Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

This year I set two reading goals for myself:

  1. Read at least 75 books.
  2. Read a variety of books for random reasons.

I’m happy to announce that I DID IT!

I knocked off 113 books total (per my Goodreads tally), and I found a book in each of the following categories (most of which I reviewed on this blog, if you’d like to see what I thought of each book).

I can’t pick a favorite book or a favorite author, but there were some definite highlights to the year:

  • Jill Mansell, Amy Matayo, and Katherine Center: I aspire to write like them. I’m a fan for life.
  • Darynda Jones: the heat level in her books is a lot higher than I’m normally comfortable with, but her characters and creativity pulled me back for the entire 13-book series. Not for the faint of heart, but an author’s voice and imagination I can only admire.
  • Agatha Christie and Charles Dickens: I’m glad I read you, but I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy the classics.
  • Christopher Moore’s Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings: Hand’s down the weirdest book I read all year.

You can see the themed challenge below, or visit my Goodread’s page for the full 100+ list.

How did you do with your reading challenge? What were your favorite books of the year?

 

Featuring orphans Out of the Embers Amanda Cabot
Features an amateur investigator Nursing a Grudge Chris Well
Featuring best friends Barefoot Season Susan Mallery
Tenacious female character What Happens in London Julia Quinn
Featuring a father Two by Two Nicholas Sparks
A dual timeline Landline Rainbow Rowell
Paranormal/Sci-fi/Fantasy twist An Absolutely Remarkable Thing Hank Green
A new/unfamiliar genre 40 Love Madeleine Wickham
During the Civil War Seven Aprils Eileen Charbonneau
A book I loved as a kid The Mystery of Sara Beth Polly Putnam
A short story When He Was Wicked: 2nd Epilogue Julia Quinn
Set at the beach All Summer Long Dorothea Benton Frank
In a setting I want to visit Maybe This Time Jill Mansell
Set in a cold climate Married to an Alaskan Man Evangeline Kelly
Set in a different country Murder on the Orient Express Agatha Christie
A book I own but haven’t read The Wedding Dress Christmas Rachel Hauck
A summer romance The Summer House Jenny Hale
A sports romance Thirteenth Chance Amy Matayo
By multiple authors Copygirl Anna Mitchael and Michelle Sassa
An author with my first name The House On Tradd Street Karen White
A color in the title Blue Enchantress M.L. Tyndall
Title with 6+ words Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings Christopher Moore
Character with a job I wanted Be Frank with Me Julia Claiborne Johnson
100 pages or less The Kiss Thief Jessica Kate
Debut book Shadow Among Sheaves Naomi Stephens
A library book Second Grave on the Right Darynda Jones
Featuring my hobby If She Dares Mikal Dawn
A $0.99 book Risking Love Toni Shiloh
Book published in my birth month California Girls Susan Mallery
Book published in my birth year Beauty Robin McKinley
A book older than me A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens
A book covered in flowers Things You Save in a Fire Katherine Center
A cover I adore Heat Wave Nancy Thayer
A red cover Third Grave Dead Ahead Darynda Jones