2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

I can't wait to see what I read this year!

Overarching Goal:
Read 60 Books

Within these 60, I plan on reading:
12 Read Aloud Books with my Children
8 Free Choice
40 Adult Book Challenge [loosely based off [author:Donalyn Miller|1970104]'s 40 Book Challenge]. The 40 Books will be in the following categories:
12 Book of the Month Club Books
14 Nonfiction Books
- 2 Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs
- 4 Historical
- 8 Free Choice
14 Fiction Books
- 2 Sci-Fantasy
- 2 Mystery/Thrillers
- 2 Historical Fiction
- 2 Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
- 2 Award-Winning Fiction
- 4 Free Choice

Happy Reading!

2022 Reading Challenge Breakdown

Read Aloud Books with my Children
1: Kiki's Delivery Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2: Lulu and the Brontosaurus ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3: Danger at the Haunted Gate⭐️⭐️⭐️
4: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator ⭐️⭐️⭐️
5: Fantastic Mr. Fox⭐️⭐️
6: Ways to Make Sunshine⭐️⭐️⭐️
7: The US Capital Commotion⭐️⭐️⭐️
8: A Mouse Called Miika⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9: Just Harriet⭐️⭐️⭐️
10: We're Not from Here⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
11: Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend⭐️⭐️⭐️
12: Malamander⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*The Lion of Mars⭐️⭐️
*A Boy Called Christmas⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


8 Free Choice
1: Dragons in a Bag⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals⭐️⭐️
3: My Money My Way: Taking Back Control of Your Financial Life⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4: Scattered Showers⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5: Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination⭐️⭐️⭐️
6: Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You⭐️⭐️⭐️
7: Beach Read⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
8: Celebrate with Babs: Holiday Recipes & Family Traditions⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

40 Adult Book Challenge
12 Book of the Month Club Books
1: A History of Wild Places ⭐️⭐️
2: The Magnolia Palace ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3: The Holiday Swap⭐️⭐️⭐️
4: The Dating Plan ⭐️⭐️⭐️
5: A Flicker in the Dark⭐️⭐️⭐️
6: Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America⭐️⭐️
7: The Book of Cold Cases⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
8: No Exit⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9: Part of Your World ⭐️⭐️
10: The Hacienda⭐️⭐️⭐️
11: You're Invited⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
12: Love on the Brain⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nonfiction Books
Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs
1: Rebel Homemaker: Food, Family, Life⭐️⭐️
2: The Happiest Man on Earth⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Historical
1: The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2: Americanon: An Unexpected U.S. History in Thirteen Bestselling Books⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3: From Catharine Beecher to Martha Stewart: A Cultural History of Domestic Advice⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4: An Edwardian Housewife's Companion: A Guide for the Perfect Home. Reuben Davison⭐️⭐️

Nonfiction Free Choice
1: AKC STAR Puppy: A Positive Behavioral Approach to Puppy Training ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2: The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life⭐️
4: Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5: Hill House Living: The Art of Creating a Joyful Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6: The Blue Zones Challenge: Your Guide to a Healthier, Happier, Longer Life⭐️⭐️⭐️
7: Minimalista: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Home, Wardrobe, and Life⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
8: Hello, Habits: A Minimalist's Guide to a Better Life⭐️⭐️

Fiction Books
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
1: The Ex Hex⭐️⭐️
2:Witch Please⭐️

Mystery/Thrillers
1: Verity⭐️⭐️
2: Sea of Tranquility⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (bit of a stretch but there you have it)

Historical Fiction
1: One Italian Summer⭐️⭐️⭐️ (a bit of a cheat but whatev)
2: A Holiday by Gaslight⭐️⭐️⭐️ (is this a stretch? Yes. Do I care? No.)

Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
1: Good Girl Complex⭐️⭐️
2: Lease on Love⭐️

Award-Winning Fiction
1: The Final Girl Support Group⭐️⭐️⭐️ Goodread's Choice Winner for Horror - 2021
2: Evvie Drake Starts Over⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Stretch BUT NPR ;)
3: Beach Read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Best Romance, PopSugar
4: Sea of Tranquility ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Best Science Fiction, Goodreads

good luck with all your reading goals this year!

