Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
4.5 Stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Now complete!
**Shoutout to my friend, T! She’s been there all year; a happy little presence that cheered me! Thanks, T!!
**My Partner in crime! My D! I’ll always be your navigator in life and on the road! May this year take us on a more pleasant journey and may we read more of these books together ! Thank God for you.
** I started working on the Pendergast series which has turned out to be a favorite; and I found some GR friends who are also reading it. This has been a favorite time throughout the year for me.
:: new book preordered ::
**Jane Eyre was a huge accomplishment to me!
**I read my first Stephen King in years! This one touches on a trilogy that happens before this book, so I want to read those bc Holly interests me.
**I started listening to audio books at Audible but not depending on them for my reads. I just used them as a supplement so far and they have been helpful.
**The average book I read overall was longer. A normal book was 500-600 pages. Maybe longer ?
**I had a Kindle and used highlights so I could keep up with my favorite passages and also read some comics and manga. I love my Kindle. It has done a lot for my reading. Some months throughout the year I have had Kindle unlimited. Not many, but the few I have had it have been wonderful.
I caught up as much as I could with favorites of mine like Adventure Time, Read the Creation Myths of Dark Crystal, and began The Power of the Dark Crystal. I also discovered Sarah’s Scribbles of which now I am a huge fan!
** I met illustration fans of children’s books. I met wonderful people this year in this category. It’s the quality, content and heart put into the work.
**In addition to that I have been searching for the books of my childhood. Illustration has always been a part of me and this year it has grown because of meeting friends that foster it and help me with it. I’m grateful for that.
**I met a few more writers. I read some of their works. I’m still not finished reading them all but I made a good start. I’m surrounded by talented people. Hilarious people I’m glad to see what they are up to or what they have to say next. I’ve met others with huge ♥️ hearts that inspire and show me new things and also remind me a bit of myself.
**I have been trying to remember, find, and look for the books of my childhood as well as find some new ones for a hopefully future child. ;)
** I learned that I am capable of picking my own 1001 or however many books on my own book list and that I don’t need anyone to tell me what to read. I’ll decide what’s important.
**I found new favorite authors Simone St. James & Kendare Blake. I read two books by Simone and an entire dark fantasy series by Kendare (Three Dark Crowns). I also found Jennifer Jaynes. One of her series reminded me of an important lesson.
** The Future 2019: more Pendergast, Bill Hodges trilogy (SK) with Ginger and whoever else wants to join, being a beta for a friend, catching up on TOG series, reading the books of more writer friends that I possess, more reads with David (which I know means catching up on Rick Riordan books), listening to the audio books I have started gathering for me and D (epics like Dune), hoping Jess finishes the next in the new series, waiting on Sean’s comic & catching up on some Rachel Caine.
Now complete!
**Shoutout to my friend, T! She’s been there all year; a happy little presence that cheered me! Thanks, T!!
**My Partner in crime! My D! I’ll always be your navigator in life and on the road! May this year take us on a more pleasant journey and may we read more of these books together ! Thank God for you.
** I started working on the Pendergast series which has turned out to be a favorite; and I found some GR friends who are also reading it. This has been a favorite time throughout the year for me.
:: new book preordered ::
**Jane Eyre was a huge accomplishment to me!
**I read my first Stephen King in years! This one touches on a trilogy that happens before this book, so I want to read those bc Holly interests me.
**I started listening to audio books at Audible but not depending on them for my reads. I just used them as a supplement so far and they have been helpful.
**The average book I read overall was longer. A normal book was 500-600 pages. Maybe longer ?
**I had a Kindle and used highlights so I could keep up with my favorite passages and also read some comics and manga. I love my Kindle. It has done a lot for my reading. Some months throughout the year I have had Kindle unlimited. Not many, but the few I have had it have been wonderful.
I caught up as much as I could with favorites of mine like Adventure Time, Read the Creation Myths of Dark Crystal, and began The Power of the Dark Crystal. I also discovered Sarah’s Scribbles of which now I am a huge fan!
** I met illustration fans of children’s books. I met wonderful people this year in this category. It’s the quality, content and heart put into the work.
**In addition to that I have been searching for the books of my childhood. Illustration has always been a part of me and this year it has grown because of meeting friends that foster it and help me with it. I’m grateful for that.
**I met a few more writers. I read some of their works. I’m still not finished reading them all but I made a good start. I’m surrounded by talented people. Hilarious people I’m glad to see what they are up to or what they have to say next. I’ve met others with huge ♥️ hearts that inspire and show me new things and also remind me a bit of myself.
**I have been trying to remember, find, and look for the books of my childhood as well as find some new ones for a hopefully future child. ;)
** I learned that I am capable of picking my own 1001 or however many books on my own book list and that I don’t need anyone to tell me what to read. I’ll decide what’s important.
**I found new favorite authors Simone St. James & Kendare Blake. I read two books by Simone and an entire dark fantasy series by Kendare (Three Dark Crowns). I also found Jennifer Jaynes. One of her series reminded me of an important lesson.
** The Future 2019: more Pendergast, Bill Hodges trilogy (SK) with Ginger and whoever else wants to join, being a beta for a friend, catching up on TOG series, reading the books of more writer friends that I possess, more reads with David (which I know means catching up on Rick Riordan books), listening to the audio books I have started gathering for me and D (epics like Dune), hoping Jess finishes the next in the new series, waiting on Sean’s comic & catching up on some Rachel Caine.
Books were like my moods this year. I got on with them erratically.
Not entirely sure whether this is a newfound talent, inhaling pages and pages when I'm upset or can't sleep. What I know is now I found out a few things about my taste.
I really like coming-of-age themes. Especially if it involves protagonists who are scholars, fairly awkward, and are secretly in love with that one other character that's just as awkward as them but everybody is in denial about it. Cases in point: [b:The Idiot|30962053|The Idiot|Elif Batuman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474782288s/30962053.jpg|51577226] by Jeffrey Eugenides, [b:The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.|16045140|The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.|Adelle Waldman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361026301s/16045140.jpg|21823357] by Adelle Waldman, [b:Call Me By Your Name|36336078|Call Me By Your Name|André Aciman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1519203520s/36336078.jpg|1363157] by André Aciman.
