All through college, I've kept myself busy. From being involved in the fine arts, to being a Resident Assistant, and making sure I still did well in my studies and got my degree, really the only reading I've been able to do is textbooks for class. So, now that I'm an adult (scary, I know), I'm taking advantage of the amount of free time I have. Even between my job and planning for a wedding, I still have a lot more time than I used to. So, since reading and writing are some of my passions, I decided that it is time to really hone in on those passions and spend the free time I have now to do just that: read and write. To really get started with this, I have decided to do a Summer Reading Bucket List of a variety of genres and pieces of writing for me to read and make sure I get back into a good habit of reading rather than always sitting around and watching TV or Netflix (though I do enjoy bingeing Grey's Anatomy once in a while). After finishing (about the last half) of Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper my first few relaxation days after moving, I created this list to keep myself motivated. Here is the list I have for myself that I want to share with you! Each week, I have decided on a little different genre to make sure I give myself a nice variety of styles (and so that I don't read only romance novels all summer…). For some weeks, I only have a genre in mind, some I have already decided on a specific book from checking out the library in the town I just moved to, and others, I have gathered a few different titles to choose from when the time comes. So, without further ado, here is my 10-Week Summer Reading Bucket List! Week 1: Nonfiction - Career Builder For my first week, I decided to read a book I got for free a couple of weeks ago called Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. Since I just finished a fiction novel and have only a week before my new big-girl job starts, I chose to start strong with something that will help me develop my ideas and learn about what new ideas seem to stick, and which ones don't. I know in my new position, I will have some great creative and entrepreneurial freedom, so I want to educate myself on how to develop my ideas and make them stick in people's minds. Week 2: Realistic Fiction I don't think I'll ever get enough of Jodi Picoult's writing. Between her multi-dimensional characters to her surprise endings, I just get immersed in her books. I picked up another one of her books at Goodwill awhile back, and have decided to work through Sing You Home during Week 2. Week 3: Nonfiction - Learning This is a week that I plan to find a slightly shorter book than some of the other weeks. That way, if I don't get through a complete book in a week or get busy, I can do a little catch-up through reading a shorter, but still interesting, choice. I'm pretty sure that in Week 3, I will be picking out a shorter nonfiction book about a specific animal like tigers or tapirs (2 of my specific favorites) to learn more about yet another of my passions (I used to love reading Ranger Rick magazines, watching Zaboomafoo, and last year I did a marketing internship at a zoo…you might say I like animals just a little). Week 4: Christian Fiction My faith is something I hold near and dear to me, and I've found quite a few amazing Christian authors that I love (Ted Dekker, C.S. Lewis, and Dee Henderson to name a few). While browsing the library the other day, I noticed a series by Neta Jackson called The Yadda Yadda Prayer Group, and was immediately interested. I'll have to let you know whether my interest pays off in Week 4! Week 5: Biography (or autobiography) Once again, I'm trying to mix in some nonfiction books I can really learn from and gain motivation. So, here's a list of people I'll be sorting through to decide on what I will be reading in Week 5: Julie Andrews, Steve Jobs, Katharine Hepbern, A Dog Called Hope (did I mention I love animals?), and Audrey Munson (The Curse of Beauty by James Bone). Week 6: Blogs Another catch-up week, I'm going to find some blogs to follow throughout Week 6 so that I can read a variety of different styles, and on a variety of different subjects. The plan is to read at least one new blog post each day, but if I find more, I'll definitely dig deeper! Week 7: Romance Novel I am a die-hard romantic. All my life, I've made up stories about Prince Charming sweeping in to save a girl from a bad boyfriend or even herself (cliché, I know). But love is something that can overcome almost anything, and this genre is one of my favorites. I have not decided what I will pick yet, so let me know if you have any suggestions! Week 8: Nonfiction - Career Builder Another Goodwill book I have is Social Media for Direct Selling Representatives by Karen Clark. This is a book that will help me develop my social media skills and knowledge to be better in my career. Week 9: Historical fiction I haven't read a lot of historical fiction lately, though I used to when I was younger. Some titles I've looked at for Week 9 so far include Let Freedom Ring (Al Lacy), All Rivers to the Sea (Bodie Theone), The Secret Chord (Geraldine Brooks), and The Turner House (Angela Flournoy). Week 10: Mystery or Fantasy I couldn't decide which of these genres to choose, so I might find a book that is a combination of the two, or I may fall back to one of my absolute favorite mystery/comedy writers (Harlan Coben). We will see! Both of these genres really intrigue me, and I love trying to determine the ending of a mystery, or diving deep into an entirely new world. Maybe if l finish the other 9 books early, I'll add an 11th book to my 10 weeks of summer reading and get both of these genres!
This list should definitely get me through the summer. Who knows if I'll even make it through! What matters is me getting back into the habit of reading at least every night, if not taking my book down to the park so I can sit and soak up some sun while I enjoy my favorite past time. If you have any suggestions on books I should read, authors to investigate, or genres to try, please leave a comment here, or connect with me on any of my social media networks!
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AuthorJust sharing my passion of reading through my passion of writing. Archives
May 2020
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