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This is my last post on books for awhile. I didn’t want to make a super long post by including a look back at 2010, what I’ll be reading in January, and a list of challenges for 2011. Instead, I split it up into three posts and this is the final one.

While I’ve enjoyed the majority of my reading this year, I wanted to make a change for 2011. I don’t want to read books simply because they have colors in the title or because they fall into a specific fiction genre. Instead, I want to read books that will encourage my relationship with God, strengthen my marriage, and teach me something about the world that we live in and the people I interact with. With that in mind, I found several challenges that match my goals for 2011.

Operation Deeper Faith – This challenge is going to be my biggest focus in 2011. Personally, I feel that without spending time reading the Bible, all other reading is pointless. The first part of the challenge involves studying one book of the Bible and reading it in numerous translations. I own 3 translations and have access to many more (Bible Gateway is a great resource). I’m going to commit to reading one book of the Bible in six different translations.

The second part of the challenge involves reading theology books. I am committing to reading at least 10 theological books, or one each month. I’m very excited about spending some time reading books about the Bible and seeing what other people have learned in their studies. Coincidentally, this part of the challenge lends itself well to the following challenge.

Off the Shelf – The goal is to read books I already own but haven’t read. I’m going to attempt the Trying challenge level, reading 15 books from my bookshelves. If I complete January’s to-read list, that will be three books complete already.

Foodie’s Reading Challenge – From the website: “Together we’ll explore the world of good food writing. That may take the form of a cookbook or a biography or even a novel centered around food.” Sounds like fun! I’m aiming for the Epicurean level, attempting to read 7 to 9 books. I have several cookbooks in mind and I love reading travel/food memoirs.

When picking out books to read each month, I want to read one book from each of several different categories:

Christian Living – to will help me develop as a Christian
Theology – to learn more about God
Homemaking – to develop specific skills as a homemaker
Marriage – to encourage me to be a better wife
Memoir/Autobiography/Biography – to learn from other people’s experiences
Health/Cookbooks – to learn to be a better cook

These categories will overlap at times. However, I want to utilize my reading time to learn something, to become a better person, and ultimately to be equipped to serve others better. 2011 will be a great year!

I didn’t finish everything. Oh, well! I read some books this year that I wouldn’t have otherwise, mainly Jane Austen sequels and a lot of Christian non-fiction. Next year’s reading list is going to look drastically different, as evidenced by my Nightstand post this month.

Christian Historical Fiction Challenge – COMPLETE! I read some good books in this genre but most were mediocre. If I’m going to read fiction, though, this is the genre I’m drawn to. I can’t figure out why, when I rate so many of the books as just average reads. The ones I really enjoyed are in bold.

1. Distant Dreams (Ribbons of Steel, Book #1) – Pella, Judith
2. The Outsider: A Novel – Gabhart, Ann H.
3. Bachelors Puzzle – Pella, Judith
4. Sister’s Choice – Pella, Judith
5. How Do I Love Thee? (Ladies of History, book #4) – Moser, Nancy
6. Just Jane (Ladies of History Series #2) – Moser, Nancy
7. Eighth Shepherd (A. D. Chronicles #8) – Thoene, Bodie
8. Her Mother’s Hope (Marta’s Legacy, #1) – Rivers, Francine
9. Michal – Smith, Jill Eileen
10. The Apothecary’s Daughter – Klassen, Julie
11. Lady of Milkweed Manor – Klassen, Julie
12. The Inheritance – Alexander, Tamera
13. A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance, #1) – Brownley, Margaret
14. The Hope of Refuge: A Novel (An Ada’s House Novel, Book #1) – Woodsmall, Cindy
15. A Bride Most Begrudging – Gist, Deeanne
16. A Bride in the Bargain – Gist, Deeanne
17. Queenmaker: A Novel of King David’s Queen – Edghill, India
18. The Centurion’s Wife (Acts of Faith Series #1) – Bunn, Davis
19. Ninth Witness (A. D. Chronicles, Book 9) – Thoene, Bodie
20. The Hidden Flame – Bunn, Davis
21. The Courteous Cad – Palmer, Catherine
22. All the Way Home – Tatlock, Ann
23. A Measure of Mercy (Home to Blessing, #1) – Snelling, Lauraine
24. Masquerade – Moser, Nancy
Extra – In My Father’s House (Shiloh Legacy #1) – Thoene, Bodie
Extra – The Carousel Painter – Miller, Judith McCoy
Extra – In the Company of Secrets – Miller, Judith McCoy
Extra – Though Waters Roar – Austin, Lynn
Extra – Hannah’s Hope – Kingsbury, Karen

Biblical Fiction Challenge – I didn’t do as well on this challenge as I thought I would, mainly because I started a few Biblical fiction books and dropped them. I don’t mind a good retelling of a Biblical story, but only when it is faithful to the original. I don’t understand why authors drastically change Bible events. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with any of the Biblical fiction I read this year, even though I really enjoyed the earlier A.D. Chronicles books.

