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 – A Breath of Bone and Ashes
Michael D. Sellers – John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood
Veronica Roth – Allegiant
Rainbow Rowell – Eleanor and Park
Kiera Cass – The Elite
John Grisham – Sycamore Row
George R.R. Martin – A Feast for Crows (GoT 4)
Sue Monk Kidd – The Invention of Wings
Daniel Woodrell – Winter’s Bone
Jeffery Deaver – The Chopin Manuscript
Lauren Oliver – Panic
Ernest Cline – Ready Player One
Ken Follett – Winter of the World
Christina Baker Kline – Orphan Train
Veronica Roth – Four
Jared C Wilson – Otherworld
John Green – The Fault in Our Stars
Donna Tartt – The Goldfinch
Rainbow Rowell – Landline
Diana Gabaldon – An Echo in the Bone
Mindy Kaling – Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me
Kiera Cass – The One
John Scalzi – Lock In
Erin Morgenstern – The Night Circus
Simon Inmon – Feels Like the First Time
John Scalzi – Redshirts
A American = Going Home
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.
