labyrinth Lost - meh. Could have been better.
[6] Pollyanna readaloud with three year old - absolutely sweet and uplifting!
[7] Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World - This was a game-changer for me in terms of technology consumption. I like to think I already live rather minimal with technology but Cal Newport changed my entire mindset around not only technology but leisure time. Highly recommend!
[8] Encyclopedia Brown, Super Sleuth read aloud with three year old - very entertaining!
[9] Sunset Beach - great throwback to Mary Kay Andrews's older works. Just in time for summer! 😉
[10] Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Such a sweet, interesting book. Parts of it were super slow but I loved the overall story
[11] A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living - Good for beginners [and kickstarted a declutter binge in my house]
[12] Super Fly: The World's Smallest Superhero! read aloud with three year old - so-so. My son enjoyed it so that's something.
[13] These Witches Don't Burn - I wanted to love this book but it was boring.
[14] Underwater Ghost Towns of North Georgia 40ABC - great starter part on interesting North Georgia history!
[15] Lost Towns of North Georgia - better than the other book. Loved the attention to detail Lisa M. Russell put into her work!
[16] Trail of Lightning 40ABC - Eh. I love the premise and the action and the banter but the plot needed work. However, I'm eagerly waiting to read the second one so this one hooked me at least!
[17] Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family - an Ina Garten cookbook I haven't read? Imagine that.
[18] The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life - I waited MONTHS for this to come off holds. The first half was super shallow and not very helpful. Just a sprinkle of ideas. However, the second half was gold, even as a non-homeschooling parent.
[19] The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home reread - Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise completely changed my thinking on education and parenting when I read this one four years ago. I have since read many of Susan Wise Bauer's books [including currently going through [book:The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome|225947]!!] and just find her to be absolutely inspiring.
19 books!! I think I took the advice in Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World rather close to my heart and fully believed I wouldn't have read so much had I not read that book this month. Who knew a random recommendation would be so impactful? I didn't read a newbery but I completely surpassed my other goals!!
July Goals:
[1] a Newbery
[2] 2 books for 40ABC, preferably a mystery or award winner but I'm not picky 🤷
[3] 5 books total
Mid Year Update
Read at least 60 books:
DONE! And then some. I'm currently sitting at 82 books, putting me at 132% of this goal.
12 Newbery award winners
50% Complete. I've read 6 out of 12 Newbery's this year. Right on target!
2 books each for the following categories: literary fiction, poetry, biography/autobiography/memoir, historical fiction, horror/thriller, nonfiction, romance, history [nonfiction], humor, paranormal, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and award winners [for a total of 28 books]
71% complete. I've read 20 out of 28 books and have completed all categories except for humor, paranormal, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and award winners [which is funny because I thought those would be the first ones I finished]. This goal has been FANTASTIC for me! It's been fun to go exploring in other reading realms than my normal haunts of nonfiction and young adult. I've contemplated changing this to three per category but that might be a 2021 thing.
20 books of my own choice [not a Newbery or 40ABC book
280% Complete. I've read 56 out of 20 books. 😅
While the rest of 2020 has been insane, my reading has become my refuge. This may be the best reading year I've ever had since I started tracking on Goodreads! And not just on the number of books but the sheer enjoyment of it all.
Top 5 of 2020 (so far and in no particular order)
(1) [book:Lovely War|44107480] - okay, I lied. This one is number one to me. Absolutely beautiful and heartwrenching and unique. I recommend this to anyone and everyone.
(2) Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World - This isn't a good read in that it's fun to read but that it's fun to ponder over. Highly recommend to anyone with a smartphone.
(3) The Mercies - Random grab from the library table [remember those? I miss the library table . . .]. The storyline is mesmerizing and the female characters are fierce while remaining believable. This may not be everyone's cup of tea but I loved it.
(4) The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country - I unabashedly love books about people experiencing different cultures for a year. And I find the Danish Culture to be absolutely fascinating. This was a win-win for me.
(5) Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - When you stay up extremely late to finish a book and then spend half of the next day talking about it, it's a keeper for sure.
Whew! That was a doozie.
Happy Reading!
July Books:[1] Serpent & Dove - I waited FOREVER for this to come off hold. And while it had a lot of flaws, I got sucked in to the story. Definitely a fun read.
[2] Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do - Agreed with the concept [fair work between spouses] but not the execution. It was too gossipy, I not-so-secretly hate my husband feeling for me.