Several feminist books got my attention. I will devour more of them. This year I was hard in sisterhood with [a:bell hooks|10697|bell hooks|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1229626374p2/10697.jpg], [a:Rebecca Solnit|15811|Rebecca Solnit|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1535567225p2/15811.jpg]t, and Zadie Smith who wrote an essay about Beyoncé in another impressive, fat collection [b:Feel Free: Essays|35581653|Feel Free Essays|Zadie Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499085125s/35581653.jpg|57015353].
Or generally, I was into witty essays. [a:Durga Chew-Bose|15171684|Durga Chew-Bose|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1512697892p2/15171684.jpg]Durga Chew-Bose,[a:Lorrie Moore|11746|Lorrie Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1224046427p2/11746.jpg], [a:Cheryl Strayed|155717|Cheryl Strayed|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445820056p2/155717.jpg], [a:Anne Lamott|7113|Anne Lamott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1489601640p2/7113.jpg], [a:Anne Carson|34336|Anne Carson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1380283628p2/34336.jpg].
My heart swelled reading poetry by women. [b:Bright Dead Things|24945396|Bright Dead Things|Ada Limon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424307716s/24945396.jpg|44603834] by Ada Limon, [b:Bone|35084223|Bone|Yrsa Daley-Ward|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494857481s/35084223.jpg|42059068] by Yrsa Daley-Ward, [b:The Terrible: A Storyteller's Memoir|36316300|The Terrible A Storyteller's Memoir|Yrsa Daley-Ward|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1524529337s/36316300.jpg|57990204] by Yrsa Daley-Ward, [b:No Matter the Wreckage|18288210|No Matter the Wreckage|Sarah Kay|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394597872s/18288210.jpg|25768313] by Sarah Kay, [b:Red Bird|2282485|Red Bird|Mary Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389536305s/2282485.jpg|2288681] by Mary Oliver, and [b:Our Men Do Not Belong To Us|28367423|Our Men Do Not Belong To Us|Warsan Shire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451248059s/28367423.jpg|48441907] by Warsan Shire.
Li Young-Lee's [b:The Undressing: Poems|35187158|The Undressing Poems|Li-Young Lee|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497193799s/35187158.jpg|56526634] is as sexy as the title suggests. Michael Odaatje's [b:The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems|5944|The Cinnamon Peeler Selected Poems|Michael Ondaatje|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388197822s/5944.jpg|1510183] is real captivating. Leonard Cohen was the soundtrack to my summer sadness so I consulted Google about him and learned that he wrote poetry too. I read the compilation of poems called [b:Book of Longing|158005|Book of Longing|Leonard Cohen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320524706s/158005.jpg|1026304].
To pay respect to my fairy godmothers, I read rare curated writings of Sylvia Plath. [b:Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams: Short Stories, Prose and Diary Excerpts|11628|Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams Short Stories, Prose and Diary Excerpts|Sylvia Plath|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1166483127s/11628.jpg|2015211] captures a different, subdued but still sharp style compared to her intense confessional poems. It's edited by that bastard Ted Hughes though, so take my three cents and skip his introduction. It made me fume. I also read a biography of Plath, beautifully reimagined by Elizabeth Winder in [b:Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953|15818183|Pain, Parties, Work Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953|Elizabeth Winder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355992859s/15818183.jpg|21545789]. We already know my intimate obsession with Plath so every year I read something of her. I started [b:Letters of Sylvia Plath, Volume 1: 1940-1956|29490074|Letters of Sylvia Plath, Volume 1 1940-1956|Sylvia Plath|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507325039s/29490074.jpg|49773281] and have yet to go through it slowly to savor it. I'm reading it along with [b:The Letters of Frida Kahlo: Cartas Apasionadas|187881|The Letters of Frida Kahlo Cartas Apasionadas|Frida Kahlo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433173438s/187881.jpg|181596].
I couldn't decide which [a:Joan Didion|238|Joan Didion|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1335450818p2/238.jpg] to read again or to explore from ones I have yet to read. I ended up taking up [a:Slouching Towards Bethlehem|7848614|Slouching Towards Bethlehem|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] again, which I do so often. It's really close to my heart and grounds me. I read South and West which compiles Didion's travel and political observations.
And the ghost of [a:Nora Ephron|5691|Nora Ephron|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366180104p2/5691.jpg] blessed my memories another time. I read her essay collections again to remember what it felt like when I read them for the first time.
Remember what I sad about inhaling pages? I did that with cookbooks, too. And I've read in a night's notice more than I'm willing to admit. But my favorites related to food this year are Vegetable Dishes I Can't Do Without by Mollie Katzen, Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton, Food Rules by Michael Pollan, Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain, and The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook by Mireille Guiliano.
Craig Thompson's Habibi is so special.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a slim but poignant read.
Clarice Lispector is a pleasant mindfuck.
The Lover's Discourse by Roland Barthes is the book I took to bed most for many slow nights.
A book I didn't finish: The Odyssey because I was reading this with a friend. We'd read it aloud to each other. At some point, I was super annoyed with the friend. We stopped reading. Should I finish it alone?
In the beginning of 2018, I realized I barely read literature anymore. I was still reading all the time but I'm reading politics, magazines, current events, short fiction, and nonfiction. And it made me quite mad, so I decided to avoid that for a while and go back to the racks. I set a goal to read a little more than 3 books a month, so that's 40 books. I ended up reading more than 100, sometimes one a day. So I'm happy about this but there are still adjustments I'd like to do.
My 2019 main reading resolution is: to read despite my mood.
When life is roses and dreamy and I'm quite in love, I tend to abandon the books and my head remains in the clouds. It's quite a terrible excuse when I say to myself that I must not indulge in fantasy and make-believe and fiction because my reality is as sweet and as rare as it can be. But like all excuses, it must come to an end. I would actually want to have memories of calm readings as opposed to the frantic ones that resulted to this year.
I want to read 100 books again. My boyfriend suggested some 30 for my to-be-read. The man is a real hero. I asked him for recommendations and he put it on the table the next day. So I'm going to have to read from his list which is going to be a stretch for me since they are mostly history and anthropology books. But hell, I love a good challenge.
I also have the evil plan to reread the YA books I liked as a teenager but in French translation since I'm learning the language. So far I sound like either a child or a grandmother with my sentence constructions. Sounding like a teenager might be a nice compromise. Actually, if you guys read in French, I would love to know what's fun. Don't give me Balzac and the likes, I can't handle that yet.
I wish could have read more philosophy. I'll really battle with Nietzsche this year. And other stoic gods.
