The Reading Challenge Group discussion

I spent most of 2016 in this group reading other challenge threads and getting inspired to read more and more. Last year, I set the (very small) goal to read 8 books and achieved that. This year, I want to push it up to 10 books. I want to only read books I already own since I love to own books but never seem to make the time to read them. Any challenges I find to participate in will help me to reach this year's goal and encourage me to push it even further.

{X} 1. All the Light We Cannot See
{X} 2. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
{ } 3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
{ } 4. Me Before You
{X} 5. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
{X} 6. And Then There Were None
{ } 7. Wizard's First Rule
{ } 8. The Girl Who Chased the Moon
{ } 9. Timebound
{ } 10. Homegoing
{ } 11. What to Expect When You're Expecting
{ } 12. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide

I finished reading both All The Light and Wild this month. Both great reads! On to the next on my 2017 list.

Yesterday I began reading Catch-22. It's a bit hard to get into because I am having a hard time appreciating the humor of the main character, but I want to give it at least 100 pages before I decide if I will finish the book or not.

Torie, I felt the same way about Catch 22. I didn't think it was funny, but towards the end of the book it was very dark, when the author describes the situation in Rome at the end of World War 2.

I *want* to like Catch-22 because my Uncle recommended it and gave me a copy a few years ago. He usually doesn't steer me wrong in anything in life, but of course his taste books can be quite different from my own.

I know what you mean by wanting to like a book. I felt that way about A Thousand Splendid Suns by Hosseini, but couldn't finish it. I liked his first book, The Kite Runner.

I gave up on reading Catch-22 and started Devil in the White City. I'll probably add a family planning book or two to my list since that is the focus for 2017. :)

Finished Devil In The White City. It was a difficult book to enjoy at times because I found several of the narrations about he progress of the fair difficult to stay interested by. I skipped a few paragraphs here and there. The last 25% of the boom held my attention, and it was neat to learn how the Chicago World's Fair shaped many things we would otherwise take for granted today.

Adding What To Expect When You're Expecting and one other maternity book to my reading list for 2017. I am halfway through both and appreciate their relevance since we are expecting our first child this Fall.

Added And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I just finished this book. It was my first Agatha Christie and I wasn't sure what to expect. I enjoyed how she presents the full story for you and gives you clues along the way. I kept thinking of the board game Clue and how it felt like the author was setting up that game for me. I didn't figure out who was the murderer by the end, but I also didn't know that she was encouraging the reader to figure it out along the way. I am eager to read more of her books in the future!

Torie, congratulations on your exciting news.
I read Devil in the White City a couple of years ago and thought the section about the building of the world's fair fascinating. I am reading about Helen Keller, and she actually visited the White City.

Torie, congratulations! I'm sure this is an exciting time for you! Have you finished Harry Potter or not yet? If you have, I would love to chat about it!

Rosemarie wrote: "Torie, congratulations on your exciting news.
I read Devil in the White City a couple of years ago and thought the section about the building of the world's fair fascinating. I am reading about Hel..."
Rosemarie, my mother-in-law felt the same as you about Devil In The White City. The fair itself is very intriguing and a very important part of our history of course. The details were too much for me though. :) Thank you so much for the congrats!

Jenny wrote: "Torie, congratulations! I'm sure this is an exciting time for you! Have you finished Harry Potter or not yet? If you have, I would love to chat about it!"
Hi Jenny! I have not yet started HP. I read it once many moons ago but don't recall it well, which is why I added it to my list. My husband is a huge HP fan and so I thought it would be fun to be able to share that with him. Especially since we just moved to southern CA (home for me) and are so close to Universal!

Ohh Universal! Color me green!