Do you have a list of must read books that you could share? I am wanting a list of fiction and non fiction books that I can work on this year--classics and such.
First, I have to admit - I do love books and I am definitely an avid reader but much of what I read wouldn't be on any serious must-read list. While I do read classic books, nonfiction, and the Bible regularly - I also read a lot of books because they relax me and make me happy. I like books with happy endings therefore I read quite a few cozy mysteries and romance novels. While I have had people poke fun at me for some of my book selections, I'm completely OK with reading books simply to escape for a little while and enjoy myself. Reading cozy mysteries and romance novels is a lot like eating cookies for me. I know I could be eating something more nutritious but I sure do enjoy eating cookies!
Having given that disclaimer, I do have a fairly long list of books in different categories that I very highly recommend reading. In this post, I'll recommend books in the following categories:
- Homeschooling
- Organization/Home Management
- Marriage
- Classics
- Young Adult/Children's Novels
- Cozy Mysteries
- Fiction
- Romance
The very first and most important book that I recommend is the Bible. While I could definitely do better with my daily Bible reading, I do try to spend some time in the Word each day. For me, having a daily reading plan really helps to keep me on track. Right now, I'm using a bible reading plan from Heartlight that has daily readings in both the Old and the New Testaments. Heartlight has several different Bible reading plans available free of charge from which to choose.
Homeschooling
- Homeschooling With a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell
- Managers of Their Homes by Steven and Teri Maxwell
- Managers of Their Schools by Steven and Teri Maxwell (While I don't agree with the Maxwell's thoughts regarding literature selections and the importance of upper level math and sciences, I do recommend this very practical, inspirational, and encouraging book.)
- High School At Home, You Can Do It by Diana Johnson
-You can read my review of this book here.
- Sue Patrick's Workbox System by Sue Patrick
- Booster Shot! Energize Your Homeschool With Unit Studies by Kym Wright - You can read my review of this book here.
- The Big Book of Books by Dinah Zike
- The Big Book of Projects by Dinah Zike
- Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax
- While not technically a homeschooling book, I found the insights regarding gender differences and education incredibly helpful.
- Kitchen Organization Tips and Secrets by Deniece Schofield
Confessions of an Organized Homemaker by Deniece Schofield
- Confessions of a Happily Organized Family by Denience Schofield
- Why Marriages Succeed or Fail by John Gottman
- The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Laura Schlessinger
Classics
I have been actively trying to read more classic books, particularly along with my daughter. I compiled a list of recommended classic books that I would like to read here. The list below reflects my very favorite classic books.
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare
In addition to the list below, you can get more ideas about great young adult/children's novels here.
- The Harry Potter series
- I particularly love listening to this series on audio because the narrator is absolutely excellent.
- The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
- Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins
- The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
- This was hands-down my favorite book of 2009.
- Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
- The Giver
by Lois Lowry
- Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
The Bartimaeus Trilogy
by Jonathan Stroud
- The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman
- Charlotte's Web
by E. B. White
- The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
- Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Cozy Mysteries
If you aren't familiar with cozy mysteries, I highly recommend the Cozy Mystery website to learn more about cozy mysteries and to find cozy mysteries that might appeal to you.
- Joanne Fluke's Cookie Jar series - I've read the first 3 books in this series.
- Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone mystery series - I've read all 16 books that are currently published in this series.
- Hamish MacBeth mystery series by M. C. Beaton - I've read the first 14 books in this series.
- The Domestic Diva series by Krista Davis - I've read the first 2 books in this series.
- Donut Shop mysteries series by Jessica Beck - I've read the first 2 books in this series and am working on the third.
- Home Crafting mystery series by Cricket McRae - I've read the first 2 books in this series.
- Della Cooks series by Melinda Wells - I've read all three books published in this series so far.
***While I know cozy mysteries and romance novels are fiction as well, this list includes books that don't fit well into the other categories.
- Dean Koontz - I love this author. I've read so many of his books over the years, starting back when I was a teenager. My very favorite book from Dean Koontz is Watchers.
- The Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire mystery series - These really aren't cozy mysteries so I didn't put them in that category but they also aren't nearly as racy as the HBO series.
- An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller
- Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
- The Left Behind series
by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
- Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series
- Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister
- Janet Chapman - I love all of her books, particularly her Highlander series. She's definitely my favorite romance author.
- Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series
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