January 2022
[1] Old Yeller - the first book of 2022 and it was to finish the read-aloud I started in 2021 with my fourth graders. They enjoyed it. Emotions were had at the end.
[2] A History of Wild Places BOTM - I liked this - it was dark and dreary but had a good storyline to it. However, the ending sucked big time. Too convenient for me.
[3] AKC STAR Puppy: A Positive Behavioral Approach to Puppy Training - Our family got a puppy for Christmas and so I read this. Great advice. ;)
[4] The Magnolia Palace - BOTM choice for January - This was my FAVORITE adult fiction for the month! Interesting, fun to read, and historical. LOVED it!
[5] Kiki's Delivery Service - first read aloud with my boys! <3 I saw this in Barnes and Noble, not realizing that the movie was based on the book. I enjoyed sharing this quaint, episodic story with my children [and then watching the movie with them!]
[6] The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again - Everyday Reading Book Club choice. It had moments of awesomeness but it was also a little too uppity for me.
[7] Lulu and the Brontosaurus - The second read-aloud with my boys that I thought would last a week or two but we finished it in a day. They enjoyed it.
[8] The Holiday Swap BOTM - an entertaining story that I read in one sitting but there's not much to it. Very Hallmark-ish.
[9] The Dating Plan BOTM - I thought this was cute but a bit of stretch. You really have to suspend some disbelief when it comes to the situations the characters get themselves in.
[10] You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life - this was a big ol' library mistake. Ugh. If it wasn't so short, I would have DNFd. Not really worth the time to read it.

Ten books! Great start to 2022! I'm enjoying the BOTM selections - I didn't realize how many I've read in the past so that's been an interesting twist.

February]
[1] 2 Romances [because I like a good holiday theme ;)]
[2] 2 40ABC
[3] 1 Readaloud with boys

Happy Reading!

February 2022
[1] Love Your Life - Romance for Valentine's Day that basically made it so I wanted to read no others because I just didn't care for the main character.
[2] Danger at the Haunted Gate - read aloud with my boys and they loved the choose your adventure style
[3] Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - another family read aloud. The kids adored this one, too [though there were some parts that have not aged as well].
[4] Hill House Living: The Art of Creating a Joyful Life - not something I would normally pick up [or would I...? Probably.] but the joy the author put into it was refreshing.
[5] A Flicker in the Dark - Book of the month. Nice thriller but predictable.
[6] Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism - I liked this. Would I do it? No. But it was an interesting read.
[7] The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket - I LOVED this! Granted, I love obscure history books [though this one gets rather dark by the end and it'll make you not want to go to the grocery store every again if you dwell on it too much].

Seven books! I didn't make all my goals because I only read one romance [unless you count [book:A Flicker in the Dark|57693172] as a romance, which I do not] but not too shabby.

March 2022
[1] 5 books total
[2] Something light within those five.

Happy reading!

March 2022
[1] Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - read aloud with my students. I've never read this one because I've head that it's more gruesome than the movies but I actually really enjoyed it - and so did the children!
[2] Fantastic Mr. Fox - read aloud with my personal children. They liked it but I felt like it wasn't as good as others by Roald Dahl.
[3] The Blue Zones Challenge: Your Guide to a Healthier, Happier, Longer Life - I COMPLETELY missed that this was a challenge book. I've seen a few things about the Blue Zones here and there so I thought it would be interesting to read about and while it was, this was not the format for me. It was more application that research.
[4] Minimalista: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Home, Wardrobe, and Life - I love books like this so, of course, I loved this, too, especially the author's "tough love" writing.
[5] Good Girl Complex - like a trashy movie that's fun to watch while being completely unrealistic and predictable. Good fun.
[6] Lease on Love - I wanted to love this one but I felt the opposite. It's boring, no real conflict, unrealistic, and the reader is supposed to sympathize with the main character but she just came off as whiny and self-absorbed to me. Total flop for me.
[7] Ways to Make Sunshine - read aloud with my boys. They were enthralled by this sweet book.
[8] Hello, Habits: A Minimalist's Guide to a Better Life - I enjoyed Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism but this one wasn't as impactful. It left me with some food for thought but felt way too long.
[9] Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America- I wanted to love this but I felt like it didn't fulfill it's purpose of highlighting the seven women. Their lives seemed to be shrunken down to the bare minimal.
[10] The US Capital Commotion - another read aloud with my boys. We probably should have started with another Flat Stanley book first [and not the very last one in the series . . .] but they liked it!

