Bookmarked, Vol. 1

One of my reading goals for the year is to limit my book-buying to four or five books for the year. There's nothing wrong with spending your money on books if it's something you love to do, but in my case, I've found that: 1) my book-buying outpaces my reading by a problematic rate, 2) I already own a lot of un-read books, and 3) I find I'm more satisfied when I spend money buying books that I have read previously and loved.

In order to avoid temptation, I'm planning on using my library a great deal. I got my Portland library card last month, and I was thrilled to learn that their digital library collection is fantastic and far surpasses the one from the Oak Park library. They've had every e-book I've attempted to look for, even some obscure titles.

Anyone who is a heavy library user knows that the wait-list for new and popular books can be long. Because of this, I'm going to keep a running list of titles that spark my interest so that I can jump on the wait list or grab them if I happen to see them on the shelves in the library. Here is the first set of books currently on my radar.

***

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Bachman
This book is debut novel from a Swedish writer, and features the story of Ove, an old curmudgeon who's life is changed when some new neighbors move in next door and cause a disruption to his life and routines. I already have a soft spot for grumpy old men, but I've heard this story described as a heart-warming and humanizing story that packs a gut-punch, and I AM HERE FOR IT. | Goodreads

Villa America by Liza Klaussmann
Set in the roaring '20s on the French Riviera, this story follows lives of Gerald and Sara Murphy, the glamorous expats who were the real-life inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel Tender is the Night. It features a supporting cast of characters including Picasso, Cole Porter, and Hemingway. While I should probably read Tender is the Night first—and no excuse, it's on my bookshelf already—I am often sucked into fictional stories about real life characters, especially set during the Jazz Age. | Goodreads

Hold Still by Lynn Steger Strong
This book was framed as "this year's Everything I Never Told You" and that's literally all I needed to know to add it to my list. (For context, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng was my favorite book of 2015.) With a release date of March 2016, it promises psychologically wrought characters and well-crafted prose. I'm in! | Goodreads

Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capó Crucet
A young Cuban-American woman secretly applies and is accepted into an elite university far from home, much to the anger of her immigrant parents. The coming-of-age novel focuses on her struggle to adapt culturally and academically as a first-generation college student at a predominantly white school. This one is right in my wheelhouse: Bildungsroman, campus novel, diverse characters. | Goodreads

Life From Scratch by Sasha Martin
This memoir from a food blogger focuses on how she cooked her way to happiness and self-acceptance, using cooking as a way to process her painful past. It seems to focus on the story behind the food, which is a perspective I always enjoy. | Goodreads

***

I'd love to know, what's #1 on your reading list for the year? Have you read any of the books I mentioned here?