1. Eighth Shepherd (A. D. Chronicles #8) – Thoene, Bodie
2. Michal – Smith, Jill Eileen
3. Queenmaker: A Novel of King David’s Queen – Edghill, India
4. Ninth Witness (A. D. Chronicles, Book 9) – Thoene, Bodie
5.
6.

Christian Non-Fiction Challenge – COMPLETE! Surprisingly, I was really strong in this category. I enjoyed a number of the books and look forward to reading more in this genre. Again, books I highly recommend are in bold.

1. How Women Help Men Find God – Murrow, David
2. Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement – Spencer, Irene
3. 3:16: The Numbers of Hope – Lucado, Max
4. Radical: Take Back Your Faith from the American Dream – Platt, David
5. Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex – Dillow, Linda
6. Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment – Osler, Mark
7. Loving Your Man Without Losing Your Mind – Davis, Susie
8. Love Is A Flame: Stories of What Happens When Love Is Rekindled – Bell, James
9. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs – Eggerichs, Emerson
10. The Jesus You Can’t Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ – Jr., John F. MacArthur
Extra – Treasures from Bible Times – Millard, Alan R.

Jane Austen Challenge – COMPLETE! Loved this challenge! I think Jane Austen’s books are brilliant. Fantastic character development, interesting plots, and very funny writing. The sequels and spinoffs… not so great. I’ll probably avoid them in the future.

1. Emma
2. Emma & Knightley: The Sequel to Jane Austen’s Emma – Billington, Rachel
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Mrs. Darcy’s Dilemma – Birchall, Diana
5. Sense and Sensibility
6. The Third Sister: A Continuation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility – Barrett, Julia
7. Northanger Abbey
8. An Assembly Such as This – Aidan, Pamela
Extra – (Related, but doesn’t count toward the challenge) Jane Austen’s Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders – Ross, Josephine
Extra – The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World – Sullivan, Margaret C.
Extra – Just Jane (Ladies of History Series #2) – Moser, Nancy
Extra – Duty and Desire – Aidan, Pamela
Extra – These Three Remain – Aidan, Pamela

Colorful Reading Challenge – I failed miserably on the Colorful Reading Challenge. I didn’t start early enough in the year and I had a hard time locating quality books that contained colors in the title. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that this type of arbitrary book selection is not my type of challenge.

1. A Blue and Gray Christmas – Medlicott, Joan
2. Kidnapped: or, The Lad with the Silver Button – Stevenson, Robert Louis
3. Cooking Green – Keyhoe, Kate (still in progress but will finish before the end of the year)
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Memorable Memoir Challenge – COMPLETE! I really enjoyed reading memoirs. I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy them! Not all memoirs are good, but most of the ones I read were enjoyable. Those I would recommend are in bold.

1. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia Gilbert, Elizabeth
2. A Year in Provence Mayle, Peter
3. Sweet Mandarin: The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West Tse, Helen
4. Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement Spencer, Irene
Extra – A Thousand Days in Venice – de Blasi, Marlena
Extra – Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life – Kingsolver, Barbara
Extra – Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran – Saberi, Roxana
Extra – Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey – Knize, Perri

South Asian Author Challenge – Failed challenge due to bad planning.

1. The Sari Shop Widow – Bantwal, Shobhan
2.
3.

Chunkster Challenge – This challenge is not over until January 31, 2011 but I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it. I have a chunkster on my reading list for January (Bleak House) but I don’t intend to read two books of that length in only a month. If the Bible qualifies for this challenge (which I don’t believe it does, as it’s a collection of books), I read it twice this year!

1. The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home – Bauer, Susan Wise
2.
3.

Support Your Local Library Challenge – Almost every book I read was from the library. And I supported my local library by paying a few more late fees than I’m used to… One month I wracked up $10.50 in late fees. It’s easy to do when you have 30 books checked out and they are three days late!

100+ Reading Challenge – I thought I would easily finish this challenge, reaching 100 books. I might have, if I hadn’t started dropping books that I wasn’t enjoying. I didn’t think it was worth plowing through a book I genuinely didn’t like just to obtain a larger number at the end of the year. My time is worth more than that! But I still did pretty well in 2010.

