Dear Reader, I find that when I read more, I write more, and the more I write, the more I want to read. Part of it is a craving for stories, the carnal desire to seek a mirror to my own life and validate my own existence, but part of it is research based. I want to read more so I can write the books I want to write. So here is what I *want* to read in 2017:
Fiction-Adult
- The Gift of Asher Lev, By Chaim Potok- I read My Name is Asher Lev when I was in high school, went out and bought this, and never read it. I need to re-read the first book, which is slightly frustrating now as I lent my well loved copy to someone I won’t ever see again, but que sera sera.
- Americanah, by Chimanda Adichie- I keep saying I am going to read this. I don’t even remember what it was about, and yet, here I am having not read it.
YA out in 2017:
I never used to keep up with the latest releases. After all, a book is a book, no matter when it comes out. But I spend a lot of time on Twitter, and have fallen down the book buying rabbit hole. Plus, I want to support diversity in traditional publishing. So here’s what I want to read in young adult fiction in 2017:
- It’s Not Like It’s a Secret-Misa Sugira
- The Hate U Give-Angie Thomas
- Girl Out of Water– Laura Silverman
- 27 Hours– Tristina Wright
- Ramona Blue-Julie Murphy
- When Dimple Met Rishi-Sandhya Menon
Non-Fiction-Memoir
It always feels like I read more non-fiction than fiction, but what actually happens is that non-fiction sticks with me longer. I only have one memoir I really *want* to read, but the other three all fall into the same theme.
- Burnt Bread and Chutney– Carmit Delman
I wouldn’t say I read a lot of Jewish fiction, but I read more than I do Indian fiction at all. This memoir is about a girl whose father is Jewish, and her mother is Indian, and the way the cultures intersect. It was a dollar at my local used book store, and I’m really invested in reading it.
Finally: Non-Fiction books about Musical Theatre
Yup, we’re doing this:
- Anything Goes- A History of American Musical Theatre, by Ethan Mordden
- The Impossible Musical-The “Man of La Mancha” Story, by Dale Wasserman
- Song of Spider-Man: The Inside Story of the Most Controversial Musical in Broadway History, By Glen Berger
You may be thinking to yourself at this point: “Mehek, you’re calling 11 books a TBR? This is ridiculous.”
Okay, it is a little bit ridiculous. My goal is to read 50 books in the coming year, but I am an unplanned reader. I get excited about a book, the lose interest. I read a lot of project memoir along the way. I randomly listen to audiobooks that I don’t plan at all. I didn’t plan to read 20 of the 31 books I’ve read this year. I just…read them.
I also have a book club with some friends where we read independently published/small pubbed books, and that will account for about twelve books in the coming year. I am also working on a project with a website(which I will announce at some point), which will probably account for another six.
I’m excited for all the reading for the coming year. And hopefully, there will be corresponding blog posts for most of them.
What are you excited to read in 2017? Let me know in a comment below!
-M
Mehek Writes 