[3] Armageddon Summer - I read this SO MANY TIMES as a preteen. Still as good as an adult.
[4] The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern - this was okay. I don't know what I was expecting but once it hit art in modern history, it was rather boring.
[5] Bonnie's Household Organizer: The Essential Guide for Getting Control of Your Home - I remember liking the book when I read it but I don't remember much of it. Oh well...
[6] Gilgamesh: A Graphic Novel - Great reminder of why we should always read a book before recommending and/or adding it to a classroom library. 🤷
[7] Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum - Not sure where I saw the recommendation for this but I thought it was a book aimed towards adults. Nope. It was okay but not that great.
[8] All-of-a-Kind Family - Read aloud with my son. This book was so sweet and touching! Absolutely loved it!
[9] Low Tide [40ABC - Mystery] - this had SO MUCH PROMISE but then sort of falls apart.
[10] Beyond Beautiful: A Practical Guide to Being Happy, Confident, and You in a Looks-Obsessed World - I loved Anuschka Rees's The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe but I didn't get much out of this one. Mostly it just made me said that women apparently put so much stock in how they look [and I say that as a woman].
Ten overall! Not bad considering this was a meh month for reading. I had several periods where I went days without reading because I didn't feel like it. I didn't meet all my goals - I thought I met the ABC one but my humor book turned out to be for teenagers 😅. I didn't finish a Newbery but I did start a few. I think having to go so far back in time to find one I haven't read makes it difficult. And the general apathy towards reading this month.
August Goals
[1] Read a Newbery
[2] Read 2 books, either an award winner, fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, or paranormal ABC.
[3] Read five books total
Happy reading!
August Books [1] Murder on the Red River 40ABC - I was really excited about this one but it disappointed. Not much of a story, more of a rambling.
[2] Midnight Sun - school started back [face-to-face, too!] so I needed something trashy to dive in to. Lo and behold, the new Twilight came out! How she managed to make this one WORSE than the first while also improving on the writing, I'll never understand. But it was fun to read at times!
[3] The Distance Between Us - Sweet as pie, completely unrealistic, and a great distraction. Fun read.
[4] The Wheel on the School Newbery - so dreadfully boring. Nice message but I don't know a single child who would read this. Granted, it was written back in the 50s . . .
[5] The Blue Hotel - I signed up for the Mouse Book Club and this was one of the selections that came in. After reading it, I had vague recollections of reading it in high school.
[6] The Borrowers Readaloud with son - It dragged a bit but the last chapter made the whole story delightful. My son was very concerned about cats eating people, though...
[7] This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work - Good but not what I was expecting.
[8] The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively - not earth-shattering but good!
Met most of my August goals, except I only read one out of two 40ABC books. 🤷 Going back to teaching face-to-face hasn't left much mental room to read. Hopefully, next month will be a bit more fulfilling as we get back into the swing of things. I did hit 100 books, though!
September Goals
[1] Read a Newbery
[2] Read 2 books for 40ABC
[3] Read something FUN
[4] Read five books total
Happy reading!
September Books[1] They Called Us Enemy - Technically read this the last day of August . . . FANTASTIC graphic novel! Highly recommend!
[2] The Mouse and the Motorcycle - Read aloud with four year old. He REALLY liked this one and talked about it a LOT [even going as far as to ask for a mouse as a pet . . .]
[3] The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives - This month's book for Everyday Reading's book club. Absolutely fascinating! Highly recommend to any parent!
[4] Mind of Winter 40ABC - Random library choice for my paranormal category. So creepy and so good! The twist at the end was surprising yet fit with the story. If you're looking for a good book for October, this is it.
[5] The Hunt for the Secret Papyrus - Read aloud with four year old. I've heard such great things about this series but I wasn't too impressed with it.
[6] Spells of Blood and Kin 40ABC - another random library pick for my Fantasy category. Interesting concept but a pointless story. Not for me.
[7] Parachutes - my fun novel pick that turned out to be heavier than I anticipated. I liked the overall story but I think Yang packs too many issues in, thus watering everything down.
[8] 24/6 The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week - Loved the idea but not the book. Repetitive and unorganized.
[9] What You Wish For - Not as good as Things You Save in a Fire but good enough for me to check out a few more books by Katherine Center.
