2018: My Year in Books


Ever since I started this blog in 2011, I've participated in the Goodreads Reading Challenge and shared my favorite books of the year in a post. I haven't done a comprehensive year-end list in a while, but I've stayed faithful in sharing my SRLs--Summer Reading Lists, which consistently get over 5000 page views; it still blows my mind and humbles me that so many of you value my recommendations--I don't take it lightly.  I'm also inspired by President Obama's Year-End-List, so here I am making a rare appearance in the blogosphere. Besides, it's a cozy Sunday, and I'm fueled on three cups of ambition (aka coffee) and over nine hours of sleep. I CAN CONQUER THE WORLD TODAY--or at least write a blog post. 


I made a lofty goal to read 100 books this year. I haven't made that kind of goal since 2014, when I was coming off my years as an elementary librarian and consuming a steady diet of picture books. In 2018,  I wanted to commit myself to less Facebook and more of my actual face-in-a-book. I'm proud to say I accomplished my 100 book goal, but I also want to give full disclosure on how I did it: 

  • I read 55 picture books or books that are classified for kids, AND THESE COUNT AS BOOKS. I don't know why there is still debate about not counting picture books in a yearly reading challenge goal--especially if you are a librarian, educator, or parent. COUNT THEM!
  • I read 37 novels or nonfiction books that would probably count as "traditional" books. 
  • I read 8 books "with my ears" (audio books). This is a new habit I've formed this year, and it is BLISS. I listen to audio books while walking, cleaning my house, doing laundry, and driving. It makes these mundane tasks more enjoyable, and it gets me out of my own head. There is such power in listening to the writer read her own story. Honestly, I double-bought many of these--I got the audio version on Audible (but you can earn credits, so I often get them for free), and then I bought the book so that I could go back and underline powerful passages. (Annotation is a hard habit to break.) Here are the 8 books that I listened to, and I highly recommend all of them. You can click on the covers to read a blurb in Goodreads: 
38746485   40109367   39203790   39686482

35883430   20342617   35018200   35832073

I've broken down my favorite books of the year into three categories: Top YA, Top Non-YA; and Top Picture Books. And instead of doing Top 10--I'm doing Top 8 because why not. 

My Top 8 YA Books Read in 2018: 

35396841   34728667   33118312   30256109

34647324   33155325   30037870   32571395

Top 8 Non-YA: 

35133922   38746485   34273236   20342617

36249638   35018200  34114362   35883430

Top 8 Picture Books: 

34144489 28274867 39651067 33376257
  37506301  35566693
35396839  35959676
     
* I technically read CROWN: ODE TO THE FRESH CUT at the very end of 2017, but I didn't start sharing it with people until 2018. It was one of my most powerful read-aloud
experiences of 2018, so I'm going to count it as one of my faves for this year.

You can view all 100 books here.

I challenge you to read more books in 2019! Less binging, more reading! I will go to my grave shouting the need for all of us to read more and not apologize one bit for my book-pushiness. Goodreads is a great community to join to keep track of your goal and get recommendations from fellow readers. If you need some motivation about making reading a priority in the new year, here are some articles: Why Reading Is Good For You According To Science, Why You Should Read Every Day, and Why We Need to Read More Slowly

I will keep my goal of reading 100 books for 2019. I might try to push my non-picture book goal to 52 (that would be a non-picture book a week), and I will definitely keep up my audio book habit. I need (and want!) to read more YA, so I'm going to use the 2019 Tayshas List as a guide. Many of you ask for middle school recommendations because the middle school years are crucial in keeping kids hooked on books, so here is the 2019 Lone Star List.  I bought Peyton, my sixth grader,  THE PARKER INHERITANCE and THE BABYSITTER'S GUIDE TO MONSTER HUNTING for Christmas.

Here's a link to some YA books coming out in 2019 that I've got my eye on. And, of course, I'm looking forward to ON THE COME UP, Angie's much-anticipated new book that comes out February 5! My book club took the fall semester off, but we will be reading this one together!

                                              35068618

I met another major goal in 2018: I finished my second novel and queried 75 literary agents. As for what 2019 has in store for my writing life, my fingers and toes are still crossed that I will finally get that "yes" from an agent, but the rejections won't keep me from writing.  I'm making a commitment to journal more, and maybe I'll show up more regularly in this space, even though blogging is so 2013. Maybe I'll start another novel--I've got some ideas percolating. All I know is that I will still be reading and writing in 2019.

So here's to a New Year of reading and discovering great books! Let's do it together!                             

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