I'll read those Russian authors. Take Anna Karenina to a lake and read by a campfire? We'll see. And I'll also strive to keep up with literature at home and people of color, even though surprisingly they're so fucking hard to find.
These are ideas that I have yet to refine. I still haven't fully decided what to read. I'll come back to those monthly.
Maybe I'll celebrate a 10 year anniversary with Austen and Brontë. Get myself cute leather editions. I was 13 when I first read them, and they shaped me up for life.
Anyway I'll keep you posted. You can check my blog, too, for that.
Not entirely sure whether this is a newfound talent, inhaling pages and pages when I'm upset or can't sleep. What I know is now I found out a few things about my taste.
I really like coming-of-age themes. Especially if it involves protagonists who are scholars, fairly awkward, and are secretly in love with that one other character that's just as awkward as them but everybody is in denial about it. Cases in point: [b:The Idiot|30962053|The Idiot|Elif Batuman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474782288s/30962053.jpg|51577226] by Jeffrey Eugenides, [b:The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.|16045140|The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.|Adelle Waldman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361026301s/16045140.jpg|21823357] by Adelle Waldman, [b:Call Me By Your Name|36336078|Call Me By Your Name|André Aciman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1519203520s/36336078.jpg|1363157] by André Aciman.
Several feminist books got my attention. I will devour more of them. This year I was hard in sisterhood with [a:bell hooks|10697|bell hooks|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1229626374p2/10697.jpg], [a:Rebecca Solnit|15811|Rebecca Solnit|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1535567225p2/15811.jpg]t, and Zadie Smith who wrote an essay about Beyoncé in another impressive, fat collection [b:Feel Free: Essays|35581653|Feel Free Essays|Zadie Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499085125s/35581653.jpg|57015353].
Or generally, I was into witty essays. [a:Durga Chew-Bose|15171684|Durga Chew-Bose|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1512697892p2/15171684.jpg]Durga Chew-Bose,[a:Lorrie Moore|11746|Lorrie Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1224046427p2/11746.jpg], [a:Cheryl Strayed|155717|Cheryl Strayed|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445820056p2/155717.jpg], [a:Anne Lamott|7113|Anne Lamott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1489601640p2/7113.jpg], [a:Anne Carson|34336|Anne Carson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1380283628p2/34336.jpg].
My heart swelled reading poetry by women. [b:Bright Dead Things|24945396|Bright Dead Things|Ada Limon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424307716s/24945396.jpg|44603834] by Ada Limon, [b:Bone|35084223|Bone|Yrsa Daley-Ward|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494857481s/35084223.jpg|42059068] by Yrsa Daley-Ward, [b:The Terrible: A Storyteller's Memoir|36316300|The Terrible A Storyteller's Memoir|Yrsa Daley-Ward|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1524529337s/36316300.jpg|57990204] by Yrsa Daley-Ward, [b:No Matter the Wreckage|18288210|No Matter the Wreckage|Sarah Kay|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394597872s/18288210.jpg|25768313] by Sarah Kay, [b:Red Bird|2282485|Red Bird|Mary Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389536305s/2282485.jpg|2288681] by Mary Oliver, and [b:Our Men Do Not Belong To Us|28367423|Our Men Do Not Belong To Us|Warsan Shire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451248059s/28367423.jpg|48441907] by Warsan Shire.
Li Young-Lee's [b:The Undressing: Poems|35187158|The Undressing Poems|Li-Young Lee|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497193799s/35187158.jpg|56526634] is as sexy as the title suggests. Michael Odaatje's [b:The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems|5944|The Cinnamon Peeler Selected Poems|Michael Ondaatje|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388197822s/5944.jpg|1510183] is real captivating. Leonard Cohen was the soundtrack to my summer sadness so I consulted Google about him and learned that he wrote poetry too. I read the compilation of poems called [b:Book of Longing|158005|Book of Longing|Leonard Cohen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320524706s/158005.jpg|1026304].
To pay respect to my fairy godmothers, I read rare curated writings of Sylvia Plath. [b:Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams: Short Stories, Prose and Diary Excerpts|11628|Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams Short Stories, Prose and Diary Excerpts|Sylvia Plath|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1166483127s/11628.jpg|2015211] captures a different, subdued but still sharp style compared to her intense confessional poems. It's edited by that bastard Ted Hughes though, so take my three cents and skip his introduction. It made me fume. I also read a biography of Plath, beautifully reimagined by Elizabeth Winder in [b:Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953|15818183|Pain, Parties, Work Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953|Elizabeth Winder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355992859s/15818183.jpg|21545789]. We already know my intimate obsession with Plath so every year I read something of her. I started [b:Letters of Sylvia Plath, Volume 1: 1940-1956|29490074|Letters of Sylvia Plath, Volume 1 1940-1956|Sylvia Plath|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507325039s/29490074.jpg|49773281] and have yet to go through it slowly to savor it. I'm reading it along with [b:The Letters of Frida Kahlo: Cartas Apasionadas|187881|The Letters of Frida Kahlo Cartas Apasionadas|Frida Kahlo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433173438s/187881.jpg|181596].
I couldn't decide which [a:Joan Didion|238|Joan Didion|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1335450818p2/238.jpg] to read again or to explore from ones I have yet to read. I ended up taking up [a:Slouching Towards Bethlehem|7848614|Slouching Towards Bethlehem|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] again, which I do so often. It's really close to my heart and grounds me. I read South and West which compiles Didion's travel and political observations.
And the ghost of [a:Nora Ephron|5691|Nora Ephron|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366180104p2/5691.jpg] blessed my memories another time. I read her essay collections again to remember what it felt like when I read them for the first time.
Remember what I sad about inhaling pages? I did that with cookbooks, too. And I've read in a night's notice more than I'm willing to admit. But my favorites related to food this year are Vegetable Dishes I Can't Do Without by Mollie Katzen, Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton, Food Rules by Michael Pollan, Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain, and The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook by Mireille Guiliano.
Craig Thompson's Habibi is so special.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a slim but poignant read.
Clarice Lispector is a pleasant mindfuck.
The Lover's Discourse by Roland Barthes is the book I took to bed most for many slow nights.
A book I didn't finish: The Odyssey because I was reading this with a friend. We'd read it aloud to each other. At some point, I was super annoyed with the friend. We stopped reading. Should I finish it alone?
