I didn’t read enough last year.
I got into this really bad habit with my own writing. Every time I had a book to finish I would work like crazy, writing for 10 or more hours a day. Then I would completely crash and burn out. I wasn’t good for much of anything except vegging in front of the TV watching Vampire Diaries on Netflix until I felt recharged enough to start the whole process over again. This didn’t leave much room for reading.
I’m not usually big on New Year’s resolutions. For me, the fall feels more like the start of a new year than January does. But I am very determined that I will find more balance in the next year. I have a whole writing schedule worked out that I really want to stick to.
In addition to keeping a better writing schedule, the Better Balance in the New Year Plan also includes sleeping better, exercising, eating well and muse-feeding. Muse-feeding is basically anything that helps me feel inspired, curious, interested, awake, and creative. There are so many good museums in Detroit that I never make the time to go to. There are also gorgeous hiking trails that I feel too busy (or lazy) to take advantage of. Movies I don’t go see. Recipes I don’t try. And so, so many books I don’t let myself read.
But not anymore!
In 2013 I’m going to try my darndest to read 100 new books. 100 books is a little less than 2 books a week, which is a lot. But I’m a fast reader, and when I read every day I definitely average better than 2 books a week. I think it’s doable. I hope it is! I spent a huge chunk of time tonight searching for books I want to read and now I am SO.EXCITED. I want to read them ALL. NOW. God, I love books. So many pretty covers, so many intriguing synopsises! I seriously can’t wait to get started.
Since I’m super nerdy I spent way too much time making a book list, which I will share below. Â So far I have 79 books. I’ll leave the last 21 spots blank for now. A lot of my choices are the first books in a series, so this gives me room to finish out the series if I like them. And hopefully leaves a few spots for new things I discover throughout the year. I have a mix of genres, though it’s pretty heavy on the YA. Basically the only rules I gave myself were that I couldn’t have read the book before (or at least it had to have been a LONG time ago. I’m looking at you, Wuthering Heights) and they had to be books I really, REALLY wanted to read. Not books that I thought I should read, or books that I thought would make me smarter. I figure if I’m going to keep at this they better be books that I’m truly interested in.
I’ll update here as I go, and maybe write a few book reviews as well. I’m also totally open to suggestions for my list! Feel free to let me know what you think is missing in the comments. I have the list organized by genre and by author name–you read the part about me being a nerd up there, right? There’s a key, if you’re interested.
Have a great New Year everyone!!
YA=young adult, CL=chicklit, NF=non-fiction, ROM=romance, HOR=horror, SF=science fiction, FAN=fantasy, MYS=mystery.
- YA Dollhouse-Anya Allyn
- YA Thirteen Reasons Why-Jay Asher
- YA Beauty Queens-Libba Bray
- YA Rebel Angels-Libba Bray
- YA Caddie Woodlawn-Carol Brink
- YA A Curse Dark As Gold-Elizabeth Bunce
- YA The Changeling-Elle Casey
- YA Wrecked-Elle Casey
- YA Dark Is Rising-Susan Cooper
- YA The Moon and More-Sarah Dessen
- YA What Happened to Goodbye-Sarah Dessen
- YA Hush Hush-Becca Fitzpatrick
- YA If I Stay-Gayle Forman
- YA Hunger-Michael Grant
- YA The fault in Our Stars-John Green
- YA Princess Academy-Shannon Hale
- YA The Summer I Turned Pretty-Jenny Han
- YA Wake-Amanda Hocking
- YA Slam-Nick Hornby
- YA Fallen-Lauren Kate
- YA I Am Number Four-Pittacus Lore
- YA Son-Lois Lowry
- YA Bumped-Megan Mccafferty
- YA Sloppy Firsts-Megan Mccafferty
- YA The Host-Stephanie Meyer
- YA Exit Here-Jason Myers
- YA Evermore-Alyson Noel
- YA Delirium-Lauren Oliver
- YA Flat Out Love-Jessica Park
- YA The Golden Compass-Philip Pullman
- YA Six Moon Summer-SM Reine
- YA Divergent-Veronica Roth
- YA The Vampire Diaries-LJ Smith
- YA Easy-Tammara Webber
- CL Thanks For The Memories- Cecelia Ahern
- CL The Wedding Day-Catherine Alliott
- CL Every Boys Got One-Meg Cabot
- CL Love By The Book-Dara England
- CL Love Always-Harriet Evans
- CL Where We Belong-Emily Giffin
- CL Austenland-Shannon Hale
- CL The Mystery of Mercy Close-Marian Keyes
- CL I’ve Got Your Number-Sophie Kinsella
- CL Wedding Night-Sophie Kinsella
- CL Always the bridesmaid-Whitney Lyles
