 |
| Catana Comics |
Happy (belated) new year, everyone! Welcome to 2019...
This past year was a less-than-productive reading year for me...only 39 books! It's the lowest it's been in a while:
2017 - 44 books
2016: 59 books
2015: 55 books
2014: 36 books (I beat 2014 at least!)
I like the goal of reading at least 52 a year, since that averages one a week. This year got bogged down by a couple heftier books, specifically The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear. They were great books and were definitely worth the time it took to read them...but still.
2018 Reading List, part 1 (Jan.-Aug)
- The Simplicity of Cider by Amy Reichart
- I enjoy Amy Reichart's books, though they lean a bit heavily on miscommunication and misunderstanding to cause tension. - Woman - My Confession by Marianne Collins
- I never read biographies, but I received this one as a gift (I think from my aunt?). It was sad, interesting and took a lot of courage on the author's part. If I remember correctly (I'm writing this part 12/27), she died shortly after finishing it. - The Family Lawyer by James Patterson and Robert Rotstein
- not one of JP's better novels. - Night Sniper by James Patterson and Christopher Charles
- The Good Sister by James Patterson and Rachel Howzell Hall
- True Betrayal by Nora Roberts
- If you like horses or horse racing, this NR might be for you. - The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cool
- If I remember correctly, this was a Library Sale purchase. Though spelled differently from my name, it's Katherine with a K, so I had to buy it. :) - 1984 by George Orwell
- I didn't like this classic as much as I'd expected. I thought the setting was very interesting - the combination of forced community involvement and isolation, creating a lack of real interaction between people; excessive use of alcohol to help with surviving the mundane-ness of every day life; the Hate breaks and Hate week; the absolute control of information and spread of misinformation - especially taken in context of when it was written (shortly after WWII). The part I had the biggest problem with was I had zero sympathy for Winston (the main protagonist). Not an iota. I never connected with him, which kept me from caring about him. I kept waiting for it to happen, but it never did. He was kind of a terrible human being. - Hide and Seek by James Patterson (a re-read, from 2014)
- I decided to reread a favorite and chose this one. I think of it as how 50 Shades of Grey should have ended (or a more realistic take on 50 Shades of Grey). Definitely fraught with adult material, this is not for the faint of heart. - Turtles all the way down by John Green
- I thought this book did a good job of giving people a glimpse into what it's like having a mental illness. The protagonist, Aza, suffers from OCD and extreme anxiety. Written in the first person, you learn about how her struggles affect not only her, but those around her. It's an interesting story and it can't help but make you a more sympathetic person. - The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicle, Day 1) by Patrick Rothfuss
- This book and its sequel are two of the main reasons I'm so far behind on my reading list. Coming in at a mere 722 pages, this is one of the best books I've read in a while. It's certainly not one you breeze through, which is why it took a good 3 weeks to read. - A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
- This book was...interesting. It's broken up into 3 sections, the last one being my favorite. There are a couple odd twists and things that made me say "huh?", but it was worth reading, especially after learning the author suffered from PTSD after serving in WWII and this was his outlet for dealing with the trauma. - Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts
- the love interest's name is Bo Goodnight. 😂 That's really all you need to know. - The Wise Man's Fear (Kingkiller Chronicle, Day 2) by Patrick Rothfuss
- If 722 pages sounded long, then the sequel to The Name of the Wind being 1008 pages must sound like a monster...and it was. Also an excellent book, this one contained more adult themes, though nothing terribly explicit. There is a third book currently available in the Kingkiller Chronicles - The Slow Regard of Silent Things, with The Doors of Stone (Day 3) still awaiting a release date. - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
- I'm about 1/3 of the way through this right now. It's an interesting perspective. There are moments when it feels a bit "those darn extroverts...introverts are people too," though it attempts a balanced approach - acknowledging contributions by those with extroverted personalities as well. I started reading The Temperament God Gave You a month or so ago and plan to get back to it once I finish this book, since they rather compliment each other.
