I Did It!!!!!!!

I set several goals for 2011-  Lose weight, adopt a boy, become a Stay at Home Diva, become debt free, get my children under control, read 52 books.

I was debt free for two months until Geek Boy's car decided to catch on fire.  So technically the only goal  I accomplished was reading 52 books in 2011!!!!  Perhaps if I wouldn't have been reading so much, I could've lost weight, and I could've gotten my children under control.  The adoption goal didn't work out simply because we were not willing to change our lifestyle according to the state's mandates.  Still working on the Stay at Home Diva thing, but I've been working on that for 6 years so who knows when or if it will happen.

It was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  In September I was on a roll and was ahead by 8 books.  But then I just stopped reading.  I couldn't figure out a genre to read.  My reading drought came to an end at the beginning of December.  I was determined to reach this goal.

Here's a list of books that I read:

1.  Lineage of Grace
2.  Blood Orange
3.  After
4.  Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World
5.  Into the Wild
6.  I'd Know You Anywhere
7.  Room
8.  Water for Elephants
9.  Mudshark
10.All Stations Distress
11.Redeeming Love
12.The Weight of Silence
13.Calvin Coconut
14.The Condition
15.Medical Error
16.Crossing Oceans
17.Sing You Home
18.The Atonement Child
19.I Know This Much is True
20.Night Road
21.Heart of the Matter
22.The Murderer's Daughter
23.The Virgin Suicides
24.Saving Max
25.Inconceivable
26.Her Last Letter
27.Look Again
28.These Things Hidden
29.Messanger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs
30.Indian Killer
31.Story of Beautiful Girl
32.The Notebook
33.The Rose Killer
34.Red Tent
35.Hunger Games
36.Catching Fire
37.Mockingjay
38.Stuck in the Middle
39.Shiver
40.Linger
41.Forever
42.Turtle in Paradise
43.Still Missing
44.Daniel's Gift
45.The Case of the Mistaken Identity
46.Never Knowing
47.Wild Times at the Bed and Biscuit
48.Silent Run
49.Sarah's Key
50.The Midwife's Confession
51.Pearl in the Sand
52.The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven

The book that had the most impact for me was Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.  I read it early in the year and I still have not found a book that tops this story.  IT IS A MUST READ!! I have yet to find anyone who did not like this book.

The most emotional book that I read was Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes.  I cried so much while reading.  My kids thought I had absolutely lost my mind.  I warned several friends to not read the book at work during their lunch hour, but they didn't listen to me and I got a lot of "I should've listened to you" comments on my Facebook.

The best series I read was the Hunger Games Trilogy.  Really didn't think I could get into the series but for whatever reason, the timing must've been just right because I was sucked into the books instantly.  Can't wait for the movie to come out in March.

The weirdest book I read was Room.  It was very different but well worth the read.

The longest book I read was I Know This Much is True.  I tried reading this about 13 years ago, when Oprah originally told me to, but I was busy taking care of a newborn and just didn't have the time to read.  I think the size of the actual book was intimidating to me, but this time around I read it on my Kindle.

My favorite non fiction book was Inconceivable.  This family has incredible strength and faith.  Not sure that I could've done what they did.  Actually I know I could've but I know it would've been an emotional nightmare.

Not sure what my 2012 goal will be but I'm sure it will be over 52 books.  Reading truly relaxes me and it something I must do to unwind from a busy day.  To follow what I'm reading go to www.goodreads.com and search my name.  We can be friends on this website.  I get a lot of book ideas from this website.  Books that I normally wouldn't read, I have found on this website and for the most part have enjoyed all of them.  I love to see what others are reading.