In the beginning of 2018, I realized I barely read literature anymore. I was still reading all the time but I'm reading politics, magazines, current events, short fiction, and nonfiction. And it made me quite mad, so I decided to avoid that for a while and go back to the racks. I set a goal to read a little more than 3 books a month, so that's 40 books. I ended up reading more than 100, sometimes one a day. So I'm happy about this but there are still adjustments I'd like to do.
My 2019 main reading resolution is: to read despite my mood.
When life is roses and dreamy and I'm quite in love, I tend to abandon the books and my head remains in the clouds. It's quite a terrible excuse when I say to myself that I must not indulge in fantasy and make-believe and fiction because my reality is as sweet and as rare as it can be. But like all excuses, it must come to an end. I would actually want to have memories of calm readings as opposed to the frantic ones that resulted to this year.
I want to read 100 books again. My boyfriend suggested some 30 for my to-be-read. The man is a real hero. I asked him for recommendations and he put it on the table the next day. So I'm going to have to read from his list which is going to be a stretch for me since they are mostly history and anthropology books. But hell, I love a good challenge.
I also have the evil plan to reread the YA books I liked as a teenager but in French translation since I'm learning the language. So far I sound like either a child or a grandmother with my sentence constructions. Sounding like a teenager might be a nice compromise. Actually, if you guys read in French, I would love to know what's fun. Don't give me Balzac and the likes, I can't handle that yet.
I wish could have read more philosophy. I'll really battle with Nietzsche this year. And other stoic gods.
I'll read those Russian authors. Take Anna Karenina to a lake and read by a campfire? We'll see. And I'll also strive to keep up with literature at home and people of color, even though surprisingly they're so fucking hard to find.
These are ideas that I have yet to refine. I still haven't fully decided what to read. I'll come back to those monthly.
Maybe I'll celebrate a 10 year anniversary with Austen and Brontë. Get myself cute leather editions. I was 13 when I first read them, and they shaped me up for life.
Anyway I'll keep you posted. You can check my blog, too, for that.
I don't feel great about my reading in 2018. I read a total of 76 books, which is nothing to scoff at! but I had made a goal of reading 110 books and completing the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, both of which I failed at (and knew I was failing at for the larger part of the year) and it just didn't feel good.
It was a good year in that I explored new genres and even found myself enjoying them (what, cozy mysteries and chick lit might actually have a place in my life??), but I also read a lot of forgettable or downright terrible books.
Here's to a better year in 2019: better books, less pressure, more joy in reading!
It was a good year in that I explored new genres and even found myself enjoying them (what, cozy mysteries and chick lit might actually have a place in my life??), but I also read a lot of forgettable or downright terrible books.
Here's to a better year in 2019: better books, less pressure, more joy in reading!
Overall, this was an enjoyable reading year, but I did make some changes.
I read the most books in one year that I’ve ever read, 293! I read a lot of graphic novels, because I played catch-up in several series. I was also doing a Neil Gaiman “author love” challenge and some of his books are children’s books.
In April, I ended my book blog at Jenny’s Book Bag after blogging for three years. I felt like I was the only one reading my blog. I realized that I was reading books for my blog mostly because every other blogger was reviewing them and I felt the need to keep up with them, failing miserably. Honestly, I’d rather write fiction than review it. My reading list to help me with my fiction writing is much different from my book blogging reading list. I hate the way I write book reviews, but I like my own fiction. Granted, there’s a lot of room for improvement, but I see potential. The difference is that I enjoy writing fiction, but I don’t enjoy writing book reviews. I used to like book reviewing, but after a while, it started to feel like a chore. I haven’t found the write style or voice, and they’re too generic. I think changing my focus to my fiction writing (and that reading list) feels like the best decision for me.
In 2017, I impulsively bought a huge stack of books, but never got around to reading them. I promised myself that I would read them this year. I’m thrilled with the progress I made on that list, but I still have four left to read. I found a few gems in that stack as well as a few that I wish I never bought. Oh well.
Thank you to my book friends who supported my book reviews and even “liked” my reviews that only had a star rating. Also, thank you to those who kept in touch with me via e-mail, text, commented on my reviews, and replied to my comments on theirs.
Here are some of my favorite reads this year and my least favorites. Some of these were published this year, but many were published in different years.
Note: For some reason, the "insert book/author" feature wasn't working when I wrote this, so sorry about the lack of book links.
My Top 20 Favorites:
1.) IT
2.) Kings of the Wyld
3.) Old Man’s War
4.) Red Sister & Grey Sister
5.) A Clash of Kings
6.) The Ocean at the End of the Lane
7.) Stardust
8.) The Calculating Stars
9.) The Cruel Prince
10.) Dry
11.) A Court of Thorns and Roses
12.) The Death of Mrs. Westaway
13.) The Great Alone
14.) Leah on the Offbeat
15.) What If It’s Us
16.) Girls of Paper and Fire
17.) Skyward
18.) Sadie
19.) Children of Blood and Bone
20.) The Woman in the Window
My 10 Most Disappointing Reads:
1.) The Cabin at the End of the World
2.) The Upside of Unrequited
3.) A Court of Frost and Starlight
4.) Escaping Houdini
5.) The Hazel Wood
6.) The Wife Between Us
7.) Wild Beauty
8.) The Chalk Man
9.) Three Dark Crowns
10.) The Traitor’s Kiss
My Top 10 Books that I Wish I Read This Year:
1.) Becoming
2.) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
3.) An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
4.) Time’s Convert
5.) There There
6.) The President is Missing
7.) The Poppy War
8.) Sky in the Deep
9.) Educated
10.) The Astonishing Color of After
My Top 5 Favorite Reading Accomplishments:
1.) I read the entire Bible for the first time ever!
2.) I read 3 books that have over 1,000 pages and 4 that have over 800 pages.
3.) I caught up on The Walking Dead series.
4.) I finally reached “master” level on Audible and I have over a month of listening time.
5.) I now have two authors on my “Most Read Authors” page with over 30 books read (Neil Gaiman and Stephen King).
2019 is going to be an exciting reading year! I’m going to read whatever I want and continue to work on overcoming my FOMO. I’m aiming for one new release a month (we’ll see how that works out), but I’d like to focus on reading the books on my short list — books from my favorite authors, books I own, and some backlist titles.
My Top 10 Most Anticipated 2019 Releases:
1.) The Wicked King
2.) King of Scars
3.) In an Absent Dream
4.) Children of Virtue and Vengeance
5.) Finale
6.) Wolfhunter River
7.) Holy Sister
8.) The Walking Dead, vol. 31
9.) On the Come Up
10.) Evermore
My Most Ambitious Reading Goals for 2019:
1.) 50 books from my Short List shelf.
