As I shared in January, I’m changing the way I’m approaching my reading goals in 2014. Instead of picking books for the whole year, I’m just choosing books a month at a time.
Here’s my list for March:
12 Books I Plan to Read in March
- The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages
- I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t)
- Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
- Balancing It All
- The Antelope in the Living Room
- Fifteen Minutes
- Debt-Free Living in a Debt-Filled World
- The Measure of Success
- The Traitor’s Wife
- Chasing God
- In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day
- Praying for Boys
I also am reading through the Bible using the plan in my Blessing Journal and reading one devotional from Jesus Today every day.
5 Books I Plan to Read Aloud to My Kids
- More All-Of-A-Kind Family
- The Imagination Station: Hunt for the Devil’s Dragon
- Devotional: Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
- Jungle Doctor’s Fables
- A Big Year for Lily
What books are you planning to read in March? Leave a comment and let us know — and then you can come back at the end of March to tell us what you ended up reading and what you thought of the books you read!
Jennifer Diggs says
In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day – One of the best books I have read in a while! Makes you wanna get up and do something. And it doesn’t hurt it is about Benaiah and that is my son’s name
sona says
Crystal or anyone: Any books out there on mentoring teens one on one?
sona says
We are reading “Not a Fan” for our book club. Quote on the back cover:
The dictionary defines a fan as an enthusiastic admirer. Fans want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires sacrifice. Fans may be fine with repeating a prayer, attending church on the weekend, and slapping a Jesus fish on their bumpers. But is that really the extent of the relationship Jesus wants? Jesus was never interested in having admirers. Its not fans he is looking for.
Challenging book!
Sheri says
I LOVED the All-of-a-Kind-Family series as a kid – read it multiple times! That and the Little House books were my favorites!
Dianne says
I’d just like to know how you manage to keep yourself from having information overload? There was a time (a few years back) I had to completely stop reading everything because I was starting to feel insecure in my decision making (esp parenting books).
Also, for the non fiction books you read, do you take notes or highlight important areas you wish to remember?
Thanks!
Crystal Paine says
At this point, I’m still being so inspired by what I read. However, I am careful to stay away from books that I feel would just induce guilt or insecurity. I sometimes underline/email myself quotes from non-fiction books I read. I also sometimes write posts inspired by them, as a way to cement what I learned from them in my mind.
Debbie says
Crystal… The blessing journal that you use – where can I find a copy of that? In one of your pictures it shows the page layout – and that looks exactly like what I am wanting.
Thank you so much for your wonderful information and advice each day! Hopefully I can get a copy of Say Goodbye soon – sounds like such a good book.
Debbie
Crystal Paine says
I don’t know that it’s available online right now (just checked and it’s saying not available), but I have an extra copy and would love to send it to you along with a copy of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode. Email me your mailing address and I’ll pop these in the mail to you — [email protected]
Debbie says
Thank you Crystal! Email is on it’s way – you are such a blessing to so many…
Yvonne Reynolds says
I am almost finished with ‘Notes from a Blue Bike’, really enjoying this one! And kind of a treat for me, I am reading ‘Sycamore Row’ by John Grisham. Haven’t read a Grisham book in a long time, I just love his legal thrillers! Haven’t decided what I will read next once I finish these two…
Hope says
I hate to say this about any book other than the Bible, but Chasing God has been literally life-changing for me. Angie is so honest and I can relate to so much of her struggle and how she ended up there. So much freedom found!
Christine Wright says
In a Pit with a Lion is life changing – my favorite Mark Batterson book. It’s one of the very few books I always leave out on my desk. Smiled big when I saw it in your stack!
Crystal Paine says
I’ve loved the two I’ve read by him so far, so I’m really excited to read this one!
Kimberly says
Fifteen minutes is a great read….as are all of KKs books! I get a kick out of seeing fiction on your list. As a longtime reader (back to your BW days) I can remember when you were strictly non-fiction! Can’t go wrong with a good KK book!
Nikki says
I loved Balancing It All! I have been recommending that along with your newest book to all of my other mommy friends. I also really enjoyed Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury, but I have yet to find a book of hers that I didn’t like haha. I love seeing what you are currently reading. It gives me some great ideas of new books to add to my list.
