When I set my reading goal for this year I looked at last year’s goal that I did not meet. I’m a little sad about that, but I have to allow for the fact that I’m a mother and a writer with friends. I cannot spend all my time reading at the expense of all else. With that in mind I set a more conservative goal of reading 24 books for 2014–that’s two books per month, totally doable.
Reading one book a month is easy as I am a member of the Dark Jane Austen Book Club, and we read one book a month. Sometimes I pick up a second book related to the book of the month. Jane Austen has inspires a plethora of fan fiction. However, sometimes I need something else. My interests are vast and varied.
So far I’ve read 5 books to date:
- Persuasion?by Jane Austen
- My Dear Sophy?by Kimberly Truesdale
- The Bond between Women?by China Galland
- Hollow City?by Ransom Riggs
- Mistress Shakespeare?by Karen Harper
I’ve also read the short story Almost?Persuaded?by Mary Balogh contained within the anthology?Bespelling Jane Austen.?I believe this clearly illustrates my claim as a ravenous reader and shows a bit of my varied interests.
While the books I’ll be reading for DJABC are pretty much already set, the rest is open for suggestion; however, I have found myself seriously drawn to delving into my spiritual awareness as a woman. This isn’t exactly new, but I’ve decided to make it a serious pursuit this year. It began with my reading of Galland’s book?The Bond between Women.?Somewhere within the pages I began thinking about how her words applied to me, how I felt influenced by them, awakened by them.
I am now within the pages of?The Way of Woman?by Helen M. Luke. It is a collection of her essays. I find myself thinking these things again: how do her words apply to me, how am I influenced, what is this awakening? Where I have meandered and wondered before on my path of spirituality I am now ready to tread with more determined steps.
This journey will be largely one of reading for now. Perhaps I will look into various spiritual retreats. I would very much like to explore my spirituality through communion with others of various disciplines and faiths, but for now reading is the place for me to begin my seeking into serious depth.
I’m open to reading suggestions. If you’d like to see what I’m reading feel free to check me out on Goodreads.
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