Over the past year or two, I have become a planner. No, I still can’t keep up with any calendar I buy to track my To Do list, but when it comes to reading, I have found that planning out which books I want to read in a month has really helped me read more. Having books on hand and not having to think about which book I want to grab has shortened the wait time between finishing one book and starting another. I read quickly, but I used to go days or weeks between books. Now that I have a plan, I know exactly which book I’m picking up next!
I have one bookshelf in my office dedicated to just the books I want to read in the upcoming month, and, when I’m itching for a new book, I go to that shelf. Naturally, I add to the shelf throughout the month as I read and grab more books from the library, but I try to limit myself to only 8-10 books on the shelf so I don’t get overwhelmed! Here’s a few that are sitting on that shelf now, waiting to be read in February.
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The Montague Siblings Duology by Mackenzi Lee
I came across The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee when I was researching books for the Around the Year prompt for week 5: A book by or inspired by Shakespeare. Since I knew I DEFINITELY was not going to read a Shakespeare play, I tried to find something to fit the prompt without being too stuffy… and how can you pass up a title like that?! Plus, the sequel features the main character’s sister, who seems to be just a badass, and the title is The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. I mean! I’m a sucker for a good title and cover.
The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton
Since reading The Forgotten Room by Beatriz Williams, Karen White, and Kate Morton, I have been dying to get into some of their individual works. I read Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams last year, and I have her newest book The Summer Wives on my shelf from Book of the Month club. But I haven’t gotten around to reading more of Kate Morton yet. When I saw that Book of the Month club had her newest release in back in October, I knew I had to grab it. I’m looking forward to reading this one this month!
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
I added Brain on Fire to my To Read list after seeing it pop up everywhere last year. Luckily for me, one of the members of my book club brought a copy for the Christmas book swap, and I snagged it! She said it was one of her favorite books that she read last year, so I’m hoping to enjoy it. Plus, it fulfills my nonfiction goal for the month!
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
In an effort to read books that have been on my To Read list for yearssssss, I slotted Still Alice in to pair with Brain on Fire. Both deal with mental health, and I’m hoping that reading a fiction and nonfiction book from similar points of view will help me dive deeper into the topic.
On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
To be honest, I had no idea what On The Come Up was about before I selected it for my Book of the Month club pick for this month. But it’s by Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give, and I wasn’t about to NOT get it. I have been looking forward to reading more of Angie Thomas’s work since I read The Hate U Give last January, and I’m ready to get my hands on this one.
Other Possibilities
I have a few other books on my radar. Even though I read 14 books last month, I’m trying not to overwhelm myself and plan too many books for February.
Despite it being the month of love, I’ll probably squeeze in a murder mystery or two, like The Couple Next Door or Her Every Fear, since I own them already. If I’m feeling like those are a bit heavy, I may pick up the next book in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy.
I’m also thinking about throwing in a few more books by African American authors, since February is Black History Month. A few of my students suggested Dear Martin, which has been on my To Read list for a while, or I may pick up Born A Crime by Trevor Noah, since I didn’t get to it last year.
Do you have any suggestions for me? A few extras I should try to squeeze in this month? Or a suggestion on which of these I should start with? Let me know in the comments below!
