One of my goals every year is to read plenty of books. Plenty can mean many things to many people, but my goal is roughly 25 books per year. (This year I read 35.) Keeping track of that list has helped me to stay on track. For the past three years, I’ve kept my list on Pinterest, since it’s not a scrap of paper that’s easily lost!

So how does a busy mom of 5 manage to read 25+ books per year? Strategy. Focus. I have to be deliberate. And I love to read. It’s how I relax.

Here are my tips:

Keep 2 or 3 books going at once. For me, it’s usually at least one fiction and one non-fiction at a time.
Audiobooks. I’m a huge fan of listening to my books. While I read 1 or 2 print books at a time, I’m listening to another one or two on Audible. (And no, that’s not cheating.) I listen if I’m driving in the car alone, grocery shopping alone (!!), for 15-20 minutes when I’m going to sleep, while I’m sewing, or working in the yard.
Read aloud to your kids. Many of the books on my list are those that I also read to my kids for our school studies. And some of the others are books I read in preparation for teaching my kids (see the history section).

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And now, the list. Click on each photo for a link.

History

I read these for teaching my kids, while teaching my kids, and for my own pleasure. History is my BFF. You can probably trace our history studies by the list:

Deerslayer (1840) and Last of the Mohicans (1826) by James Fennimore Cooper: These are excellent historical fiction that take place during the French and Indian War. They are the first two books in The Leatherstocking Tales. I read these, and assigned Mohicans to my teenage daughter for school. These books are definitely written in an older style, but if you’re used to classics, it’s not a problem.
George Washington (1977) By Norma Cournow Camp: This is just one great book in the Sower Series, a set of biographies for children. I read most of them as a kid, and now enjoy reading them to my children. This was a read-aloud for school.
Northwest Passage (1936) by Kenneth Roberts: Another epic novel about the French and Indian War and the famed Robert Rogers. I have not yet finished this one.
The Dragon and the Raven by G.A. Henty: subtitled Or the Days of King Alfred. Great historical novel (actually written for young boys) about the life of Alfred and his struggle with the Vikings in medieval England (Wessex). Every Henty historical novel is an adventure story littered with historic facts. I read this in preparation for teaching a class at our homeschool co-op.
The White Horse King by Benjamin R. Merkle: Probably one of my favorite books this year. It tells the incredible story of Alfred the Great’s lifelong struggle to keep the Vikings at bay and protect the people of Wessex. He did it, and the tale is amazing.
1776 by David McCullough: As you might guess, this book traces the struggle of the American soldiers through the beginning of the Revolutionary war. It reads like as story, and is great for adults as well as teens.
Texas Tears and Texas Sunshine: Voices of Frontier Women: I picked up this book at Palo Duro Canyon on our vacation this year. It’s a compilation of journal entries from Texas women in the 19th century. This is my favorite kind of history book. You can’t twist the writings of the people who lived it. This one is so good; it’s hard to read sometimes because of the awful circumstances these women lived through, but it’s well worth it.
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose: This is what a history book should be. I’m reading this one (almost finished) along with my teen daughter for school. It’s an in-depth look at Lewis and Clark and Thomas Jefferson, the Corps of Discovery. Ambrose explores all possible documentation of the trip west to weave this exciting story of Americans opening up the west.
The Captain’s Dog by Roldand Smith : Along with Undaunted Courage, I’ve been reading this aloud to my kids for school. It’s a fun look at the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the eyes of Meriweather Lewis’ dog. My kids are loving it. In comparison to Undaunted Courage, it’s historically accurate.
William Wilberforce, God’s Politician by John Holzman: This was a read-aloud for school, as well. It’s a short, but excellent look at the life and work of William Wilberforce, who made it his life’s mission to eradicate slavery in England and all of the British Empire. He was unswerving in his determination to do what was right, despite being very unpopular for it. And he succeeded, decades before America did. This is one of my top favorites this year. Since I have widely varying ages in my children, it’s the second time I’ve read it to them for school in the past few years.
Patriots, Redcoats, and Spies and Submarines, Secrets, and a Daring Rescue by Robert J. Skead: This was my most exciting discovery of the year! A series of children’s historical adventures based on the real story of George Washington’s spies during the Revolutionary war. I wish there were hundreds more great books written like these about historic events. I read them to my boys as we studied the Revolution, while my teen daughter read Washington’s Secret Six. They loved them and I loved them. And there’s a third on in the works as we speak.

Dystopian Novels

Yeah, I read a few this year, so they get their own category.

Animal Farm and 1984 by George Orwell: I remember reading Animal Farm in school, and being so mad when I finished. I was mad at the pigs and their cruelty. It was several years after that I figured out what they represented. So this year I assigned it to my teen daughter and read it with her. Her reaction was the same as mine, and I said, “That’s how you’re supposed to feel about communism.” I decided to continue the futuristic fun with 1984. It was so creepy and depressing, and there are so many similarities to our modern society. Great quotes all throughout. (I don’t recommend 1984 for your teens. There is some sexual content. I’m old-fashioned that way.)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: The creepiest of the creepy three that I read this year. It’s creepy because too much of it is recognizable, and not in a feel-good way. There’s no such thing as family, no individuality, no history, no literature, no real music. It’s a dreadful new world, but they think they live in “progress.” I felt sick to my stomach and a bit depressed after reading. (Also not recommended for children or teens.)