[10] Dingoes at Dinnertime - Read aloud with four year old. He likes this series but I think it's boring. Granted . . . it is for children.
I met all my September goals but the Newbery one [currently reading [book:The High King|24781] but it's dragging for me. Hopefully, I'll finish in October so I can move on to something else].
October Goals
[1] Read 2 Newberys
[2] Read 1 ABC book
[3] Finish read aloud novels- currently The Wild Robot and Bunnicula
[4] Read something fun/spooky for Halloween!
Happy reading!
October Books [1]Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir 40ABC - I'd like to pretend I never read this book. It wasn't very funny despite being touted as a humorous book. Mostly I just felt sad for the author. And disturbed.
[2] Well Met - Not sure how I stumbled upon this book but it was CUTE. A great light read.
[3] Poppy - Preread for a read aloud. Reminds me a lot of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
[4] Bunnicula - Halloween read aloud with my four year old. It was okay.
[5] The Problim Children - TOME bookclub book. It started out really strong but fizzles by the end. Definitely a setup to a series but not in an engaging way. It left so much unsaid that I have no desire to finish the series.
[6] The Grace Year - Thought it was going to be better than it was. I think I need to just move away from YA dystopian stories.
[7] The High King Newbery - I skimmed whole sections of this. It was just INCREDIBLY boring.
[8] Strawberry Girl Newbery - Little House on the Prairie goes to Florida. I'm curious about the rest of the books in the series. Not curious enough to read them but curious nonetheless.
[9] The Wild Robot - Readaloud with the class that took THREE MONTHS to finish. Not a bad book but a bit of a rambler and more violence than I was expecting.
[10] Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve - Second Halloween read aloud with my four year old. Probably the best one we've read in the series [which isn't saying much as the rest of the series hasn't been too great but this one was definitely enjoyable].
[11] The Guest List - Random library pick. Thrilling and fun to read.
[12] Depression & Other Magic Tricks - I think this is something that has to be performed, not read. I love Sabrina Benaim's videos, many of which are the exact same as the poems in her book, but I was underwhelmed with the written form.
[13] Switchers - I was OBSESSED with this series as a preteen [though more so with the second book, [book:Midnight's Choice|1001976]]. Enough time has passed that I didn't remember all of the plot so it was a nice, exciting read.
[14] Well Played - I enjoyed Well Met so much that I bought this one. It was okay. Well Met was definitely better.
Fourteen books!! And I met all of my reading goals for October. Woohoo!
November Goals
[1] Read 2 Newbery novels
[2] Read 2 ABC novels
[3] Read something for Thanksgiving
Happy Reading!
December Books[1] Ghost Class - Read aloud with class. Meh.
[2] The Home Edit Life: The Complete Guide to Organizing Absolutely Everything at Work, at Home, and on the Go - beautiful but impractical.
[3] Hope Never Dies - such a weird premise but a fun read!
[4] The Silver Arrow - Read aloud with my four year old. Lovely but a bit preachy.
[5] My Father's Dragon - read aloud with my four year old. Cute but I was expecting more.
[6] How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy 40ABC - meh. It's the reason behind Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World but Digital Minimalism is better.
[7] Miracles and Menorahs - I saw this on a Goodreads book list and thought it would be cute. And it would have been had it been a short story.
[8] Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook - 40ABC Award [2020 Goodreads Award Winner] Love Ina Garten [though it was eery reading about Covid will still in the midst of Covid . . . ]
[9] Song for a Whale - TOME book. LOVED IT!
[10] Blood and Chocolate - Fun Thanksgiving read from when I was a preteen that I completely forgot was a little over the top. Yeesh.
[11] How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories - one of my favorite series so of course, I had to read this one!
Eleven books while completing NaNoWriMo? I'll take it! <3 Even if I didn't meet all my goals. :P
December Goals
[1] Read 3 Newberys
[2] Read sci-fi ABC and award [though I think I have read the award one and just haven't categorized it as such.
[3] Fun Christmas read [most likey [book:In a Holidaze|50892287]
Happy reading!
Last book reflection of 2020!! 🎉December 2020
[1] No Offense - Completely forgot I read this one. Obviously, it was forgettable.
[2] Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History - absolutely lovely!
[3] A Greener Christmas - meh
[4] American Christmas: Recipes and Ideas to Inspire Holiday Traditions - more meh
[5] The Christmas Swap - Read like a bad Hallmark Christmas movie.
