How I Read So Many Books (And Books I Read in 2017)

Today on the blog I am going to answer a question I have gotten quite a few times over the years! I also will share with you my list of books that I have completed in 2017!

First of all, I find great value in reading. I love improving myself, my relationship with God, my knowledge of essential oils, my Bible knowledge. I love fiction but I don’t tend to read it quite as much as other types of books. Sometimes when I need to relax I will grab a fiction book, however.

That said, there are people in this world that read a LOT more than I do. I actually don’t feel like I read that many books in a year. It may appear that I read more than I do because I love sharing what I’m reading on Instagram, especially in my insta-stories. Now, if I didn’t have kids or homeschooling or a business to run, I would read a lot more I’m sure. ha!

So, how exactly does a busy homeschooling mom who blogs, is very active in church and running her own business have time to read? Well, I’m glad you asked. 🙂

6 Reasons Why I Can Read More

I don’t watch TV. I very rarely will sit and watch a tv show or movie. I’m not sure if it’s just my personality but I have a hard time sitting and watching tv. Now, I could sit and read all day long. LOL! I guess I don’t see the benefit in it. I know that sounds terrible. I have NO JUDGEMENT in my heart for those that watch tv. I actually find myself sometimes WISHING that I could sit and get involved in a show and just VEG. I’m not trying to sound super spiritual or anything because that is not it! I just get bored when I sit and watch tv or movies!

I always have a book with me. I don’t wait for a long stretch of time to read. I always have an actual book or a book on my kindle app on my phone that I am reading. Any time I have to wait somewhere, I can get in a few pages! Even if I only have a few minutes I can read a few pages!

I read every morning. I read from the Bible, I read a short devotional and then I typically get up early enough to read at least 1 chapter in one of my current books. Usually the book I read in the morning is a book about personal growth (and inspires me for the day) or spiritual growth (and feeds my soul which is life-giving to me.) When I do not get up early enough to have that quiet stretch of time and read, my whole day feels off.

I take “breaks” through the day and read also. This doesn’t mean long breaks, but sometimes I will just pick up a book and read for 5 minutes. It feeds me and helps me to re-focus. Except for winter time, I will often go sit on my front porch with a book and that is time for me to cool down or refresh.

I find great value in reading. I think you need to see the value and importance of it. We generally make time for what we feel is important, yes? You may find it important to wind down at night by watching tv. That is fine, but that is a choice you are making! So, if you genuinely want to find more time to read, you will have to MAKE the time.

I read more than one book at a time. I don’t mean 2 books in my hands at a time. I’m not that magical. 🙂 I mean that I don’t wait to finish a book before I start another one. I may have 5-6 books going at a time. I’m moody, y’all. Sometimes I am not in the mood to read a certain type of book. So I just pick up another type! Now, that said, I cannot typically read 2 fiction books at once. So all the books I am reading at one time are all of different types.

Books I Read in 2017

Here is my list of books I have read in 2017! I hope you find something here that sparks your interest! By the way, I still have plenty of time to get in 1-2 more books so I may come back and update this post!

Books I read in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 

These are listed in the order that I read them.

1. Otto & The Silver Hand – this is a book I read with my kids that went along with our history curriculum last year
2. The Undoing of Saint Silvanus – LOVED this first fiction novel written by Beth Moore
3. Chasing Slow (read my blog post about this book here)
4. Full
5. The King’s Fifth – another book we read with our curriculum
6. Nothing to Prove
7. Lost and Found
8. Madeleine Takes Command -another book we read with our homeschooling curriculum
9. It Starts with Food – this book is what Dr. Edie recommended we read at the beginning of 2017 that really jump started my health journey this year
10. Teaching From Rest – one of my FAVORITE books for homeschool moms!
11. 10 Ways to Fall in Love with Your Bible (read my blog post about this book here)
12. The Switherby Pilgrims – another book we read with our homeschooling curriculum
13. 40 Days of Decrease
14. Making the First Circle Work – a very quick read on network marketing
15. Chasing Francis – LOVED this book
16. Chestry Oak – another book we ready with our homeschooling curriculum. This was one of my favorites. I may have cried.
17. Habits of Grace – fabulous book on the Christian disciplines
18. Invisible Selling Machine – this book is for those trying to do marketing through email
19. Wired to Eat
20. Children of the Storm – if you enjoy missionary biography stories this one will inspire you!
21. Go Pro – another network marketing book
22. Hinds Feet on High Places – amazing story of encouragement (read my blog post about this book here)
23. Israel, My Beloved – fascinating Biblical historical fiction that will give you a brand new perspective on the country and people of Israel
24. The Greatest Salesman
25. Who Switched Off My Brain – written by a Christian neuroscientist who talks about getting rid of toxic emotions
26. Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils – if you are fascinated by essential oils and how they can help with your emotions I recommend this book
27. The Happiness Advantage
28. Fasting – one of the best books I’ve read on Fasting
29. Unseen -so, so good
30. Becoming Mom Strong (read my blog post about this book here)
31. Energy Bus – fabulous book for leaders!
32. Soup – another fabulous book for leaders! Very motivating!
33. Prayer Box – great, quick Christian fiction read
34. Sea Glass Sisters – this book goes with the Prayer Box – quick read
35. Tidewater Sisters – the other book in the trilogy – quick read
36. Christmas Box
37. Timepiece
38. The 5 Second Rule – not written from a Christian perspective but great advice for learning how to be more decisive and follow through on goals in all areas of life, I am reading this with a business group so we are applying it to our businesses.
39. 21 Days of Prayer for Your Business
40. High Performance Habits – so our oil team leader (Edie Wadsworth of Lifeingrace) is doing a goal setting workshop the last weekend of this year. She recommended we read this book before we attend. This is the same goal setting workshop that I attended in early 2017 that inspired most of my personal growth and physical wellness journey this year! I’m so excited about it! I am about halfway thru this book when this post is going live but my goal is to have it done by the end of this week, so I’m listing it here.)

There you have it folks! The list of books I completed in 2017. Now, I won’t list all the ones sitting by my bed and morning spot on the couch that I have not finished. Maybe they will make it to the list in 2018.