I feel a little odd that I have gone this whole year without posting at all on this old blog. But I keep my book list running on it, saved as a draft, throughout the year. It's so easy to add to it all long year and then update it just before it posts. This blog's readers have no idea if my kids had birthdays this year (they did), or if we went on any vacations (we did), but at least you'll know how many books I read, when I read them, and what my top 10% of books were.
Total books: 77
Biggest book months: April, May and June, each with 11 books. Road trips, combined with good running weather make for a lot of reading for me.
Top 10% in no particular order (rounding up because I can do what I want on my blog):
- The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Crown and Suzanne Stabile
- Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit
- Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- All Thirteen by Christina Soontornvat
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes
January
1. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd* - Listened with the boys. It was fine. Not super memorable.
2. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende* - There was a lot I loved about this, and a lot that drove me bonkers.
3. Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer* - So heavy. I usually enjoy the unraveling of a family mystery.
4. Shadow Woman by Thomas Perry* - This series is getting kind of predictable, and I can't remember one book from the next. But they remain engaging, especially while running.
5. The Face-Changers by Thomas Perry* - I believe after this one I told Eric I might take a break from this series. But then I dove right into the next one.
February
6. Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix* - This one definitely had some plot holes that I didn't think of when I read it at about age 12. Nonetheless, I found it thoroughly enjoyable to listen to with my boys.
7. Blood Money by Thomas Perry* - The mafia families got involved in this one, and I had a hard time remembering which group was which. The end got a bit muddled for me.
8. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson - This book was so good. It took me a while to get through it, but it is a very good mix of a historical study blended with individual history.
9. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale - I liked this the first time I read it, and I enjoyed it again on this read-through.
March
10. Runner by Thomas Perry* - More of the same of his stuff.
11. Poison Flower by Thomas Perry* - See above. All the plots run together for me. I'm glad I'm nearly done with this series.
12. A String of Beads by Thomas Perry* - All wrapped up with this series (for now). If he adds more, I don't know that I need to read more.
13. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale* - I didn't love this audio version. It was read with a full cast, but it felt really forced to me. I'm glad I re-read this one because I remembered almost nothing from reading it a few years back.
14. The Self Driven Child by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson - So much good stuff in this book. I am eager to discuss it with my book group ladies.
April
15. Soul Full of Coal Dust by Chris Hamby* - Man, the coal industry is corrupt. Also lawyers are corrupt. When I hear people complain about the government tying the hands of the coal industry, I'll recommend this book to them.
16. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney* - We listened to this on a family road trip. It was great for the boys, but I wasn't crazy about it or some of the language in it.
17. Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar* - This fourth addition to the original trilogy did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it and chuckling at Mr. Sachar's excellent sense of humor.
18. The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock by Jane Riley - This was a very enjoyable free book through the First Reads program.
19. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick* - Another audiobook on a road trip. Very enjoyable.
20. All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio* - Pretty good, but not amazing. The book involves two narratives, one during WWII, and one in 2009. I far preferred the one from WWII and found the amnesia trope tiresome.
21. How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana* - Good memoir. It wrapped up with a lot of loose ends, though, because it is so current.
22. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - I liked it. I liked the many meanings of the title.
23. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park* - I was amazed by how much I loved this one.
24. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney* - I am just not crazy about these books. Listened on a road trip and then had a discussion with my kids about what a bad example Greg is.
25. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park* - Yes, I liked this book so much that I kept it on my phone and listened to it twice in one month. My kids had a hard time following this one, but I loved it again.
May
26. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney* - Ugh, the relationships in this book are so bad. Greg is such a brat, and so is his older brother!
27. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck* - Now THIS was a book we all enjoyed. Good characters, hilarious story, good discussions about history.
28. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson* - I loved this book when my teacher read it to my class in fifth grade. My boys liked it, but they may have been a little young to fully appreciate it.
29. Prognosis: A Memoir of My Brain by Sarah Vallance - Why do I keep reading these terrible memoirs about self-absorbed people who think their lives are interesting, but who actually just make a series of terrible choices?
30. My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows* - I really enjoyed listening to this one. I laughed a lot.
31. The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator by Joakim Palmkvist - Interesting. There wasn't as much emphasis on the investigator as I expected there to be, and it was a little longer than it needed to be.
32. The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee* - Such an interesting story. A little long, but I appreciated the many plays on words in the advice columns.
33. The War on Normal People by Andrew Yang* - So depressing! I know the end was supposed to fill me with hope as Yang provides ideas on how to improve America's situation, but that is not how I felt. I think he's got some interesting ideas on paper. I don't see any of those ideas making it through Congress. I do support therapy for all married couples who need it!
34. River Secrets by Shannon Hale* - Probably my least favorite in the series. Pretty forgettable for me.
35. Without the Mask by Charlie Bird - Incredibly good. I'd be curious to see where Charlie is ten years from now. I worry that his position is untenable, based on other gay LDS people I know.
36. Uglies by Scott Westerfield* - I really liked this one, despite a terrible narrator. I found the characters interesting enough, and the basic premise of the plot is intriguing. The events at the end of the book set up a lot of excitement for the next book. I also found the main character, Tally, really relatable concerning her desires and her changing opinions.
