Let's start with the fun statistics, thanks to Goodreads.
Books read this year: 42
Pages: 13,022
Shortest Book: You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running - 68 pages
Longest Book: Way of Kings - 1007 pages
Average Length: 310 pages
Most Popular: Ready Player One (801,011 people read it.)
Highest Rating on Goodreads: Way of Kings
Most Read Month: June - 7 books
Least Read Month: July - 1 book
Two Stars (I don't recommend this book): Time Flies and Other Short Plays
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Ready for my top 9 favorites, in no particular order? (With pictures to follow) I'm using my reviews off Goodreads mostly. I'm saving myself time by not rewriting and I don't remember the books as well as I did then anyway. I only remember the feelings I have left over.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - 4.5 This book was heart wrenching. About a hundred pages in, I wasn't sure I would be invested. I was wrong. It was amazing to watch the different personalities of Vianne and Isabelle find their own ways to cope and help in a war torn country. (Um...who wrote the blurb on this one? It says Vianne and Isabelle were always close? That is kind of the opposite of how it is in the story. Anyway, I digress.)
I actually wrote this review once and erased it by accident. Nothing like starting over and trying to find the right words for a book like this. I cried. A lot. Especially at the end. My kids came home to a red-eyed mom sobbing on the couch. Awkward. But this book was beautiful. I liked the setting being in German occupied France. It gave a new perspective. I don't believe this was a true story, but it doesn't mean this story wasn't true. It is still shocking to think what people went through. Ordinary people stood for good in extraordinary ways. It makes me hope that in my ordinariness, I could do hard things.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - This was one of my favorite books of the year. This book touched my heart. It was funny, sad, moving and inspiring. I loved the writing. The analogies and quips were delightful, but the story itself kept it going. Despite being surly and set in his ways, Ove's history makes you understand him and his idiosyncrasies. As a reader, I loved Ove for his story, but I was impressed with the other characters like Parvaneh, who loved him before she knew the ins and outs of his life. Everyone out there has a story. Can we love them before we know it? And will we take the time to find out?
I really enjoyed the humor in this book. I give extra points if I laugh out loud. (Or just talk out loud to myself in general while I'm reading.) I think it is an accomplishment in writing when I find myself wanting to be like both Ove and Sonja although they were quite the opposites.
Note for kids: There is some profanity and topics that are not for younger readers.
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen - This book was really fun. I tried reading it out loud to my kids and they really enjoyed it up until the point where I misplaced the book. (That makes it much harder to read.) But after a year I found it, and eventually read the entire thing. The story was very good. I liked Sage and his impertinent comments. I'm sure in real life, he would have irked me, but you have to give him credit for his over developed sense of justice. It was a quick read that didn't disappoint at the end. Now, can the sequel hold up??
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson - 4.5 This book was truly epic. I love being immersed in another world that has so many facets to it. The characters are honorable and I found myself rooting for them all. (Well, except the bad ones. Actually, even some of the bad ones.) My only complaint was that I had too much going on. It never takes me over a month to read a book. (Even a huge one like this.) There were weeks when I didn't get to read at all. But Kaladin and Shallan were always at the back of my mind. I'm glad they waited for me. Question is...can I wait to read the second book?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - Trippy. This book is a roller coaster for your mind. I rarely have a chance to read a book in mostly one sitting, but I stayed up late to finish this one. It is hard not to analyze decisions you have made in your life while reading this and decide if you are happy with the path you have taken? And conversely, what would you do to achieve the life you missed out on? I'm really glad there is only one of me. (Supposedly.) I really enjoyed the twisty, quantum physics, improbable side to this tale. However, this is not for my teens. There is sex and a boat load of profanity. Sheesh authors, if can come up with this crazy plot, can't your characters be more creative with their exclamations?
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - This book was pretty awesome. I loved all the 80's references, although after reading this, I realize how much I missed during that decade. Especially on the video game side. Although I loved my Commodore 64, we didn't have other game systems and I didn't frequent arcades. I would love to see some of the old school games being played. The quest was very interesting and I was rooting for Wade the whole time. The irony is not lost on me that 'reading' is my own personal OASIS. It is another world that I enter and spend time in until I come back to my regular life. (Although my regular life is fairly fantastic, so I don't dread 'logging out'). I was only a little disappointed that there were no references to Princess Bride?? Regardless, this was a fun, fun book. Too much language (and a couple questionable topics) to recommend to kids.
The Shack by William Paul Young - I love a book that can delve into religious concepts and make you feel like you have learned something and come closer to God at the same time. This book was very touching. It was easy to relate to Mack and the suffering he was going through. I loved the conversations about good and evil and judgment. I would definitely reread this one. For now, I'm off to see the movie. (Oh sad...I never did see the movie.)
The One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood - 4.5 stars. This book was beautiful. I loved all the characters and their journey to letting themselves be loved. The descriptions in the book were stunning. I kept rereading lines wishing I could think to phrase things in quite that way. The smattering of Guinness World Records was very interesting and a fun focus in the book. The only thing I didn't like was the profanity. There was more than I expected for this type of book. What is a wonderful book that I would like to have my kids read is suddenly off the list for language. Pity.
Winter by Marissa Meyer - It took me much too long to finish this series, what with other books I had to read, but there was no way I wasn't going to find out what happened to all these characters I have grown to love. Perhaps the end wrapped up too nicely for some, but I like my fairy tales to have a happy ending. This one was pretty darn close to perfection. I'm still so impressed with the fairy tales entwined in this series and to combine so many into one larger story. Awesomeness. I am not sure I would recommend this series to younger readers. I am surprised at the amount of gore, particularly blood poured into the writing, but it lends to strong visualization. Such a great series!
What a great year of reading. There are too many good books out there. My list of things TO READ is always overflowing. I still belong to three book groups, so sometimes I sigh as my kids read an interesting looking book and I have an assigned book. However, so many of my favorite books have been chosen by other people. So not too many complaints from me.
Here is the list of all the books I read last year.
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1 comment:
I am glad that you enjoyed Hollow Kingdom enough to read the other two books in the series (although I think you had read them before). It's such a pity that so many of the interesting books you read have profanity in them. It puts me off reading them - although there were a couple listed that I might try. Glad my love of reading has passed on to you.
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