Hello, long-neglected blog. I may not have been writing this year, but I’ve been reading and it’s time to look back and pick my favorites.
First, here are some big-picture statistics about my reading this year:
- Total books finished: 140
- Total number of rereads: 24
- First time reads: 116
- Total pages read: 42,329
- Average rating: 3.79 stars
- Most active month: June with 18 books and 5,291 pages
- Least active month: November with 7 books and 2,729 pages
For a complete list of titles, ratings, and formats, download my Excel spreadsheet by following this link. Or you can check out my 2019 shelf on Goodreads.
A few words about my reading habits… I’m an eccentric reader. Driven by mood, I pick up whatever book catches my fancy and usually read 6-10 at once. I have designated books for designated times or places, which helps me cover a wide variety of genres and titles without confusing them. There’s always a book for reading after breakfast before I finish my coffee. I always have an e-book on my Kindle that I’m only allowed to read at the gym. (Motivation for exercise that actually works!!). I usually have an audiobook I play while driving and washing dishes. Then, there’s book clubs. I lead two and am a member of two more. My friends poke fun at me for being over-committed in this arena. (They’re not wrong.)
On to the books! Many of the titles I’m about to talk about are worthy of critical acclaim, but they’re on this list for one main reason: I liked them. These are the books that moved me this year. They are the ones I’m still thinking about. This isn’t necessarily a list of recommendations. Maybe you’ll like these titles. Maybe you won’t. My tastes might not match yours and that’s okay.