Alexander Davidson's Blog
January 5, 2025
2024 Reading Stats
I set a goal to read 70 books this year. Spoiler alert: I crushed it! 💥
✨ Mr. D’s 2024 Reading Wrapped ✨
Swipe through to check out my reading stats from the year! 📚
In 2024, I set out to read 70 books—and I crushed it with 80 titles! 🎉 This number has been my sweet spot for a few years now, and I love the consistency. While I’m team hardcover all the way, audiobooks have completely stolen the show. Lately, my favorite reading ritual is pairing an audiobook with a physical copy—it’s next-level immersive, and I’m obsessed.
Sure, it makes it harder to break down format stats (#booknerdproblems), but who’s complaining when it’s this much fun? 😅
Swipe through for the full breakdown, and let’s get hyped for 2025’s reading adventures! 🚀✨
✨ Mr. D’s 2024 Reading Wrapped ✨
Swipe through to check out my reading stats from the year! 📚
In 2024, I set out to read 70 books—and I crushed it with 80 titles! 🎉 This number has been my sweet spot for a few years now, and I love the consistency. While I’m team hardcover all the way, audiobooks have completely stolen the show. Lately, my favorite reading ritual is pairing an audiobook with a physical copy—it’s next-level immersive, and I’m obsessed.
Sure, it makes it harder to break down format stats (#booknerdproblems), but who’s complaining when it’s this much fun? 😅
Swipe through for the full breakdown, and let’s get hyped for 2025’s reading adventures! 🚀✨
January 1, 2024
2023 Reading Stats
This year, I set a goal to read 75 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 80 titles (107%), not meeting the personal-record-setting 90 of 2022 (so my comparison math is a little defeating ha). This was the year of the audiobook. Not only did I read a lot of audiobooks, but I also listened to audiobooks while reading physical copies. Books that were a combination, I counted as physical books with pages. I read 32 print titles (-5) and 1 e-book (-6 – sorry, Kindle) for a total of roughly 11,959 pages (-1,772). I listened to 47 audio titles (+1) for a total of 465 hours and 44 minutes (+39h31m). There were 6 rereads. The average length is 345 pages. Let’s see how I do in 2024!
Star Ratings
5⭐: 10
4⭐: 36
3⭐: 32
2⭐: 2
DNF: 1
Average: 3.7
Print/Ebook
Longest: The Winners (671 pages)
Shortest: Dead Poets Society (133 pages)
Audiobook
Longest: Age of Vice (19h 28m)
Shortest: Calypso’s Guest (53m)
Top Ten Books Published in 2023
• Tom Lake
• Stone Blind
• Wellness
• Chain-Gang All-Stars
• Forget Me Not
• Fourth Wing
• The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
• The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
• The Dos and Donuts of Love
• Yellowface
Top Ten Books Published Before 2023
• Demon Copperhead
• The Office BFFs
• All My Rage
• Lessons in Chemistry
• The Roughest Draft
• The Winners
• Young Mungo
• The Marriage Portrait
• Upgrade
• El Deafo
Honorable Mentions
• The Celebrants
• Meet Me at the Lake
• Hello Beautiful
• Eli Over Easy
• The Writing Retreat
Star Ratings
5⭐: 10
4⭐: 36
3⭐: 32
2⭐: 2
DNF: 1
Average: 3.7
Print/Ebook
Longest: The Winners (671 pages)
Shortest: Dead Poets Society (133 pages)
Audiobook
Longest: Age of Vice (19h 28m)
Shortest: Calypso’s Guest (53m)
Top Ten Books Published in 2023
• Tom Lake
• Stone Blind
• Wellness
• Chain-Gang All-Stars
• Forget Me Not
• Fourth Wing
• The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
• The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
• The Dos and Donuts of Love
• Yellowface
Top Ten Books Published Before 2023
• Demon Copperhead
• The Office BFFs
• All My Rage
• Lessons in Chemistry
• The Roughest Draft
• The Winners
• Young Mungo
• The Marriage Portrait
• Upgrade
• El Deafo
Honorable Mentions
• The Celebrants
• Meet Me at the Lake
• Hello Beautiful
• Eli Over Easy
• The Writing Retreat
January 2, 2023
2022 Reading Stats
This year, I set a goal to read 75 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 90 titles (120%), surpassing the 81 from 2021. This was my best year yet, mostly thanks to audiobooks while driving to work and travelling around Britain and Ireland. I read 37 print titles (-8) and 7 ebooks (+7 – Hello, new Kindle!) for a total of roughly 13,731 pages (-320). I listened to 46 audio titles (+10) for a total of 426 hours and 13 minutes (+21h7m). * Let’s see how I do in 2023!
Star Ratings
5⭐: 14
4⭐: 43
3⭐: 31
2⭐: 2
Print/Ebook
Longest: The Change (480 pages)
Shortest: Galatea (64 pages)
Audiobook
Longest: Legendborn (18h 54m)
Shortest: Deal of a Lifetime (47m)
*My math is definitely off because there are some books that I alternated between print and audio.
Star Ratings
5⭐: 14
4⭐: 43
3⭐: 31
2⭐: 2
Print/Ebook
Longest: The Change (480 pages)
Shortest: Galatea (64 pages)
Audiobook
Longest: Legendborn (18h 54m)
Shortest: Deal of a Lifetime (47m)
*My math is definitely off because there are some books that I alternated between print and audio.
2021 Reading Stats
This year, I set a goal to read 70 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 81 titles (116%), almost matching the 82 from 2020 and 2019. I’m definitely consistent. I read 45 print titles (-9) for a total of roughly 14,051 pages (-612). There were some long ones this year. I listened to 36 audio titles (+11) for a total of 405 hours and 6 minutes (+43h43m). Let’s see how I do in 2022!
✨TOP 21 OF 2021✨
Here they are: the final rankings! I may change my mind in the future, but as of today, here are my top books that I read during the year.
• A Thousand Ships
• The Inheritance Games
• Project Hail Mary
• The Guncle
• Tokyo Ever After
• Fable
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
• The Lincoln Highway
• Interior Chinatown
• The Cousins
• The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History🎧
• The Love Hypothesis🎧
• The Mary Shelley Club🎧
• Jurassic Park🎧
• Malibu Rising
• The Night Watchman
• Firekeeper’s Daughter
• The Charm Offensive🎧
• Romancing Mister Bridgerton🎧
• Dial A for Aunties
• Other Words for Home
✨TOP 21 OF 2021✨
Here they are: the final rankings! I may change my mind in the future, but as of today, here are my top books that I read during the year.
