One of my new years resolutions last year was to read a book a month. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but it didn't include text books! I'm the kind of person who almost reads textbooks for fun, having read about 6 nice big ones in the past 12 months or so. Unfortunately, I just didn't have enough time and I ended up losing my motivation to read.
This was for the following reasons:
- I find that when I finish a book, it's scary to start a new one
- I actually just completely forget to read
- When I get around to reading, if I don't have anything right there in my face then I'll give up because it's a pain to find something
So what I've done is compiled a list for myself for this year. I have the same resolution, but I'm hoping that my new system will make the goal a little bit easier. I've made a list of books and am getting them all and putting them on my kindle so that I can't use any of the excuses above! I thought I'd share my list with you. I've put a lot of thought into all of these, so hopefully I can help someone else out, too!
Everything I Never Told You
by Celeste Ng
I was interested in giving this book a go because I usually hate novels like this! I know that sounds like an odd reason. If I am to be honest, I initially had a look at it because I liked the cover. I'm not going to lie, that's not a very good way of choosing books but when I read what it was about and started judging, I thought, "No, you were superficial and picked this book purely on it's appearance. You can't not read it now"
The Fault in Our Stars
I saw the movie for this, but my friend told me that she read this book when she was a lot younger and she really enjoyed it. I can probably only handle one heartbreaking novel in a year so I think it should be this one!
Invisible Monsters Remix
After Fightclub, I am a huge Palahniuk groupie. This dude just... He is SO up my alley. His books are raw and disgusting and awful and... Well, I don't know if I can explain this one. It just looks so badass.
To the Lighthouse
by Virginia Woolf
I've been wanting to give Virginia Woolf a try for quite some time now, so this year is the year! I've done a lot of research into her work in order to find the right book to start with (I hear sometimes her work is difficult to "get" if you start with the wrong one) and this one seems to be the most recommended. So... I'll let you know what I think!
*** Bonus: I just saw this on a friends reading list so we can read it and discuss it together!
Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens
My mom told me about this book a while back when I was doing an art project that involved elaborate candles and such. When looking at my friends final year English reading list, I saw it on there and thought that now is the time to read it so I have someone to discuss it with!
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
I started reading this a few years ago. And the reason I put it down is because I am a GIANT wuss. Like, a terrible wussy. There was a description of tarantulas chilling behind some fruit or other and being a MASSIVE arachnophobe, I couldn't get past that. So... Now that I'm 3 years wiser (but probably still pathetic), I am going to tackle this book again because I know how amazing it is.
Slaughterhouse-Five
I was reading the summary for this book out loud to my fiance in an attempt to have him join me in ridiculing how crazy it sounded... When he said, "Yip, one of the best books I've ever read". And then he told me I had to read it. So I need to get my judgmental ass into gear and do so!
I loved the movie for this novel. Although I usually either read a book or watch a movie, not do both, I am led to believe that this one is very much worth it.
So the next few books are me back in my comfort zone! I love reading books about eating disorders and mental illness. I don't know why, I just do. It's probably because I've had such issues in the past with such topics. I've read pretty much all of the obvious ones...
Wintergirls, The Bell Jar...

Girl, Interupted
Go Ask Alice, Fight Club
The best of all being Veronica Decides to Die. Really, that book changed my life... Give it a read.
Thin
I've wanted to read this for a while now, and don't actually know why I haven't done so yet! So it's first on the list.
Just going through the motions of reading lots of little books about illnesses...
I'm quite bad with these novels though! Half the reason I read them is because I like critically evaluating them.
- Purge: Rehab Diaries by Nicole J.Jones
- Cut by Patricia McCormick
- Purge by Sarah Darer Littman
- It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (I've seen the movie, I didn't even realise that there was a book!)
- Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel
- The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
- Willow by Julia Hoban


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