I'm very pleased with how much and what I managed to read in 2016. My main goal was to read one hundred books during the year, which I managed to do for the first time ever: I read 111 books in 2016. Although I can see myself reading even more books in 2017, that is not my goal this year. My Goodreads goal is set to forty books for the year for a few different reasons.
First, in reference to one of my previous posts, I want to focus more on the quality not the quantity of books I read. I want to really connect with and enjoy the books I read instead of just trying to read as many books as possible. Forty seems like a reasonable number in that manner.
Second, my main focus for this year is to reduce the number of unread books I own (my TBR). At the beginning of 2016, my TBR was somewhere around 430 books, but I have continued to both acquire many books and read many owned books throughout the year, as well as giving away around forty books (most of them unread). Now at the beginning of 2017, my TBR is 415 books. My goal is to get that number down to under 300 by the end of the year. I don't intend to actually read one hundred books since I know of quite a few that I will be giving away once I unpack all my books from storage (oh, the joys of moving). My TBR has been in the hundreds for as long as I can remember, and I am starting to feel overwhelmed by it. I have the long-term goal to reduce it to under ten books by 2020.
Third, I want to read some longer classics this year that will take more time to read than the average length of books that I normally read. My goal is to read these three books in 2017: Anna Karenina, Don Quixote, and Jude the Obscure. I have a few more on the list if I can get to them, although reading long classics is a goal secondary to reducing my TBR.
Fourth, I would like to read five church-related books throughout the year (I own quite a few, so this goal pairs with my second goal). These kinds of nonfiction books generally take more time to read than lighthearted fiction novels because they require in-depth study of and pondering on their concepts.
In 2016 I participated in and completed the Around the World in Fifty-Two Books challenge. Although that challenge is continuing in 2017 with a new list, I will not be taking part this year. I found that last year, I mostly just matched the books I was reading with a goal from the challenge without really going out of my way to read books I wouldn't normally read. I think that is the point of the challenge, though, to read out of your comfort zone a little bit. I love reading challenges with different goals like this one, but I think I will put off participating again until my TBR is low enough that I feel I am at a place to venture outside of my own books.
Overall, I am hoping 2017 brings great books and lots of time to read. I believe that my favourite book is still out there waiting to be discovered, and maybe this will be the year that I discover it.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Around the Year in 52 Books: 2016 Review
1. A book you meant to read in 2015 but didn't
35. An award-winning book
Sold by Patricia McCormick
36. An identity book—a book about a different culture, religion or sexual orientation
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
37. A book that you've seen the movie of but haven't read
Nim's Island by Wendy Orr
38. A book about an anti-hero
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
39. A previous suggestion that did not make it into the list: a book with a blue cover
The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
40. A novella from your favorite genre
Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfeld
41. A book about a major world event
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
42. A top 100 fantasy novel
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
43. A book about a thing that goes bump in the night
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
44. A book you're embarrassed to read in public
The Selection by Kiera Cass
45. A book related to a hobby or passion you have
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
46. A crime story
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
47. A book with a type of food or drink in the title
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
48. A dystopia
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
49. A book with a great opening line
Underdogs by Markus Zusak
50. A book originally written in a language other than English
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
51. A short story from a well-known author
Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Various Authors
52. A book published in 2016
Divergent by Veronica Roth
2. A book set on a different continent
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (set in Europe)
3. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2015 (winner or nominated)
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day (nominated for humor)