Ten books! I didn't think I'd make it to ten, especially after only reading seven last month, so this was a pleasant surprise! I met my two goals and enjoyed a majority of what I read.

April 2022
[1] Read five books
[2] Within those five, read an adult fiction book outside of the Book of the Month Club picks.

Happy reading!

April 2022
[1] Dragons in a Bag - read aloud with my class that we all loved. Very good!
[2] The Book of Cold Cases - BOM - so good with just a touch of creepy. Love Simone St. James's ability to weave in the supernatural.
[3] Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals - meh. This didn't do it for me. Lots of doom and gloom. You can tell the author didn't have a clear idea on how he wanted to write this book.
[4] Rebel Homemaker: Food, Family, Life - is it a stretch to call this a memoir? Possibly but whatever. I am. Even if I didn't really like it.
[5]Evvie Drake Starts Over - it surprised me how much I liked this book! Cute, funny, and very heartfelt.
[6] Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination - library pick up. It's literally a commencement speech but probably one of the better ones I've read/heard.
[7] Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You - I only rated this three stars, which is typically a good but not stellar read for me. However, I have taken a lot of the ideas presented this book and used them in my life so while the writing isn't terribly interesting, the thought behind them is.
[8] Beach Read - accidental re-read as I wait for Emily Henry's next book. I LOVE this book and recommend it to anyone and everyone.
[9] Celebrate with Babs: Holiday Recipes & Family Traditions - I kind of forgot I preordered this but I loved it. It makes me wish Barbara Costello was my grandmother!
[10] Heart Solution for Women: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Immediate pick up after a doctor's visit. 😅 Very informative. I feel like I have a much better understanding about my own health!
[11] A Mouse Called Miika - read aloud with my four and five year old and they LOVED it! And so did I! Very charming.
[12] My Money My Way: Taking Back Control of Your Financial Life - saw this at target and then saw it was at my library so I tried it out. SO GOOD. Financial advice for average people. Loved it!
[13] 10 Blind Dates - the writing left much to be desired but this was cute.
[14] No Exit - BOM - not my usual cup of tea but it was really good. Read like a movie.

Fourteen! And most of them were good if not better! Great reading month.

May 2022
[1] Five books, with one being a mystery/historical/fantasy/award winner adult fiction that is not a part of BOM.

Happy reading!

May 2022
[1] Verity - I get why this has so much hype but it was just not for me. I am not a fan of stories that harm children and that was a big part of this story that I just couldn't hang with.
[2] Part of Your World BOM - cute but mostly meh. I'm starting to think the romance BOM are just not for me.
[3] The Hacienda BOM - I loved this one. It was a little dry at first but it was so spooky. The characters were great.
[4] The Ex Hex - technically this is a BOM because I saw it on that last but the hold came in months later. It was okay. Honestly, it might have been better had not been anticipating it for months.
[5] Just Harriet - read aloud with my 4 and 5 year old. I didn't really care for Harriet at first but she redeems herself. My boys LOVED it!
[6] Witch Please - I was promised Gilmore Girls but with witches. Aside from having three generations of women, this was not that AT ALL. Very disappointing.

I am so shocked I made it to six. This was a rough reading month but that's okay.

June 2022
[1] Five books total
[2] 2 Teaching Books
[3] 1 Fun book

Happy reading!

June 2022
[1] The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction - Education/Read aloud book. It was okay. Longer than needed.
[2] Every Summer After - Oh, the summer month books. How I have missed you. <3 This was excellent, up until the reveal of the conflict. Just a bad call from the author. I feel like she could have chosen something else to fit the character more.
[3] Book Lovers - I love Emily Henry and while this was good, it's definitely my least favorite of the ones I've read.
[4] The Bromance Book Club - I've seen this series a few times and I thought I'd give it a shot. Entertaining but that's about it.
[5] We're Not from Here - I was supposed to read this for a book club and didn't . . . but it made for an excellent read aloud for my children! Funny and thought-provoking.
[6] The Newcomer - is it summer without a Mary Kay Andrews's book? I think not. Better than her last few.
[7] Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend - read aloud book with my boys. It was okay.
[8] Fangirl - I recommend this to someone and realized I hadn't read it in a few years so I read it again. That Rainbow Rowell . . . I just LOVE her books.
[9] The Roughest Draft - great summer read!
[10] Your Time to Thrive: End Burnout, Increase Well-being, and Unlock Your Full Potential with the New Science of Microsteps - I love a good habits book. This is nothing new but it was a good reminder.
[11] The Girl with the Brown Crayon - having the chance to look at another teacher's classroom is the best. Immensely enjoyed.
[12] The Happiest Man on Earth - WONDERFUL. Everyone should read.

