So my 12 books for 2017 were:
The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean - Loved and really want to read more from her
Still Life by Louise Penny - Really enjoyed and am excited about the series potential. I listened to the 2nd book and that worked a lot better for me I think.
The Lake House by Kate Morton - Loved and am so glad I took the time to read it. Despite the intimidating page count it was a really fast read.
Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper - Such a fun cozy and it made me want to start collecting tea pots.
Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare - So much fun and a super fast read. Another author I want to read more from.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams - Sadly I didn't get to this one. This was the first month of summer and I was scrambling to get to review books but it's on the list for this year.
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - A perfect summer read and I loved it just as much as I want to love it which doesn't happen very often.
Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent - A quiet book yet one that has really stuck with me.
In the Woods by Tana French - I had mixed feeling about this one. I love French's writing and the way the mystery was put together but it irritated me so much that the older mystery wasn't solved.
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco - I didn't get to this one either. A big vacation at the beginning of the month through my reading out of balance. I'm looking forward to getting to it this year.
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy - I LOVED this book. I went the audio route which helped me squeeze this into my schedule and I was so sad when it ended!
A Christmas Carol - I've seen the play about a hundred times and more versions of the book than I can count but somehow I never read the actual book. I'm so glad I took the time to actually read it!
What I Learned: Does reading 10 books out of the 100s I want to read really make a dent? No probably not BUT these are 10 books that have been on my TBR for awhile that I wouldn't have read if I hadn't made the effort to read them so I feel like a little progress was made. I have a tendency to do big overblown over complicated projects that end up fading out into nothing pretty quickly. By keeping it simple and small I managed to get 10 out of 12 so I feel like that's a win and it's one I'm repeating this year.
How was your reading in 2017?
I've read Still Life and the next two books in that series, then for some reason temporarily stopped. Also read all the Tana French books. She's an awesome author, but hit or miss for many because of her writing style.
ReplyDeleteI like that you chose books you wanted to finally get to, even if you didn't read them all. It's nice to nudge ourselves to take a look at older books, instead of all the newest. That's what I plan to do this year, keep a good mix of both.
The Lake House is one I have wanted to read for a while now. Maybe this year. I hope you read more Tana French!!!
ReplyDeleteI’m doing the same as you this year. While I have signed up & want to participate in challenges, I’m reading the ones I’ve been meaning to in 2018.
ReplyDeleteAh, Tana French is one of my top favorite authors. Check out Goodreads & her page, there is a thread where she explains why she didn’t tell what happened to Rob and his friends. If you are interested 😊
Kudos on reading/listening to 150 books in 2017 despite your super busy schedule. I adore the works of Maeve Binchy and Louise Penny too! I'm glad that you read what you wanted to read and had fun doing it in 2017. Happy Monday! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic that you read 150 books in 2017! Although I definitely see the benefits of reading outside your comfort zone, it's still a great feeling when you focus on books you want to read and have been meaning to read. I love Tessa Dare. You should definitely read more of her books! Her Spindle Cove series is SO SO SO good.
ReplyDeleteYeah reading of those books you really want to read and have been hanging around is such a great way to go. I have A Week in Winter in my sights for this year.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of books each year and make a dent in my TBR list and shelves but I buy more books. Naughty naughty, so my TBR stacks keep growing. It is a fun activity so I don't really mind.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got started on Louise Penny's books. Love them. I also loved THE LAKE HOUSE and IN THE WOODS (I know, I know, the ending, but you'll like the later books better - trust me!). And I've given up reading all my TBR - I'm just trying to keep my acquiring to a 'normal' level. But who's to say what 'normal' is? LOL
ReplyDelete150 books is great! And it's nice to read off the shelf, since it's a shame when all those books just sit there! Glad it was good reading year! Doug Adams and Tana French are two authors I'd like to read in 2018.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes feel like I am always reading on a deadline and missing out on a lot of books that I want to read. I see some books from my tbr on this list and am going to try to work more books that have been on my tbr for ages in this year.
ReplyDeleteI still want to read Garden Spells and Dinner with Edward. I need to make sure I have added them to Goodreads. :)
ReplyDelete10 is better than none. :)
ReplyDeleteSome great books on that list. :)
ReplyDeleteYou can't go wrong with (at least the ones I've read from your list): MacLean, Dare, SAA, Penny Binchy). I'd pick up any of their books. Hope 2018 is filled with equally good reads!
ReplyDeleteI really should do something like this, but I always have to complicate things. LOL You did amazing in 2017 and I hope you have the same good fortune this year.
ReplyDeleteA happy win :) I read my first Dare in 2017 and enjoyed it, too!
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