Maybe not...

Ok. January's category didn't work out quite the way I had planned. I started reading Alison Wonderland as I had planned, but I just couldn't get into it. I decided to hold of on reading in for now and dive into something else. And what would that be?

The Uninvited: The True Story of the Union Screaming House

by Steven LaChance

This is an apparently true story of Steven LaChance's experiences in a house in Union, Missouri. This fit the bill for the already chosen category of the month since I spent at least 4 summers working at a Camp MO-Val in Union. In all that time, I never actually heard of this house, which according to the book is no surprise since "it just isn't talked about". It was an interesting story and not as scary/creepy as I thought it would be, though I was a little disappointed that it didn't go into more detail. Here are some pictures from the house. http://www.stevenalachance.com/House.html

Hmm...

For February, I've decided to read a biography. Well. I guess technically it's an autobiography, but the author even states that even for him it was almost more of a biography, as it was written about the person he "used to be". Works for me. So for February I'm reading Born Standing Up by Steve Martin. This is something I've wanted to read for a long time, and I'm finally getting to it!

A new approach in 2012...

Ok, so I'll admit it. While I do consider myself a "reader", 50 books in a year was pushing it a bit for me. I made it...read 55, in fact, but sometimes it got to a point where I just wasn't enjoying it. A point that felt like I was forcing myself to read (like in school, blech!). If it wasn't for Aaron and his bribes I'm not sure I would have finished :) Also, one of the reasons I threw the challenge down for myself is that I wanted to clear up my bookshelves a bit. I kind of failed at this. I wasn't far into the 50 challenge when I realized if I stuck to the books on my shelf, I would never make it. I am happy to report however that I did succeed in the other major part of my challenge. I didn't buy books this year. I did get a few at the YMCA book fair (spent less than $10), but I kinda made a deal with myself that if my challenge was going well I could go to the book fair. A successful year for me and books, overall :)

Even with the mixed success, I've decided to go a different route this year. I'm not setting a hard and fast goal of how many books I'm going to read this year. I've thought about it a lot, done some research and have chosen 12 "categories" of ways to choose books this year. Right now I'm figuring on reading at least two books a month, one chosen based on the list of categories and one from my book shelf. This way I can cover all my bases...I can branch out and read new things, get through some of the old stuff on my book shelf and also allow myself some free time to just read whatever I want. Or not read at all. We'll see how it goes.

The 12 (in no particular order):

- Something recommended by my boyfriend, Aaron

- Banned book

- Biography

- Borrowed from and recommended by my sister, Stacie

- By an author with the same initials as me, JD

- Award winner

- A book that was turned into a movie

- Something recommended by an online "what should I read next" type of generator

- Set in a city or town where I have lived

- With a publication date of the year I was born, 1978

- Chosen solely by the appeal of the cover

- A random recommendation

For January I'm going to knock out the "book set in a city or town where I have lived" category. I'm going to read "Alison Wonderland" by Helen Smith. It takes place in London. I only lived there for a few months, but it still counts!