Hey there, guys! I’m praying that your week has gotten off to a great start. 🙂 ❤ As some of you may have seen in another post, my main personal goal for this year is to simply read more. While I would love to apply this to my part in the blog community, as well (I could always read more blog posts, haha), this semi-resolution is a reminder for myself to read great literature. Whether that’s a work of fiction, a Shakespearean play, or a biography, I’m up to reading whatever I find at the library that interests me, granted that I make time out of my day for it.
In this post series, which may become a bi-weekly or monthly post that I share, I will be going over, put simply, what I have been recently reading! I have taken some lovely pictures of the books I’ve been enjoying, and I wanted to share them with you guys.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve read any of these books yourself! ❤ Now, let’s check them out. 🙂
What I’m Reading This Week
Just Finished: Toss The Bouquet
This is a lovely wedding short story collection I found while browsing my favorite library at the beginning of this month. It was by absolute chance that I came across it, as I was pushing Elizabeth around in the stroller so that my mom could browse freely without Elizabeth crying. The title happened to catch my eye as I breezed past it in my task of keeping the stroller moving constantly, haha, so I turned back around and grabbed it, reading the summary as I went.
I don’t like to describe books in full detail, because my joy as a reader has been dampened many times by a too-thorough review or back cover, lol. However, I will say that if you would enjoy reading about weddings, this is the short story collection for you! The first story has great characters, the second one has a great plot, and the third has great characters and a great plot. I highly recommend it!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Reading Now: The Virginian by Owen Wister
GUYS. I accidentally found this book while browsing a library I don’t usually go to, and on a whim, without even knowing what it was about except that it looks like a western, I decided to give it a chance. I doubt I have ever been more delighted in a book before!
There have certainly been great novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading in the past, but since I knew not a thing of its plot or characters going into it, everything is a lovely surprise in The Virginian, and man, the humor of the author/narrator is extraordinary. It is so many genres wrapped into one novel, but the running theme is still certainly western.
This book is to me, as one of my favorite librarians calls it, a “lost classic” – why I’ve never heard of this novel, which was written in 1903, is beyond me. It is too good to be lost among other great books!
Current rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Honorable Mention: Under God
by Michael Tait and Toby Mac
Haha, I call this an ‘honorable mention’ because I’ve read the first multiple chapters, but have yet to really get into it. I have a funny relationship with learning about history, because while I love discovering new information and insight into the ways of the past, I have a harder time getting into the wording and focus than other areas of literature. Still, this one is worth mentioning, and I will make my way through it if it takes me a month, because the focus of this American history book is on how our country was formed on godly principles. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read, and I LOVE it. If this sounds interesting to you, it’s written really well. I’m definitely enjoying it!
Current Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Bookshelf Read Of The Month:
Poirot and Me by David Suchet
One of the side goals I have for this year is to read at least one book that I own once a month. This would help me to make my way through new reads or re-reads I’ve been putting off for the longest time, and would also encourage me to donate books I don’t enjoy anymore, haha! While I wouldn’t consider myself a book collector, there are definitely titles I’ve kept on my shelf longer than others would deem necessary. Still, with this encouragement, I hope to have read every book that I own, because it’s rather pointless to have so many books in my room still unread. xD
As you saw in the picture, Poirot and Me is the book I’ve chosen for January. If I really don’t like it, I’ll pick another book to read, but I’ll give it another shot.
Thank you so much for reading! I enjoyed compiling these books, as reading has become a hobby of mine again over the past month, which is so wonderful. 🙂 If you’ve decided to read more this year, as well, you’ll have to let me know what you’ve been reading in the comments below!
Happy blogging – and reading!
— Maggie
Those all sound so interesting! I will look into them all!
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They really are! And that would be wonderful! 🙂 xx
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😃
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Such a good article! I am definitely a book collector (or hoarder more than likely haha). I am currently trying to read through all the books too but there are so many new ones out there to read as well it gets a little overwhemling!
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Ah thank you, Madison! ❤ xx Haha, books are so much fun to collect! I am constantly overwhelmed by how many books are still out there that I would love to read. It's nice having so much potential reading material!
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Oooh… definitely some interesting ones here! Thanks for the recommendations! ❤
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They’re really good! You’re welcome! 🙂
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Toss the bouquet seems like an awesome book! I’ll definitely look it up. 🙂
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It was really good! I enjoyed the topic, as I don’t usually read books about weddings 🙂
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They all sound really great. I loved watching the show called Poirot. If you haven’t seen it. It’s really great and I highly recommend it. My dad, my sister Christa, and myself grew up on it. We loved it. It’s on Netflix if I’m not mistaken. I’m pretty sure it’s on Amazon too if you want to buy it. It might be on Amazon prime, but I’m not sure. Anyway I hope you enjoy your books.