• A Thousand Ships
• The Inheritance Games
• Project Hail Mary
• The Guncle
• Tokyo Ever After
• Fable
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
• The Lincoln Highway
• Interior Chinatown
• The Cousins
• The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History🎧
• The Love Hypothesis🎧
• The Mary Shelley Club🎧
• Jurassic Park🎧
• Malibu Rising
• The Night Watchman
• Firekeeper’s Daughter
• The Charm Offensive🎧
• Romancing Mister Bridgerton🎧
• Dial A for Aunties
• Other Words for Home
January 24, 2021
2020 Reading in Retrospect: Book Survey
Due to exceeding Goodreads's character limit, this year's reading reflection blog post can be accessed via the link below.
This year, I set a goal to read 75 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 82 titles (109%), tying last year’s total. While the number of titles remained the same, the actual amount of reading increased drastically. I read 54 print titles (+8) for a total of roughly 14,663 pages (+3,394). I listened to 27 audio titles (-10) but chose some longer titles for a total of 361 hours and 23 minutes (+82h23m). Here are this year’s results!
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2020, not only those released in 2020.)
This year, I set a goal to read 75 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 82 titles (109%), tying last year’s total. While the number of titles remained the same, the actual amount of reading increased drastically. I read 54 print titles (+8) for a total of roughly 14,663 pages (+3,394). I listened to 27 audio titles (-10) but chose some longer titles for a total of 361 hours and 23 minutes (+82h23m). Here are this year’s results!
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2020, not only those released in 2020.)
January 1, 2020
2019 Reading in Retrospect: Book Survey
Due to exceeding Goodreads's character limit, this year's reading reflection blog post can be accessed via the link below.
This year, I set a goal to read 60 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 82 titles (137%). While the number of titles increased, the actual amount of reading was not as much as 2018; 2019 was a busy year. I read 46 print titles (-11) for a total of roughly 11,269 pages (-3,548). It was a big year for audio titles. I listened to 37 audio titles (+14) for a total of 279 hours exactly (-25:09:00).
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2019, not only those released in 2019.)
This year, I set a goal to read 60 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 82 titles (137%). While the number of titles increased, the actual amount of reading was not as much as 2018; 2019 was a busy year. I read 46 print titles (-11) for a total of roughly 11,269 pages (-3,548). It was a big year for audio titles. I listened to 37 audio titles (+14) for a total of 279 hours exactly (-25:09:00).
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2019, not only those released in 2019.)
January 1, 2019
2018 Reading in Retrospect: Book Survey
Due to exceeding Goodreads's character limit, this year's reading reflection blog post can be accessed via the link below.
End of the Year Book Survey
This year, I set a goal to read 60 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 80 titles (133%). I read 57 print titles (+15) for a total of roughly 14,817 pages (+3,263). I listened to 23 audio titles (+5) for a total of 304 hours and 9 minutes (+2:48).
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2018, not only those released in 2018.)
End of the Year Book Survey
This year, I set a goal to read 60 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 80 titles (133%). I read 57 print titles (+15) for a total of roughly 14,817 pages (+3,263). I listened to 23 audio titles (+5) for a total of 304 hours and 9 minutes (+2:48).
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2018, not only those released in 2018.)
January 3, 2018
2017 Reading in Retrospect: Book Survey
Due to confirmed technical issues from Goodreads, this year's current blog post can be accessed via the link below until the Goodreads support team has fixed the bug.
End of the Year Book Survey
This year, I set a goal to read 45 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 60 titles. I read 42 print titles (+8) for a total of roughly 11,554 pages (+1,267). I listened to 18 audio titles (+1) for a total of 301 hours and 21 minutes (-99:09).
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2017, not only those released in 2017.)
The full post will be updated to its normal format once everything is working properly again.
End of the Year Book Survey
This year, I set a goal to read 45 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 60 titles. I read 42 print titles (+8) for a total of roughly 11,554 pages (+1,267). I listened to 18 audio titles (+1) for a total of 301 hours and 21 minutes (-99:09).
Click here for this year’s results and reflections!
(Results are based on books read during 2017, not only those released in 2017.)
The full post will be updated to its normal format once everything is working properly again.
January 1, 2017
2016 Reading in Retrospect: Book Survey
End of the Year Book Survey
This year, I set a goal to read 45 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 53 titles. This year has been the year of the Audible account. I got really hooked on audiobooks while driving in the car, so much so that the radio is now annoying to me because I’m not being productive. I read 34 print titles for a total of roughly 10,176 pages. I listened to 17 audio titles for a total of 400 hours and 30 minutes. Here are this year’s results!
1. Best book read in 2016?
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. I don’t know if this is because it is the most recent novel I read, if recently winning the National Book Award for Fiction affected my decision making, or if it really is that good, but I picked it. Cora and Caesar run away from their plantation in Georgia and try to find freedom in the north with the help of the Underground Railroad, which in this historical fiction novel actually is an underground system of tracks and trains.
Honor Books:
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Jason Dessen has been kidnapped and thrown into a parallel universe. The culprit? The other Jason Dessen, the one who chose career and success over a family and now wants to trade places. Now, the original Jason needs to find a way home to his family and his universe.
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. Caden is living two lives, one at home as a brilliant student with odd behavior and one on a ship at sea as the artist in residence on his was to explore the deepest part of the ocean, only which one is real?
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Told from two characters perspectives – one black, one white – from two different authors, Rashad and Quinn experience two sides of racism and police brutality. Rashad has been attacked when suspected of shoplifting and is now in the hospital as a symbol on the news of racial injustice. Quinn witnessed the event, but the cop in question is his best friend’s older brother and isn’t sure of what he actually saw.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more, but didn’t?
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. I’m in love with the movies, and I was excited to start the series on audio, but then I realized the series is way older than and not as high tech as the more modern version. It took forever to get to the main plot frame and wasn’t as adrenaline pumping as when Matt Damon is around.
Honor Books:
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. I was excited about the sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it was a lot of build up with nothing actually happening. Books 2 and 3 should have just been one book, but instead you get The Girl Who Played with Fire as a flop.
Allegiant by Veronica Roth. The third book in this installment tried to make the book’s world way too complicated and simplified at the same time. Nothing was really making sense, and then the ending was just bad. Thank goodness the movies are better.
After Alice by Gregory Maguire. I’m a big fan of Maguire’s twisted takes on famous stories, my favorite being Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. However, this Alice in Wonderland adaptation focusing on Alice’s friend Ada who follows her to Wonderland afterward is just a repeat of Carroll with different names. Meanwhile up in the real world, there is a somewhat interested romance plot with Ada’s sister and a visitor, but nothing happens there either.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. There was lots of hype around this mystery, but it’s disappointing when you can figure it out in the first few chapters and your prediction is correct.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2016?
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. I’m used to young adult books being a little childish, but this one was deep, intense, highly developed, and entertaining.