Twelve books! And I hit all my goals!

July 2022
[1] Finish The Burnout Cure: Learning to Love Teaching Again and Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning
[2] Three books for fun!

Mid-Year Check Up
Read 60 Books
59/60 = 98% complete! I think I'll have no problem with this one. ;)

Within these 60, I plan on reading:
12 Read Aloud Books with my Children
11/12 = 92% complete! This has been the BEST challenge! It truly pushed me to reading more novels with my children, and I think they've enjoyed it as well! I plan on continuing well past 12.

8 Free Choice
8/8 = 100% complete! This was an easy one for me, obviously. :)

40 Adult Book Challenge [loosely based off [author:Donalyn Miller|1970104]'s 40 Book Challenge]. The 40 Books will be in the following categories:
12 Book of the Month Club Books
10/12 = 83% complete! This has been fun, fun, fun! I've gone out of my comfort zone a lot and read books I would normally never pick up. Well worth the monthly investment.

14 Nonfiction Books
11/14 = 79% complete! Nonfiction is always an easy win for me as it's my preferred genre.

14 Fiction Books
5/14 = 36% complete! I'm definitely behind on this goal BUT I think it's because I'm reading most of my fiction books through the Book of the Month club so I'm okay with it. I've also read other fiction books that just haven't counted towards the subcategories.

Overall, I'm rather pleased with my progress [though a part of me really wanted to rush in one more book for June so I would hit 60 books but that's okay ;) ]

Top 5 of 2021 (so far and in no particular order)
[1] The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket - This one probably isn't for everyone but I LOVED it! Mostly because I love obscure history and knowledge books. I was surprised at how Benjamin Lorr was able to take me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I honestly think the last page, which had me in TEARS, is what made it such a great book. He has a real talent of putting heart and soul in what could be a very mundane, dare I say boring topic.
[2] The Happiest Man on Earth - I just read this one last night but Eddie Jaku's life story is so powerful. Highly recommend to everyone.
[3] My Money My Way: Taking Back Control of Your Financial Life - As a person who did not have a dang clue about finances as I became an adult, I love a good, realistic book about money. This is the type of book I wish I could give to each graduating senior to help guide them into adulthood. It's just that good and so relatable to the average person. AND it's not about having a vault of money to swim in a la Scrooge McDuck or sacrificing every single one of life's pleasures to maybe one day live a rich life but about how to make finances work for YOU!
[4] The Roughest Draft - I love love, especially love that revolves around writing a book. My two favorite things! The fact that this one is a little angsty and written by a husband and wife team is even better.
[5] Kiki's Delivery Service - Our first read-aloud book of the year that was beloved by all. I remember watching the movie as a child but I had no idea it was based on a book. I think the book is even better. I wish I could live in the world of Kiki!

Whew! That's all I got for now! Happy Reading!!

July 2022
[1] One Italian Summer - I was a sucker for the very, very pretty cover. The mother/daughter storyline was great, the romance sucked, and the MC was a terrible partner. Still, the writing was interesting enough for me to try another by Rebecca Serle.
[2] The Burnout Cure: Learning to Love Teaching Again - must have for teachers.
[3] Probably This Housewarming: A Guide to Creating a Home You Adore - library table strikes again!
[4] Malamander - read aloud with my four and six year old that took us over a month to read. It was a little darker than I thought it would be, probably not very suitable for my children, but they enjoyed.
[5] 180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators: - eager to try these strategies out this school year! More of an exploration of self care than anything else.
[6] I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 - read aloud with my four and six year old. They LOVED it [but now think sharks regularly swim in creeks . . .)
[7] Americanon: An Unexpected U.S. History in Thirteen Bestselling Books - AMAZING! Just what I LOVE in nonfiction - deep look into obscure history. And books.
[8] Organizing for the Rest of Us: 100 Realistic Strategies to Keep Any House Under Control - Dana K. White is the organizing guru for me. If you're not naturally tidy, this is for you.
[9] Love and Other Words - all the reviews said it was the better version of Every Summer After and they were right [though I DO think the young adult chapters in Every Summer After we more heartfelt than Love and Other Words but the overall story in Love and Other Words was topnotch]
[10] That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life: 50 Cheese by Numbers Maps for Inspired Gatherings and Creative Self-Care - it did not change my life but it was pretty to look at
[11] In Five Years - I decided to give Rebecca Serle another go. This was okay but her major plot points, which showed up in both books I've read, is not my cup of tea so I think I'll skip her for now.
[12] When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good - Decent but forgettable.
[13] The City Baker's Guide to Country Living - this was like a hallmark movie that never wanted to get aired.