Crystal Paine says
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my reading lists!
Clare C. says
All of a Kind Family! Second best book series for kids ever, or at least it was to me in my childhood. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
So now I have to ask: what was the first best series?? 🙂
Heather says
I just finished the book by Karen Kingsbury. It was wonderful. I actually finished it in one day. My husband saw me reading it and shut the door and took care of the kids for the night.
Ashley says
Crystal,
You talk a lot about reading aloud to your kids during meals. When do you find time to eat?
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
Thanks to all your encouragement, Crystal, this is the first month I’m making any reading goals. I truly don’t have the time to spend a long time reading, but 10-15 minutes here or there gives me a little bit of a break that’s desperately needed during the day.
Here are the books I plan to read:
Non-Fiction
-All my daughter’s curriculum came for this coming year (although, we just start a new curriculum once we’re done with the old one, so there’s no gap, even if we begin a new grade level in the middle of the year), so I need to read through them and decide how to best incorporate all the books.
Fiction (reviewing for Bethany House and BookLook Bloggers)
-Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig
-The Queen’s Handmaid by Tracy Higley
-Take this Cup by Bodie and Brock Thoene
Read-Alouds to my Children
-Boxcar Children #3 & #4
-Imagination Station #3 & #4
Lorie says
How do you choose your books? Is it random, are they new releases at your library etc?
Crystal Paine says
I wrote more about this in this article: https://moneysavingmom.com/2011/09/qa-how-do-you-choose-what-books-you-read.html
Cheryl says
Love seeing your lists! Especially since I’m a librarian and love to hear when people are reading. I recently heard Tommy Newberry on Focus on the Family and my husband and I are reading his 3 books: 40 Days to a Joy Filled Life, I Call Shotgun, and Success is Not An Accident. I’m planning on reading some of your titles too Crystal and have them listed in my notebook. Thank you for such a wonderful Christian website! May God continue to bless your ministry.
Crystal Paine says
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement!
Kim says
Tommy Newberry’s Success is not an Accident was amazing! The exercises he has you do are very thought provoking.
Elise says
Do you schedule reading time into your day (or week)? Sorry if you already addressed that and I missed it.
I’m hoping to finish reading Natural Goat care, The Power Of a Praying Wife (one of my favorite ever books!) and The Soapmaker’s Compion.
Crystal Paine says
I wrote more about how I find time to read here: https://moneysavingmom.com/2014/01/qa-fit-reading-daily-schedule.html
Elise says
Thanks!
Joanna A says
We love All-of-a-kind Family. So glad to see the sequels are coming back in print!
Becki @Running with Team Hogan says
I am finishing Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, the Love Dare (maybe 2 days to go!), and tackling A Patriot’s History of the United States (since my children will study U.S. history starting in the fall) – I think this one will be a year-long project. (My goal of non-fiction reading is 12 books for the year – I’ve finished 2 and am close to 2 more).
For my children, my March goals are Twenty and Ten and Snow Treasure. (Goal for the year is 12 read-alouds to them). We finished Twenty and Ten in one day yesterday (I blogged about this “What was I thinking?” moment last night).
I’m glad I made yearly reading goals. (I also have read some fiction, but I don’t need to make a goal for that – more like a goal to NOT read as much 😉 ). The way I set my reading goals was to make a stack of 12 for the kids and 12 for me but allow myself to make any substitutions as the year goes on. (I’ve already made some changes, but I still have my fall-back list if I need it.)
Crystal Paine says
Way to go on doing so much reading!! That’s fantastic!
Snow Treasure is one of our very favorite books. I hope you all love it, too!
Sarah says
I am reading Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan, How Girls Thrive by JoAnn Deak, and 20 Years Later by Emma Newman. I am reading Charlotte’s Web and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle to my daughter (she’s 4).
Crystal Paine says
Oh, we loved both of those kids’ books!
Sarah Pinault says
Do you have a book budget? How do you handle the thirst for more of what God’s people are doing? There’s so much out there right now that I want to devour. Chasing God by Angie Smith, both of Melanie Shankle’s books, Anything by Jennie Allen. I have 57 books on my Amazon wish list. I got a Kindle for $9 when they did that crazy Kindle deal, just so that I could devour this stuff faster and cheaper, but still!