Honor Books:
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. Ancient parts of a giant alien robot are being discovered around the world, and it’s now a race to be the first with all the pieces without causing World War III. I was surprised to see that this entire story is told in the form of field reports and interviews and other documents. It was a creative way to tell the story while still keeping the excitement and action of the genre.
4. Book you read in 2016 that you recommended the most?
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. Sure, we are all familiar with the indie-kids who become the chosen ones and save the world. However, what about the rest of the students who are just living life while all of the world-saving goes on around them? That’s what Mikey and his friends are dealing with, and all he really wants to do is deal with his politician mother, hide elements of his mental disorder, and ask his best friend to prom before the high school blows up… again.
Honor Books:
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. This is a great science fiction novel without being too out there or overly sciency.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Great novel for social justice, and because it is told from two perspectives, there is something for everyone to learn through reading this.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. This two part play is a must-read for any fan of the Harry Potter wizarding world.
5. Best series you discovered in 2016? Best sequel of 2016?
Series:
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. (This year I started and finished all five on audiobook: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons.) I loved the epic tales, the fantasy world that’s not too fantastic to be cheesy, the calculations of feuding houses and fights for the throne. It’s awesome and the characters are all amazing.
Honor Books:
The Millennium series by Stieg Larsson. (I also started and finished all four of these on audio: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, The Girl in the Spider's Web [[author:David Lagercrantz|242659]]) Some books were better than others, but I’m glad I experienced the series this year.
Sequel:
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman (Unwind, #2). Connor, Lev and Risa were successful in defeating the harvest camp last time, but the whole war on unwinding children is still going on, and it is their job to help all runaways. But when a new human has been created completely made out of parts of other children, the question of life and souls gets even more difficult to answer. There was a decent chance that this Unwind sequel could have just been exactly like the first installment, but it was so much more. The characters got more complicated, the world was more dangerous, and the action was still top-notch.
Honor Books:
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau (The Testing, #2). Cia Vale has passed the Hunger Games-style application process to get into the Commonwealth’s top-notch institution, but her memory was wiped. All she has left is a voice recording of herself telling her who she can and cannot trust. Is this to be believed? Decisions need to happen fast because the testing is still continuing when classes start and flunking out means death.
Winter of the World by Ken Follett (The Century Trilogy, #2). The families of the original Fall of Giants now have children who are out around the world experiencing World War II and the Spanish Civil War. It’s another great sweeping epic with overlapping character plots and interactions that I love.
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3). So much happens. It’s awesome.
6. Favorite new author discovered in 2016?
Patrick Ness.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone?
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. I don’t normally read non-fiction, so this memoir about a black lawyer defending clients on death row in a racially prejudiced south in the 1980s and 1990s is definitely outside of my niche. It was good, though. It still felt like a story was being told instead of history being taught like some non-fiction can be.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2016?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. Harry Potter and his friends have grown up, and now it is time for their children to attend Hogwarts. Being the son of a world-famous wizard is one thing, but when Albus gets sorted into Slytherin and starts making friends with the Malfoy boy, then it gets a little more complicated. So much so that Albus decides to try messing with time to free himself from this life. However, when meddling with time results in different scenarios including a Voldemort controlled Ministry of Magic, Albus might be in a bit over his head. I read this in a day.
Honor Books:
Morning Star by Pierce Brown. Continuing with Darrow’s fight for freedom and equality, this final installment of the trilogy has the whole galaxy at war, both sides fighting to keep power or remove the status quo.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Definitely keeps you reading to find out if Jason can make it back to his family.
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau. So many new challenges from the Commonwealth put Cia and her fellow students’ lives in danger, especially when Cia is trying to pass college and overthrow the government at the same time.
9. Book read in 2016 that you are most likely to re-read?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. I can see myself adding this novel to my Contemporary Literature course next year.
If my new English elective course gets approved, I also will be re-reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, and All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.
10. Best book re-read in 2016 from a previous year?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Two dueling magicians compete in a magical contest in one of the most beautifully described settings I’ve ever read only to eventually fall in love with each other. And the two timelines in the storytelling make it an extra awesome experience.
I also re-read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King.
11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon.
Honor Books:
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. (Glows in the dark.)
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.
The Haters by Jesse Andrews.
12. Most memorable character of 2016?
Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. A drunken and unloved sibling of a powerful house eventually rises to recognize his self-worth, save a city, break free from his family chains, and be an amazingly witty man who throws serious shade.
Honor Books:
Emilio Sandoz from The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. A religious linguist on the first Jesuit mission to space, Emilio is the only survivor who returns to earth and is being questioned about his time on the planet of Rakhat. Not only do two storylines play out nicely, but they end up revealing some awesome truths and horrors about this man.
13. Best hero/protagonist of 2016?
Jon Snow from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Bastard turned Lord Commander of Castle Black and the Night’s Watch, Jon’s character is still full of future potential and surprises.
Honor Books:
Daenerys Targaryen from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Exiled princess turned khaleesi and then to breaker of chains, it’s been fun watching this girl grow into power and overcome obstacles in her fight to reclaim her kingdom.
14. Best villain/antagonist of 2016?
Adrius au Augustus (the Jackal) from Morning Star by Pierce Brown. Just finding out in the first few chapters that this guy has been having dinners and meetings with Darrow locked underneath the table for months is enough to show you how cruel and dark this arch governor of Mars can truly be, even to his own family and former friends.
Honor Books:
Arnold Ridgeway from The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. This slave catcher will stop at nothing to bring Cora back to the south, no matter what.
Cersei Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Completely manipulating and conniving and perfectly brilliant in how she plans to stay in power and protect her children. She’s so good at being bad that you end up liking her a little anyway.
Aaron from The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Crazy preacher in a world where men’s thoughts can be heard by everyone. This crazy man tries to stop Todd from helping the only female Viola in order to sacrifice her to his god, even after getting half-eaten by a crocodile, he’s still going.
15. Most beautifully written book of 2016?
Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker. This book/memoir is written in a series of letters to the men – both real and imagined – who have made an impact on the life of the author. It’s a wonderfully creative way to pay tribute to these people while still telling her life’s story.
Honor Books:
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. I’m giving this one an honorable mention because of it being written in interviews and field reports and still being exciting and action-packed.
16. Book that had the greatest impact on you?
S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders adapted to the stage by Christopher Sergel. This was our school’s fall play this year, and the two months we spent putting it on were simply amazing.
17. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to read?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I am in love with all three movie adaptations – the Winona Ryder one is the best – and I can’t believe it took me forever to actually get to the novel.
Honor Books:
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau. The Testing was my first book of 2015, and it took me until the summer of 2016 to finally get around to its sequel.
The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. I read The House of Hades also way back in 2015, and I didn’t get to this final installment of the series until this year.