2.) 12 Stephen King
3.) 12 Charles Dickens
4.) 15 Brandon Sanderson
5.) 24 Audibles
Wish me luck, because I’ll need it!
I’m wishing everyone good health, happiness, and I hope your dreams come true in 2019. Happy New Year everyone!
I read the most books in one year that I’ve ever read, 293! I read a lot of graphic novels, because I played catch-up in several series. I was also doing a Neil Gaiman “author love” challenge and some of his books are children’s books.
In April, I ended my book blog at Jenny’s Book Bag after blogging for three years. I felt like I was the only one reading my blog. I realized that I was reading books for my blog mostly because every other blogger was reviewing them and I felt the need to keep up with them, failing miserably. Honestly, I’d rather write fiction than review it. My reading list to help me with my fiction writing is much different from my book blogging reading list. I hate the way I write book reviews, but I like my own fiction. Granted, there’s a lot of room for improvement, but I see potential. The difference is that I enjoy writing fiction, but I don’t enjoy writing book reviews. I used to like book reviewing, but after a while, it started to feel like a chore. I haven’t found the write style or voice, and they’re too generic. I think changing my focus to my fiction writing (and that reading list) feels like the best decision for me.
In 2017, I impulsively bought a huge stack of books, but never got around to reading them. I promised myself that I would read them this year. I’m thrilled with the progress I made on that list, but I still have four left to read. I found a few gems in that stack as well as a few that I wish I never bought. Oh well.
Thank you to my book friends who supported my book reviews and even “liked” my reviews that only had a star rating. Also, thank you to those who kept in touch with me via e-mail, text, commented on my reviews, and replied to my comments on theirs.
Here are some of my favorite reads this year and my least favorites. Some of these were published this year, but many were published in different years.
Note: For some reason, the "insert book/author" feature wasn't working when I wrote this, so sorry about the lack of book links.
My Top 20 Favorites:
1.) IT
2.) Kings of the Wyld
3.) Old Man’s War
4.) Red Sister & Grey Sister
5.) A Clash of Kings
6.) The Ocean at the End of the Lane
7.) Stardust
8.) The Calculating Stars
9.) The Cruel Prince
10.) Dry
11.) A Court of Thorns and Roses
12.) The Death of Mrs. Westaway
13.) The Great Alone
14.) Leah on the Offbeat
15.) What If It’s Us
16.) Girls of Paper and Fire
17.) Skyward
18.) Sadie
19.) Children of Blood and Bone
20.) The Woman in the Window
My 10 Most Disappointing Reads:
1.) The Cabin at the End of the World
2.) The Upside of Unrequited
3.) A Court of Frost and Starlight
4.) Escaping Houdini
5.) The Hazel Wood
6.) The Wife Between Us
7.) Wild Beauty
8.) The Chalk Man
9.) Three Dark Crowns
10.) The Traitor’s Kiss
My Top 10 Books that I Wish I Read This Year:
1.) Becoming
2.) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
3.) An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
4.) Time’s Convert
5.) There There
6.) The President is Missing
7.) The Poppy War
8.) Sky in the Deep
9.) Educated
10.) The Astonishing Color of After
My Top 5 Favorite Reading Accomplishments:
1.) I read the entire Bible for the first time ever!
2.) I read 3 books that have over 1,000 pages and 4 that have over 800 pages.
3.) I caught up on The Walking Dead series.
4.) I finally reached “master” level on Audible and I have over a month of listening time.
5.) I now have two authors on my “Most Read Authors” page with over 30 books read (Neil Gaiman and Stephen King).
2019 is going to be an exciting reading year! I’m going to read whatever I want and continue to work on overcoming my FOMO. I’m aiming for one new release a month (we’ll see how that works out), but I’d like to focus on reading the books on my short list — books from my favorite authors, books I own, and some backlist titles.
My Top 10 Most Anticipated 2019 Releases:
1.) The Wicked King
2.) King of Scars
3.) In an Absent Dream
4.) Children of Virtue and Vengeance
5.) Finale
6.) Wolfhunter River
7.) Holy Sister
8.) The Walking Dead, vol. 31
9.) On the Come Up
10.) Evermore
My Most Ambitious Reading Goals for 2019:
1.) 50 books from my Short List shelf.
2.) 12 Stephen King
3.) 12 Charles Dickens
4.) 15 Brandon Sanderson
5.) 24 Audibles
Wish me luck, because I’ll need it!
I’m wishing everyone good health, happiness, and I hope your dreams come true in 2019. Happy New Year everyone!
I had a great reading year, and were able to finish 107 books, 17 more than last year.
My ratings were split as below:
51% 3 stars; 33% 4 stars; 8% 5 stars; 7% 2 stars; 1% 1 stars
Favorite genres were HF (22%), Fiction (22%), Suspense (17%) and Memoirs (12%).
I read more books by male authors (still only 34%) and non-USA authors (55%) but would like to increase this even more next year.
the biggest change though was how many of the books I read were selected for GR CHOICE 44% compared to 18% last year!!!
Ratings 51% 3 stars; 33% 4 stars; 8% 5 stars; 7% 2 stars; 1% 1 stars
Herewith a list of my best-loved reads for 2018, the links are to my review.
1. Everything Here is Beautiful Mira T Lee ***** FICTION, AUDIO
2. Circe Madeline Miller ***** FANTASY, AUDIBLE
3. Educated Tara Westover ***** MEMOIR
4. Rust & Stardust T Greenwood ***** HF, AUDIBLE
5. Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens ***** FICTION
6. The Heart's Invisible Furies John Boyne ***** HF
7. An American Marriage Tayari Jones ***** FICTION, AUDIO
8. White Crysanthemum Mary Lynn Bracht ***** HF
9. The Sealwoman's Gift Sally Magnusson ***** HF, AUDIO
10. Salvage the Bones Jesmyn Ward **** FICTION
11. The Girl Who Smiled Beads Clemantine Wamariya **** MEMOIR
12. Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen **** CLASSIC, AUDIBLE
13. The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe Douglas Rogers **** MEMOIR
14. In the Land of the Armadillos Helen Maryles Shankman **** HF
15. Calypso David Sedaris **** MEMOIR, AUDIBLE
My wish for everyone in 2019 is that they read books that will make them think, feel, laugh, cry and take them out of their comfort zone.
