This Mom Reads. A Lot.

As I mentioned on Twitter the other day, I had a goal to read 250 books as part of my 101 Things to Do in 1,001 days. I’m kind of stoked that I hit that goal ahead of schedule (Like… more than 2 months ahead of schedule. That’s kind of a big deal). I promised I would share my list of all 250, but then I started writing the list out and was like, “OH. SARAH. YOU CANNOT TELL PEOPLE YOU READ THAT.”

Instead, what I will do is tell you of those 250, which books I really REALLY loved. Slightly less humiliating for me, slightly more useful for you.

1. I Love You Beth Cooper – Larry Doyle
2. Songs Without Words – Ann Packer
3. The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
4. Columbine – Dave Cullen
5. South of Broad – Pat Conroy
6. Juliet, Naked – Nick Hornby
7. The Middle Place – Kelly Corrigan
8. Still Alice – Lisa Genova
9. The Help – Kathryn Stockett
10. The Art of Racing In The Rain – Garth Stein
11. Every Last One – Anna Quindlen
12. Cars from a Marriage – Debra Galant
13. Ask The Pilot – Patrick Smith (Note: I’m still afraid of flying, but this was entertaining)
14. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Steig Larrson
15. How Evan Broke His Head – Garth Stein (This one is currently under $6 on Amazon. Worth the read – I really enjoy Garth Stein)
16. One Day – David Nicholls (Apparently they’ve made this into a movie. I hope Anne Hathaway doesn’t ruin it for me)
17. Motherless Brooklyn – Johnathan Lethem
18. How to Talk to a Widower – Johnathan Tropper (And then I read everything else he wrote)
19. Little Bee – Chris Cleave
20. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Rebecca Skloot
21. The Beauty of Different – Karen Walrond
22. Devil In the White City – Erik Larson
23. The Lover’s Dictionary – David Levithan
24. We Need to Talk About Kevin – Lionel Shriver
25. Cakewalk – Kate Moses

Some of these books will stay with me forever (It still chills my bones to think of We Need To Talk About Kevin). Undertaking a challenge to read 250 books in just over 1000 days means reading roughly one book for every four days – and I did it in less time. It’s easier when the book is good (I have had “A Thousand Splendid Suns” under my bed for months now – it’s difficult for me to pick it back up and so many people have raved about it).

As always, your book recommendations are welcome. I read kinda fast, so I love finding new authors and new styles that float my boat.