[6] The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - 40ABC scifi - why did I wait so long to read this? Delightfully funny.
[7] In a Holidaze - It was good but not great.
[8] Love & Olives - sweet but wayyyyyyy too farfetched
[9] Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff - I liked her other book better but good!
Nine! Not a bad way to end 2020!
2020 Goal Reflection
Read at least 60 books
Done! I read 145/60 books, meeting this goal at 242% 😅
12 Newbery award winners
Almost! I read 9/12, falling short at 75%. I've now read all the Newbery's from 1970-2020 and the older ones are just not as . . . enjoyable. But I'm determined to finish them at some point!
2 books each for the following categories . . .
100% Completion!!! This was my FAVORITE goal! It really pushed me out of my comfort zone and while I didn't love every book from this challenge, it was a lot of fun.
20 books of my own choice
DONE!! 108/20, meeting the goal at 540%. 🤷
This has definitely been my BEST year for reading, most likely because I need an escape from 2020.
Below are my Top Ten Books, in reverse order:
[10] The Guest List - Great thriller with lots of twists, turns, and unexpected POVs. Wonderfully done!
[9] Lost Towns of North Georgia 40ABC Historical Nonfiction - this is where I'm from so it may not be fascinating but I LOVED this book and have gone on to read the others in the series. Not the best writing but fascinating history!
[8] The Mercies 40ABC Historical Fiction - one of the last Library Table grabs before shutdown. COMPLETELY took me by surprise!
[7] All-of-a-Kind Family Readaloud with my son - such a sweet, sweet book set in New York during the early 20th Century about a young family with five girls.
[6] Beach Read - Though it wasn't on my 40ABC challenge, I would not have read it if I hadn't already started the challenge. Wonderful book - funny and touching while also poking at the bigger questions of life. Highly recommend.
[5] Lovely War - Back in July, I thought this would be my number one for 2020 and while it's still great, I found few others that bumped it out of it's spot.
[4] They Called Us Enemy - Kid's graphic novel that is so POWERFUL! It's about George Takei's experiences in a Japanese Internment Camp in the US during WWII. Eye opening for children and adults.
[3] Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - 40ABC Literary Fiction - I thought this was going to be like The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, which was great, but this one is so, so, so much better! If you haven't read it, do it!
[2] Mind of Winter 40ABC Paranormal - Random library curbside pick up after I needed something to fit the Paranormal category. Don't let this little sleeper book fool you - it packs a punch with great twists and turns. I devoured this book in a day and the ending surprised me. Highly recommend it if you're looking for a spooky read.
[1] Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World - I cannot stop thinking about this book! I read it during the summer while trying to navigate the post-quarantine but pre-work world. The world, especially the online world, was a very scary place for me and this book helped me shape my digital consumption so that it was helpful rather than hurtful. If you feel like you have no time for things, get bummed out by what you read on the internet, or feel like you spend more time on the phone than with people, READ THIS BOOK. It's awesome.
2020 was so many different things for so many different people. Books kept me feeling normal and I hope it did for you, too.
Happy reading in 2021!
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
No Offense (other topics)The Christmas Swap (other topics)
A Greener Christmas (other topics)
American Christmas: Recipes and Ideas to Inspire Holiday Traditions (other topics)
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
George Takei (other topics)Ina Garten (other topics)
Sabrina Benaim (other topics)
Katherine Center (other topics)
Anuschka Rees (other topics)
More...
In the past, I've aimed for 60 books, with a mixture of Newbery's, Pulitizers, and the The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had book list. Well . . . turns out that makes for dull reading. So I'm trying something different this year to expand my reading while also having fun!
I'm keeping the Newbery's - they're easy and good for my line of work - but I'm leaving the Pulitzer's and WEM for now. Instead, I'm taking the The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child's 40 book challenge and tweaking it for adult literature to expand my reading.
2020 Goals
- Read at least 60 books: I've surpassed this goal each year I've set it but I like the number. Five books a month is doable EVERY month so I'm sticking with it rather than raising it.
Within those 60 books, I plan on reading:
- 12 Newbery award winners
- 2 books each for the following categories: literary fiction, poetry, biography/autobiography/memoir, historical fiction, horror/thriller, nonfiction, romance, history [nonfiction], humor, paranormal, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and award winners [for a total of 28 books]
- 20 books of my own choice.
Happy reading, everyone!