april's resolutions?

I've been trying to decide what I'd like to accomplish this month. While I haven't made any real decisions yet, I've been joking with myself that I should term April "Start and Finish a Book Month."

Lately, I've been having a difficult time getting into books. I think my tastes are changing a bit. I've definitely been into more nonfiction lately. And, I've really been into pieces on food and on education. I also find it weird having gone for so long without having been assigned a book to read.

I recently started The Book Thief, after seeing it mentioned on Cluck & Tweet. I think that I might like it...at another time. I just can't get into it. I remember the first book I had this problem with. It was a Dean Koontz book*. (My parents were very into Dean Koontz and I started reading him when I was in sixth grade. I went through many years of reading his works, but I haven't read one in a really long time. I refuse to give up my Koontz books, though, in case I one day feel I want to come back to them.)

Some other books I've started but have just not finished: A Confederacy of Dunces (I attempted that one when I started college), Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel, The Other Boleyn Sister, and Real Food: What to Eat and Why (these last examples are much more recent). These are all I can think of right now, but I'm disappointed with myself every time I can't finish a book. I'm trying to go a bit easier on myself here because, really, is it that important that I finish a book I currently have little interest in? No. It's not. At the same time, though, I'd like to make it through a whole book. I'm hoping that both The Story of Stuff and U is for Undertow are available from the library soon (I have both of those on hold for me). I'm thinking -- and hoping -- that I'll be able to both start and finish each of those.

Lest anyone think I'm a lot on the strange side for even taking the time to overthink this issue, I know I'm not alone. I managed to catch this tidbit on Talk of the Nation this morning. (I have a couple of more hours to wait until the audio is available online.)

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* I suddenly cannot remember which book it is. I even looked on the Dean Koontz website at his full booklist (wow) and nothing is jumping out at me. I thought I'd never forget the title because not being able to finish the book felt like such a big personal failure. (Yes, I spend entirely too much time in my own head.)