Yeah. Tell that to me when I decide to stop reading 1,000 page books (such as #2, 3, 5, 8 and 9 on the list below)... I finally had to put my foot down and make myself only choose shorter books!!! Also, I realized that this goal was too big in that it spanned over a year... in retrospect, I should have created a better action plan and broke up this large goal into smaller mini-goals, such as "Read 7-8 books each quarter"... that way I could see that I was not on track in the first half of this challenge!
While I did pick up steam towards the last few months of the challenge, you'll also see how a year was too much time for this challenge, as I experienced major changes in my life - new state, new job, big move, and with that new job comes a LOT of studying... so while I could have been reading books in the last month to satisfy the last four, I was reading un-fun text books.
Without further ado, the 30 "real" adult books I read in one year, with a few bits of commentary where I thought appropriate :)
1. "Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert - I loved this book because I had visited Hawaii in 2011, and to experience what Hawaii was like, even for the "leper colony" that was called Moloka'i in the late 1800s/early 1900s was a really cool experience.
2. "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson - I wouldn't consider myself a sci fi fan at all, but one of my family friends recommended this book, so I decided to check it out. Definitely very interesting... a good, fast read :)
3. "A Storm of Swords" by George R R Martin (book 3 of the Game of Thrones series)
4."Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)" by Jenny Lawson (HILARIOUS book...)
5. "A Feast for Crows" by George RR Martin (book 4 of the Game of Thrones series)
6. "My name is Memory" by Ann Brashares (VERY COOL BOOK... very interesting concept about this guy who is reincarnated multiple times from the early 1000s to the present day, and how he met this girl in his first life and how he kept seeking her in everyone of his next lives...)
7. "Winter Garden" by Kristin Hannah (Great book - mother/daughters relationship with a fabulously interesting and heart-wrenching tale)
8. "Winds of War" by Herman Wouk (WOW.... AMAZING BOOK) - I first learned of this book from Ivanka Trump... she tweeted that she had just read it, so I added it to my book list, and I finally read it one vacation, and it was so good. It's about this military family in the 1930s and how they handle the war pre-Pearl Harbor... Completed December 2, 2013
9. "War and Remembrance" by Herman Wouk (the second book to Winds of War... amazing) - Completed February 19, 2013
10. "Unlimited" by Jillian Michaels - motivational book on how to achieve dreams...
11. "I could do anything I wanted (if only I knew what it was)" by Barbara Sher - awesome book. Describes many different types of scenarios for how people who have this question react to it... I learned that I'm a "scanner", which means I want to do everything, and why it's hard for me to commit to just one thing because I have so many varied interests, and I learned that it's OK to be the way I am. I think that's the most important thing I discovered this challenge... there is no need to be someone else when I'm just fine the way I am...
12. "Echoes at Dawn" by Maya Banks - because we all need a little romance novel in our life now and then :) - Completed March 3, 2013
13. "Bridesmaid Lotto" by Rachel Astor - Oh god... yet another romantic novel. Yup, I did it. SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!!
14. "Everything lovely, effortless, safe" by Jenny Hollowell - not romantic! Incredible literary writing...
15. "Aquamarine" by Alice Hoffman - March 24 - did not realize this was a teen book, but hey, it was short!
16. "Take the Lead" by Betsy Myers - LOVE HER... great book on leadership... - March 24
17. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by JK Rowling -April 7- Yes, I have not read the Harry Potter books... I'm probably one of the last people in the world, so I figured this would be the perfect time to read them!
18. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by JK Rowling - Also completed on April 7!! Consider me officially addicted to the Harry Potter series...
19. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by JK Rowling - Completed April 12, 2013
20. "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare - didn't really love this book but had already read enough pages to want to finish it... Completed April 14, 2013
21. "How to make love like a porn star" by Jenna Jameson - completed April 20, 2013. Can't believe I wasted my time reading this book...
22."Before Ever After" by Samantha Sotto - completed April 22, 2013. SUCH A GOOD BOOK. Such a phenomenal story. Thank you to my friend Linda for recommending it!!! Reminded me a bit about the sixth book I read this past year...
<<Note: I had to take a break from reading for a month due to packing, moving, and unpacking... but then I was able to get back on the bandwagon!!!>>
23."Daughters of Rome" by Kate Quinn - interesting tale of the "year of the four emperors" in Rome, and three females that (reportedly) impacted the course of history... Completed May 26, 2013.
24. "Lily of the Nile" by Stephanie Dray - historical fiction novel about Cleopatra's daughter, Selene, and her life in Rome immediately after her mother's death. Easy read, fascinating story... Completed May 30, 2013.
25. "Life is Tremendous" by Charles "Tremendous" Jones - written by the grandfather of one of my besties, this book succinctly discusses what it takes to live a happy, fulfilled life, and offers tips on leadership, how to be successful, and how to make your marriage work... Completed May 31, 2013.
~~~And then, I started my job and was essentially back in college... so the next books are unfortunately all work related. But I'm counting them, because I read.~~~
26. Series 66 study manual by STC. 12 chapters, 10-40 pages each chapter of securities related stuff. And I spent HOURS pouring over it... so Hell yes, it counts. Completed June 6, 2013 (studying not completed until June 28, 2013).
27. Module 1 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 24, 2013
28. Module 2 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 25, 2013
29. Module 3 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 27, 2013
30. Module 4 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 28, 2013
Hopefully my reading list for the past year (minus #26-30) sparks some interest for you! Let me know if you end up reading anything I read :)
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