Thanks for all your great reviews and comments, I love "seeing" you all on GR!
My ratings were split as below:
51% 3 stars; 33% 4 stars; 8% 5 stars; 7% 2 stars; 1% 1 stars
Favorite genres were HF (22%), Fiction (22%), Suspense (17%) and Memoirs (12%).
I read more books by male authors (still only 34%) and non-USA authors (55%) but would like to increase this even more next year.
the biggest change though was how many of the books I read were selected for GR CHOICE 44% compared to 18% last year!!!
Ratings 51% 3 stars; 33% 4 stars; 8% 5 stars; 7% 2 stars; 1% 1 stars
Herewith a list of my best-loved reads for 2018, the links are to my review.
1. Everything Here is Beautiful Mira T Lee ***** FICTION, AUDIO
2. Circe Madeline Miller ***** FANTASY, AUDIBLE
3. Educated Tara Westover ***** MEMOIR
4. Rust & Stardust T Greenwood ***** HF, AUDIBLE
5. Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens ***** FICTION
6. The Heart's Invisible Furies John Boyne ***** HF
7. An American Marriage Tayari Jones ***** FICTION, AUDIO
8. White Crysanthemum Mary Lynn Bracht ***** HF
9. The Sealwoman's Gift Sally Magnusson ***** HF, AUDIO
10. Salvage the Bones Jesmyn Ward **** FICTION
11. The Girl Who Smiled Beads Clemantine Wamariya **** MEMOIR
12. Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen **** CLASSIC, AUDIBLE
13. The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe Douglas Rogers **** MEMOIR
14. In the Land of the Armadillos Helen Maryles Shankman **** HF
15. Calypso David Sedaris **** MEMOIR, AUDIBLE
My wish for everyone in 2019 is that they read books that will make them think, feel, laugh, cry and take them out of their comfort zone.
Thanks for all your great reviews and comments, I love "seeing" you all on GR!
i actually went to the trouble of making a nice list this year:
favourite books of the year
1. all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr (novel)
2. angels in america by tony kushner (play)
3. frenchman's creek by daphne du maurier (novel)
4. station island by seamus heaney and human wishes by robert hass (both poetry)
5. time regained by marcel proust (novel) and marcel proust: a life by willa c. carter (biography)
honourable mentions
1. fingersmith by sarah waters (novel)
2. skippy dies by paul murray (novel)
3. babel-17 by samuel r. delany (novel)
4. the american vampire series by scott snyder (graphic novels)
5. philadelphia here i come ! by brian friel (play)
most surprising reads, in no particular order
old man's war by john scalzi (novel)
north by seamus heaney (poetry)
ice by anna kavan (novel)
ruby red by kerstin gier (because it's so trashy, it was so good)
most disappointing reads
1. ps i still love you by jenny han (novel)
2. almost like being in love by steve kluger (novel)
3. the way of shadows by brent weeks (novel)
worst reads of the year
1. i am the messenger by markus zusak (novel)
2. neuramance by william gibson (novel)
3. across the universe by beth revis (novel)
favourite books of the year
1. all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr (novel)
2. angels in america by tony kushner (play)
3. frenchman's creek by daphne du maurier (novel)
4. station island by seamus heaney and human wishes by robert hass (both poetry)
5. time regained by marcel proust (novel) and marcel proust: a life by willa c. carter (biography)
honourable mentions
1. fingersmith by sarah waters (novel)
2. skippy dies by paul murray (novel)
3. babel-17 by samuel r. delany (novel)
4. the american vampire series by scott snyder (graphic novels)
5. philadelphia here i come ! by brian friel (play)
most surprising reads, in no particular order
old man's war by john scalzi (novel)
north by seamus heaney (poetry)
ice by anna kavan (novel)
ruby red by kerstin gier (because it's so trashy, it was so good)
most disappointing reads
1. ps i still love you by jenny han (novel)
2. almost like being in love by steve kluger (novel)
3. the way of shadows by brent weeks (novel)
worst reads of the year
1. i am the messenger by markus zusak (novel)
2. neuramance by william gibson (novel)
3. across the universe by beth revis (novel)
5⭐️’s
FICTION
- One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
NON FICTION
- March by John Lewis
- The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
- The Atlas of Beauty:Women of the World in 500 Portraits by Mihaela Noroc
- Grant by Ron Chernow
- Walt Disney:The Triumph of American Imagination by Neal Gabler
BEST 2018 RELEASES (4⭐️’s)
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (4,45)
The Immortalists by Chloe Beniamin (4)
The Future of Humanity by Mickio Kaku (4)
The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris (4)
Everything Trump Touches Dies by Rick Wilson (3,85)
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (3,85)
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (3,8)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (3,75)
Tomorrow Will be Different by Sarah McBride
The read Harder Challenge (23,5/24)
A book published posthumously ☑️
A book of true crime ☑️
A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) ☑️
A comic written and drawn by the same person☑️
A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)☑️
A book about nature☑️
A western☑️
A comic written or illustrated by a person of color☑️
A book of colonial or postcolonial literature☑️
A romance novel by or about a person of color 〰️
A children’s classic published before 1980☑️
A celebrity memoir☑️
An Oprah Book Club selection☑️
A book of social science☑️
A one-sitting book☑️
The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series☑️
A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author☑️
A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image☑️
A book of genre fiction in translation☑️
A book with a cover you hate☑️
A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author☑️
An essay anthology☑️
A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60☑️
An assigned book you hated (or never finished)☑️
FICTION
- One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
NON FICTION
- March by John Lewis
- The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
- The Atlas of Beauty:Women of the World in 500 Portraits by Mihaela Noroc
- Grant by Ron Chernow
- Walt Disney:The Triumph of American Imagination by Neal Gabler
BEST 2018 RELEASES (4⭐️’s)
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (4,45)
The Immortalists by Chloe Beniamin (4)
The Future of Humanity by Mickio Kaku (4)
The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris (4)
Everything Trump Touches Dies by Rick Wilson (3,85)
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (3,85)
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (3,8)
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (3,75)
Tomorrow Will be Different by Sarah McBride
The read Harder Challenge (23,5/24)
A book published posthumously ☑️
A book of true crime ☑️
A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) ☑️
A comic written and drawn by the same person☑️
A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)☑️
A book about nature☑️
A western☑️
A comic written or illustrated by a person of color☑️
A book of colonial or postcolonial literature☑️
A romance novel by or about a person of color 〰️
A children’s classic published before 1980☑️
A celebrity memoir☑️
An Oprah Book Club selection☑️
A book of social science☑️
A one-sitting book☑️
The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series☑️
A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author☑️
A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image☑️
A book of genre fiction in translation☑️
A book with a cover you hate☑️
A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author☑️
An essay anthology☑️
A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60☑️
An assigned book you hated (or never finished)☑️
A year so much better than the last one in terms of books. The count was the same i.e. 65 books in a year but so many 4& 5 stars than the last one. Also many books that were absolute disappointments.
