I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read.  It is one of my favorite things in life.  I love reading so much that I have a Master’s Degree in Reading and have am considered a “Reading Specialist” in the field of education.  I love all aspects of reading; teaching reading, vocabulary, comprehension, the psychology of reading and the list goes on and on.  I also love to read. Did I say that yet?   My favorite genres are non-fiction both Christian and true to life, biography,  mystery (not scary),  action packed (not action adventure) and historical fiction with a little bit of romance thrown in.

Anyway, because of my love for reading and the fact that some would call me a “Reading Specialist”, I have decided to add a reading corner to my blog.  Some posts may be book reviews or  reading lists, whether it is my own or student lists.   I also plan to focus on teaching vocabulary, comprehension,  teaching context clues, content area reading (my favorite), and how it relates to writing as well as other aspects of reading. My purpose is to help homeschooling parents make sure their children are well-rounded, solid readers.

For those of you who do not know I won a $500 Amazon gift card via Money Saving Mom and the launch of her new book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode.  With that I just purchased a paperwhite kindle and plan to purchase scores of books.   I will use the rest on other totally yet undetermined items.  I wonder if  I could pay for a vacation with my card?  Anyway I digress, now back to the topic on hand, reading.  These are the books I plan to read in Jan.  2014.

1.  Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food by TerKeurst, Lysa (Dec 21, 2010)   This is an online Bible Study that I plan to begin later this month and will probably not complete until early March.

2.  The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk Jr., E. B. White and Roger Angell (Aug 2, 1999)  A writing book to help with writing skills.  Writers constantly “hone  their craft.”

3.  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Hosseini, Khaled (Feb 24, 2009)  I just finished this book in 3 days.   I can go into a hermit stage with a good book;  therefore I must be careful and limit myself to one per month.

4.  Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by Eldredge, John and Eldredge, Stasi (Jul 10, 2007)  I started this book in 2013 and plan to finish this month.

5.  Living Beyond Your Feelings: Controlling Emotions So They Don’t Control You by Meyer, Joyce (Sep 15, 2011)  I started this book in 2012 and plan to finish this month.

6. These High, Green Hills (The Mitford Years #3) by Karon, Jan (Apr 1, 1997)  I read the first two books of the series years ago and have the rest of the series on my bookshelf.  Since I’ve given up TV for the next three weeks, I have more time for reading.  I was looking for a fun, easy read ,found these books and plan to finish the series in the next couple of months if not sooner.

My reading goal for 2014 is to read 52 books, an average of one book per week.   Have you read any good books lately?  What are your reading goals for 2014?