- CL Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble-HP Mallory
- CL An Offer You Can’t Refuse-Jill Mansell
- CL The One You Really Want-Jill Mansell
- CL To The Moon and Back-Jill Mansell
- CL Me Before You-Jojo Moyes
- CL When Girlfriends Step Up-Savannah Page
- CL 10 Years On-Alice Peterson
- CL When in Rome-Gemma Townley
- NF At Home-Bill Bryson
- NF The Mother Tongue-Bill Bryson
- NF Shakespeare-Bill Bryson
- NF A Year of Biblical Womanhood-Rachel Held Evans
- NF Under the Duvet-Marian Keyes
- NF Wild-Cheryl Strayed
- ROM The Look of Love-Bella Andre
- ROM Northanger Abbey-Jane Austen
- ROM Wuthering Heights-Emily Bronte
- ROM Overbite-Meg Cabot
- ROM Entwined With You-Sylvia Day
- ROM False Colours-Georgette Heyer
- ROM Beautiful Disaster-Jamie McGuire
- ROM Unhitched-EL Sarnoff
- HOR World War Z-Max Brooks
- HOR The Stand-Stephen King
- HOR Walking Dead Compendium One- Robert Kirkman
- HOR Interview With the Vampire-Anne Rice
- SF Jenny Pox-JL Bryan
- SF The Hurricane-Hugh Howey
- SF Third Shift-Hugh Howey
- SF Rex Rising-Chrystalla Thoma
- SF No Shelter-TS Welti
- FAN A Game of Thrones-George RR Martin
- FAN The Hobbit-Tolkien
- MYS Gone Girl-Gillian Flynn
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rachelschurig 
I’d suggest, Vanessa Greene – The vintage teacup club & Alison Sherlock – The Desperate brides diet club
Looking into them both right now, thanks, Kat!
This is a great list. I have read some of these this year. Libba Bray is phenomenal. I absolutely loved the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, even with my many criticisms. I would also recommend Shadow and Bone if you haven’t read it. It is a stroke of brilliance. Also, Caddie Woodlawn was one of my favorite books in my youth. Good luck reading this year!
Thanks, Rebekah! I’ll take a look at Shadow and Bone.
Thanks for sharing your list! After finishing your most recent book I’ve been wanting to start another book, but didn’t have anything good to read. That’s the worst! I’m going to take some of your suggestions & hopefully reacquaint myself with my Kindle.
I hope you have a great year of reading! Let me know if you come across anything good I don’t have listed!
YA Thirteen Reasons Why-Jay Asher – Vair, vair good.
YA Beauty Queens-Libba Bray – Got through part of it, but want to finish. Quite interesting.
YA Rebel Angels-Libba Bray – Love the whole trilogy! My I suggest adding Going Bovine to the list?
YA If I Stay-Gayle Forman – We’ve discussed this one before, haven’t we? I think I have it on my Nook. I could see if it’s up for sharesies, if you like.
YA Fallen-Lauren Kate – I think I started this one and couldn’t get into it. Seems interesting though.
YA Son-Lois Lowry – On my list, too!
YA Bumped-Megan Mccafferty – Loved! Again, I think is on my Nook. Can check…
YA The Host-Stephanie Meyer – I think you know my reaction to this.
YA Delirium-Lauren Oliver – I started this one but my rental was up before I finished. I want to read it though!
YA Six Moon Summer-SM Reine – Well done.
YA The Vampire Diaries-LJ Smith – I have all four… 🙂 I should really reread them.
An ambitious list, friend! I bid you luck!
Thanks! I will definitely be in touch about possibly borrowing some of these. I’m off to a good start so far, I think!
Fabulous list and great goal, Rachel! And yay!! I spot a book of mine there. 🙂 Billy Bryson is a riot…great picks. If you like memoirs and want a good laugh I can’t recommend Firoozeh Dumas’s work enough. _Funny in Farsi_ and _Laughing Without an Accent_ are awesome. She’s brilliant and they’re quick and fun reads. Have a great 2013 and keep up the great work.
Thanks, Savannah! I agree, Billy Bryson is hilarious! I will check out the two you mentioned, thanks for the recs! And I am VERY excited to read your book. I hope to be adding a few more of yours to the list as you finish them up!
Thanks for the support, girl. I am very excited about my next book. It comes out next week so keep a sharp eye out. 🙂 And in March book 4 will be out! PS- I started book 2 in your Love Story series and I couldn’t think of a better way to make time on the elliptical so enjoyable!
I’ve been reading books by Susanna Kearsley. The writing is pretty good. Its historical romance with a twist (at least that’s the easiest way to explain it hehe) I saw your new book announcement on twitter and I hope its going well! Can’t wait to read it 🙂
Thanks, Katy! I will check out Susanna Kearsley, they sound right up my alley. The new book is going well so far, thanks so much!