I have a reading conundrum: I love to read. All the books. So many, it’s hard to keep track. I have come up with some methods to organize the madness–maybe it will help you, too. In this post, I’m sharing how to make a reading list, or a TBR list (to be read list). Plus, I’m kicking off my book club!
If you don’t know this about me yet, I love to read just about anything that tells a good story. Bonus if it’s also beautifully written. I also love to learn, so if it’s teaching me or reminding me of good things, then I’m in.
Give me any of these: women’s contemporary fiction, mysteries, poetry, biographies, classics, writing craft books, memoirs, children’s books, beach reads, theological books, thrillers, narrative nonfiction romances, and historicals. Because my novel-in-progress is a dual timeline, I’m choosing to read lots of dual timelines (time-slip genre). The only genres I don’t pick up regularly if at all are science fiction, young adult, and horror. Not to say I wouldn’t read the first two. Definitely not the horror genre, though. I enjoy productivity books, Bible studies, and how-to creative books like knitting, cooking, lettering.
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So here’s the conundrum.
You can see. All the books.
I have a tendency to put too many books on my to-be-read list or in my Libby library hold. Some are added to my Goodreads account. Some are jotted in a notebook. Others are literally stacked on my bookshelves. Still others are buried in boxes in our basement as I await new bookshelves in the space I’m renaming the Library because it will have books and lamps and chairs. (In my dreams, I pictured really high ceilings with lovely rolling ladders and floor to wall bookshelves. (But really, I love our beautiful home with its normal ceilings.)
Now, let’s get down to business.
How to Make a Reading List
First, List the Books
Every December or early January, I list the books I want to read this coming year. This is the dream world again, people. Lots of books here. I work loosely within the following categories:
- Christian fiction
- General market fiction
- Classics
- Nonfiction Christian and devotionals (not including Bible studies)
- Productivity books and writing craft books
- Friends’ books. This is a new category for me because I’m making so many new author friends, and I want to support their hard work.
Then I look at my shelves and find books I already own which I haven’t read yet. This is key. Books I already own. I look at my Kindle and my Audible account. I look at what books might be coming out this year that I would hate to miss. And then I braindump all the possibilities onto paper.
It’s super fun because, as they say, the sky’s the limit.
Now if this makes your head hurt, I get it. This sounds too academic. Too organized. Too something. You’d rather just roll with whatever book happens to come your way this year. You want to be in the mood, in the moment, open for the friend who says, “Hey, you gotta read this book!” And that’s fine.
But book-naked is a real thing.
There’s nothing worse than finishing a book, and then not knowing what book to read next. (Check out this podcast if you want to add even more books to your list.) I have too many to choose from. And I tend to get all cattywampus and jump from one book to another – or worse yet, feel stranded and book-naked for a few days – if I don’t have a plan. I give myself lots of grace and flexibility to change the plan whenever I want. I may not finish ALL these books this year. If not, I’ll move them into next year.
Do you feel a little bit like me and long to have some plan? Or do you feel like you are always book-naked? You have no clue what book to read next (here’s how to pick your next right book, by the way)?
If this whole how to make a reading list thing has you overwhelmed (or not), you’re welcome to join me for Beth’s Book Club. Because sometimes it’s nice to have a friend suggest a book.
Beth’s Book Club: What It’s Not
This is not an in-person book club. I’ve been in book clubs (in person and virtual) for decades, and I have loved them. They are wonderful opportunities to meet new people, make new friends, and do all the book talk and tea/wine-sipping you might like. But for this season of my life, I’m stepping away from a formal in-person book club and doing it my way. It’s not forever. Just for now.
Beth’s Book Club: What It Is
I make the list, set up my own schedule, and dive in.
I’ll share my list of books in each of the categories on social media and perhaps in other posts.
I’ll choose 24 books to highlight for this book club, two per month. One fiction. One nonfiction. Because that’s what I love to do. Then I’ll write a blog post about those two books at the end of the month.
I am choosing a variety of books that I want to read and share with you. It’s a mix of general fiction, Christian historical, romance. And one classic. Maybe there’s a book on this list that you would never have dreamed of picking up before? Maybe there’s a genre that you usually stay far away from? I get it. That’s one of the great things about a book club. New books, new ideas, new authors.
I realize you might have zero interest in reading some of these. Read what you want, if you want. Or just read the Goodreads notes about them, and then you can check out my blog post with my Beth-review and takeaways. Nothing fancy. No quizzes. Just reading fun.
And just so you know, I’ll be reading plenty more books this year and sharing bits and pieces of those in my newsletter! Click here to sign up!
Let’s Begin
Every Month
All year long, I will read selected poems and short stories from these books. Sometimes I will share on social media or in my newsletter if I find something worth sharing.
Good Poems: Selected and Introduced by Garrison Keillor
The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts by Lena Nelson Dooley
Great American Short Stories from Hawthorne to Hemingway by Corinne Demas
January
(Okay, so this post is going live at the end of January, but I still wanted to share these. There won’t be a blog recap of these books.)
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradahl
Limping with God: Jacob & the Old Testament Guide to Messy Discipleship by Chad Bird
February
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard
March
The Saints of Whistle Grove by Katie Schuermann
Breath by James Nestor
April
The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold
Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn’t Food Hardcover by Chris van Tulleken
Review the review for The Divine Proverb of Streusel here!
May
How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauk
Redeeming Technology by A. Trevor Sutton and Brian Smith, MD.
June
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Our Way Home: A Journey through the Lord’s Prayer by Daniel E. Paavola
July
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
The Case for Heaven by Lee Strobel
August
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh (swapped for Happy Place by Emily Henry)
An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus’ Rhythms of Work and Rest by Alan Fadling (swapped for My Life in France by Julia Child)
September
The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton
Continue by Tanner Olson
October
The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
Imagination Redeemed by Gene Edward Veith Jr. and Matthew P. Ristuccia
November
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox
Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted by Gretchen Ronnevik
December
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
So, are you joining me? If so, make sure you sign up for my email list to get notified when I share a Book Club post (end of every month!), and get all the other reading goodies here!
If any of these books caught your eye, add them to your reading list! I created a free, printable Reading List Tracker so you can keep track of friends recommendations, books you read and loved, and watch your list of books grow! Click below to download.
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