This year I did not read as many books as I have in previous years. Part of the reason is that due to my surgery and long-term leave of absence, I had less opportunity to listen to audiobooks. I know, I should have picked up a paper book or my Kindle during my 4-6 weeks off from work, but I opted to become obsessed with old episodes of Match Game on TV instead. Don’t judge.
This year I also listened to four very long books – a Game of Thrones book, two Outlander books, and The Goldfinch – a surprisingly long book. Each of those is at least 3 normal books long (40-50 hours versus 10-12 hours).
Anyway, on to the list, with commentary after!
Diana Gabaldon – [amazon text=A Breath of Bone and Ashes&asin=B00MPREWL4]
Michael D. Sellers – [amazon text=John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood&asin=0615682316]
Veronica Roth – [amazon text=Allegiant&asin=006202406X]
Rainbow Rowell – [amazon text=Eleanor and Park&asin=1250012570]
Kiera Cass – [amazon text=The Elite&asin=0062059971]
John Grisham – [amazon text=Sycamore Row&asin=0345543246]
George R.R. Martin – [amazon text=A Feast for Crows&asin=055358202X] (GoT 4)
Sue Monk Kidd – [amazon text=The Invention of Wings&asin=0670024783]
Daniel Woodrell – [amazon text=Winter’s Bone&asin=0316066419]
Jeffery Deaver – [amazon text=The Chopin Manuscript&asin=1423377028]
Lauren Oliver – [amazon text=Panic&asin=0062014552]
Ernest Cline – [amazon text=Ready Player One&asin=0307887448]
Ken Follett – [amazon text=Winter of the World&asin=0451468228]
Christina Baker Kline – [amazon text=Orphan Train&asin=0061950726]
Veronica Roth – [amazon text=Four&asin=0062345214]
Jared C Wilson – [amazon text=Otherworld&asin=0781411165]
John Green – [amazon text=The Fault in Our Stars&asin=014242417X]
Donna Tartt – [amazon text=The Goldfinch&asin=0316055433]
Rainbow Rowell – [amazon text=Landline&asin=1250049377]
Diana Gabaldon – [amazon text=An Echo in the Bone&asin=B002RCJ9LA]
Mindy Kaling – [amazon text=Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me&asin=0307886271]
Kiera Cass – [amazon text=The One&asin=2221129288]
John Scalzi – [amazon text=Lock In&asin=0575134348]
Erin Morgenstern – [amazon text=The Night Circus&asin=B005MM7F7W]
Simon Inmon – [amazon text=Feels Like the First Time&asin=B00961VIIM]
John Scalzi – [amazon text=Redshirts&asin=0765334798]
A American = [amazon text=Going Home&asin=B00DMBMRYQ]
So I read a total of 27 books this year – that’s terrible considering I’ve read almost 40 in years’ past.
I was hoping I could say I finished out the year on a high note, but I didn’t. That last book was AWFUL. I didn’t even finish it. I hesitated even linking to it because it is that bad and I don’t want to even give you the possibility of buying it out of sheer morbid curiosity. It’s terrible – just trust me.
This year I knew what my favorite book would be as soon as I finished it. No other book could hold a candle to it in terms of pure enjoyment. That book was Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One.” So. Good. As a result of that book, Wil Wheaton has become my favorite male narrator and I went on to listen to two others by him (the John Scalzi books). Speaking of John Scalzi – I had never read his books before and was completely charmed by the two I listened to this year (thanks to Wil Wheaton’s fantastic narration). But going back to “Ready Player One” it was just a really well-done book centered about 1980s nostalgia, video games and virtual life espionage. Just a fun book no matter how you look at it. I almost selected it for my book club pick this year, but figured I would be the only enamored by reading a book about a virtual video game.
My pick for book club ended up being “The Goldfinch” which I thought was a good book, if too long and a bit too repetitive. I have read Donna Tartt’s other books and felt this one just went on too long compared to the others.
“Redshirts” is a close second for my favorite book of the year. That one is pseudo-scifi and a fun parody of Star Trek.
But really, all of the books were good this year except that last one. That last one. Phew. I helped you dodge a bullet by warning you of that one.