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. Again, huge fan of the movies and it took me forever to get here.
18. Favorite passages/quotes?
"But she was the matador, and she skewered me every time." – Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
“…as useless as nipples on a breastplate.” – George R.R. Martin, almost every book in the series
“Although Ridgeway’s father scorned religious talk, Tom Bird’s testimony on the Great Spirit reminded him of how he felt about iron. He bent to no god save the glowing iron he tended in his forge. He’d read about the great volcanoes, the lost city of Pompeii destroyed by fire that poured out of mountains from deep below. Liquid fire was the very blood of the earth. It was his mission to upset, mash, and draw out the metal into the useful things that made society operate: nails, horseshoes, plows, knives, guns. Chains. Working the spirit, he called it.” – The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
19. Shortest and longest books read (listened to) in 2016?
Print
Longest: Allegiant by Veronica RothVeronica Roth (526 pages)
Shortest: Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney (60 pages)
Audio
Longest: A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (Unabridged, 49:00)
Shortest: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Abridged, 6:00)
20. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I needed to talk about how I predicted the ending and was right.
Honor Books:
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. (Basically, the whole series.) I was constantly talking to my friends who read the books and watch the shows to compare them back and forth.
21. Favorite relationships in a book read in 2016 (romance, friendship, etc.)?
Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane from A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. Frenemies to the greatest degree. He hated her and was just kidnapping her for ransom, but there was a sense of protection over her for her well-being. She hated him and wanted to kill him, but there was also trust and learning that she gained from him during their time together.
Honor Books:
Albus Severus Potter and Scorpio Malfoy from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. Classic buddy relationship of two feuding families that wanted to keep them apart, but their friendship was just too strong for even time travel to break.
Lizbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. These two made a perfect pair when they finally get together to solve the mystery of missing girls. One’s an old-timey reporter while another is a new age hacker. They make the perfect team.
Jo March and Theodore Laurence from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. They both should and should not be together romantically. It’s frustrating and wonderful.
Connor/Risa and Risa/Cam from UnWholly by Neal Shusterman. Connor and Risa are definitely working on their relationship in the aftermath of everything, but when Risa is taken and forced to pretend to be in a relationship with Cam, there is a little bit of a bud going there in this love triangle.
22. Favorite book you read in 2016 from an author you read previously?
Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach. I loved We All Looked Up, so I had to read this when I found out he had written another novel.
23. Best book you read in 2016 based solely on a recommendation?
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. My mom and sister really wanted me to start reading Moriarty’s novels. I started with this one, even though they both ruined the ending before I started. I’m looking forward to the HBO series based on this novel.
Honor Books:
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I finally read it to connect with some juniors reading it in their theology classes, and it was totally worth it.
24. Genre you read the most in 2016?
Science Fiction
25. Best 2016 debut?
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.
26. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2016?
Westeros from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Amazingly intricate kingdoms, history, customs/traditions – everything about this world is so detailed and thought out. And it’s not just the current setting either but the entire history of everything as well.
Honor Books:
Rakhat from The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Awesome creation of a new planet with an intricate description of the two sentient beings, their relationships, the balance for power, and the laws and customs in place to keep the status quo.
27. Book that was the most fun to read?
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. Even though this is a tale about Caden’s mental illness, the overlap between worlds is fun to read. And it gets even more interesting when the symbolic overlaps start to have way more meaning for Caden’s story and recovery towards the end of the novel.
28. Book that made you cry?
No tears this year. Sorry.
29. Book that made you laugh/smile?
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick. I love Anna Kendrick and have for a while. Getting to read her memoir was a great insight to her humanity and humor on a deeper level than just watching her films or listening to her sing.
30. Book that made you mad?
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. This is a great whodunit about an “accident” gone wrong at an elementary school trivia night parent fundraiser. However, the months building up to the night left me insanely frustrated (in a good way?) with all of these families falling into the trenches of school politics. And then remembering that these were parents of kindergartners going to such lengths? Well, this teacher just wanted to give everyone in the novel a good shake.
31. Book that made you bored?
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. It’s just talking. It’s not even fun to act out because it is literally just sitting and talking the whole time. Boring.
32. Most forgettable book of 2016?
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. Baby winds up on booksellers doorstep, he raises her, some more information about the baby is eventually found out at the end, and that’s it. I kept forgetting I read it because it was a pretty neutral book, not bad but not good either.
33. Best hidden gem (book you read that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out)?
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. I’m surprised I don’t hear more about him as I do with other authors.
Honor Books:
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman. I’m still fascinated that this Unwind series didn’t blow up like I think it should have. These are so good; how was it not more popular?
This year, I set a goal to read 45 books, and I achieved this goal by reading 53 titles. This year has been the year of the Audible account. I got really hooked on audiobooks while driving in the car, so much so that the radio is now annoying to me because I’m not being productive. I read 34 print titles for a total of roughly 10,176 pages. I listened to 17 audio titles for a total of 400 hours and 30 minutes. Here are this year’s results!
1. Best book read in 2016?
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. I don’t know if this is because it is the most recent novel I read, if recently winning the National Book Award for Fiction affected my decision making, or if it really is that good, but I picked it. Cora and Caesar run away from their plantation in Georgia and try to find freedom in the north with the help of the Underground Railroad, which in this historical fiction novel actually is an underground system of tracks and trains.
Honor Books:
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Jason Dessen has been kidnapped and thrown into a parallel universe. The culprit? The other Jason Dessen, the one who chose career and success over a family and now wants to trade places. Now, the original Jason needs to find a way home to his family and his universe.
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. Caden is living two lives, one at home as a brilliant student with odd behavior and one on a ship at sea as the artist in residence on his was to explore the deepest part of the ocean, only which one is real?
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Told from two characters perspectives – one black, one white – from two different authors, Rashad and Quinn experience two sides of racism and police brutality. Rashad has been attacked when suspected of shoplifting and is now in the hospital as a symbol on the news of racial injustice. Quinn witnessed the event, but the cop in question is his best friend’s older brother and isn’t sure of what he actually saw.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more, but didn’t?
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. I’m in love with the movies, and I was excited to start the series on audio, but then I realized the series is way older than and not as high tech as the more modern version. It took forever to get to the main plot frame and wasn’t as adrenaline pumping as when Matt Damon is around.
Honor Books:
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. I was excited about the sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it was a lot of build up with nothing actually happening. Books 2 and 3 should have just been one book, but instead you get The Girl Who Played with Fire as a flop.
Allegiant by Veronica Roth. The third book in this installment tried to make the book’s world way too complicated and simplified at the same time. Nothing was really making sense, and then the ending was just bad. Thank goodness the movies are better.
