How many books did you read this year and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?
I beat all my goals. First, I wanted to read more than 100 books. Second, I wanted to do the special 52 book challenge in among my books. And, third, I wanted to read more books and pages than I ever have before. I read 126 books and 37,104 pages (294 pages per book on average). That’s one more book than my previous record (2014) and 7,955 more pages (2012).
Share your top 5 favorite books.
Messenger by Lois Lowry
Moonraker’s Bride by Madeleine Brent
Petey by Ben Mikaelsen
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
Which books or authors you thought you’d never read and were pleasantly surprised to like them?
The 100 Series. My daughter begged me to read them. I was surprised how much I enjoyed them!
One book that touched you – made you laugh, cry, sing or dance!
Petey by Ben Mikaelsen
Share your most favorite character, covers and/or quotes?
Character: Miri from Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters
Covers:
Quotes:
“Are we absolutely certain he’s a wight?” asked Addison.
“Do cats grow on trees?” Emma replied.
“Not in this part of the world.”
“Then of course we aren’t. But when it comes to wights, there’s an old saying: If you’re not sure, assume.”
(Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs)
“Don’t worry, Herman, the Russians won’t bomb this place [a nursing home].”
(Petey by Ben Mikaelsen)
One book you thought you’d love but didn’t?
Call the Nurse by Mary J. MacLeod
What countries or centuries did you explore?
Ancient history.
What books would you recommend everybody read?
The Gregor the Underlander series
The Giver series
The Wave by Todd Strasser
Petey by Ben Mikaelsen
What was your favorite part of the challenge?
My favorite part was doing the special 52 book challenge. It encouraged me to find books in categories I might not have otherwise read.
Olga and Conner spend the afternoon of April 1st sailing when a storm suddenly blows in. Conner is struck by lightning and thrown off the boat into the frigid Lake Michigan. He does not survive. Olga is guilt-ridden over not being able to save him. Her counselor suggests she make a bucket list of 18 things to do the year she is 18 years old. She sets off on a year of discovery and growth as she and her friends complete the list. And then a Major Plot Twist is dropped and absolutely everything changes.
Gregor returns to the Underland to visit his mother and for lessons with Ripred. When a nibbler sends Luxa’s crown (a coded message that they need help), Gregor, Luxa, Boots, Hazard, and Howard along with four bats and Temp head out on a “picnic” (really, to investigate what is going on with the nibblers). They discover the gnawers are now being led by the Bane and attempting to eliminate the nibblers.
Encompassing the earliest civilizations to the fall of Rome, 
A young boy named Shasta and a talking horse he calls Bree run away toward Narnia. They are joined along the way by another talking horse and a young girl. When they bump into a group of Narnians, Shasta is mistaken for a prince. After learning information about an impending attack, Shasta sets out to warn those in danger.
Discover Magazine’s long-running column, Vital Signs, has long been one of the magazine’s most popular. This book is a collection of 40 of the best Vital Signs columns. If you enjoy reading about puzzling medical cases, watching shows like Mystery Diagnosis, or are a fan of Vital Signs, you will love this book.
After she is tricked by Digory’s uncle into touching a yellow ring, Polly disappears. Digory has no choice but to follow with a different ring, one that will bring her back. The kids end up in a dead land where Digory awakens an evil witch/queen. Later, Polly, Digory, Uncle Andrew, the witch, a horse, and a cabby end up in a completely dark land. Soon Aslan the Lion appears and wakes the magical world called Narnia with his song.
When something goes wrong when Claire, a birthmother, delivers her first product, she is quickly discharged from the birth center and transferred to the fish hatchery. She develops a relationship with one of the nursery workers and so is able to get to know her son without anyone realizing who she is. The day Jonas escapes with Gabriel, Claire leaves the community as well. She is shipwrecked in a little village where it is nearly impossible to ever leave for no other reason than geography. But try to leave and find her son she must. Claire finds someone who can take her to Gabe, but he requires a trade that Claire does not quite understand the consequences of when she makes it.
Mama Reader 