1. All Through the Night – Bunn, Davis
2. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia – Gilbert, Elizabeth
3. Distant Dreams (Ribbons of Steel, Book #1) – Pella, Judith
4. A Year in Provence – Mayle, Peter
5. The Outsider: A Novel – Gabhart, Ann H.
6. Jane Austen’s Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders – Ross, Josephine
7. The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World – Sullivan, Margaret C.
8. The Swiss Family Robinson – Wyss, Johann D.
9. Bachelors Puzzle – Pella, Judith
10. In the Time of the Butterflies – Alvarez, Julia
11. Sister’s Choice – Pella, Judith
12. Shanghai Girls – See, Lisa
13. June Bug – Fabry, Chris
14. How Do I Love Thee? (Ladies of History, book #4) – Moser, Nancy
15. The Wisdom Of Eleanor Roosevelt – Wigal, Donald
16. Sweet Mandarin: The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West – Tse, Helen
17. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto – Pollan, Michael
18. How Women Help Men Find God – Murrow, David
19. Mona Lisa in Camelot: Jacqueline Kennedy and the True Story of the Painting’s High-Stakes Journey to America – Davis, Margaret Leslie
20. Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage – Andersen, Christopher P.
21. Now and Always – Copeland, Lori
22. Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement – Spencer, Irene
23. Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel – Jacobs, Kate
24. Emma – Jane Austen
25. Emma & Knightley: The Sequel to Jane Austen’s Emma – Billington, Rachel
26. Just Jane (Ladies of History Series #2) – Moser, Nancy
27. A Thousand Days in Venice – de Blasi, Marlena
28. Beguiled* – Gist, Deeanne and Bertrand, J. Mark
29. The Silent Gift – Landon, Michael
30. 3:16: The Numbers of Hope – Lucado, Max
31. Radical: Take Back Your Faith from the American Dream* – Platt, David
32. Pride and Prejudice – Austen, Jane
33. Eighth Shepherd (A. D. Chronicles #8) – Thoene, Bodie
34. Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex – Dillow, Linda
35. Mrs. Darcy’s Dilemma – Birchall, Diana
36. Her Mother’s Hope (Marta’s Legacy, #1) – Rivers, Francine
37. Michal – Smith, Jill Eileen
38. The Apothecary’s Daughter – Klassen, Julie
39. Lady of Milkweed Manor – Klassen, Julie
40. The Perfect Match (Deep Haven Series #3) – Warren, Susan May
41. The Inheritance – Alexander, Tamera
42. Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment – Osler, Mark
43. The Inheritance – Alexander, Tamera
44. A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance, #1) – Brownley, Margaret
45. The Hope of Refuge: A Novel (An Ada’s House Novel, Book #1) – Woodsmall, Cindy
46. A Bride Most Begrudging* – Gist, Deeanne
47. A Bride in the Bargain* – Gist, Deeanne
48. Loving Your Man Without Losing Your Mind – Davis, Susie
49. An Amish Gathering: Life in Lancaster County – Wiseman, Beth
50. Sarah’s Garden (Patch of Heaven Novel) – Long, Kelly
51. Queenmaker: A Novel of King David’s Queen – Edghill, India
52. Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued* – Meeder, Kim
53. Love Is A Flame: Stories of What Happens When Love Is Rekindled* – Bell, James
54. The Centurion’s Wife (Acts of Faith Series #1) – Bunn, Davis
55. How Sweet It Is – Wisler, Alice J.
56. How to Read a Book – Adler, Mortimer J.
57. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life – Kingsolver, Barbara
58. Leah’s Choice: Pleasant Valley Book One – Perry, Marta
59. The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment – Jacobs, A.J.
60. Ninth Witness (A. D. Chronicles, Book 9) – Thoene, Bodie
61. The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had – Bauer, Susan Wise
62. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs – Eggerichs, Emerson
63. Cooking Basics for Dummies – Miller, Bryan
64. The Hidden Flame – Bunn, Davis
65. Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home – Barfield, Rhonda
66. The Courteous Cad – Palmer, Catherine
67. All the Way Home – Tatlock, Ann
68. Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran – Saberi, Roxana
69. The Jesus You Can’t Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ* – Jr., John F. MacArthur
70. A Measure of Mercy (Home to Blessing, #1) – Snelling, Lauraine
71. Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey – Knize, Perri
72. Masquerade* – Moser, Nancy
73. The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands – Schlessinger, Laura
74. The Great Conversation: The Substance Of A Liberal Education (Great Books Of The Western World, Volume 1) – Hutchins, Robert Maynard
75. The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays – Wilde, Oscar
76. The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home – Bauer, Susan Wise
77. In My Father’s House (Shiloh Legacy #1) – Thoene, Bodie
78. A Blue and Gray Christmas – Medlicott, Joan
79. Letters to Juliet – Friedman, Lise
80. The Carousel Painter – Miller, Judith McCoy
81. The Sari Shop Widow – Bantwal, Shobhan
82. In the Company of Secrets – Miller, Judith McCoy
83. Treasures from Bible Times – Millard, Alan R.
84. Kidnapped: or, The Lad with the Silver Button – Stevenson, Robert Louis
85. Sense and Sensibility – Austen, Jane
86. The Third Sister: A Continuation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility – Barrett, Julia
87. Northanger Abbey – Austen, Jane
88. An Assembly Such as This – Aidan, Pamela
89. Duty and Desire – Aidan, Pamela
90. Though Waters Roar – Austin, Lynn
91. Hannah’s Hope – Kingsbury, Karen
92. These Three Remain – Aidan, Pamela
93. Cooking Green – Keyhoe, Kate (still in progress but will finish before the end of the year)

Later this week I’ll post my reading plans for 2011. I will be attempting something very different than past reading experiences and am really looking forward to getting started!

Edited to Add:
94. ちょうちょ – A Little Kippers book (English title Butterfly). It only took two hours, but I finally finished reading my first preschool book in Japanese!