Crystal Paine says
I totally hear you! Here are 8 ways I get books for free or almost free —> https://moneysavingmom.com/2013/02/8-ways-to-get-books-for-free-or-almost-free.html
michelle says
Can you put a suggested age for the kids books please. Thank you.
Ginger says
That is a great stack of books! I spy several that have been on my radar, and I can’t wait to read them soon. Chasing God, Praying for Boys, and Jab…Hook are definitely on my to-read list. Happy reading!
just me says
Crystal,
I’d love to read your book ‘Saying goodbye…’ . I wonder if you have any copies left of the ones you were sending out as a gift for Valentine’s. I’ve been in survival mode for a while and need to get out…
Crystal Paine says
Amy just forwarded me your email (so, so sorry that the others didn’t come through for some reason!) and I’ll send you a copy tonight.
just me says
A huge THANK YOU to you and Amy. I just finished doing my happy dance, it will be a wonderful belated Valentine’s…
Crystal Paine says
You are so very welcome! I hope it is a blessing!
Ann says
Crystal, just wondering… I “looked inside” on Amazon and saw that you are quoted in the “Praise for The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages” section. Did you say those things before reading it? 🙂
Crystal Paine says
I got the chance to look through pre-release copy before it was published and loved the content I was able to read. So I knew I definitely wanted to read the finished copy from cover to cover when it was published!
Denise says
I’m currently reading The Edge of Freedom series by Elizabeth Ludwig. So far I’m loving it.
Crystal I love how after you finished February’s books you told us about your two favorites! I love hearing which books you loved and would recommend!
Crystal Paine says
I’m so glad you’re finding it helpful! I’m really enjoying writing these posts — and the accountability it provides me!
Yoly @ SavvyMujer says
Great selection of books. You’ll love Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. So far my favorite read of 2014.
Crystal Paine says
Good to know! I’m excited to read it!
[email protected] says
I am reading:
1. Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, by Richard Foster
2. Bread And Wine: Readings For Lent And Easter
3. Undaunted by Christine Caine
4. Praying for Your Adult Children by Stormie Omartian
And hopefully a great Christian fiction by Lynn Austin. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
Oh, I LOVED Bread & Wine and Undaunted. I hope you do, too!
The Coupon "High" says
I have Karen Kingsbury’s 15 Minutes in my library bag right now. Just have to get a chance to start it.
Samantha says
OOh, I love All of a kind Family!
Crystal Paine says
We loved the first book and are excited to read another.
Michele says
Just an FYI that All-Of-A-Kind Family Downtown actually comes next in the series chronologically. It was actually published later, but the baby boy born at the end of the 1st book (Charlie) is 3 months old in the “Downtown” book and a bit older – about 2 – in the More All-Of-A-Kind Family book. It might not really matter much as the Downtown books focuses a lot on a friend of theirs (whose mother is sick) and is never brought up again in the following books (which makes sense since it was written later), but thought I’d point it out in case you are a stickler for reading things in order, age-wise. The Downtown book is the most depressing book of the series. Growing up, it was my least favorite but still good. I never knew it was written later. It was also illustrated by a different person than in the 1st 3rd (More), and 4th (Uptown) book.
There are 5 books in the series all together in chronological order:
All-of-A Kind Family
All-of-A Kind Family Downtown
More All-of-A Kind Family
All-of-A Kind Family Uptown
Ella of All-of-A Kind Family
I read these books a lot growing up – probably no fewer than 50 times each – I loved them so much! My family is Jewish and my grandmother grew up in a tenement in the Lower East Side of NY in the same time period. In fact, where they go shopping for Shabbat in the first book – on Rivington Street is where my grandmother lived. So it was fun for me to read these books!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for this — I’m hoping I can get the others in the series soon, too!
Christy H. says
Just started reading praying for boys. Really enjoy the books so far! I’ll be glad if I get that one book done by the end of March 🙂 LOL
Sidney says
A Big Year for Lily is a great book. I’ve known Suzanne (one of the authors) for years – such a wonderful woman of God. It’s fun to see her name on published books!