Books Goal: 2013

One of my goals in 2013 was to read a book a month (basically read at least 12 books in a year).  I had heard about someone doing that and I thought that was a good goal and something good to make reading a priority.  It's super easy just to spend time watching tv shows (mostly shows like Curious George and Super Why these days).  So in an effort to keep a record of the books I read and then to share the books I will document that here!

B+

This was a book that was recommended by a friend.  She warned me the premise of the book so I knew what I was in for.  It's along the same lines of the future world where things are different.  It's a romance that talks about the young people receiving their "matches".  It was interesting.  It definitely kept me reading, but I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the series.  We'll see!  I still have to fulfill my 2014 goal so they may end up coming into my queue.

A

This is a really quick read/short story.  It's done in rhyme to true Dr. Seuss fashion.  Not a true story but super cute!  It was a free read on Amazon so I took advantage!  I'd highly recommend this quick story that would bring a smile to your face!

A+

I'd heard so much about this book and it totally lived up to it's hype.  It's a true story with lots of great life lessons as the front of the book says.  I think I cried a couple times and I looked up the interviews on youtube after I finished the story.  I loved it!

A

I wanted to change it up and read an old favorite.  I still counted it in my list for the year even though I've read it many times.  It was just a fun blast to the past.  Plus I saw the movie and it was adorable!

A+

This was a fantastic book.  It was an experiment to "lend" a book from kindle to kindle.  Bryan's dad sent this one to me just thinking it might be one I'd read.  He hadn't read it yet.  It was a home run!  It's  a single LDS girl living in Provo in her late 20s (sound like someone you know?). Oh, and she's in to theatre and she's a teacher.  Hmmm.... I think I can relate!  It's a love story and then an intense conclusion.  I LOVE it and I would read it again!

B+

Anyone who knows me knows I love Ellen.  I've even converted Bryan to watching her show.  She's super funny, friendly and generous. I truly think she is a good person.  So I wanted to read her book.  It's cute and funny, but it got kinda boring.  Not too much to the story.  Some funny moments.  I think having it in hard copy would have made it funnier but I read it on my kindle.  Cute.  That's about all I've got.

A

I started reading this book as a recommendation from my sister-in-law.  The end of the first chapter shocked me so much that I stopped reading the book and put it aside for a really long time (like 6-9 months).  I finally saw that I had it in my kindle list and asked Sarah if I should give it another chance.  Of course she convinced me and I devoured the rest of the book.  It's an intense book.  Teenagers on a trip to DC witness a horrible crime and are seen by some thugs and are then pursued sort of secretly.  They creatively get word to the FBI that they are being watched and without giving anything away it gets intense.  It's definitely left at the end with a great opening to a sequel.  As you will see down the list....I devoured that one too.

A+

I've been trying to finish this book for quite some time and I finally finished it.  It's an amazing story!  It's such a great look and insights into the atonement.  He gives analogies and steps to repentance and all sorts of stories to help understand the atonement.  I don't think anyone can read enough or study enough about the atonement to completely understand it's glory.  I would highly recommend this book!

A+

I read this book in 2012 and loved it.  Then Broadway made it in to a play.  And even better, they published the script with commentary in the margins!  It was incredible to read!  So fun to see how they'd used the book and added and changed things.  Oh my goodness it was so fun to read!  Lots of pictures of the broadway show were included which made it even more incredible.  THEN, to top that, the Broadway touring cast scheduled to go to Denver 2 months after this.  So Bryan sent me there without question to see the show!  Oh my...having read the script made watching the show even more sweet.  It was great.  Anyone can borrow it if they want.  I only wish I could use the script to do scene work with my students.  Maybe someday.

B

Lots of parents have talked about how helpful sign has been when communicating with their baby.  I had used it a bit when I worked at the daycare.  I wanted more info and more details about what to sign.  They recommend starting sign way earlier than I did with Riley and there are lots of signs that they recommend.  It was a good read and a very useful reference for different signs.  I do use 3 signs with Riley which have been very helpful! We use "more", "please", and "all done".

A+

Sequel to Watched and I read this in less than a week.  I was reading it while feeding Riley a lot.  Riley may have been neglected while I finished these two books.  Both these books (the one below) were different enough that it was still a really good read.  Lots of new twists and things that were not expected.

A+

Loved this again and was very sad that it ended.  But the ending was fabulous and the conflict in it just continued to live up to what was good about the first two!  I couldn't recommend this enough!

B-

As many know getting Riley to sleep through the night was extremely difficult.  I read this as a recommendation from a friend.  It had some good pointers but Riley was 10/11 months and it was geared less towards that age of child.  I think I'll have to give it a go again as I get closer to the arrival of #2!

A

This was a fun book about a girl trying to make it in the show business in New York.  It's written by the actress Lauren Graham (Lorelai from Gilmore Girls).  That's was enticed me to the book in the first place.  However I really loved it!  It was a fast read and fun to see the adventure of someone trying to make it in the big apple.  I really loved it!

A

This is just a short story---the perspective of the character "Four" on the book "Divergent".  It was great and I'm looking forward to reading the other ones she's got coming out in July.  It's nice to have the other perspective.  I think she did this partly because of how she wrote her final book to the Divergent series.

B-

I was surprised how long it took me to get in to this book when I devoured the first two.  I also had to wait for awhile for it to come out. It was written in a different format than the first two (perspectives change by chapter from Four and Tris).  It makes sense why she did it at the end, but it was hard to accept in the beginning.  It was definitely different than what I expected and I didn't LOVE it.  I didn't love the ending but it was definitely unexpected which is probably a good thing in a writer.  But, that's my opinion!

So... now I'm on to the books to read for 2014.  Any suggestions?