After Alice by Gregory Maguire. I’m a big fan of Maguire’s twisted takes on famous stories, my favorite being Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. However, this Alice in Wonderland adaptation focusing on Alice’s friend Ada who follows her to Wonderland afterward is just a repeat of Carroll with different names. Meanwhile up in the real world, there is a somewhat interested romance plot with Ada’s sister and a visitor, but nothing happens there either.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. There was lots of hype around this mystery, but it’s disappointing when you can figure it out in the first few chapters and your prediction is correct.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2016?
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. I’m used to young adult books being a little childish, but this one was deep, intense, highly developed, and entertaining.
Honor Books:
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. Ancient parts of a giant alien robot are being discovered around the world, and it’s now a race to be the first with all the pieces without causing World War III. I was surprised to see that this entire story is told in the form of field reports and interviews and other documents. It was a creative way to tell the story while still keeping the excitement and action of the genre.
4. Book you read in 2016 that you recommended the most?
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. Sure, we are all familiar with the indie-kids who become the chosen ones and save the world. However, what about the rest of the students who are just living life while all of the world-saving goes on around them? That’s what Mikey and his friends are dealing with, and all he really wants to do is deal with his politician mother, hide elements of his mental disorder, and ask his best friend to prom before the high school blows up… again.
Honor Books:
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. This is a great science fiction novel without being too out there or overly sciency.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Great novel for social justice, and because it is told from two perspectives, there is something for everyone to learn through reading this.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. This two part play is a must-read for any fan of the Harry Potter wizarding world.
5. Best series you discovered in 2016? Best sequel of 2016?
Series:
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. (This year I started and finished all five on audiobook: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons.) I loved the epic tales, the fantasy world that’s not too fantastic to be cheesy, the calculations of feuding houses and fights for the throne. It’s awesome and the characters are all amazing.
Honor Books:
The Millennium series by Stieg Larsson. (I also started and finished all four of these on audio: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, The Girl in the Spider's Web [[author:David Lagercrantz|242659]]) Some books were better than others, but I’m glad I experienced the series this year.
Sequel:
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman (Unwind, #2). Connor, Lev and Risa were successful in defeating the harvest camp last time, but the whole war on unwinding children is still going on, and it is their job to help all runaways. But when a new human has been created completely made out of parts of other children, the question of life and souls gets even more difficult to answer. There was a decent chance that this Unwind sequel could have just been exactly like the first installment, but it was so much more. The characters got more complicated, the world was more dangerous, and the action was still top-notch.
Honor Books:
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau (The Testing, #2). Cia Vale has passed the Hunger Games-style application process to get into the Commonwealth’s top-notch institution, but her memory was wiped. All she has left is a voice recording of herself telling her who she can and cannot trust. Is this to be believed? Decisions need to happen fast because the testing is still continuing when classes start and flunking out means death.
Winter of the World by Ken Follett (The Century Trilogy, #2). The families of the original Fall of Giants now have children who are out around the world experiencing World War II and the Spanish Civil War. It’s another great sweeping epic with overlapping character plots and interactions that I love.
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3). So much happens. It’s awesome.
6. Favorite new author discovered in 2016?
Patrick Ness.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone?
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. I don’t normally read non-fiction, so this memoir about a black lawyer defending clients on death row in a racially prejudiced south in the 1980s and 1990s is definitely outside of my niche. It was good, though. It still felt like a story was being told instead of history being taught like some non-fiction can be.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2016?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. Harry Potter and his friends have grown up, and now it is time for their children to attend Hogwarts. Being the son of a world-famous wizard is one thing, but when Albus gets sorted into Slytherin and starts making friends with the Malfoy boy, then it gets a little more complicated. So much so that Albus decides to try messing with time to free himself from this life. However, when meddling with time results in different scenarios including a Voldemort controlled Ministry of Magic, Albus might be in a bit over his head. I read this in a day.
Honor Books:
Morning Star by Pierce Brown. Continuing with Darrow’s fight for freedom and equality, this final installment of the trilogy has the whole galaxy at war, both sides fighting to keep power or remove the status quo.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Definitely keeps you reading to find out if Jason can make it back to his family.
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau. So many new challenges from the Commonwealth put Cia and her fellow students’ lives in danger, especially when Cia is trying to pass college and overthrow the government at the same time.
9. Book read in 2016 that you are most likely to re-read?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. I can see myself adding this novel to my Contemporary Literature course next year.
If my new English elective course gets approved, I also will be re-reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, and All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.
10. Best book re-read in 2016 from a previous year?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Two dueling magicians compete in a magical contest in one of the most beautifully described settings I’ve ever read only to eventually fall in love with each other. And the two timelines in the storytelling make it an extra awesome experience.
I also re-read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King.
11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon.
Honor Books:
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. (Glows in the dark.)
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.
The Haters by Jesse Andrews.
12. Most memorable character of 2016?
Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. A drunken and unloved sibling of a powerful house eventually rises to recognize his self-worth, save a city, break free from his family chains, and be an amazingly witty man who throws serious shade.
Honor Books:
Emilio Sandoz from The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. A religious linguist on the first Jesuit mission to space, Emilio is the only survivor who returns to earth and is being questioned about his time on the planet of Rakhat. Not only do two storylines play out nicely, but they end up revealing some awesome truths and horrors about this man.
13. Best hero/protagonist of 2016?
Jon Snow from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Bastard turned Lord Commander of Castle Black and the Night’s Watch, Jon’s character is still full of future potential and surprises.
Honor Books:
Daenerys Targaryen from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Exiled princess turned khaleesi and then to breaker of chains, it’s been fun watching this girl grow into power and overcome obstacles in her fight to reclaim her kingdom.
14. Best villain/antagonist of 2016?
Adrius au Augustus (the Jackal) from Morning Star by Pierce Brown. Just finding out in the first few chapters that this guy has been having dinners and meetings with Darrow locked underneath the table for months is enough to show you how cruel and dark this arch governor of Mars can truly be, even to his own family and former friends.
Honor Books:
Arnold Ridgeway from The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. This slave catcher will stop at nothing to bring Cora back to the south, no matter what.
Cersei Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Completely manipulating and conniving and perfectly brilliant in how she plans to stay in power and protect her children. She’s so good at being bad that you end up liking her a little anyway.
Aaron from The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Crazy preacher in a world where men’s thoughts can be heard by everyone. This crazy man tries to stop Todd from helping the only female Viola in order to sacrifice her to his god, even after getting half-eaten by a crocodile, he’s still going.
15. Most beautifully written book of 2016?
Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker. This book/memoir is written in a series of letters to the men – both real and imagined – who have made an impact on the life of the author. It’s a wonderfully creative way to pay tribute to these people while still telling her life’s story.
Honor Books:
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. I’m giving this one an honorable mention because of it being written in interviews and field reports and still being exciting and action-packed.
