My 2013 Reading Plan

It’s a new year with new books to read! Oh, I am excited! I read a lot of great books in 2012 and am excited to read many more in 2013.

My goal for this year is to read more than 120 books. I’m a fast reader – who loves to read – so this is doable for me, as I finally proved last year. To keep on track, I need to read about 10 books a month. Some months (and days), I’ll read more than others which is the beauty of a year-long reading plan. I just finished my second book of the new year (the joys of vacation) so am off to a good start!

Once again, I gave myself categories so reading choices are well-rounded. My six general reading categories are teaching, money saving / couponing, productivity / organization, classics, fiction, and other non-fiction.

Here are some of the books that I am most looking forward to reading this year. I hope I get to all of them, because new books often catch my fancy, so I find myself adding books faster than I can check them off.

What Great Teachers Do Differently: 17 Things That Matter Most by Todd Whitaker was recommended to me by my teacher friend, Michael. Anytime Michael emails, I pay attention – especially when he has a book to recommend! As a teacher, I always want to grow to be a better teacher so I’m hoping this book has some good advice.

In the area of couponing, the first book on my list is Saving Savy by Kelly Hancock. I won this book in a giveaway last year and always finished my couponing books from the library first. No longer. I’m looking forward to reading this perspective by a fellow Christian blogger / couponer. You can be sure I’ll share my frugal book review with you as soon as I’m finished!

I’ve already started reading Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin. I really like what she has to say – and I can relate to this book on many levels. It does remind me a bit of The Happiness Project but with more an emphasis on the home aspect as it affects our happiness.

I can’t remember if Mandi or Jessica recommended this book but I know that it’s on the top of my list thanks to a glowing recommendation by whomever it was. Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff is a series of short stories about his life – and how love (should) impact everything you do. Who doesn’t need that reminder from time to time?

I’m already on hold at the library for Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson. I’m not normally a suspense fiction book type of girl – only when it’s written by Dee. She hasn’t written a new book in awhile, and I’m sure it’s been worth the wait.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield was recommended to me by dear friend and fellow book lover, Rachel. She’s a busy English teacher now, but I still pay attention to her recommendations. I don’t know much else about this book except this. It’s fiction about a writer, her life and the stories she’s told.

I saw that Christian fiction author Tracie Peterson has two new books coming out this year, and I really like her books! The Icecutter’s Daughter comes out in March, followed by The Quarryman’s Bride. They are both on my list, and I’m hoping that Bethany House will want me to review one (or maybe both?) of them!

The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy is also on my fiction list. It’s another WWII story – set in Germany during the 1940s and in Texas 60 years later. Once again, I don’t know whom recommended this book but it looks intriguing. It’s on my list!

There you have it. Those are a couple of the books I plan to read this year. I don’t have my entire year planned out because I like to be open to new books that come out throughout the year. I like to browse book shelves and I like to get recommendations from other readers. I’ll continue to share my frugal book reviews with you throughout the year, as well as my Bethany House Reviews. I’m looking forward to another good year of reading. Happy reading to you, too!