Thirteen!! Woohooo! I didn't meet all my goals because I'm still working on Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning but I'm okay with that because it's a beast of a book.

August Goals
[1] Read a book. Any book. August is statistically my lowest book count every single year. I'll be happy if I read something with school starting back August 1.

Happy Reading!

August 2022
[1] Alice - super fractured fairytale. Something I would have LOVED as a teenager, especially since Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories. A little more graphic than I like but good.
[2] From Catharine Beecher to Martha Stewart: A Cultural History of Domestic Advice - I don't know what possessed me to read this but I enjoyed it.
[3] A Sky Painted Gold - this is one of those that I put on hold at the library and by the time it came in MONTHS later, I couldn't remember why I had put it on hold in the first place. But I absolutely LOVED it!!
[4] Simple Matters: Living with Less and Ending Up with More - okay but a bit too full of herself.
[5] The Homewreckers - I read this for a book club, even though I was a little hesitant. Don't get me wrong, I adore MKA, but her last couple of books haven't been good for me. This one, though, harkened back to her beginning days and I immensely enjoyed.
[6] Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World - LOVE LOVE LOVE! Simple living that isn't just creating a new, unattainable standard for living. Love it!
[7] You're Invited - BOM selection for July. Very entertaining with fantastic twists.
[8] Sea of Tranquility - library hold for someone else that I ended up reading. Interesting, entertaining, sad, and hopeful. Weird mixture. I almost wish there was more.
[9] Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - read aloud with my six and four year old. Very much enjoyed - but who wouldn't enjoy a Harry Potter read aloud?
[10] Small Town, Big Magic - this was hitting all my fall feels for the first ten or so chapters but then it flopped by the end. I wanted to love it! But I just didn't.

Ten!! I am SHOCKED. August is always a hard reading month for me but it turned out okay!

September Goals
[1] Book of the Month book
[2] Historical book - either fiction or nonfiction
[3] Award winner??? Why has this category been so HARD this year???

Happy reading!

September
[1] The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming - this was a recommendation that I liked but didn't love. The dual authorship was too jarring when reading.
[2] An Edwardian Housewife's Companion: A Guide for the Perfect Home. Reuben Davison - I love this period of history . . . but not this book. I can't even tell if it was well researched or not because the author did not cite ANYTHING.
[3] Accidentally Wes Anderson - neat but that's about it
[4] Love on the Brain - FUN read
[5] Dr. Melissa Sadin and Nathan Levy's Teachers' Guide to Trauma: 20 things kids with trauma wish their teachers knew - another recommendation that I did not care for. What's up with nonfiction books having teeny tiny reference sections? No, thanks.
[6] Heartstopper: Volume One - Confession - I saw this at Walmart, of all places, so I thought I'd give it a shot and picked it up at the library. It's sweet, teenage love type of read.
[7] Heartstopper: Volume Two - These are quick to read. Volume two is just as good [and just as fast to read...]
[8] The Final Girl Support Group - I've read a few Grady Hendrix books before and I'm always left with the feeling that they're good buttttttttttt would be better served as a movie rather than a book.
[9] Heartstopper: Volume Three - I mean . . . they're sweet and quick.

This was an okay month for reading, even if I did get nine done. I started and stopped a bunch of reads. I just had a hard time picking things. I don't know why. But I did meet my September goals so that's something, right??

October
[1] Seasonal books!! Horror, cozy mysteries, witchy, etc. . . . whatever feels right.
[2] Historical fiction or award winner

Happy Reading!