I got introduced to a new genre this year which I explored and loved. Its True Crime and the book which made it possible is [b:In Cold Blood|168642|In Cold Blood|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1424931136l/168642._SY75_.jpg|1940709] by [a:Truman Capote|431149|Truman Capote|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419249359p2/431149.jpg]. After being disappointed with his [b:Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories|251688|Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477015353l/251688._SY75_.jpg|2518209] I was little hesitant with picking up another by Capote but In cold blood was different. I promised myself I would read more of true crime possibly one every year.
Another writer which was new discovery for the year was [a:J.K. Rowling|1077326|J.K. Rowling|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596216614p2/1077326.jpg] writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. I devoured every book of hers which is always 400+ pages long but I loved them all. It's treat for everyone who loves some crimes and mysteries solved by a detective. The book in the series in the order (it won't make much difference to read in the order but for the story of the protagonists Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott it's better to read in the order)
[b:The Cuckoo's Calling|16160797|The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540217136l/16160797._SY75_.jpg|22002305]
[b:The Silkworm|18214414|The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike, #2)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540217126l/18214414._SY75_.jpg|25639104]
[b:Career of Evil|40611999|Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike, #3)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529685910l/40611999._SY75_.jpg|43699375]
[b:Lethal White|42283287|Lethal White (Cormoran Strike, #4)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1559867637l/42283287._SX50_.jpg|48186050]
Classics
[b:Black Beauty|3685|Black Beauty|Anna Sewell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578265482l/3685._SY75_.jpg|4639714] by [a:Anna Sewell|2530|Anna Sewell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1201029065p2/2530.jpg]
[b:A Room with a View|3087|A Room with a View|E.M. Forster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388781285l/3087._SY75_.jpg|4574872] by [a:E.M. Forster|86404|E.M. Forster|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1402057803p2/86404.jpg]
[b:Summer|269528|Summer|Edith Wharton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1418788209l/269528._SY75_.jpg|3140028] by [a:Edith Wharton|16|Edith Wharton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1484512230p2/16.jpg]
[b:Cannery Row|4799|Cannery Row (Cannery Row #1)|John Steinbeck|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388188936l/4799._SX50_.jpg|824028] by[a:John Steinbeck|585|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1182118389p2/585.jpg]
Absolute delights were [b:A Man Called Ove|18774964|A Man Called Ove|Fredrik Backman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405259930l/18774964._SY75_.jpg|21619954] by [a:Fredrik Backman|6485178|Fredrik Backman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1493098924p2/6485178.jpg] & [b:Tuesdays with Morrie|6900|Tuesdays with Morrie|Mitch Albom|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1423763749l/6900._SY75_.jpg|1995335] by [a:Mitch Albom|2331|Mitch Albom|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368640552p2/2331.jpg]
I enjoyed reading [a:Sarah Andersen|14144506|Sarah Andersen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450904865p2/14144506.jpg] 's [b:Herding Cats|35924705|Herding Cats (Sarah's Scribbles, #3)|Sarah Andersen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522799608l/35924705._SX50_.jpg|57458768] and [b:Big Mushy Happy Lump|30754980|Big Mushy Happy Lump (Sarah's Scribbles, #2)|Sarah Andersen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490071048l/30754980._SX50_.jpg|51303792] she is so good at this that her graphic feels real and cozy and so worldly.
[a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] 's [b:Norse Mythology|37903770|Norse Mythology|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516128292l/37903770._SX50_.jpg|51396954] was fun and delightful.
As the year was real good for awesome reading, it had many disappointments too.
In Classics major reads that I couldn't enjoy were
[b:Slaughterhouse-Five|4981|Slaughterhouse-Five|Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606208827l/4981._SY75_.jpg|1683562] by [a:Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|2778055|Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1433582280p2/2778055.jpg]
[b:The Haunting of Hill House|89717|The Haunting of Hill House|Shirley Jackson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327871336l/89717._SY75_.jpg|3627] by [a:Shirley Jackson|13388|Shirley Jackson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1550251468p2/13388.jpg]
[b:Mrs. Dalloway|14942|Mrs. Dalloway|Virginia Woolf|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1479336522l/14942._SY75_.jpg|841320] by [a:Virginia Woolf|6765|Virginia Woolf|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419596619p2/6765.jpg]
[b:The Sun Also Rises|3876|The Sun Also Rises|Ernest Hemingway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509802323l/3876._SY75_.jpg|589497] by [a:Ernest Hemingway|1455|Ernest Hemingway|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1574217836p2/1455.jpg]
[b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575509280l/5129._SY75_.jpg|3204877] by[a:Aldous Huxley|3487|Aldous Huxley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1547138835p2/3487.jpg]
[b:The Complete Maus|15195|The Complete Maus|Art Spiegelman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327354180l/15195._SX50_.jpg|1658562] by [a:Art Spiegelman|5117|Art Spiegelman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206557373p2/5117.jpg] was an okay read but it could have been better.
Poems
2018 was a bad year for exploring poems. I absolutely disliked reading anything by [a:Rupi Kaur|8075577|Rupi Kaur|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1444103068p2/8075577.jpg] and [a:Lang Leav|7012565|Lang Leav|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1386062549p2/7012565.jpg] also [a:Trista Mateer|8382753|Trista Mateer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477725747p2/8382753.jpg]. They are absolutely not worth the hype.
[b:The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|36578942|The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (The Hundred-Year-Old Man, #1)|Jonas Jonasson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510447566l/36578942._SY75_.jpg|10365993] was not enjoyable too although it really started good.
So that is all about 2018.
Happy reading !!!