16. Book that had the greatest impact on you?
S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders adapted to the stage by Christopher Sergel. This was our school’s fall play this year, and the two months we spent putting it on were simply amazing.
17. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to read?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I am in love with all three movie adaptations – the Winona Ryder one is the best – and I can’t believe it took me forever to actually get to the novel.
Honor Books:
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau. The Testing was my first book of 2015, and it took me until the summer of 2016 to finally get around to its sequel.
The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. I read The House of Hades also way back in 2015, and I didn’t get to this final installment of the series until this year.
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. Again, huge fan of the movies and it took me forever to get here.
18. Favorite passages/quotes?
"But she was the matador, and she skewered me every time." – Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
“…as useless as nipples on a breastplate.” – George R.R. Martin, almost every book in the series
“Although Ridgeway’s father scorned religious talk, Tom Bird’s testimony on the Great Spirit reminded him of how he felt about iron. He bent to no god save the glowing iron he tended in his forge. He’d read about the great volcanoes, the lost city of Pompeii destroyed by fire that poured out of mountains from deep below. Liquid fire was the very blood of the earth. It was his mission to upset, mash, and draw out the metal into the useful things that made society operate: nails, horseshoes, plows, knives, guns. Chains. Working the spirit, he called it.” – The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
19. Shortest and longest books read (listened to) in 2016?
Longest: Allegiant by Veronica RothVeronica Roth (526 pages)
Shortest: Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney (60 pages)
Audio
Longest: A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (Unabridged, 49:00)
Shortest: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Abridged, 6:00)
20. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I needed to talk about how I predicted the ending and was right.
Honor Books:
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. (Basically, the whole series.) I was constantly talking to my friends who read the books and watch the shows to compare them back and forth.
21. Favorite relationships in a book read in 2016 (romance, friendship, etc.)?
Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane from A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. Frenemies to the greatest degree. He hated her and was just kidnapping her for ransom, but there was a sense of protection over her for her well-being. She hated him and wanted to kill him, but there was also trust and learning that she gained from him during their time together.
Honor Books:
Albus Severus Potter and Scorpio Malfoy from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. Classic buddy relationship of two feuding families that wanted to keep them apart, but their friendship was just too strong for even time travel to break.
Lizbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. These two made a perfect pair when they finally get together to solve the mystery of missing girls. One’s an old-timey reporter while another is a new age hacker. They make the perfect team.
Jo March and Theodore Laurence from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. They both should and should not be together romantically. It’s frustrating and wonderful.
Connor/Risa and Risa/Cam from UnWholly by Neal Shusterman. Connor and Risa are definitely working on their relationship in the aftermath of everything, but when Risa is taken and forced to pretend to be in a relationship with Cam, there is a little bit of a bud going there in this love triangle.
22. Favorite book you read in 2016 from an author you read previously?
Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach. I loved We All Looked Up, so I had to read this when I found out he had written another novel.
23. Best book you read in 2016 based solely on a recommendation?
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. My mom and sister really wanted me to start reading Moriarty’s novels. I started with this one, even though they both ruined the ending before I started. I’m looking forward to the HBO series based on this novel.
Honor Books:
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I finally read it to connect with some juniors reading it in their theology classes, and it was totally worth it.
24. Genre you read the most in 2016?
Science Fiction
25. Best 2016 debut?
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.
26. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2016?
Westeros from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Amazingly intricate kingdoms, history, customs/traditions – everything about this world is so detailed and thought out. And it’s not just the current setting either but the entire history of everything as well.
Honor Books:
Rakhat from The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Awesome creation of a new planet with an intricate description of the two sentient beings, their relationships, the balance for power, and the laws and customs in place to keep the status quo.
27. Book that was the most fun to read?
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. Even though this is a tale about Caden’s mental illness, the overlap between worlds is fun to read. And it gets even more interesting when the symbolic overlaps start to have way more meaning for Caden’s story and recovery towards the end of the novel.
28. Book that made you cry?
No tears this year. Sorry.
29. Book that made you laugh/smile?
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick. I love Anna Kendrick and have for a while. Getting to read her memoir was a great insight to her humanity and humor on a deeper level than just watching her films or listening to her sing.
30. Book that made you mad?
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. This is a great whodunit about an “accident” gone wrong at an elementary school trivia night parent fundraiser. However, the months building up to the night left me insanely frustrated (in a good way?) with all of these families falling into the trenches of school politics. And then remembering that these were parents of kindergartners going to such lengths? Well, this teacher just wanted to give everyone in the novel a good shake.
31. Book that made you bored?
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. It’s just talking. It’s not even fun to act out because it is literally just sitting and talking the whole time. Boring.
32. Most forgettable book of 2016?
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. Baby winds up on booksellers doorstep, he raises her, some more information about the baby is eventually found out at the end, and that’s it. I kept forgetting I read it because it was a pretty neutral book, not bad but not good either.
33. Best hidden gem (book you read that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out)?
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. I’m surprised I don’t hear more about him as I do with other authors.
Honor Books:
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman. I’m still fascinated that this Unwind series didn’t blow up like I think it should have. These are so good; how was it not more popular?
January 31, 2016
2015 Reading in Retrospective: Book Survey
End of the Year Book Survey
This year, I met my reading goal and then some thanks to a healthy portion of reading play scripts over the summer. I read 62 titles, 17 of which were plays, for a total estimation of 13,722 pages read. Here are the results!
1. Best book read in 2015.
The Martian by Andy Weir. An astronaut gets stranded on Mars and must find a way to survive until help arrives. I loved the humor and drama of this book, along with the combined techniques of telling this narrative through astronaut logs, email conversations, and character viewpoints from those on Earth.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more, but didn’t:
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This book got rave reviews online, but I was completely turned off by the constantly complaining of a poor little rich girl. While the ending was good, it did not make up for the struggle of getting through the middle.
The Kill Order by James Dashner. I was really looking forward to a prequel to The Maze Runner about how Thomas was before the maze, but I was tricked by the sample chapter into reading a narrative about the original disaster of the sun flares with completely new characters I didn't care about.
Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz. I loved Stormbreaker so much that this second installment was disappointing.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2015.
Shakespeare's R&J by Joe Calarco. I ended up LOVING this adaptation to Shakespeare's play by Calarco. Using Shakespeare's words, four boys in a prep school setting sneak away to read this drama and end up mirroring some of the characters throughout the night. Completely using Shakespeare's words, Calarco is able to tell his own new story.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I was helping a student with his research paper by reading this novel along with him. I was very much surprised by what this classic novel was actually like and how enjoyable it was to read and how screwed up their future world was.
The Tutors by Erica Lipez. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this play, but I was satisfied with where it went along the way.