June
37. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney* - It's amusing to listen to a book about road tripping while road tripping. Nevertheless, my opinion of the Wimpy Kid series is unchanged.
38. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell* - How did I miss this one as a kid? It was a bit slow for my kids, but I liked it.
49. The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner* - Such an interesting facet of American history. I was more familiar with Japanese internment camps. Reading about "Germans" who were re-repatriated was fascinating and heartbreaking. The post-war chapters dragged on a little too long, though.
40. The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Crown and Suzanne Stabile - If I haven't blabbered on to you about the enneagram yet, then you must not have chatted with me since I last read this book. Eric and Andrew had me read entire chapters to them on our long drive home from our road trip.
41. Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit* - Oh, how I loved this one! I read it as a child and liked it. But I understood so much more of the humor as an adult. I enjoyed listening with my kiddos.
42. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney* - Eric keeps downloading these books for road trips. I should really just put my headphones in and ignore them while my family enjoys them.
43. Pretties by Scott Westerfield* - I thought this was a decent sequel to the first. I was eager to read the last.
44. Specials by Scott Westerfield* - And then the finale really fizzled for me. What a bummer.
45. Ghost by Jason Reynolds* - This one was delightful, heart-warming, funny, and deep.
46. Your Perfect Year by Charlotte Lucas - Another free book from Amazon's First Reads. I thought it would be light and amusing. It was full of coincidences, but it definitely wasn't light. The banter between characters was not funny, but I suppose it might have been in the original German. It just didn't do a lot for me, and by the time I decided I just wasn't thrilled about it, I was 75% through and figured I'd stick it out.
47. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo - I just loved this one so much. When I read the author's note at the end, I realized it was based on some real events, and then I loved it even more.
July
48. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling* - Listened with my kids on a road trip, and then I was inspired to re-listen to the whole series.
49. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* by J. K. Rowling* - Restarted at the very beginning.
50. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling* - This one is just never a favorite of mine, but it has some elements that are important to the series as a whole.
51. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling* - I love this one and will always be a sucker for time travel books.
52. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling* - This one's toward the bottom of the books for me.
53. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - Loved it so much! Such good characters with tons of development.
54. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling* - So much teenage angst in this one. It's a little tiring, but Umbridge is the best antagonist.
55. Matilda by Roald Dahl* - Listened on a road trip with the kiddos. We had read it aloud before, and we had seen the play recently, so it was fun to listen to the book.
56. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - Again, I was totally caught up in these characters. I'm glad I've discovered this author.
August
57. Matilda by Roald Dahl* - Fun listen with the kids.
58. All Thirteen by Christina Soontornvat - This book was just so amazing and interesting. I was totally fascinated and couldn't stop talking about it to every single person.
59. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid* - I just really enjoy this author. This book took some twists I didn't expect, but I loved it.
60. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silva Morena-Garcia* - As I posted at the time of the Mt. Nebo Marathon, there was something very appropriate about reading this book, which ends with the young woman journeying through the underworld, while running a marathon for which I was inadequately prepared. This was a brand new realm of mythology for me, and I found it fascinating.
September
61. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough* - Hot dang, I liked this one way more than I expected. The Wright Brothers didn't just invent the airplane, they also mastered flying. McCullough really brings out that aspect of their genius and persistence.
62. White Like Her: My Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing by Gail Lukasic* - Such an interesting story, but this book was a little boring.
63. Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughn* - Great British novel about families, perceptions, mental health, and relationships. Really loved, and I wish she had more books.
64. All that's Bright and Gone by Eliza Nellums* - Eh, this one didn't do a ton for me. It ended a little weird.
October
65. Little White Lies by Phillippa East* - I liked the multiple perspectives in this narrative. It was definitely a riveting book.
66. Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughn* - This one is quite a bit darker than the other one I read by her, but I liked it. I loved the multiple narrators and how the story unfolded between past and present.
67. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling* - I told my oldest we'd listen to this one after he read the whole series, so we did. The ending sure lasts a long time.
68. The Parted Earth by Anjali Enjeti* - I loved learning about this aspect of history.
69. 1984 by George Orwell* - What a slog.
69. When You Read This by Mary Adkins* - Sweet but kind of forgettable.
70. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins* - Totally engaging version of Jane Eyre. I probably liked the ending better than the original.
71. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune* - Started this one and was really amused by the writing. Then my loan expired and I had to put it on hold before I could listen to the rest. By the time it came back up, I found it much less amusing. It just became rather tiresome for me.
November
72. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty* - I love all of her stuff. This one may be a favorite.
73. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover - Hated the first third or so, then I couldn't put it down. This deals with incredibly heavy topics (domestic violence, sexual assault), and there is a ton of swearing. But I felt like the author does such a good job of depicting why women stay in abusive relationships.
74. The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes* - This was a part of history I knew nothing about. Great read.
December
75. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett* - I had such mixed emotions about this book. It was read by Tom Hanks, which I didn't love. But, I was captivated by it from the start.
76. Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd* - A pretty meh suspense/thriller for me.
77. Graceling by Kristin Cashore* - Really enjoyed and couldn't wait to dive into the second one.
78. Fire by Kristin Cashore* - I liked it even better than Graceling.
