What I'm Reading: 1/21/12

This is all I read this week. I've been so busy with the GRE that I've been neglecting my readings (for class and pleasure, sorry mom!). Okay so I've done most of my class reading, but this is the only book I finished this week. I loved it. It was beautiful. If you haven't read anything by John Green before I'm not sure I'd start with this (just because it's so intense), but I recommend it very highly. I do cry when I read books on occasion, but I bawled through the end of this. Like, crazy crying on par with when I read The Notebook. 

If I was asked which of John Green's books to read first, I'd definitely respond with this one. Alaska is the kind of book (like TFiOS) that transcends its genre of Young Adult Fiction. Just because it's about teenagers doesn't mean it only applies to them. I read this while I was in high school but I will probably go back to it this year and reread it.

2012 Book Total: 2/50

What I'm Reading: 1/14/12

I've got one book done, but I've picked up a few new books to start reading soon too.

I finished Prince Caspian earlier this week! It was my favorite of the Narnia books I've read so far.

TFiOS came out this week! I think I've mentioned before how much I like John Green, but if I haven't... I really like John Green. I have been waiting for this book for so long that I am rationing it so that I don't read the whole thing in one sitting. I want it to last forever!

My roommate borrowed my copy of Coraline before winter break, so I've been waiting to read this book for a long time!

And finally (also obviously) I'm reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Three left!

Anyway, I'm trying my hardest to get all of my books read this year, doing schoolwork, and possibly starting a second internship! I'm keeping time for blogging, though I might switch to 5 days a week instead of 7. We'll see how I do!

What I'm Reading - 1/7/12

Unfortunately, I haven't finished any books so far this year. These are the books I'm reading right now.

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis: The collection I have is in chronological order instead of publication order, so that's the order I'm reading them in. I didn't even know there was any controversy until after I had finished both The Magician's Nephew AND The Horse and His Boy!

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: I received this book as a Christmas present from my parents. I consider myself a Mac addict, but I never knew most of the backstory about Steve Jobs' life until after his death. This book is really compelling so far, but it's pretty daunting since it's over 600 pages!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: I grabbed this book off the shelf yesterday but I haven't actually started reading it yet. I'm hoping to start it soon since it's quite a bit smaller than my Narnia collection or the Steve Jobs book and will be easier to cart back and forth between school and home.

What have you been reading lately? Have any of you decided to start a 2012 book challenge too?

2011 Reading Challenge = COMPLETE!

There are the 25 books I read this year! I really didn't think I'd finish the challenge since I started in May, but I did and I am so proud of myself! Reading more for pleasure and not just for school has helped me become a better writer, thinker, and reader. 

I'm not sure what I'm going to try to read this year. I will keep y'all updated on the thing s I've read!

What I'm Reading 12/27

       

These are the two books I've finished recently. I actually read Mindy Kaling's book in a day! It kept me laughing the whole way through. The Grits Guide to Life was really good as well, but it took me forever to finish.

       

These are the two books I'm currently reading. I need to finish 2 more books before the 1st of the year, and I'm hoping I can get through these two quickly. I started reading The Horse and His Boy, but I lost the book for a while then found it while cleaning my apartment out.  I've read Naked before but it is a good, easy read so I thought I'd re-read it.

What I’m Reading… 11/29

Since my last “What I’m Reading” post, I’ve finished FIVE books!

Thanks to my recent reading spurt, I’m only five books away from meeting my 2011 goal! I’m reading a few different books right now and I still have the whole month of December left!

You can follow me on Goodreads if you’re interested in more frequent updates. I try to update my progress once a day!

Take a look, it's in a book!

I love to read! In my about me on the right hand side of this page, "reading" is my first interest. I have ALWAYS been a reader. I remember going out to dinner when I was younger and bringing a book with me. In the spirit of being honest, I will admit that is what first drew me to purses--being able to carry a book without looking like a nerd.

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Somehow as a child I missed out on reading The Chronicles of Narnia. Maybe I was too consumed with Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High. Not sure, but I am reading them all now and I seriously love them. I finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe last night and immediately started this one. I had never heard of it before!

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Before starting the Chronicles of Narnia series, I read Paper Towns by John Green.  John Green is my second favorite living author (to J.K. Rowling, so I feel like second favorite is okay).  I first heard of him through his YouTube videos with his brother while I was still in high school and immediately read Looking for Alaska. One of my favorite books of all time, I have (over the last three years) read all of his others (only two others--this and one other book) since finishing that one.  While not as good as Alaska, Paper Towns is set in Orlando and also a very good book. Highly recommended.

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I first heard about Liz Murray when she was doing an interview on NPR. This awe-inspiring true story of how Liz Murray went from "Homeless to Harvard" is mind boggling to me (and others -- her life was made into a Lifetime Movie). Breaking Night is a memoir, including stories about watching her parents do drugs, living on the streets, watching her mother die from AIDS, and (finally) getting into Harvard. This book made me so thankful for everything that I have in life and I really believe EVERYONE should read it.

My goal for this year was 25 books--one (about) every two weeks.  I am at 14, so I am WAY behind. I get so busy with school sometimes that I forget to take time out of my schedule to read.  Whenever I do, I always feel so much more refreshed and energized about school. I plan on finishing my last 11 books whatever it takes.  Shouldn't be too hard since my last final is on 12/8--I'll have most of a month to finish the books I have left!

What books are on your to-read list? I still haven't read The Hunger Games trilogy, and I've recently added The Woman in Black to my to-read list as well (before I go see the movie).