
Reading Plan for Modern Mrs Darcy's Reading Challenge
One of the blogs that I follow the most closely is Anne Bogel’s Modern Mrs Darcy. I love how she approaches reading and I find the way she writes and speaks to be extremely calming.
Her motto is to help people get more out of their reading lives. Her podcast “What Should I Read Next” is dedicated to helping readers find new books they love. As an avid reader I appreciate her approach and so this year I have decided to participate in her reading challenge. Find it here. For the rest of this post I am going to share the books I am thinking of reading for each category.
- A book published the decade you were born
- A debut novel
- A book recommended by a source you trust
- A book by a local author
- A book outside your (genre) comfort zone
- A book in translation
- A book nominated for an award in 2020
- A re-read
- A classic you didn’t read in school
- Three books by the same author
A Book Published the Decade You Were Born (1990s)
- The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
A Debut Novel
I am already reading a debut novel and that is Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. Others I may consider:
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
- The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
A Book Recommended by a Source You Trust
- Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (Modern Mrs Darcy)
- Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Friend)
- Deep Work by Cal Newport (Dad)
A Book by a Local Author (South Africa)
- Thoughts in a Makeshift Mortuary by Jenny Hobbs
- Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton
- Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
A Book Outside of Your Genre/Comfort Zone
Historical fiction outside of WWII novels or fantasy based historical fiction do not make it into my hands very often so this is what I have chosen to list
- The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
- A Tyrrany of Petticoats by Jessica Spotswood (Ed.)
A Book in Translation
I have already read a book in this category. The first book I read this year was The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani which was translated from French. I would like to read more of these, however, so here are more I am considering.
- A Man Called Ove / Beartown by Fredrick Bachman
- 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
- The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
A Book Nominated for an Award in 2020
We will see as the year progresses what gets nominated for awards.
A Re-read
- The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
- All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
- Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
A Classic You Didn’t Read in School
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
Three Books by the Same Author
I would like to read books by Brandon Sanderson this year. I might also choose to read John Grisham this year or Ken Follett.

