2.01.2019

book life: reading more in 2019


We're a month into the new year, and while I've never been a resolutions persons, one of my goals in 2019 is to read more. I've always been an avid reader, from a young age, and books have always been a source of comfort, escape, knowledge, entertainment, and catharsis. I love to read, and now that Finn is almost a year old and it's becoming easier to squeeze in some self-care every now and then, I want to make reading a priority again.

I recently organized my bookshelves, something I hadn't done since we moved into this house, and it is giving me LIFE. And all sorts of inspired-to-read vibes. Which is good, because in the process of organizing and culling my book collection, I realized my to-be-read list is epically long. That is both exciting and daunting, but I'm so far I'm off to a good start: I've already finished one book this year, and I'm currently reading two more.


My first completed book of 2019 is Our Endless Numbered Days, by Claire Fuller. I couldn't put this book down. It's the story of a young girl, Peggy, who is stolen away by her survivalist father to live in a remote hut in the woods. He tells her that the world has been destroyed, and they are the last two humans left alive. They make a life for themselves in the woods, spending years isolated in the wilderness, until one day Peggy makes a discovery that leads her to question everything her father has told her and ultimately gives her the strength to escape back to the home and mother she thought she'd lost. Written in first person from Peggy's point of view, this book is full of narrative twists and turns, and as I was reading it, I could tell there were so many things left unsaid. She wasn't telling the complete story, either because she didn't know it or because she chose not to reveal certain things. The layers of secrets peel back gradually, the revelations of the final chapter circling ever closer as the story comes to a close. When all is revealed, it's a heartbreaking, gut wrenching end to a gripping story. There are some dark themes in this book, but I highly recommend it, and I can't wait to read more from this author.

In the meantime, here are my current reading stats - what I've read so far this year, what I'm reading now, and what I might read next:

Books I've Read This Year
Our Endless Numbered Days, by Claire Fuller

Books I'm Reading Now
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
The Age of the Horse, by Susanna Forrest

Books I Might Read Next
The Dreamers, by Karen Thompson Walker
Educated, by Tara Westover
History of Wolves, by Emily Fridlund