I got introduced to a new genre this year which I explored and loved. Its True Crime and the book which made it possible is [b:In Cold Blood|168642|In Cold Blood|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1424931136l/168642._SY75_.jpg|1940709] by [a:Truman Capote|431149|Truman Capote|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419249359p2/431149.jpg]. After being disappointed with his [b:Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories|251688|Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1477015353l/251688._SY75_.jpg|2518209] I was little hesitant with picking up another by Capote but In cold blood was different. I promised myself I would read more of true crime possibly one every year.
Another writer which was new discovery for the year was [a:J.K. Rowling|1077326|J.K. Rowling|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596216614p2/1077326.jpg] writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. I devoured every book of hers which is always 400+ pages long but I loved them all. It's treat for everyone who loves some crimes and mysteries solved by a detective. The book in the series in the order (it won't make much difference to read in the order but for the story of the protagonists Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott it's better to read in the order)
[b:The Cuckoo's Calling|16160797|The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540217136l/16160797._SY75_.jpg|22002305]
[b:The Silkworm|18214414|The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike, #2)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540217126l/18214414._SY75_.jpg|25639104]
[b:Career of Evil|40611999|Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike, #3)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529685910l/40611999._SY75_.jpg|43699375]
[b:Lethal White|42283287|Lethal White (Cormoran Strike, #4)|Robert Galbraith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1559867637l/42283287._SX50_.jpg|48186050]
Classics
[b:Black Beauty|3685|Black Beauty|Anna Sewell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578265482l/3685._SY75_.jpg|4639714] by [a:Anna Sewell|2530|Anna Sewell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1201029065p2/2530.jpg]
[b:A Room with a View|3087|A Room with a View|E.M. Forster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388781285l/3087._SY75_.jpg|4574872] by [a:E.M. Forster|86404|E.M. Forster|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1402057803p2/86404.jpg]
[b:Summer|269528|Summer|Edith Wharton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1418788209l/269528._SY75_.jpg|3140028] by [a:Edith Wharton|16|Edith Wharton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1484512230p2/16.jpg]
[b:Cannery Row|4799|Cannery Row (Cannery Row #1)|John Steinbeck|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388188936l/4799._SX50_.jpg|824028] by[a:John Steinbeck|585|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1182118389p2/585.jpg]
Absolute delights were [b:A Man Called Ove|18774964|A Man Called Ove|Fredrik Backman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405259930l/18774964._SY75_.jpg|21619954] by [a:Fredrik Backman|6485178|Fredrik Backman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1493098924p2/6485178.jpg] & [b:Tuesdays with Morrie|6900|Tuesdays with Morrie|Mitch Albom|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1423763749l/6900._SY75_.jpg|1995335] by [a:Mitch Albom|2331|Mitch Albom|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368640552p2/2331.jpg]
I enjoyed reading [a:Sarah Andersen|14144506|Sarah Andersen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450904865p2/14144506.jpg] 's [b:Herding Cats|35924705|Herding Cats (Sarah's Scribbles, #3)|Sarah Andersen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522799608l/35924705._SX50_.jpg|57458768] and [b:Big Mushy Happy Lump|30754980|Big Mushy Happy Lump (Sarah's Scribbles, #2)|Sarah Andersen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490071048l/30754980._SX50_.jpg|51303792] she is so good at this that her graphic feels real and cozy and so worldly.
[a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] 's [b:Norse Mythology|37903770|Norse Mythology|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516128292l/37903770._SX50_.jpg|51396954] was fun and delightful.
As the year was real good for awesome reading, it had many disappointments too.
In Classics major reads that I couldn't enjoy were
[b:Slaughterhouse-Five|4981|Slaughterhouse-Five|Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606208827l/4981._SY75_.jpg|1683562] by [a:Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|2778055|Kurt Vonnegut Jr.|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1433582280p2/2778055.jpg]
[b:The Haunting of Hill House|89717|The Haunting of Hill House|Shirley Jackson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327871336l/89717._SY75_.jpg|3627] by [a:Shirley Jackson|13388|Shirley Jackson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1550251468p2/13388.jpg]
[b:Mrs. Dalloway|14942|Mrs. Dalloway|Virginia Woolf|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1479336522l/14942._SY75_.jpg|841320] by [a:Virginia Woolf|6765|Virginia Woolf|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419596619p2/6765.jpg]
[b:The Sun Also Rises|3876|The Sun Also Rises|Ernest Hemingway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509802323l/3876._SY75_.jpg|589497] by [a:Ernest Hemingway|1455|Ernest Hemingway|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1574217836p2/1455.jpg]
[b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575509280l/5129._SY75_.jpg|3204877] by[a:Aldous Huxley|3487|Aldous Huxley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1547138835p2/3487.jpg]
[b:The Complete Maus|15195|The Complete Maus|Art Spiegelman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327354180l/15195._SX50_.jpg|1658562] by [a:Art Spiegelman|5117|Art Spiegelman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206557373p2/5117.jpg] was an okay read but it could have been better.
Poems
2018 was a bad year for exploring poems. I absolutely disliked reading anything by [a:Rupi Kaur|8075577|Rupi Kaur|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1444103068p2/8075577.jpg] and [a:Lang Leav|7012565|Lang Leav|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1386062549p2/7012565.jpg] also [a:Trista Mateer|8382753|Trista Mateer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477725747p2/8382753.jpg]. They are absolutely not worth the hype.
[b:The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|36578942|The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (The Hundred-Year-Old Man, #1)|Jonas Jonasson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510447566l/36578942._SY75_.jpg|10365993] was not enjoyable too although it really started good.
So that is all about 2018.
Happy reading !!!
I'm going to give 2018 5 stars, because I read more books this year than ever in my life! Although the Goodreads Challenge somehow didn't log them all, I read 70 books in 2018! After setting a goal of 30, I sailed past that goal so fast I doubled it to 60. Well, I passed that and hit 70. Now I'm scared to set a goal for 2019, as I don't know if I can keep up 5 books per month all year!
My selections were a smattering of genres, and I explored some new authors for me. I delved into spy novels, non-fiction, and even children's books just for the fun of it. Why confine yourself? I still have some weighty tomes I'd like to include this coming year, some classics that need to be checked off the life to-read list.
I hope you all had a great year reading! Happy New Year, and enjoy all the books to come!
My selections were a smattering of genres, and I explored some new authors for me. I delved into spy novels, non-fiction, and even children's books just for the fun of it. Why confine yourself? I still have some weighty tomes I'd like to include this coming year, some classics that need to be checked off the life to-read list.
I hope you all had a great year reading! Happy New Year, and enjoy all the books to come!