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I absolutely love that show! My mom found it at the library one day, and we thought we’d give it a go, and within a year or so, we slowly made our way through the series, haha. It is so good! I own a few of the seasons 🙂 Thank you, Kathleen!
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Awesome. I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it. Is it not the best show ever?! Awesome. You’re welcome.
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Yes, we certainly did. Definitely! I love it 🙂
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That’s awesome I’m so glad.
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I need to make read more one of my goals for this year too- I used to read loads but since coming to university I hardly get chance! These all look like some great reads, I love reading so I think I’d better follow your example and carve out some time for it! Glad to hear you’re enjoying all the books! 🙂
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That has been a great goal for me to have so far, as blogging took away much of my time in 2017! I hope that you’re able to read more this year, I know I’m enjoying it! 🙂 ❤
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Thank you for these recommendations!! xx
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You’re welcome!! 🙂
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Lovely choices 👍🏼
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Thanks! 🙂
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Great recommendations! I’ll have to look into some of them!
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Thanks, Grace! I hope you’ll enjoy them 🙂 ❤
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This is a really great variety, and I love the idea of you sharing what you’ve been reading. 🙂
Oh, I am SO guilty of owning books I haven’t read yet. I like the goal of trying to go through an owned book in a month. 🙂 Here’s to your reading journey!
And I agree, sometimes people are too thorough which is why it helps when they say SPOILERS in the title or the beginning.
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Haha I know, sometimes I surprise myself with the diversity of the books I read! I’m legitimately open to any book genre, aside from horror/suspense.
I think it’s nice to always have a book or two you own that you haven’t read yet, but my unread collection always gets out of hand because the library distracts me, haha. Thank you!
Yeah, I only enjoy reading spoiler reviews when I’ve read the book or watched the movie. Then it’s nice to have a conversation with someone else who read/saw it! Otherwise, it’s dangerous to read thorough reviews.
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Agreed. Having extra books is nice, but too many unread (my case) is just sad, or multiple lessons/adventures waiting to happen, if we open the book haha.
That is amazing you are open to almost all genres, I’m definitely more picky haha. 🙂 Which I know can be limiting sometimes, but it helps to read reviews and posts like yours to help others perhaps expand their genre venture.
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Haha yeah, really!
Yes, that has slowly happened over the years as I’ve read different books. I eventually found I pretty much have fun reading any genre, granted I’m in the mood for it!
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These sound like great books which I’ll definitely have to check out 😊 xx
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I’m really enjoying them so far! 🙂 ❤
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Awww I’m glad 😊 xx
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I’m intrigued about the Western one. On your recommendation, I may have to look that one up Maggie. X
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I was so happy to find that one! It’s a great book 🙂 If you get it, I hope you enjoy it!
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Hey dear! 🙂 Glad you’ve shared the books that you’ve already read! If I find them in my country, I’ll definitely give them a go and read them 🙂 Happy Tuesday!! ❤
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Hi Ann! Hope you’re doing well 🙂 I highly recommend these books, so if you find them, I’m sure you’d enjoy them 🙂 Thank you, happy Tuesday to you, too! ❤
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I’m glad you picked up reading again seeing as you thoroughly enjoy it, I really need to get back into it and find time! xxx
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It is such a peaceful, enjoyable pastime! ❤
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Good reads! I’d love to read that book ‘Under God’ by Michael Tait and Toby Mac. xo
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Thanks Grace! Yes, that is a really good one 🙂 ❤
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These look really interesting! I’ve never heard of any of these books, but I’m definitely going to check them out! Poirot and Me sounds especially interesting!
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I was so happy to find these books. They’re all really good! I definitely recommend them 😀
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Love the range of your interests! I just finished writing about Juan Rodridgez Cabrillo for a freelance project – one of the founders of Guatemala. And I’m attempting to learn Spanish as well. I think we should be buds – lots in common. 🙂
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Thank you, Xina! ❤ Oh, that's wonderful 🙂 Awesome! Have you ever tried out the app/website called Memrise? It's the reason I've gotten so far in language learning, haha. That would be great! It's lovely to meet you.
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I haven’t heard of it but I will check it out. Thanks!
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Some of these books sound great. I’ll be adding them to my list. Thanks!
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