I started this fall with 12 books on my to-read list. I completed ten of them, and am part-way through the other two. First, here are the ones I finished, along with a 2- or 3-sentence thought for each of them (because I shamefully did not write or post a single review of my Fall into Reading books!):

Rebecca — Reading “classics” can be a challenge for me, maybe because I’m a lazy reader. I struggled through the first couple chapters of this one, but then got pulled right in. Ended up really enjoying it!

The Book Thief – The narrator’s style irked me for the first fifth or so of the book; it felt forced and overdone to me. But the plot won out and I stayed up late many nights, unable to put this one down.

Finder’s Fee – First book I’ve read by this author. It was good, but didn’t “wow” me. Wondering what would happen next kept me turning pages, and I’d probably read this author again.

Plain Truth — I really enjoyed this one. The setting and Amish culture were so well-developed, the characters were intriguing, and the underlying mystery kept me engaged until the end.

Sweet Revenge – I always enjoy a culinary mystery. This one felt slow at first, but because I secretly want to be Nancy Drew, it wasn’t long before I was trying to put the clues together myself.

The Kite Runner — I often avoid “modern literary bestsellers” because too many of the ones I’ve tried were over-dramatic, under-plotted, or depressing. But I’m so glad I gave this one a try — excellent novel! I’ll definitely be reading this author’s next book as well.

When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box — Great book. Naturally, I loved the fact that Ortberg compared life to various aspects of board games, but even more, I love that he gave me so much to think about. Great nuggets of wisdom and encouragement.

The Little Red Book of Wisdom — Another great one for nuggets of wisdom. The short, accessible chapters were packed with good advice, interesting anecdotes, and a hefty dose of inspiration.

The Parent You Want to Be — I liked the authors’ approach in this book — looking at 10 characteristics that many/most parents aspire to, and how to incorporate them into our day-to-day parenting. I would have liked a little more “meat” though — too often, right when I felt like I was getting into the topic at hand, the chapter ended and we were on to the next characteristic. Still a good book; I just wanted more of it.

The House that Cleans Itself — I have to admit that I read this without applying the information as I went along. Clark provides a system that can and will help someone get their house streamlined, easy to clean, easy to maintain. I just didn’t have the energy to do it right now…but I do plan to revisit the book and DO IT.

And now for the two books that are not yet completed (it should not surprise anyone that they are non-fiction!):

A Dash of Style — I’m on the last chapter of this one, and thought it was great. It is much more than a handbook on punctuation — it is a handbook for writers who want to use punctuation to enhance and improve their writing. It’ll have a permanent spot on my reference shelf.

The Bible Jesus Read — I’ve really appreciated what I’ve read of this one, but it’s one of those books that I want to work through slowly. There’s much to think about, much to digest. I think I want to use it as part of a personal Bible study program — working through the books of the Bible that he writes about, while simultaneously reading this book.

So, did I learn anything?

* I learned to give a book a chance. More than one book on my list started out slowly. I was tempted multiple times to put a book down and walk away. But sticking with it paid off every time. Sure I’d love it if every book pulled me in completely and perfectly right from Word 1, but I might be a little picky, so I need to hang in there before deciding to skip a book entirely.

* And, of course, I’m reminded that non-fiction requires discipline on my part! I already knew that, but this challenge brought it to the surface again.

* I learned that I thoroughly enjoy a good, practical self-help book, whether it be on parenting, writing, or just plain living. But I often think something like, “That’s a good idea; I’ll have to revisit that at some future date.” I wonder how often I revisit and actually apply those good ideas. Two potential solutions: 1) Take my time in non-fiction, thinking through, processing, and applying as I go along; or 2) Keep a notebook of some kind with the things I want to revisit; then actually schedule the time to do so. Any thoughts or suggestions? Can anyone relate?