2018 Reading List, part 2 (Aug.-Dec.)
 |
| Catana Comics |
- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (finished)
- Overall, I can't say I was a fan...mostly because of some of the conclusions it offers. At the same time, I think it's worth reading in order to develop your own perspective from the information presented. - The Slow Regard of Silent Things (Kingkiller Chronicle) by Patrick Rothfuss
- This is the 3rd book in the Kingkiller Chronicles. It's sort of a...filler book. It's centered around one character you meet in the second book. If you like her and want to read a quirky story just about her, it's worth checking out. I enjoyed it, so I can personally recommend it. - Little Moments of Love by Catana Chetwynd (hence all the cartoons) 😊
- I've been a fan of Catana comics for a while. I love their simplicity and sweetness. I follow them on Facebook and was excited for Catana Chetwynd when she decided to publish them as a book. Good for her. :) - The Store by James Patterson
- The tagline should be "Amazon is the devil...and so's Nebraska." 😄 - About a boy by Nick Hornby
- Surprisingly, the movie was better. - Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
- I know what you're thinking... - Bridget Jones: Mad about the boy by Helen Fielding
- What do you mean it's not real literature?! - Bridget Jones Baby by Helen Fielding
- Stop judging me!
Catana Comics - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (reread)
- I decided to reread this after watching the mini series. Unsurprisingly, it's much better. The show was ok-ish until the end, when they seemed to remember there was only one episode left and so had to wrap things up way too quickly. The book is my second favorite of Gillian Flynn's...Gone Girl was awesome. - In a dark, dark wood by Ruth Ware
- I am amazed this was Ruth Ware's debut book! It's so good and one of my favorites I read this year. While touching on some mature subjects, it's not overly salacious and makes great use of suspense. If you like Gillian Flynn, you'll like Ruth Ware. - The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson
- A story about the 1893 World's Fair and the serial killer who took advantage of the chaos it created. - Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie
- I decided to reread this classic after watching the horrible new BBC mini series. I swear I said "But...that's not what happened in the book!" at least 20 times. I get deviating from the original/book, but you don't mess with the classics! And you especially don't change the ending (and make it worse)! If you're thinking of watching the mini series, don't...just read the book instead. - The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett
- I've been meaning to read this for years. It was...interesting. Worth reading, I think...though I didn't agree with them on all their conclusions/perspectives. I'm a firm believer in our innate, God-given personalities...and that by better understanding them, we can become the best versions of ourselves. - Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith
- one of the books I bought in London! A bit melodramatic for my taste (though interesting from a psychological perspective) and not one I'd likely read again. - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
- The story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and WWII POW. A tough read, but worth the graphic details to learn more about this indomitable man. - The death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
Catana Comics
- I'm officially a Ruth Ware fan! While I like In a dark, dark wood the best, I have liked the other 3 books (including this one) of Ware's that I've read. - The little stranger by Sarah Waters
- I decided to read this because they were making it into a movie with Domhnall Gleeson and Ruth Wilson. I haven't watched the movie yet, but I still want to after reading the book. It's a suspenseful thriller, with a side of supernatural. - Ambush (a Michael Bennett Novel) by James Patterson
- This was the 11th book in the Michael Bennett series. I do like the series, but it's starting to feel a bit strung along... - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
- Gaslighting on the high seas! And another good read from Ruth Ware! - Witness for the prosecution and other stories by Agatha Christie
- I was lucky enough to see "Witness for the Prosecution" at the County Hall in London this summer. Most of the play takes place in a courtroom and the County Hall used to be a courthouse, so it was a perfect setting. I decided to reread the short story after seeing the play. - The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go by Amy E. Reichert
- All of Amy E. Reichert's books are food related...this one is about a food truck. - Jack the Ripper: Closed Case (an Oscar Wilde Mystery) by Gyles Brandreth
- I've been waiting so long for the next Oscar Wilde mystery to come out! Anyone who knows me is aware of my love for Oscar Wilde, so it's been really fun to read mysteries written by someone who loves/knows more about him than I do! - The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
- While I still liked this story, it was my least favorite of Ruth Ware's books. If you're looking for a first read, this is not the book I would start with. - Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
- I didn't quite finish this before the end of the year, but I'm glad this was my last read of 2018. Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors and I was really looking forward to her new book coming out. Big Little Lies and What Alice Forgot are her two best and while this doesn't replace either of them as a favorite, it was still really good.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢
This year has already gotten off to a rocky start and with tomorrow being the first day of session, I'm expecting to be on another temporary hiatus. So nobody panic if I drop off the face of the earth for a while. 😳
Best of luck to everyone! I hope 2019 is a wonderful year for you!
~ Katie Q.
No comments:
Post a Comment