17 January 2025
After a very successful 2023 list (20/24, by far the closest I’ve come to completing one), I faltered a bit in 2024, finishing 16 of 24. Part of that was due to the library holds system – The Power of Moments just arrived, and I’ve been waiting weeks for Delicious! and The Measure to be delivered – but I suspect I also fell victim to a defect I noticed in 2022: placing books on the list that I wasn’t absolutely chomping at the bit to read. That’s the bar I’m using this year (absolutely chomping at the bit to read), and I’m also making one other change: I’m putting some of the books I’m most eager to tear into in the last quarter. If I get to them sooner? That’s quite alright. I’m guessing I’ll just be grateful to have read them at all :) (If you’re new, this is the very lowest-key of book clubs: I consider it a delightful exercise in thoughtfully planning my reading a year at a time (12 fiction, 12 non-fiction), and though I’m often at the whim of my library holds (ahem, see above), it’s helpful to always know where to turn when I’m ready for a new book!) Without further ado… January:The Unmaking of June Farrow | I love a well-done time travel escapade and this 2024 NYT bestseller, set in North Carolina and recommended by Janssen, has all the makings of a hit: “a woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love.”Well-Lived | This is Sally Clarkson’s newest book, undoubtedly filled with her wisdom on family, hospitality, discipleship, and cultivating joy – and this time, accented by her time living in Oxford with her daughter’s family. February:Gilead | This Pulitzer Prize winner has come
17 January 2022
For the last two years, I’ve pre-planned 24 books to read throughout the year – one fiction and one non-fiction each month – for my own personal book club. It’s a plan I’ve held loosely (I read 17 of my 24 picks in both 2020 and 2021), but one that’s been a bright spot. There are just so many incredible books to read (!!), and it’s nice to be thoughtful about how I’ll meander through my TBR list – carving out time for both new authors, subjects, and modes as well as old favorites. Here’s what I have planned for 2022. I’m excited to read each one of these books, and if you’d like me to join me for any of them, I’d love to have you! January: The Last Story of Mina Lee | Recommended by my friend Sam, this is the story of a Korean immigrant mother and her daughter, switching between their two perspectives decades apart, and the far-reaching impacts of the secrets they keep.The Power of Fun | This book is brand new – it came out in December 2021! – and I’m reading it along with Janssen’s book club. For a naturally serious person who also places a high value on creating memorable and fun experiences for the people I love, reading a book about having fun sounds just about right :) February:The Evening and the Morning | This is the prequel to Ken Follett’s epic, beloved Kingsbridge series. The books are fat and engrossing, and I’ve savored them by reading one per year over the last few years. This installment begins in 997 CE, the beginning of the Middle Ages (fascinating!), and is supposed to be just as good as the others.Gentle and Lowly | I’ve never really read a book focusing just on who
4 January 2021
Last year, for the first time, I pre-planned 24 books to read throughout the year – one fiction and one non-fiction each month – for my own personal book club. I was very skeptical about the whole idea (would I hate being constrained? would I lose interest a few months in?), but I agreed – with myself – to hold the plan with loose hands. Turns out, I loved everything about this project – turns out, it was one of my favorite things about 2020! I did, indeed, hold the plan loosely, especially when libraries closed for several months, and ended up reading 17 of my planned 24 books. Because of it, I was much more thoughtful about the mix of books I read – dipping into a wider variety of authors, subjects, depths, and modes than I would have had I just been at the whim of my library requested-books queue. That’s what most excites me for my 2021 list. I have spent much time (kind of an embarrassing amount of time, actually) finalizing it. In the process, I referenced trusted friends (many of whom you’ll see sprinkled throughout this post), considered the events of my year, and mined my own extensive TBR iPhone note. I’m excited to read each one of these books, and if you’d like me to join me for any of them, I’d love to have you! Like last year, I’m planning to share a few brief thoughts on Instagram along the way, as well as in my monthly goal posts. Many of these picks line up with my 2021 goals, which I’ve finalized and am planning to share later this week! Without further ado… January:Such a Fun Age | This is by far the number one recommended book that I have not yet read, so
22 September 2014
Let’s talk about books this week, friends! Ever since my Puffin in Bloom post kicked off a children’s literature discussion, I’ve been brainstorming my definitive list of favorites. Today, we’ll do picture books, later this week, chapter books, and I’ll finish it off with the twenty books I’ve read so far this year. I can’t wait to hear what you think!! In alphabetical order, my top 25 favorite picture books: Barnyard Dance A Bear Called Paddington The Berenstein Bears series Blueberries for Sal Bread and Jam for Frances Burt Dow, Deep-Water Man The Butter Battle Book Caps for Sale Curious George Frederick The Giving Tree Gregory the Terrible Eater How My Parents Learned to Eat The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear Lobsterman Madeline Miss Rumphius Mr. Pine’s Purple House Olivia One Morning in Maine The Paper Bag Princess The Sneetches Time of Wonder Where the Sidewalk Ends Where the Wild Things Are I know I left off a ton of fantastic books, but these are the ones I remember most fondly from my childhood. What would be on your list?? (For reference, here is Design Mom’s list of her top 50 picture books!)