Y'all. We are on the eve of 2019, and this has been my best reading year yet. When I made my very first personal book list back in 2015 (the year I started this blog), I way overshot it and didn't even read half the books on that list. I've done better and better each year, and I realized last month that in 2018 I have more than tripled the amount of books I read that first year. You guys. That's exciting to me. I may not be hitting numbers in the hundreds like some of you amazing bloggers out there, but I'm feeling good about what I've accomplished and resolved to keep chipping away at my impossible LIFE LIST.
So what was my total?? Well, first, let me remind you that my official goal for 2018 was to read the 24 books on my list. If you've been with me for a couple years now, you might remember that I also make a secret goal for myself that I don't share until the end of the year if I actually nailed it. My secret goal this year was to read three books each month. Not an overall average to read 36 books but to complete three full books each calendar month. I barely squeaked by with my three books in November and December, but I stuck to it and I made it. Not only that, there were several months that I exceeded my three book goal to bring my final tally for 2018 to 45 books. Before I give you the list of what I read this year, I just want to encourage you to read more. Quantity doesn't matter; reading does. If you read one book in 2019, that is better than reading zero books.
Here's my final 2018 list. You can click the title if you're interested in reading more about what I thought of each book. (Although I didn't write recaps for every single one, so if you want my thoughts on Anne Shirley, I'll tell you: she's fabulous.)
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 1/5
So nice to start the year off with a visit with Anne Shirley. Especially...
So what was my total?? Well, first, let me remind you that my official goal for 2018 was to read the 24 books on my list. If you've been with me for a couple years now, you might remember that I also make a secret goal for myself that I don't share until the end of the year if I actually nailed it. My secret goal this year was to read three books each month. Not an overall average to read 36 books but to complete three full books each calendar month. I barely squeaked by with my three books in November and December, but I stuck to it and I made it. Not only that, there were several months that I exceeded my three book goal to bring my final tally for 2018 to 45 books. Before I give you the list of what I read this year, I just want to encourage you to read more. Quantity doesn't matter; reading does. If you read one book in 2019, that is better than reading zero books.
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 1/5
So nice to start the year off with a visit with Anne Shirley. Especially...
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle : completed 1/17
...when followed by this children's classic that I thought was a complete waste of my time.
...when followed by this children's classic that I thought was a complete waste of my time.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck : completed 1/19
Sad per usual for Steinbeck, but I liked this better than Of Mice and Men.
Sad per usual for Steinbeck, but I liked this better than Of Mice and Men.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald : completed 1/29
After finally reading it, I think this short novel is way overhyped, but I'm glad I checked this one off this year.
After finally reading it, I think this short novel is way overhyped, but I'm glad I checked this one off this year.
I Believed in 'Issa, I Met Jesus by Jamel Attar : completed 1/30
Excellent way to end my January reading.
Excellent way to end my January reading.
Outrageous Grace by Grace L. Fabian : completed 2/13
Still in awe over this woman's incredible story of bravery and faithfulness.
Still in awe over this woman's incredible story of bravery and faithfulness.
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 2/19
Haley over at Carrots for Michaelmas wrote a post this year saying this is the best Anne book, and, while I truly love it, I can never never never choose a favorite Anne book.
Haley over at Carrots for Michaelmas wrote a post this year saying this is the best Anne book, and, while I truly love it, I can never never never choose a favorite Anne book.
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare : completed 2/27
Super fun, but Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew are still duking it out for my top-billing Shakespearean comedy.
Super fun, but Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew are still duking it out for my top-billing Shakespearean comedy.
James Madison: A Life Reconsidered by Lynne Cheney : completed 3/14
Okay but certainly not the best biography I've read and definitely not as good as the other Madison biography I read this year.
Okay but certainly not the best biography I've read and definitely not as good as the other Madison biography I read this year.
The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers : completed 3/21
Anything by Francine Rivers is always a pleasure.
Anything by Francine Rivers is always a pleasure.
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum : completed 3/29
I'm still not over those silver slippers, you guys.
I'm still not over those silver slippers, you guys.
Night by Elie Wiesel : completed 4/8
Heavy but worth it.
Heavy but worth it.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini : completed 4/26
The freaking worst.
The freaking worst.
Sisterchicks Do the Hula! by Robin Jones Gunn : completed 4/30
Needed this after the last two. Thanks, Robin!
Needed this after the last two. Thanks, Robin!
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks : completed 5/20
This one gets the Made Me Cry the Most award. I could not see through my tears reading that last chapter.
This one gets the Made Me Cry the Most award. I could not see through my tears reading that last chapter.
