Generally speaking, I avoid the whole “new year, new me” resolutions that plague the early days of January. In my part of the world, January tends to be cold and grey with a chance of snow. After the merry and bright of the darkest nights of December, January already feels like the morning after the night before.[*] Why add the pressure of life-changing resolutions?
To be fair though, I have the bookworm’s long-standing goal to read more, regardless of which part of the year it is. It’s been a rather poignant plan at times, when I haven’t had enough free time to read deeply the way I wanted to do or the focus when I did have time. In 2016, however, I felt like I read many amazing books, although I always wish for more time to read more.[†] With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of the notable books I’ve read (links are to posts that discuss these books).
Since I’m making lists, I thought I’d consider books for 2017 as well. Normally, I let my birthday and Christmas presents[‡] dictate the books that I plan to read for the upcoming year, and I find other books that interest me as the year progresses. I am, however, hoping to get a few suggestions from my readers. Please feel free to post your suggestions in the comment box!
2016 Notable Reads[§] |
| The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne[**] The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This by Robin Black Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch Sleeping Embers of an Ordinary Mind by Anne Charnock The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon |
2017 To-Read List
|
| All the Living by C. E. Morgan
Life of Pi by Yann Martel The Help by Kathryn Stockett Howard’s End by E. M. Forster The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay Les Miserables by Victor Hugo[††] Beloved by Toni Morrison Take Off Your Pants! Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker |
Read a good book lately? Share your reading recommendations in the comment section below! Also, sign up for the Sequence’s newsletter and keep current with the latest posts!
NOTES:
[*]For some of us, this might be literally true on New Year’s Day.
[†] Just like that guy in the Twilight Zone episode.
[‡] Nothing is sadder than when you DON’T get books for a present.
[§] I’ve read more books than are listed here, but these are the ones that truly stood out as I was putting this list together. Some of these books are also re-reads.
[**] I still can’t believe I’d not read either of these books as a kid.
[††] I’ve actually been trying to read Les Miserables for ages. The problem is it’s so long that I start losing the plot when I put it down. I’m working on finding time to read it uninterrupted so that I don’t lose where I am.
Rita E. Gould: An Artful Sequence of Words 
The Blind Assassin is one of my favourites! A book that has a novel in it, and the novel’s about storytelling…It’s like a Russian doll of tales! Also, I got The Help for Christmas. I got so many books; I’m so excited…
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The Blind Assassin was so much fun–I’m planning on reviewing, presuming that I can get Goodreads and my site to play nice.
And I got The Help for a present too!
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