Hellobee

One of my goals for 2017 is to read more books than I did in 2016. I read 44 books last year (my original goal was to read 52 but then 1st trimester happened ha!) I also want to do a better job tracking and planning what I’m reading, so I’m going to be posting monthly updates on Hellobee. Hopefully they’ll keep me accountable and also give other book lovers some ideas for their To Be Read list.

THE BOOKS I READ IN JANUARY:

In January I finished 5 books (for tracking purposes I count a book as “read” in the month I finish it even if it took me several months to read it):

1. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood (353 pages)

I bought the Kindle version of this book at the end of December and quickly moved it up my “to be read” list when it was voted the best book of the year by the Book of the Month Club (a fun and affordable way to get new releases in hardback). I really enjoyed this quick read, although the content is definitely not G-rated, and rated it 4 stars on Goodreads.

2. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (597 pages)

I usually like Kate Morton’s books but they take me awhile to get through. I listened to this one on audio and thoroughly enjoyed it, although it did drag a bit in the middle. I also rated this one 4 stars on Goodreads. Morton’s twists are always so good it’s hard for me to give her a lower rating.

3. The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country by Helen Russell (389 pages)

This book is very trendy right now – it’s about a writer who moved to Denmark and spent a year exploring why the Danish are consistently voted the happiest people in the world. If you’ve seen or read anything about the concept of “hygge,” you probably understand why so many people want to read this book. I enjoyed but didn’t love it, so I’m glad I bought it for pretty cheap during a Kindle sale (although if you really like books like Gretchen Rubin’s “The Happiness Project,” you may like this one a lot more than I did). I enjoyed the last few chapters about parenting in Denmark a lot more than the first half of the book, which bumped up my Goodreads rating to a 3.

4. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed (370 page)

I have been listening to this one on audio off and on for months and finally finished it. Strayed is the author of the very popular (and sometimes polarizing) book “Wild,” but you may love this one even if you weren’t a Wild fan. This book is a collection of the best Dear Sugar advice columns that Strayed wrote anonymously. It’s very good on audio, although warning — the book does contain graphic language and content. This was another 4-star book on Goodreads for me.

5. Did You Ever Have a Family? by Bill Clegg (308 pages)

I read this novel for my book club and am so glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed it and also appreciated that it was a relatively fast read. This book tracks a lot of people who are intertwined through a tragic event. If you like that type of plot, you’ll probably really enjoy this one. I rated it 4 stars on Goodreads although it was probably deserving of at least 4 1/2 stars.

THE BOOKS I PLAN TO READ IN FEBRUARY:

In February I am hoping to read at least 5 books and maybe squeeze in a 6th if I’m feeling ambitious (or pregnancy-induced insomnia continues to haunt me!)

“News of the World” by Paulette Jiles (this was the January pick for the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club, which I love; I am almost done with it)

“Everyone Brave is Forgiven” by Chris Cleave (reading with my Mom – have heard wonderful things)

“Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodsen (planning to listen on audio and discuss with my Dad who is reading one of her other books)

“This Is How It Always Is” by Laurie Frankel (the February pick for the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club – this one sounds fascinating)

“The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind” by Daniel J. Siegel (have been reading this one for awhile; I really enjoy it but often struggle to finish non-fiction books)

“Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood” by Jim Fay & Charles Fay, Ph.D. (I like the Love and Logic method in theory but want some more practical advice for the age of my kids)

What are you reading these days? Please share any book recommendations and check back in with me next month to follow along on with what I’m reading.