New Year Resolution

I don't usually make new year resolutions. I've found I can't keep them. But this year I've resolved to try reading novels which are outside my normal comfort zones of relationship fiction in all its forms but mostly by female novelists, historical fiction, Top Ten bestsellers (if so many people love them, they must be good) and Richard and Judy choices, which always look so irresistible in WHS.

I've never read a Western, so I'm going to try a couple. I've never read a menage novel, so I'll read one of those (note to self - buy fan to cool fevered brow while reading menage fiction). I've never read any homoerotic fiction, so I'll give that a go, too, because one of my former creative writing students has recently started writing it, and he's gradually becoming very successful (I expect I'll still need that fan).

I'm also going to dive into literary fiction, the stuff that wins the Booker Prize, and tackle Possession and The True History of the Kelly Gang. I don't usually get on with Booker winners. Anne Enright's The Reckoning and Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children did nothing for me. But I'm going to try harder this year.

I'm also going to try re-reading The Lord of the Rings, but am anticipating finding it drags a bit. Or a lot. I am NOT going re-read any complete Harry Potters yet again - must cure myself of that addiction. But, if I'm ever feeling ill or down, I expect I shall allow myself to revisit my favourite bits.

I've read some great novels in 2011, and here are some of my recommendations:

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Lost Christmas by David Logan

The Untied Kingdom by Kate Johnson

Bereft by Chris Womersley

The Generation Game by Sophie Duffy, my Book of the Month for January

I'm not sure if the Westerns are going to measure up!