I started the year with a list of resolutions and one of the resolutions was to keep the resolutions. Hah! Right? Every month, I try to visit the list just to see that I am on track. One of the things I really need to do is to read more. I enjoy reading, I love the smell of books, and I quite like to flip pages and to use bookmarks. With this said, I don’t have a Kindle. Of course, this makes it difficult to find good English books in Harbin! I have not found a library with a vast range of English books that would tickle my fancy.

So, let’s get on with my favourite part! The list of hows! How am I trying to keep up with this particular resolution?

1. Set aside a reading time. I try to be in bed, candles lit and book in hand about 30 minutes before I want to sleep. During the week means that I am in bed at 22:30 reading. Sometimes. When I have the energy. Let me tell you, the first few days meant that I was fast asleep 3 pages in! Sometimes, I just try to read a chapter. 
2. Order, download, or buy the books you’d like to read in advance. I have a Goodreads account where I have a reading list saved which is helpful. This is not as straightforward as it seems; I had ordered a book assuming that it’s the read deal, but I received an A4 sized photocopy. I wish I was joking! So, in this case, I think it is better to have a kindle. Goodreads can help you track your progress and also see what other people are reading. 
3. I have been trying out audio books, too. I have been listening to Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth because I fear that I will never get through the gargantuan paperback! I have found myself listening to the book when I am at work or when I am at the gym. If you do not have apps like audible then you can try to find some titles on YouTube!

This Spring I have set aside these books:

• I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

When I have finished these books then I will add on the other two (a fiction and a non-fiction) for the spring season.

What are you reading this spring? I am more than happy to expand my reading list! Sometimes knowing people’s favourite books can give you a tiny glimpse of their soul, who they really are and what moves them. Losing yourself in a book can be a beautiful experience, is it not? What is your favourite book?

Happy Spring Reading!