September through December reading notes & a year-end thought on writing

Every few months, I blog about what I've been reading.  Here's the latest installment of my reading notes:

 

Middle School Literature
Along with another mom, I facilitate a middle school literature group, and the first three books on this list were selections for our group. 
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
I love this book's very clever take on the mystery genre.  A spunky heroine and a cast of intriguing characters, plenty of wordplay and lots of puzzles and clues keep readers of all ages interested.  Our literature group had a lot of fun discussing this book!
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
This Newberry Award-winning book is a well-written and fascinating work of historical fiction that takes place around the time of the Salem Witch Trials. 
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
I'm glad I finally read this classic and can see why the story has endured.  Black Beauty is a sympathetic and endearing narrator.  This beautifully-written novel is a window into the era in which it is was written.  Sewell's commitment to exposing animal cruelty and to promoting the virtues of kindness and altruism are as relevant as ever. 
Beorn the Proud by Madeleine A. Pollard
This is a decent and adventurous historical novel about the Vikings.  We read it because it coincided with the time period that my daughter was studying.

 

Novels
Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders by Julianna Baggott
Having enjoyed some of Julianna Baggott's posts about writing, I decided to read one of her novels.  I liked the plot about a celebrity author turned recluse and a missing manuscript, told from various perspectives and at different points in time.  Fascinating characters and a great story!
The Martian by Andy Weir
It's not exactly my cup of tea, but I enjoyed some aspects of this creative survival story.  The author's style is very casual, and there's too many scientific details for my personal taste.  Still, I was compelled to keep reading and cheer for the resourceful and funny protagonist.  I hope to see the movie soon.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
I read this because Elizabeth Gilbert refers to the novel in Big Magic (see below).  The exotic setting, quirky characters and mysterious circumstances captured my interest. 
Pure by Julianna Baggottt
When I saw that Baggott also wrote a series of dystopian fiction, I was excited to see her take on that genre.  This series is darker and better written than other, more popular dystopian series that I've read.  I like it and have already started reading the second book.

 

Nonfiction
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Excerpts from this book, as well as Gilbert's Magic Lessons podcasts, were resources for an online writing class I took.  I had the book from the library and read it very quickly.  I received a copy for my birthday and look forward to rereading it.
Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
Pretty funny, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Tina Fey's Bossypants.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
This was an interesting read in conjunction with Big Magic.  The bottom line is that you just have to sit down and do the work.  However, it can help to hear that message repeatedly and in a variety of ways, so this short book was definitely worth the read.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
A National Book Award winner that is on many "best of" and recommended lists for 2015.  You should read this book.  It's an important perspective on race and America's racial history and is written as a letter to the author's teenage son.  I thought it was hard to get into and a bit repetitive at parts.  Yet overall I found this to be a beautifully-written and insightful book, and I'll be rereading it for sure.  

*****

This is my 36th blog post of 2015.  I averaged three posts per month, although in a very inconsistent way.  My last post before this one was more than a month ago, for example.  And yet I'm hopeful for my writing life in 2016.  I have lots of ideas.  And I've been scribbling away in a notebook since the very busy days of Christmas passed.  I know what I want to do, and I can do it - create a regular and consistent writing habit forged by self-discipline and focus.  May 2016 be my year of writing consistently!

Happy New Year!