October
[1] Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven - I thought this would be a nice kick off for October but it was mostly weird and not at all fun for me.
[2] HausMagick: Transform Your Home with Witchcraft - super sale on kindle and recommended after I read Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven. Still odd but way better than the one that came before it.
[3] Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - I read this for my adult bookclub and LOVED it! I've heard of this story many, many, many times before but I had no idea what it was really about. It's hard to believe this was real!
[4] The Lion of Mars - read aloud with my children and while they liked it, it fell flat for me.
[5] The Blame Game - library table pick up that sucked me in but was ultimately a let down because the main character was completely dumb and unprofessional.
[6] Kiss and Tell - I've read the others in the series os this look fun and it was not. Very unrealistic [I mean . . . yes, romance novels tend to be unrealistic but this was over the top]
[7] Sign Here - my Book of the Month pick and OMG it was AMAZING! Loved it!
[8] The Girl and the Witch's Garden - read for my kid's book club and it was okay. Strong beginning and premise but the reasoning behind the big mystery was a let down. It really didn't make much sense.
[9] Candy Corn Murder - I got this from the library because I was looking for a cozy mystery, even though I rarely if ever read cozy mysterious. But this was a very Halloween themed reading month. As old school as the main character was, I really enjoyed it. It was fun and kooky and just what I needed. The town also reminded me a lot of Stars Hollow aka Gilmore Girls.

Nine! There was definitely a them with this month's readings and I enjoyed it! I'm finding it harder to set aside time to read - I tend to fill my time with other things - so nine isn't too shabby.

November
[1] Novemeber themed read [that better be better than last year's read . . .]
[2] A historical fiction and an award winner to stay on target for this year's goals!

Happy reading!

November
[1] Heartstopper: Volume Four - these little graphic novels have bewitched me. Just so cute and sweet.
[2] The Beach House Cookbook - Why did I read this? I don't know. I like cookbooks?
[3] 31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, and Transform Your World - Now I remember why I read the Beach House Cookbook! Because it was next to this one at the library and I am nothing if not impulsive. Neither of these was the one I was looking for but I got them . . . and ended up abandoning the one I actually wanted to read. Go figure.
[4] Scattered Showers - I LOVE Rainbow Rowell! This was not a disappointment! The best parts of Ms. Rowell. Love it! And it kickstarted a contemporary romance kick.
[5] Lovelight Farms - oh this was sweet. Loved it!
[6] In the Weeds - this was the second book in the Lovelight series but I didn't love it.
[7] The Co-op - and then I signed up for Kindle Unlimited during the sale and got this one. It was cute.

Seven! It was an unexpectedly busy month. Fun! But busy. Did I read a November themed read? Eh. I did read food books . . . does that count? Why not. It's my list! I definitely didn't read a historical fiction or an award winner. Perhaps I won't finish my challenge this year.

December
[1] Allllllllllll the Christmas books ❤️️
[2] Ideally, I'd love to finish my yearly challenge but with a historical fiction and 3 award winners left . . . it's not likely. But that's life. :)

Happy reading!

December
[1] Faking Christmas - so sweet! The kickstart to the Christmas Book season.
[2] Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - It seems like I'm conned into reading this every year, even though I don't really care for it.
[3] A Christmas Spark - I completely forgot about this one.
[4] The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - I hesitated to read this for so long but it was so good!
[5] A Holiday by Gaslight - surprisingly sweet! It's a novella that I wished was more novel length. The characters were interesting.
[6] The Plight Before Christmas - the family dynamics made this book but the actual romance was sketch as hell.
[7] Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook - I just love her, though one of the recipes I made FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER in this book was an epic fail. Not sure if it was Ina or me [it was probably me].
[8] Cotswolds Holiday - this was just so stinkin' good, especially for a Christmas book. Definitely puts you in the Christmas mood.
[9] A Boy Called Christmas - read aloud with my boys. Very good but I actually think the storyline presented in the movie is better!
[10] What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing - random read that was so powerful.
[11]Resting Scrooge Face - I wish I hadn't read this one. Wasn't worth the time.
[12] A Cross-Country Christmas - so sweet! Great way to end the Christmas season!

Twelve!!! And honestly, I could have squeaked out two more but there was no need to rush. They'll be 2023 reads. :) I also met ALL of my December goals!! Woohoooo!!!!