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak : completed 5/24
Fun but definitely not on the same level as The Book Thief.
Fun but definitely not on the same level as The Book Thief.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy : completed 5/29
My first Russian novel was not as hard as I thought it would be!
My first Russian novel was not as hard as I thought it would be!
The Professor by Charlotte Brontë : completed 6/11
This was my least favorite Brontë novel to date.
This was my least favorite Brontë novel to date.
Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 6/20
This book often gets such a bad rep for being people's least favorite Anne book, but how do you people not adore Aunt Kate, Aunt Chatty, and Rebecca Dew??
This book often gets such a bad rep for being people's least favorite Anne book, but how do you people not adore Aunt Kate, Aunt Chatty, and Rebecca Dew??
God Is Able by Priscilla Shirer : completed 6/26
I can still visualize Ephesians 3:20-21 clearly in my mind because of this book. So excellent.
I can still visualize Ephesians 3:20-21 clearly in my mind because of this book. So excellent.
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck : completed 6/30
One of the best books I read this year. Tragic but beautiful. Highly recommend.
One of the best books I read this year. Tragic but beautiful. Highly recommend.
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom : completed 7/13
This one made me sad and happy at the same time. I want to live life to the end with dignity like Morrie did.
This one made me sad and happy at the same time. I want to live life to the end with dignity like Morrie did.
Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 7/16
I decided to revisit Glenbrooke this year, and I have zero regrets about that.
I decided to revisit Glenbrooke this year, and I have zero regrets about that.
The Three Lives of James Madison by Noah Feldman : completed 7/30
For sure the superior Madison biography of the two I read this year.
For sure the superior Madison biography of the two I read this year.
31 Days of Praise by Ruth & Warren Myers : completed 7/31
Loved, loved, loved this precious devotional.
Loved, loved, loved this precious devotional.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Shaffer & Barrows : completed 8/2
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR. Instantly added to my all-time favorites list.
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR. Instantly added to my all-time favorites list.
Song of Deborah by Bette M. Ross : completed 8/7
An entertaining take on the life of the Old Testament prophetess.
An entertaining take on the life of the Old Testament prophetess.
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman : completed 8/16
Such a hard book, but really good (excepting that whole past/present tense issue).
Such a hard book, but really good (excepting that whole past/present tense issue).
Othello by William Shakespeare : completed 8/22
Iago is one lowdown dude. Worst Shakespearean villain I've seen.
Iago is one lowdown dude. Worst Shakespearean villain I've seen.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster : completed 8/27
Such a delight. Still can't get over the fact that I missed out on this one when I was a kid.
Such a delight. Still can't get over the fact that I missed out on this one when I was a kid.
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis : completed 8/30
Jack never disappoints.
Jack never disappoints.
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 9/5
Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 9/9
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens : completed 9/21
Dickens is earning his place in my book as one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era.
Dickens is earning his place in my book as one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era.
The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson : completed 9/27
Probably the most academic book I read this year, and I really appreciated the content.
Probably the most academic book I read this year, and I really appreciated the content.
Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard : completed 10/9
Very sweet and encouraging.
Very sweet and encouraging.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern : completed 10/23
I wasn't sure how I would like this one but I enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated.
I wasn't sure how I would like this one but I enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated.
Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 10/25
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie : completed 10/29
I'm still sitting here grinning thinking about that wrap-up.
I'm still sitting here grinning thinking about that wrap-up.
Alcatraz From Inside by Jim Quillen : completed 11/14
Glad I read this. Compassion and justice are not mutually exclusive.
Glad I read this. Compassion and justice are not mutually exclusive.
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers : completed 11/27
You know, I'm finding Mary Poppins herself to be a less likeable character than I anticipated, but these books are a lot of fun.
You know, I'm finding Mary Poppins herself to be a less likeable character than I anticipated, but these books are a lot of fun.
Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L. Travers : completed 11/30
I'm thinking I will write one all-inclusive recap of the Mary Poppins books once I have finished them all.
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy : completed 12/24
Y'all. This was the book that nearly knocked me off my secret goal this year. I actually saved it for the end of the year because I enjoyed Tess of the D'Urbervilles so much and thought this one would be enjoyable as well. But I was wrong. It was a slog. I still have a couple Hardy novels on my Life List, but this one has dampened my enthusiasm a little bit. Not sure if I'll take the time to write a recap for this one. Let me know in the comments if you'd be interested in one.
Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L. Travers : completed 12/28
Three down, two to go with Mary Poppins.
