Hello, happy Friday! Today’s Friday reads is brought to you with a steaming hot cup of coffee and a list of books that I plan to read this March.
As some of you may know, I have pledged to read 90 books in 2017 on Goodreads! I am currently one book ahead of schedule, and all book formats count towards my goal (audio, ebook, physical book… not the movie though!) This post lists books 16 through 20 for the year for me! PS- Feel free to connect with me on Goodreads and share a love of reading!
Book 1: Beauty and the Beast (Timeless Fairy Tales #1) by K. M. Shea
I actually started this book at the end of February and it is a pretty quick read. The book features Elle and Prince Severin- Elle falls through the roof of Chanceaux Chateau (Lucky Castle for you non-French speakers) and breaks her leg. I am about halfway done with it, and it looks like I will finish it tonight! I have hopped on the craze of re-written fairy tales, and I suppose I have always been interested in retellings since I found out the real stories of some of the Disney movies I grew up with. Also, reading books as someone who is actively thinking about writing one, I feel that it is much harder to retell an existing and well-known story well than to imagine one on your own. So, I really enjoy it.
Book 2: Wonder by R. J. Palacio
I asked my Facebook friends to provide me with book suggestions for books that have been/are being/will be made into movies (or TV shows). I used to be great about reading books and not seeing the movie, but I think Gone Girl ruined it for me. I have watched the movie three times and I just cannot enjoy it. I didn’t hate the book, and in fact, I really enjoyed how secretly crazy Amy was. Anyway, Wonder is being made into a movie staring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. Although the book was published in 2012, and the movie is being released this year (2017), I received the recommendation and had NO IDEA what my friend was talking about. After looking up the book on Goodreads, I found that I did recognize the cover, but still had no idea what the book was about. I put the ebook on hold at the library and received it within hours (almost literally, hold-sleep-wake up-email). So that will be started tonight/tomorrow, pending the completion of Book 1.
Book 3: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
This book is part of a group read in one of my Goodreads groups. I just joined the group this week after finding (and loving) their Instagram. Hidden Figures has also been highly recommended by my friends who have read it, and so there’s that added bonus. What I am super excited about for this book is being able to discuss it with other people. It’s great to have one or two friends to discuss a book with- but when that number grows to 10 or 20 it gets so much more fun!
Book 4: Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy
This book is also part of the same Goodreads group and I am really excited for this book because I would not have found it if not for the wonderful ladies in that group. I am super excited for this book, and I can only hope that I find this book rewarding. It is sort of at the bottom of the list because even though I must read it in March to be on the same page as the other people reading it and participating in this specific challenge, it isn’t something I would have picked on my own and that is always harder to get excited about.
Book 5: Paint it Black by Janet Fitch
So… I checked out this library book and just couldn’t get into it fast enough to finish it before it was due. On top of that, I read like 50 pages in five days because I was too tired to keep my eyes open. So, I include this book as a reminder to myself that I must return to the library, retrieve the “abandoned” book, and resume my journey with Josie and Meredith.
There are many other books on my list, but for now I will just feature these five. Is there anything that you are reading that you really enjoy? Do you read alone, or part of a group? I would love to hear your reading stories in the comments below!!
She’s Got a Whole PhD 