Novels

I love historical novels. I read several per year, by different authors. And I usually repeat a couple of favorites every year.

Too Long a Stranger by Janette Oke: I love all of Janette Oke’s books. They are great stories of the Canadian West, with the characters constantly learning to lean on God. However, this one is probably my least favorite of her books. Don’t know why I chose to read it again. It’s not fast-moving and is mostly a sad story.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: I’d heard lots of great things about this book series. I mean, historical novel from the 1940’s with time travel back to Medieval Scotland? I’m in! I read the first book and loved, loved, loved the story. It’s a brilliant piece of writing. The author does an amazing job of bringing history to life, and illustrating the societal differences in ancient and modern life. I loved it. But I was not prepared for the amount of graphic descriptions of the (married) couple’s sexual relations. Maybe that’s why some people read books. But I could have thoroughly enjoyed this book without those descriptions. So be warned. I decided not to read the rest of the series.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: My fave. I read this one over and over. And over. Jane Austen was so intuitive. Every time I read it I find something new and fun. This one never gets old for me.

Westerns

This has to be a category all its own because I LOVE WESTERNS. Specifically, Louis L’amour. These are my favorites to listen to as I go to sleep. I’ve read them all multiple times. These are the ones I read this year (that I remembered to note):

Tucker
Utah Blaine
Hondo (FAVE)
Hanging Woman Creek
Brionne
Last Stand at Papago Wells
Ride the River
Warrior’s Path
The High Graders
Selected Short Stories

Little House Books

These are mainstays in my collection. We have the classic paperbacks, a collection of hardbacks, the simple children’s versions, and now I’m collecting a set of first edition hardbacks. They have history and characters and family and good-old-fashioned know-how. I never get tired of Little House books. This year my daughter took a class at our homeschool co-op that was a fast-paced overview of the entire series, so I listened to some along with her:

Little House in the Big Woods
Little Town on the Prairie
These Happy Golden Years

Other Non-Fiction

The Lifegiving Home by Sally Clarkson (and Sarah Clarkson): I love everything by Sally Clarkson. As a mom, I get so much enouragement and inspiration from her. This is one of her newer books on cultivating a home where family is rooted and connected. Great read!
College Without the Campus by Hillary Harshman: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review. My honest review was that it is an excellent resource for earning a Bachelor’s Degree with much less cost and lots less time spent in a classroom.
Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot: Like Sally Clarkson, I love reading everything that Elisabeth Elliot wrote. This book is one of those that I read a bit at a time, for encouragement and inspiration. It’s a soothing balm when I’m feeling down, frustrated, or fearful. I even gave copies to my older daughters for Christmas this year.

The Bible

For any Christian, a constant study of the Bible is a must. As with my other reading, I use both print and audio version.

John MacArthur Study Bible, NJKV: My husband gave me this version when we were still dating and I’ve used it as my daily Bible ever since. I really appreciate and utilize the study notes included.
Word of Promise Audio Bible (Audible): First of all, to download the entire Old or New Testament for 1 Audible credit is a really great deal. Second, these are dramatized, but it’s still the full Bible. It’s read by professional actors. We have this version on CD and loved it, so everyone in our family has it on their Audible apps, too. I think there’s a newer, hipper version now, in case you want to hear your Bible read by cool, hipster actors. Haha.
The Bible app (iTunes App store): Thanks to my failing eyesight, this is sometimes faster and easier for me to read. I don’t need my reading glasses handy to read on the Bible app, because it’s bigger print and the screen is lit (as in…with a light bulb. I don’t really know what the trendy version of “lit” actually means). I’m also using the App to keep track of my Bible reading plan for 2018: As it Happened: the Chronological method.

Not an Audible user yet? What are you waiting for?? We have one membership, and our entire family uses it on their individual devices. That’s seven people, y’all. We have been members since about 2009, and have 190 books in our Audible library. See how we use Audible in our homeschool HERE.

For $14.95/month, you get 1 credit (one book) and you keep that audiobook forever. If you join through my link below, you get your first TWO books FREE!

I think my favorite book from this list is The White Horse King (about Alfred the Great). Be sure to follow my { 2018 Book List } on Pinterest!

Now please share! Comment below what you read this year, or plan to read in 2018. Do you keep a list? Do you have a reading goal?

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Nicki Truesdell is a 2^nd-generation homeschooler and mother to 5. She is a homemaker at heart, and loves books, freedom, history and quilts, and blogs about all of these at nickitruesdell.com. She believes that homeschooling can be relaxed and that history is fun, and both can be done with minimal cost or stress, no matter your family’s circumstances. Nicki is a member of the Texas Home Educators Advisory Board. She also teaches ESL online from home. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.