2022 Goals
Read 60 Books
120/60 = 200% complete! Woohooo!! Again, this is why I wans't worried about finishing my last two books in December. Doubling my yearly goal was winning enough.

Within these 60, I plan on reading:
12 Read Aloud Books with my Children
16/12 = 133% complete! I LOVED this part of the challenge and plan on continuing it into 2023. It has really added to our little family culture.

8 Free Choice
8/8 = 100% complete! [Probably more than 8, to be honest, but I'm not going back to count].

40 Adult Book Challenge [loosely based off [author:Donalyn Miller|1970104]'s 40 Book Challenge]. The 40 Books will be in the following categories:
12 Book of the Month Club Books
12/12 = 100% complete! This has been a new part of my reading challenge that I loved but I'm hesitating to continue in 2023. I'm just not sure it's worth the $17 a month when most of the books end up at the library a week or two after they're released on Book of the Month. HOWEVER . . . I also think the convenience of having the books mailed to me helps, even if I haven't read all the ones that have been sent to me. I don't know. It's a conundrum. I'm going to continue it for a couple of months but I might cut it. To be determined.

14 Nonfiction Books
14/14 = 100% complete! Probably more than that but I didn't track it past 14.

14 Fiction Books
14/14 = 100% complete! I did it by the skin of my teeth [and the 2022 Goodreads awards came in clutch to help me fluff out my award-winner category].

I met all my goals!!!! And I REALLY didn't think I would. To be honest, I was a little too ambitious with my 2022 reading goals with everything else that's going on in my life BUT . . . I had a good time.

Top Ten Books in Reverse Order
[10] You're Invited - BoM. This is 100% why Book of the Month might work well for me. I would have never picked up this on my own but I LOVED it!! The mystery, the atmosphere, the glamour. Beautiful and entertaining.
[9] Sign Here - BoM. Another win from Book of the Month. Again, would I have picked this on my own? No. But it was amazing! The dual narrative worked for me in the best possible way, along with the multiple storylines that seem absolutely unconnected until the very end. Loved it.
[8] No Exit - BoM. Great thriller. Made me realize how much I miss the genre.
[7] Every Summer After - I have strong feelings about this book. The flashbacks to their childhood are PHENOMENAL. Seriously top-notch writing. But the modern-day story sucks and the twist at the end sucks as well. If I could take the modern-day parts of Love and Other Words and mesh it with the flashbacks of Every Summer After, it would be hands down my favorite fiction book of the year. However, I can't. And as much as I loved the ending of Love and Other Words, Every Summer After came first for me in terms of writing. Except the crap twist.
[6] What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing - I hesitated to put this in my top ten since I read it in December BUT ... it was too good and thought-provoking not to include. It's good for you but I think it's even better to help you understand others better.
[5] Sea of Tranquility - I picked up this book for someone else who ended up not reading it but I did before it went back to the library. Mindbendingly phenomenal! I loved every bit of it.
[4] Kiki's Delivery Service - this was the first book I read this year with my boys. I had no idea my beloved childhood movie was a book! This was just so sweet and nostalgic for me. And my boys really gravitated to it. It set a good tone for our reading year.
[3] Americanon: An Unexpected U.S. History in Thirteen Bestselling Books - I love random bits of history books. This is one of those. It's not the type of American Classics were made to think of - there is no The Catcher in the Rye or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn on this list - but instead looks at best selling books that shaped America, like Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Betty Crocker's Cookbook. Fascinating. Highly recommend.
[2] The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket - there is no reason why I should love this book. None! But I do. The little mini stories about the history of the grocery store in America, along with current practices in the grocery world. It sounds boring, I know it does, but it really worked for me. And I can never look at shrimp the same way ever again.
[1] The Happiest Man on Earth - I picked this up on a whim at the library and was absolutely struck by Eddie Jaku's life. I've read my fair share of WWII stories [who hasn't?] but rarely have I read about life after the war. And what a life he had! This book put a lot in perspective - what life is really about, what it means to forgive, what it means to lead your own life despite whatever negative circumstances plague you. Recommend to everyone.

This was a great reading year for me! I had so much fun and got back into the pleasure of reading. I can't wait to see what is in store for 2023!

Happy reading!