4. A book by an author you discovered in 2015
The Death Cure by James Dashner
5. A book with a title beginning with the 1st letter of your name
The Kill Order by James Dashner
6. The highest rated on your TBR
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
7. A book about books
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
8. A classic book with less than 200 pages
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
9. A book that was mentioned in another book
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
10. A book by an author you feel you should have read by now
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
11. A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
12. A childhood classic
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
13. Reader’s Choice
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
14. A book with one of the five Ws or H in the title (Who/What/Where/When/Why/How)
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
15. A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago)
Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
16. A book from the top 100 mystery novels
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
17. A book with a beautiful cover (in your own opinion)
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
18. A book on a summer reading list
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
19. A non-fiction book
A Journey into the Deaf-World by Harlan Lane
20. A book with a first name in the title
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
21. A book from the Goodreads Recommendations page
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
22. The first book in a new-to-you series
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
23. The next book in a series you are reading
Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
24. A "between the numbers" book of a series (0.5, 1,5, 2.5, etc.)
Four by Veronica Roth
25. A book whose main character is in a profession that interests you
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
26. A book everyone is talking about
The Last Star by Rick Yancey
27. A book with a beautiful title (in your own opinion)
Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan
28. A biography, autobiography, or memoir
Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
29. A book by an author who writes under more than one name
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
30. A fairytale from a culture other than your own
The Arabian Nights: The Story of the Fisherman and the Genie by Anonymous
31. A work of young adult fiction
The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle
32. A historical fiction book
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
33. The 16th book on your TBR
Inside Out and Back Again by Thannha Lai
34. A book about mental illness
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
2. A book set on a different continent
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (set in Europe)
3. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2015 (winner or nominated)
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day (nominated for humor)
4. A book by an author you discovered in 2015
The Death Cure by James Dashner
5. A book with a title beginning with the 1st letter of your name
The Kill Order by James Dashner
6. The highest rated on your TBR
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
7. A book about books
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
8. A classic book with less than 200 pages
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
9. A book that was mentioned in another book
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
10. A book by an author you feel you should have read by now
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
11. A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
12. A childhood classic
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
13. Reader’s Choice
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
14. A book with one of the five Ws or H in the title (Who/What/Where/When/Why/How)
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
15. A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago)
Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
16. A book from the top 100 mystery novels
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
17. A book with a beautiful cover (in your own opinion)
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
18. A book on a summer reading list
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
19. A non-fiction book
A Journey into the Deaf-World by Harlan Lane
20. A book with a first name in the title
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
21. A book from the Goodreads Recommendations page
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
22. The first book in a new-to-you series
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
23. The next book in a series you are reading
Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
24. A "between the numbers" book of a series (0.5, 1,5, 2.5, etc.)
Four by Veronica Roth
25. A book whose main character is in a profession that interests you
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
26. A book everyone is talking about
The Last Star by Rick Yancey
27. A book with a beautiful title (in your own opinion)
Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan
28. A biography, autobiography, or memoir
Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
29. A book by an author who writes under more than one name
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
30. A fairytale from a culture other than your own
The Arabian Nights: The Story of the Fisherman and the Genie by Anonymous
31. A work of young adult fiction
The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle
32. A historical fiction book
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
33. The 16th book on your TBR
Inside Out and Back Again by Thannha Lai
34. A book about mental illness
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
35. An award-winning book
Sold by Patricia McCormick
36. An identity book—a book about a different culture, religion or sexual orientation
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
37. A book that you've seen the movie of but haven't read
Nim's Island by Wendy Orr
38. A book about an anti-hero
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
39. A previous suggestion that did not make it into the list: a book with a blue cover
The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
40. A novella from your favorite genre
Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfeld
41. A book about a major world event
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
43. A book about a thing that goes bump in the night
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
44. A book you're embarrassed to read in public
The Selection by Kiera Cass
45. A book related to a hobby or passion you have
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
46. A crime story
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
47. A book with a type of food or drink in the title
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
48. A dystopia
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
49. A book with a great opening line
Underdogs by Markus Zusak
50. A book originally written in a language other than English
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
51. A short story from a well-known author
Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Various Authors
52. A book published in 2016
The Crown by Kiera Cass
Top 5 Books I Read in 2016
I read a lot of books in 2016, and there were a few that really stood out above the others as being intelligently written and spectacularly plotted. Those are the books that have stayed in my heart throughout the year and that I find myself continually recommending to people. Today I'd like to share those books with you.
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This book absolutely blew me away. I did not expect it to be as crazy good as it was. This was, by far, the best book I read in 2016. It is about our bleak world in 2045, where nearly everybody escapes into a virtual reality known as OASIS. It is a utopia of wonders, where anybody can become anything they want to be and do anything that they can't achieve in the real world. One day the creator of OASIS dies, leaving a massive fortune in the form of an Easter egg hidden in the game. The novel follows Wade as he makes it his goal to find this egg and obtain the fortune that comes with it. But soon every character in the game is on a hunt for the egg, and rivalries spread into the real world as a corporate monster begins either hiring or killing anyone that gets in their way to the prize.
This book is absolutely breathtaking with every new plot point that gets uncovered. It is full of 1980s pop culture references, as the route to the egg involves solving lots of riddles about '80s music, games, and movies. If you like '80s culture, video games, modern sci-fi stories, or a fast-paced adventure, you will love this book.
2. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
I had never read epic fantasy before venturing into Sanderson's Mistborn series, but I don't need to read any more to know that this is one of the best fantasy series out there. You can't just stop at book one; you need to read the entire trilogy.
Mistborn is about Vin, a young thief, who gets recruited by Kelsier, the leader of a crew that sets out to overtake the Lord Ruler, an evil leader that has reigned over the land for a thousand years. He is said to be all-powerful, but Kelsier thinks his team can do the impossible and defeat him. The most exciting part of this book is the magic system: people called Mistings can ingest different metals that give them different abilities, depending on the type of metal. The entire world and plot were so fleshed out, and I honestly didn't see any plot holes, which is rare. And the magic system was so thoroughly explored and well explained, which I loved. What is so spectacular about this series is that concepts and ideas that appear to be insignificant that are introduced in the first book appear again in the second and third books, but they tie back to other concepts in a mind-bending way that makes you realize that Sanderson had every tiny detail of the whole series planned out before he even began to write the first book. It is absolutely mind-bending to look back on the series once you've completed it and see exactly how everything connects together.
3. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
This book is what it says it is: life-changing. Of all the books I've read this year, this one has had the biggest long-term impact on me. I have a separate review of this book here if you're interested.
I think a lot of people suffer from the stress of owning too much stuff and not knowing what to do with it. This book will address that issue in a completely new way: keep only what you love. Marie Kondo goes through the steps of organizing your house and personal effects that will bring you the most positive results you've ever seen when it comes to tidying. She asks you to pick up each item individually and ask yourself if it brings you joy. If it does, keep it; if it doesn't, discard it. It's a very simple approach that elicits tremendous results.
I have been following the steps in this book throughout the year and have gotten rid of so much stuff I didn't know that I didn't need. It really is very cathartic and freeing. I highly recommend this book if you want a more organized life.
4. You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
I had no idea who Felicia Day was before reading this book, but now I'm a huge fan of hers. She is hilarious, as is proven in her book (and even more so if you listen to her read the audiobook, which I did). Felicia's book is a memoir of her life thus far as a homeschooled girl who is addicted to video games. It is full of anecdotes from her childhood as an awkward girl who's just trying to fit in. She talks about her time creating the Guild miniseries and starring in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Her memoir is very relatable to someone like me who is a shy girl who enjoys video games and who often suffers from anxiety. Felicia endured a lot of the same experiences and feelings that I and a lot of others have gone through. Honestly, I think everyone should read You're Never Weird on the Internet; whether or not you know who Felicia Day is, you will most likely laugh and enjoy your time spent reading this book.
I have a separate review of this book here if you want to read that, too.
5. Night Film by Marisha Pessl
It is better to read this book without any prior knowledge of what it is about, but here is a short, vague synopsis anyway. Night Film is a psychological mystery thriller about a girl who dies and the investigative reporter who is trying to figure out the truth about her mysterious family. This book is a dark mind-bending roller coaster. I best heard it described this way: you think you've hit rock bottom when you realize you're standing on another trap door. I've never read a book in this genre before, but this was probably not a good place to start because no book will ever live up to it.
The best part about reading Night Film is that the book is filled with photographs, documents, and other visual elements, many of which have hidden content in them. If you download the Night Film Decoder app, you can scan the pictures to access the bonus content. It's seriously awesome.
I recommend just blindly jumping into this book if you're even remotely interested at this point.
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This book is absolutely breathtaking with every new plot point that gets uncovered. It is full of 1980s pop culture references, as the route to the egg involves solving lots of riddles about '80s music, games, and movies. If you like '80s culture, video games, modern sci-fi stories, or a fast-paced adventure, you will love this book.
2. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn is about Vin, a young thief, who gets recruited by Kelsier, the leader of a crew that sets out to overtake the Lord Ruler, an evil leader that has reigned over the land for a thousand years. He is said to be all-powerful, but Kelsier thinks his team can do the impossible and defeat him. The most exciting part of this book is the magic system: people called Mistings can ingest different metals that give them different abilities, depending on the type of metal. The entire world and plot were so fleshed out, and I honestly didn't see any plot holes, which is rare. And the magic system was so thoroughly explored and well explained, which I loved. What is so spectacular about this series is that concepts and ideas that appear to be insignificant that are introduced in the first book appear again in the second and third books, but they tie back to other concepts in a mind-bending way that makes you realize that Sanderson had every tiny detail of the whole series planned out before he even began to write the first book. It is absolutely mind-bending to look back on the series once you've completed it and see exactly how everything connects together.
3. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
I think a lot of people suffer from the stress of owning too much stuff and not knowing what to do with it. This book will address that issue in a completely new way: keep only what you love. Marie Kondo goes through the steps of organizing your house and personal effects that will bring you the most positive results you've ever seen when it comes to tidying. She asks you to pick up each item individually and ask yourself if it brings you joy. If it does, keep it; if it doesn't, discard it. It's a very simple approach that elicits tremendous results.
I have been following the steps in this book throughout the year and have gotten rid of so much stuff I didn't know that I didn't need. It really is very cathartic and freeing. I highly recommend this book if you want a more organized life.
4. You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
I have a separate review of this book here if you want to read that, too.
5. Night Film by Marisha Pessl
The best part about reading Night Film is that the book is filled with photographs, documents, and other visual elements, many of which have hidden content in them. If you download the Night Film Decoder app, you can scan the pictures to access the bonus content. It's seriously awesome.
I recommend just blindly jumping into this book if you're even remotely interested at this point.
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