I set a goal to read 50 books every year. That was a slightly easier goal before I had kids... :) It was also an easier goal before I got a smart phone, but since my husband woke up a few months ago & found me playing on my phone at 3 am, he's encouraging me to charge in the bathroom overnight. I'm back to reading before bed, & that's been great. It's a much better way to relax before bed-- I swear, sometimes I fell asleep just to escape what I was seeing online before I moved my phone out of the room. So, anyway, I read books this year. :) Below, I've listed my favorites & told you a little about them. After that, I've listed every book I read in 2018. I thought about listing them chronologically, but frankly, you don't care what order I read things in. Instead, I've divided them by category so you can skip to books you might be interested. I'd love to get comments from you if you've read any of these! I'd also love to get suggestions for what I should read next. I hope you have a great reading year in 2019! My Favorite Books (not necessarily written in 2018, but read in 2018) (also in no particular order-- that's harder than picking a favorite child!) When Life Gives You Lululemons- Lauren Weisberger-- This is the same author who wrote The Devil Wears Prada. If you haven't read that, read it, because it's awesome. Then, read this. It's got some of those fun rich-people details, but it's also rich with real characters you invest in emotionally. Ginny Moon- Benjamin Ludwig-- Ginny has a developmental disorder, & the book is written from her perspective. It's not confusing, however. The structure just allows you to see how she understands things while also hearing what her foster parents, teachers, & others say to her. Her struggles with her birth mother are compelling, too. The Reason You're Alive- Matthew Quick-- I've read a bunch of Matthew Quick (Silver Lining Playbook) books, & this is my favorite. I didn't want to like the main character, but I couldn't help myself. An author who can help you have sympathy for the unlikeable is worth reading. The Death of Mrs Westaway- Ruth Ware-- Ware wrote The Woman in Cabin 10, but I liked this one a lot more. What starts as a case of mistaken identity becomes very, very suspenseful very, very quickly. The President is Missing- Bill Clinton & James Patterson-- I've read almost everything Patterson has written, & I was extra excited for this one. I got just what I hoped for-- suspense & plot twists a la Patterson, & insider knowledge of the White House & presidential security from Clinton. This is long but I read it really quickly. Everyone I know who has read it loved it, too~ The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas- haven't seen the movie yet, but the book was compelling. It's a Young Adult novel, but it doesn't feel silly. Every character is well-developed, & the story is wrenching. Starr is a teenager whose family has left the inner-city, but who still have many ties to their old neighborhood. She's the sole witness when one of them is murdered by a police officer. Kirkus says, "This story is necessary. This story is important." I'd concur. Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon- another Young Adult novel. A friend recommended this one, about a girl with an illness that prevents her from leaving the house. I loved her & the cute boy who moves in next door... Bonus Favorite Books- ones to share with your kids! The Haunted Library- Dori Hillestad Butler- I got the first one at the Library of Congress, & now I've read three in the series with my kids (ages 4 & 7). How can I not recommend it?? Mother Bruce- Ryan T. Higgins- my favorite picture book of the year! There are now others in the series, too. Bruce is a grumpy beat who got some eggs to eat, but they hatched & imprinted on him. Fiction
The Singles Game- Lauren Weisberger When Life Gives You Lululemons (Devil Wears Prada #3)- Lauren Weisberger Ginny Moon- Benjamin Ludwig The Knockoff- Lucy Sykes Carnegie's Maid- Marie Benedict The Reason You're Alive- Matthew Quick Live By Night- Dennie Lehane The Wicked City- Beatriz Williams My Ex-Life- Stephen McCauley Surprise Me- Sophie Kinsella Suspense/Mystery The Wrong Side of Good-Bye- Michael Connelly The Woman in Cabin 10- Ruth Ware The Death of Mrs Westaway- Ruth Ware Unbound- Stuart Woods Shoot First- Stuart Woods Black Schooner- KD Mason Haunted- James Patterson Fifty Fifty- James Patterson The President Is Missing- Bill Clinton & James Patterson Dead Cold Brew- Cleo Coyle Psycho- Robert Bloch Unraveled- Maggie Sefton Nonfiction How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, & the Hidden Power of Character- Paul Tough Keys to Parenting the Gifted Child- Sylvia B. Rimm There Are No Grown-ups: A Midlife Coming-of- Age Story- Pamela Druckerman Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark- Bill Dedman Young Adult The Elite (The Selection #2)- Kiera Cass The One (The Selection #3)- Kiera Cass Love & Gelato- Jenna Evans Welch Tell Me Three Things- Julie Buxbaum The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon Early Chapter/Middle Grade The Rainstorm Brainstorm (Wellie Wishers)- Valerie Trip The Mystery of Mr. E- Valerie Tripp Ashlyn's Unsurprise Party- Valerie Tripp Meet Molly- Valerie Tripp Isadora Moon Goes to School- Harriet Muncaster The Chocolate Fudge Mystery- Cam Jansen- kickin' it old school!!- David A. Adler Junie B, First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha!- Barbara Park Junie B, First Grader: Dumb Bunny- Barbara Park Al Capone Shines My Shoes- Gennifer Choldenko The Unlucky Lottery Winners of Classroom 13- Honest Lee The Haunted Library- Dori Hillestad Bulter The Ghost in the Attic (Haunted Library #2)- Dori Hillestad Butler Christmas Books Christmas in Paris- Anita Hughes Season of Wonder- RaeAnne Thayne Deck the Halls- Carol Higgins Clark & Mary Higgins Clark Silent Night- Robert B. Parker Happy Reading in 2019!!!
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AuthorI'm so grateful to have you here with me. I LOVE being a mom, but I'm trying to still be "me" while being a mom, & this blog has been a tool for me to figure that out. Hopefully it's that for you, as well. I look forward to hearing from you so that I can make this blog meaningful for you. Thanks for being here! Archives
December 2022
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