4. Book you read in 2015 that you recommended the most?
The Martian by Andy Weir.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown. When the "red" Darrow finds out his Mars mining community has been lied to and enslaved by the "golds", he undergoes a complete physical transformation to infiltrate their ranks and plan his revenge on the ruling caste.
5. Best series you discovered in 2015.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown, which includes Golden Son and another coming out in 2016. I love Darrow's rise through society as his life in the university training programs and military are as dangerous as his political maneuvers and connections.
6. Favorite new author discovered in 2015.
Pierce Brown. He actually replies to his tweets!
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone.
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. Books this large usually intimidate me. Why read all that when I can read five other titles in the same time frame? It helped that I listened to the abridged audio book on the way to and from work, but I am glad I dedicated the time to this epic.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2015.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth. This was a good action-packed follow up to Divergent that not only added more plot, but exposed more about their world and deepened the characters in it.
Golden Son by Pierce Brown. As exciting as Red Rising, but the stakes are higher this time around.
9. Book read in 2015 that you are most likely to reread.
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. I enjoyed this high school novel, and I will consider making it a part of my Contemporary Literature course. It's a great look at social pressures and relationships in high school.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015.
The Martian by Andy Weir. Simple yet I love the color scheme.
Honorable Mention:
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. Something about the colors, roller coaster, and the font really brings me in.
11. Most memorable character of 2015.
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch from Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. It was very interesting to see Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird all grown up and dealing with her return to a hometown that is not as perfect as she saw it when she was younger.
Ezra Faulkner from The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. I loved watching this former popular high schooler struggle with returning to school after being out recovering from a car crash. I liked seeing how successful or unsuccessful he could be jumping back into a world that did not stop moving just because he was gone.
Alaska from Looking for Alaska by John Green. All of JOhn Green's leading ladies are pretty much the same, but this one has a sense of mystery about her that really drives the story onward (and does so better than Paper Towns's Margo).
12. Most beautifully written book of 2015.
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. I was so intrigued with the writing style of this book. One half focuses on the main character Cullen after the disappearance of his younger brother, and this story line alternates with seemingly random characters and subplots until both arches meet as the end of one becomes the beginning of another. I've never read something like that before.
The Library by Scott Z. Burns. I really liked this play about the aftermath of a school shooting as slowly more information about the incident becomes clearer as the drama progresses. I kept imagining the amazing staging as I went through the script. Would be nice to see live.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. About a boy growing up and being protected by the ghosts in a graveyard, these characters from time periods throughout history are amazingly unique. This book has a great story line that shines because of the characters involved.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you.
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. While this is more of a failed first draft than it is an actual sequel, it was interesting to see the changes in Maycomb and, more importantly, Atticus, and to see how Lee took one story and completely rewrote it into the classic it is today. So many have been debating this book that it really has an effect on how I see To Kill A Mockingbird and how I teach it to my freshmen.
When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving & Healing by Marilyn E. Gootman. In the aftermath of a real world tragedy in our school community, I discovered this book in the hope that it might offer some comfort to those dealing with loss of a fellow classmate through suicide. It also helped me with some ways that I might talk to my students about it as well.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to read.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. As a huge fan of the 1963 horror film The Haunting, I am surprised that this book has been on my shelf that long and unread. I'm glad I read it. Not a usual reader of horror, I was surprised that this book could still make me nervous while reading it in the middle of a sunny afternoon.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I had the ending ruined for me a while ago, so I was never quite motivated to read this novel. I'm glad I got over it, because this book had way more to offer.
15. Favorite passages/quotes.
“He’s stuck out there. He thinks he’s totally alone and that we all gave up on him. What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology?” He turned back to Venkat. “I wonder what he’s thinking right now.”
LOG ENTRY: SOL 61 How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense.”
- The Martian by Andy Weir
16. Shortest and longest books read in 2015.
Shortest: All the Rage (38 pages)
Longest: Fall of Giants (985 pages, even though I technically listened to the abridged audiobook)
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. The ending really needed some talking.
I re-read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. All of these offered great conversations with my students.
18. Favorite relationship in a book read in 2015 (romance, friendship, etc.)
Nobody "Bod" Owens and Silas from The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Silas becomes Bod's guardian as a baby after Bod's parents have been killed. Silas offers sanctuary to Bod in the graveyard, trying to help him master proper learning and ghost learning until Bod slowly runs out his time in the graveyard as he grows older.
Parzival (Wade) and Aech ("H") from Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Best friends in the cyber world of OASIS, these two become close. But when one gets closer than the other to solving the puzzle to win the game creator's inheritance, tensions grow. But it's when they finally meet in the real world that things get crazy.
I re-read The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, and I can't get enough of my favorite never-to-be-together couple of Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley.
19. Favorite book you read in 2015 from an author you read previously.
I read three authors this year that I have previously read: Veronica Roth, Anthony Horowitz, and James Dashner. Out of those options only, I guess my favorite was Insurgent.
20. Best book you read in 2015 based solely on a recommendation.
We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach. The world is about to end as an asteroid comes closer and closer to crashing into our planet. The world falls apart and goes crazy as first high school social structures and then eventually laws and order fall into chaos. Following four major characters in overlapping narratives, I really did enjoy this book very much. (Thanks, Teddy!)
21. Genre you read the most in 2015.
Play scripts (drama, theater)
22. Best 2015 debut.
We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach.
I'm not sure if Golden Son counts as a debut even though it was published in 2015. I'm thinking no.
23. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2015.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Excellent world created on Mars with the technology and caste structure.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Entering the virtual reality world of OASIS and it's gaming search through 80s geek-dom was an awesome trip.
24. Book that was the most fun to read.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and The Eye of Minds by James Dashner. While not amazingly fantastic novels, both offered fun puzzles and riddles that readers got to attempt to solve along with the characters.
25. Book that made you cry.
No tears this year. Sorry.
26. Best book you read that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out.
I'll pick We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach because I never heard of it until a student recommended it, even though I also think Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything probably deserved a little more press.
This year, I met my reading goal and then some thanks to a healthy portion of reading play scripts over the summer. I read 62 titles, 17 of which were plays, for a total estimation of 13,722 pages read. Here are the results!
1. Best book read in 2015.
The Martian by Andy Weir. An astronaut gets stranded on Mars and must find a way to survive until help arrives. I loved the humor and drama of this book, along with the combined techniques of telling this narrative through astronaut logs, email conversations, and character viewpoints from those on Earth.
2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more, but didn’t:
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This book got rave reviews online, but I was completely turned off by the constantly complaining of a poor little rich girl. While the ending was good, it did not make up for the struggle of getting through the middle.
The Kill Order by James Dashner. I was really looking forward to a prequel to The Maze Runner about how Thomas was before the maze, but I was tricked by the sample chapter into reading a narrative about the original disaster of the sun flares with completely new characters I didn't care about.
Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz. I loved Stormbreaker so much that this second installment was disappointing.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2015.
Shakespeare's R&J by Joe Calarco. I ended up LOVING this adaptation to Shakespeare's play by Calarco. Using Shakespeare's words, four boys in a prep school setting sneak away to read this drama and end up mirroring some of the characters throughout the night. Completely using Shakespeare's words, Calarco is able to tell his own new story.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I was helping a student with his research paper by reading this novel along with him. I was very much surprised by what this classic novel was actually like and how enjoyable it was to read and how screwed up their future world was.
The Tutors by Erica Lipez. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this play, but I was satisfied with where it went along the way.
4. Book you read in 2015 that you recommended the most?
The Martian by Andy Weir.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown. When the "red" Darrow finds out his Mars mining community has been lied to and enslaved by the "golds", he undergoes a complete physical transformation to infiltrate their ranks and plan his revenge on the ruling caste.
5. Best series you discovered in 2015.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown, which includes Golden Son and another coming out in 2016. I love Darrow's rise through society as his life in the university training programs and military are as dangerous as his political maneuvers and connections.
6. Favorite new author discovered in 2015.
Pierce Brown. He actually replies to his tweets!
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone.
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. Books this large usually intimidate me. Why read all that when I can read five other titles in the same time frame? It helped that I listened to the abridged audio book on the way to and from work, but I am glad I dedicated the time to this epic.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2015.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth. This was a good action-packed follow up to Divergent that not only added more plot, but exposed more about their world and deepened the characters in it.
Golden Son by Pierce Brown. As exciting as Red Rising, but the stakes are higher this time around.
9. Book read in 2015 that you are most likely to reread.
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. I enjoyed this high school novel, and I will consider making it a part of my Contemporary Literature course. It's a great look at social pressures and relationships in high school.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015.
The Martian by Andy Weir. Simple yet I love the color scheme.
Honorable Mention:
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. Something about the colors, roller coaster, and the font really brings me in.
11. Most memorable character of 2015.
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch from Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. It was very interesting to see Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird all grown up and dealing with her return to a hometown that is not as perfect as she saw it when she was younger.
Ezra Faulkner from The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. I loved watching this former popular high schooler struggle with returning to school after being out recovering from a car crash. I liked seeing how successful or unsuccessful he could be jumping back into a world that did not stop moving just because he was gone.
Alaska from Looking for Alaska by John Green. All of JOhn Green's leading ladies are pretty much the same, but this one has a sense of mystery about her that really drives the story onward (and does so better than Paper Towns's Margo).
12. Most beautifully written book of 2015.
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. I was so intrigued with the writing style of this book. One half focuses on the main character Cullen after the disappearance of his younger brother, and this story line alternates with seemingly random characters and subplots until both arches meet as the end of one becomes the beginning of another. I've never read something like that before.
The Library by Scott Z. Burns. I really liked this play about the aftermath of a school shooting as slowly more information about the incident becomes clearer as the drama progresses. I kept imagining the amazing staging as I went through the script. Would be nice to see live.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. About a boy growing up and being protected by the ghosts in a graveyard, these characters from time periods throughout history are amazingly unique. This book has a great story line that shines because of the characters involved.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you.
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. While this is more of a failed first draft than it is an actual sequel, it was interesting to see the changes in Maycomb and, more importantly, Atticus, and to see how Lee took one story and completely rewrote it into the classic it is today. So many have been debating this book that it really has an effect on how I see To Kill A Mockingbird and how I teach it to my freshmen.
When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving & Healing by Marilyn E. Gootman. In the aftermath of a real world tragedy in our school community, I discovered this book in the hope that it might offer some comfort to those dealing with loss of a fellow classmate through suicide. It also helped me with some ways that I might talk to my students about it as well.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to read.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. As a huge fan of the 1963 horror film The Haunting, I am surprised that this book has been on my shelf that long and unread. I'm glad I read it. Not a usual reader of horror, I was surprised that this book could still make me nervous while reading it in the middle of a sunny afternoon.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I had the ending ruined for me a while ago, so I was never quite motivated to read this novel. I'm glad I got over it, because this book had way more to offer.
15. Favorite passages/quotes.
“He’s stuck out there. He thinks he’s totally alone and that we all gave up on him. What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology?” He turned back to Venkat. “I wonder what he’s thinking right now.”
LOG ENTRY: SOL 61 How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense.”
- The Martian by Andy Weir
16. Shortest and longest books read in 2015.
Shortest: All the Rage (38 pages)
Longest: Fall of Giants (985 pages, even though I technically listened to the abridged audiobook)
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. The ending really needed some talking.
I re-read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. All of these offered great conversations with my students.
18. Favorite relationship in a book read in 2015 (romance, friendship, etc.)
Nobody "Bod" Owens and Silas from The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Silas becomes Bod's guardian as a baby after Bod's parents have been killed. Silas offers sanctuary to Bod in the graveyard, trying to help him master proper learning and ghost learning until Bod slowly runs out his time in the graveyard as he grows older.
Parzival (Wade) and Aech ("H") from Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Best friends in the cyber world of OASIS, these two become close. But when one gets closer than the other to solving the puzzle to win the game creator's inheritance, tensions grow. But it's when they finally meet in the real world that things get crazy.
I re-read The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, and I can't get enough of my favorite never-to-be-together couple of Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley.
19. Favorite book you read in 2015 from an author you read previously.
I read three authors this year that I have previously read: Veronica Roth, Anthony Horowitz, and James Dashner. Out of those options only, I guess my favorite was Insurgent.
20. Best book you read in 2015 based solely on a recommendation.
We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach. The world is about to end as an asteroid comes closer and closer to crashing into our planet. The world falls apart and goes crazy as first high school social structures and then eventually laws and order fall into chaos. Following four major characters in overlapping narratives, I really did enjoy this book very much. (Thanks, Teddy!)
21. Genre you read the most in 2015.
Play scripts (drama, theater)
22. Best 2015 debut.
We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach.
I'm not sure if Golden Son counts as a debut even though it was published in 2015. I'm thinking no.
23. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2015.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Excellent world created on Mars with the technology and caste structure.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Entering the virtual reality world of OASIS and it's gaming search through 80s geek-dom was an awesome trip.
24. Book that was the most fun to read.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and The Eye of Minds by James Dashner. While not amazingly fantastic novels, both offered fun puzzles and riddles that readers got to attempt to solve along with the characters.
25. Book that made you cry.
No tears this year. Sorry.
26. Best book you read that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out.
I'll pick We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach because I never heard of it until a student recommended it, even though I also think Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything probably deserved a little more press.
