As an English Literature graduate and a trained actress I have a deep love of literature - but since becoming a mum, my time to read just seemed to disappear completely! I found that I was no longer making any time for myself to sit down and read anything at all - not even a magazine.
I missed it hugely.
So, I decided to set myself a challenge for 2015: to read one book a month for the whole year.
I wanted to the challenge to be do-able and realistic, but to still present me with quite a challenge. I knew I would need to MAKE time to sit and read, make the most of snatched moments here and there to be able to get through the books at a steady rate.
I kept a list here on the blog of what I was reading each month as a way to chart my progress, as well as to share the titles I was choosing to read.
I re-read some favourites from my childhood, read some trashy chick-lit for a bit of escapism, some bestsellers, the newest book from my favourite author Peter James, as well as discovering a new detective book series that I love (Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad), I read books based on real life, and even managed to fit in a brilliant book from a blogger buddy (Ericka Waller) - what a busy year!
So here is the final list of books I managed to get through in 2015...
Lucy's Reading List 2015
Jan:
Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson - FINISHED
Feb:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding - FINISHED
Mar:
Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham - FINISHED
Apr:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling - FINISHED
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - FINISHED
May:
'The C Word' by Lisa Lynch - FINISHED
You Are Dead (Roy Grace #11) by Peter James - FINISHED
Finding Emma by Steena Holmes - FINISHED
July:
Sleep Tight by Rachel Abbott - FINISHED
Grey by E. L James - FINISHED
One Night Promised by Jodi Ellen Malpas - FINISHED
In The Woods by Tana French - FINISHED
Sept:
Confessions of a Mother Inferior by Ericka Waller - FINISHED
Oct:
The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins - FINISHED
Nov:
The Likeness by Tana Woods - FINISHED
Dec:
What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn - FINISHED
I'm pleased to say that I've completely aced my target of one book per month over the course of 2015 - I have now completed 16 books in total and I have been so happy that I've been able to make the time to read regularly again. It doesn't feel as hard as it did in Bert's first year to snatch good periods of time to myself to indulge in something I love, and I no longer feel guilty about it when I do. I am a better mother, wife, professional, friend when I get to do the things I love regularly. I recognise that now, and embrace it whole-heartedly.
With that in mind I definitely plan to continue this reading challenge into 2016.
Hopefully I'll be able to read just as much, if not more over this next year and I look forward to sharing with you the choices that I make.
I'd love any book recommendations....
Happy Reading!
Mrs B
xxx