Sunsets by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 12/31
Okay, full disclosure. At the time I publish this post, I haven't actually finished this book yet, but I have nothing else on my agenda for this New Years Eve than to be snuggled up in my coziest Christmas pj's reading this book and eating Ben&Jerry's Half-baked ice cream while my husband is at work like the full-on hermit that I am. If I somehow don't finish this book by midnight, I will come back and edit this post and take it all back because this is my third book for December so if I can't get to the end of it, I will have failed my secret goal for 2018. Say a prayer.
And there you have it! Tune back in tomorrow for my 2019 book list and have a safe time partying tonight. Like I said, I'll be at home with my dogs and my book.
What did you read this year? Don't be shy about putting your full list down there in the comments or linking to your year-end wrap-ups. Did you accomplish any 2018 resolutions that you're proud of? Take a little time to reflect before we plunge into the madness of a brand new year!
I'm thinking I will write one all-inclusive recap of the Mary Poppins books once I have finished them all.
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy : completed 12/24
Y'all. This was the book that nearly knocked me off my secret goal this year. I actually saved it for the end of the year because I enjoyed Tess of the D'Urbervilles so much and thought this one would be enjoyable as well. But I was wrong. It was a slog. I still have a couple Hardy novels on my Life List, but this one has dampened my enthusiasm a little bit. Not sure if I'll take the time to write a recap for this one. Let me know in the comments if you'd be interested in one.
Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L. Travers : completed 12/28
Three down, two to go with Mary Poppins.
Sunsets by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 12/31
Okay, full disclosure. At the time I publish this post, I haven't actually finished this book yet, but I have nothing else on my agenda for this New Years Eve than to be snuggled up in my coziest Christmas pj's reading this book and eating Ben&Jerry's Half-baked ice cream while my husband is at work like the full-on hermit that I am. If I somehow don't finish this book by midnight, I will come back and edit this post and take it all back because this is my third book for December so if I can't get to the end of it, I will have failed my secret goal for 2018. Say a prayer.
And there you have it! Tune back in tomorrow for my 2019 book list and have a safe time partying tonight. Like I said, I'll be at home with my dogs and my book.
What did you read this year? Don't be shy about putting your full list down there in the comments or linking to your year-end wrap-ups. Did you accomplish any 2018 resolutions that you're proud of? Take a little time to reflect before we plunge into the madness of a brand new year!
You had a great year! A Tale of Two Cities is fantastic. Guernsey is on my wish list now. I've read 12 of the ones on your list above, and am pretty interested in reading at least 5 others (Gatsby, Masterpiece, Guernsey, Night, Wizard of Oz, The Pearl).
ReplyDeleteI didn't read a lot of the books on my list (I'm not so good at reading this way, apparently), but I read a few that had been on the back burner and finished up some loose ends. As posted in my photo comment on facebook, I read way more non-fiction than usual. It might be that it's easier for me to read non-fiction in shorter spurts (a chapter or two at a time), whereas I like to binge with novels. With the kids and teaching, that's a formula for not reading much fiction. I read two books published by friends in 2018, finished the March Family Trilogy, finished Paradise Lost (finally!), and read a few books about marriage and parenting. My husband read The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman, and I've wanted to read something of hers for awhile.
I loved Anne of Windy Poplars! It may have been that I was in a similar life stage as Anne when I read it - dating long distance and teaching, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a perfect fall read, I think. Something Wicked This Way Comes is also a book to read in the fall.
The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorites this year! So fun and full of whimsy.
DeleteI've never heard of Barbara Tuchman. I'll have to look her up.
So glad to find a fellow Windy Poplars lover! It's such a great chunk of Anne's story. :) You've mentioned Something Wicked This Way Comes to me before. I've added it to my Life List!
A fantastic year!! Hats off to you!! It's amazing how reading begets reading begets reading, isn't it? I've found the same with blogging about books - I'm reading more than I ever have in my life. Happy reading in 2019, can't wait to see what your super-secret goal is this time next year (and I'm sure you'll kill it, once again!).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sheree! Glad we found each other this year. :)
DeleteYou read some thick ones this year! Your list is so impressive to me since a lot of my books are fluffy reads. Also, our New Year Eve situations sound very similar: I read and was in bed by 10:30. I party hard. Haha.
ReplyDeleteThanks! 68 books is a lot of books, I don't care how "fluffy" they are!! That's so impressive to me, especially since you are keeping small humans alive and growing a new one to boot! Best wishes to you in 2019!
DeleteI miss eating Ben & Jerry's with you. Your book list in 2018 - sooooo impressive! You go girl!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, best friend! And seriously, can we stop talking about having a best friend day and actually get one on the calendar, please??
Delete