Another year has passed already! This year was one of the biggest in my life yet with a ton of big changes. It also happened to be my year with the most books read- 100 exactly! The much higher number is due largely to the fact that I started listening to audiobooks regularly. I got through a ton of audiobooks while working at the library for the first half of the year, because I was allowed to listen to them while I worked. I also started listening to audiobooks whenever I was cooking, cleaning, or other similar things. So throughout this year I usually always had one audiobook and one physical book that I was reading at any given time, and I usually got through audiobooks much faster since I listened to them while doing other things.
Harrison was born at the end of August and so I thought that might slow down my reading quite a bit. It did slow it down some, but I still find ways to fit it in- mostly by reading while I am feeding him or reading to him from whatever book I am reading at the time. I also still listen to audiobooks while I am doing housework while he is sleeping.
I made a goal at the end of last year to read at least one classic or non-fiction book per month (for a total of 12), because I want to be a "life-long learner" and keep reading to learn things and challenge myself, in addition to reading for fun, now that I am out of school and won't be reading textbooks. I ended up far surpassing that goal (mostly because of audiobooks, which is a good way for me to do many of those books). I read 11 classics and 14 non-fiction books this year. I have many more classics and non-fiction books on my list to read and I am going to keep up that goal for future years.
I kept track of which genres I was reading this year as well. My most read genre was fantasy (15), with non-fiction (14) coming in as a close second place. The other most read genres were dystopian (12), classics (11), and historical fiction (10). I read many other genres as well including: suspense, fairy-tale retellings, spy novels, realistic fiction, culinary mystery, romance, science fiction, and inspirational.
As always, the fact that these books were on my list of being read this year does not necessarily mean I recommend them. I didn't like every book that I read this year, and I can't vouch for all of them. If you want to find out more about what I thought of certain books on the list you can ask me and I would be happy to share :).
*= Favorite books I read for the first time this year (I didn't star the favorites that I reread)
Janurary:
1. What Every Body is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People by Joe Navarro
2. The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachel Renee Anderson
3. Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (audiobook)
5. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
6. The Host by Stephanie Meyer (reread) (audiobook)
February:
7. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (audiobook)
8. Delirium by Lauren Oliver (reread) (audiobook)
9. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (reread) (audiobook)
10. I Don't Have to Make Everything All Better by Gary and Joy Lundberg
11. Legend by Marie Lu (reread) (audiobook)
12. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (audiobook)
13. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (audiobook)
14. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
15. Princess Acadamy by Shannon Hale (reread) (audiobook)
16. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter (reread) (audiobook)
17. Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter (audiobook)
*18. Prodigy by Marie Lu
19. Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter (audiobook)
March
*20. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (audiobook)
*21. Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
22. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (reread- don't know how many times it's been I've reread it...many!) (audiobook)
23. Requiem by Lauren Oliver
24. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (audiobook)
25. Delirium Stories: Hana, Annabel, and Raven by Lauren Oliver
26. Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter (audiobook)
27. Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter (audiobook)
28. Heist Society by Ally Carter (audiobook)
29. Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter (audiobook)
*30. The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
31. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (audiobook)
32. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (audiobook)
April
33. The Runaway Jury by John Grisham (audiobook)
34. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (audiobook)
35. The Timekeeper by Mitch Albom
36. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (audiobook)
37. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (reread for the third time) (read first half with Samuel and listened to audiobook for second half)
*38. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
39. Michael Vey: Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans
40. The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen
41. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (reread) (audiobook)
May
42. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (audiobook)
43. Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter
44. Crown of Embers by Rae Carson (audiobook)
45. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (audiobook)
46. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
47. A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine (audiobook)
48. Mind Games by Kiersten White
49. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (audiobook)
50. Step of Faith by Richard Paul Evans
June
*51. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
52. The Elite by Kiera Cass
53. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (audiobook)
54. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (audiobook)
55. Cross My Heart by Julie Wright (audiobook)
*56. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
57. Pumpkin Roll by Josi Kilpack
58. For One More Day by Mitch Albom (audiobook)
July
59. Banana Split by Josi Kilpack
60. Tres Leches Cupcakes by Josi Kilpack
61. The Witch of Balckbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
62. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell (audiobook)
*63. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
64. The Guardian by Gerald Lund (audiobook)
August
65. The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
*66. Mayo Clinic Guide to Healthy Pregnancy (read throughout the year)
67. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (audiobook)
68. Fahrenheit 451 (audiobook)
69. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (audiobook)
70. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (audiobook)
71. The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell
*72. Pivot Point by Kasie West
73. On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep By Gary Ezzo
September
*74. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
75. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (audiobook)
76. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
*77. Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
78. Chance Encounter by Jennie Hansen
79. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
October
80. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
81. United We Spy by Ally Carter
82. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
83. Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford
84. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (reread) (audiobook)
*85. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
November
86. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (audiobook)
87. Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (audiobook)
88. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
89. The Romney Family Table: Sharing Home-Cooked Recipes and Favorite Traditions by Ann Romney
90. Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson
91. A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson (audiobook)
92. Do Over by Shannon Guymon
93. The Duck Commander Family: How Faith, Family, and Ducks Built a Dynasty by Willie and Korie Robertson (audiobook)
December
94. The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books we Shared by Alice Ozma (audiobook)
95. The 13th Day of Christmas by Jason F. Wright
96. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond (audiobook)
97. Champion by Marie Lu
*98. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell (audiobook)
99. Reality Check by Karen Tuft
100. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (read throughout the year)
The last couple years I have started including Samuel's list of books read as well, so here it is:
Samuel's Books Read in 2013:
1. Calvin and Hobbes: Something Under the Bed is Drooling by Bill Watterson
2. End of Empire: Attila the Hun and the Fall of Rome by Christopher Kelley (He had to choose a book to read for a history class and then do a project on it and this is the one he chose)
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
5. Calvin and Hobbes: Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons by Bill Watterson
6. The Spies Who Never Were by Hervie Haufler (started until Med School got in the way- will finish later)
7. Saints at War: Experiences of Latter-Day Saints in World War II by Robert C. Freeman (started)
