Some Thoughts On My Reading in 2019

At some point in 2019, I stopped doing my monthly recap posts, but I did SO MUCH reading in 2019…so let’s talk about that.

According to my Goodreads challenge, I read 376 books. Yes, literally. I read more than a book a day, but that really meant sometimes I spent a week with a book, and sometimes I read 4 books in a day. Oops. It’s because I read so many genres–long literary fiction, YA, plays, poems, graphic novels, etc.

Here are the 5 best books I read this year:

1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
2. American Royals by Katharine McGee
3. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
4. Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren
5. Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin

Here are the 5 worst books I read this year–or at least the 5 books I wish I hadn’t read and had VERY negative reactions to (hot takes ahead)

1. Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed
2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sanez
3. Pieces of Me: Who Do I Want to be? by Robert Ballard
4. Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan
5. Gracefully Grayson by Amy Polonsky

I also read 100 graphic novels this year, which is included in that Goodreads numbers. The 5 best graphic novels I read this year were:

1. The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
2. White Bird by RJ Palacio
3. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Hicks
4. Kid Gloves by Lucy Knisley
5. All of theBaby Sitters Club graphic novels (1-7)

What that Goodreads number doesn’t tell you is the 250+ picture books I read both for class and to you know, become more prepared to becoming a children’s librarian. I read some great, diverse picture books this year, and cried a lot over how cute they were. Some of my favorites include:

1. The Night is Yours by Abdul Razak Zachariah
2. Rescue and Jessica by Jessica Kensky
3. The Bravest Man in the World by Patricia Polacco
4.  The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad
5. Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre by Anika Aldamuy Denise

I don’t have a 100% accurate on audiobooks this year, or e-books, but I often utilized the same book in different formats so I could read at work, at home, or during my commute. I would estimate I listened to 65 audiobooks. That includes about 15 Audible originals, those little ones you can get 2 free of each moth. A great deal, really.

With regards to this blog, I published way less content than I did in 2018 (a choice I made!) but I had more viewers total and less than 1K difference in page views, despite publishing nearly 200 less posts. I think I’m going to keep up with the Monday-Wednesday-Friday posting schedule because I have respect for my own time and know that no one needs that much content from me. I’m not reviewing every single book I read, because no one needs my opinion on The Catcher in the Rye or some book that’s been out and reviewed for years.

So…what about 2020? Well I have a 100 book goal on Goodreads, but I’ll likely increase it. As I move into children’s librarianship, I’ll be reading a lot more children’s books–including middle grade and hopefully easy readers, so I can help connect kids with those more easily. I’m also reading a lot of the ‘Who Was’ books because I want to write one myself!

In 2020, I’d like to make a major dent in reading the books I already own. It’s very difficult when I’m at a library 6 days a week..but I’m devoting one month to solely reading books I already own, and I’m working on my BOTM backlist, so hopefully I can make some progress.

Another thing I’m going to do in 2020 is read all of the Newbery winners since I was born (1995). I’ve read a LOT of the older ones, but I didn’t keep up with MG while I was in college, so I’m excited to go back and read books like Hello, Universe, The One & Only Ivan, and Dead End in Norvelt. I haven’t quite decided if I will reread the ones I’ve already read (Graveyad Book, Crossover, Holes, Midwife’s Apprentice) so if you have thoughts on that, let me know.

Alright, the time has come. My tea has brewed, and I am done talking about what I read in 2019. I mean..maybe.

Before I go, let me preview some of the books I am most excited about coming out in 2020. They are:

1. The Betrothed by Keira Cass
2. Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
3. Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley
4. Blood by the Jonas Brothers
5. Hollowpox by Jessica Townsend
6. They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
7. One Year at Ellsmere by Faith Hicks
8. My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, et al
9. Moment of Truth by Kasie West
10. The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

Also, books that haven’t been confirmed for 2020 but that I hope come out this year:

1. A new Cormoran Strike book by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling)
2. A new Jodi Picoult book
3. More BSC graphic novels!
4. A new Angie Thomas book
5. Another memoir from a former Bachelor/Bachelorette