Monthly Archives: January 2021

How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?
I read 66 books this year. I beat 52, but I read far fewer books than I have the last few years. Adopting six kids 5 and under certainly had a lot to do with that!

What story stayed with you a long time, left you wanting more or needing time to digest?
The Risk of Us by Rachel Howard. It was written in a really unusual way. I never knew how it was going to end as I was reading it and I really wanted to know more about the characters once it was finished.

What are some quotes that made you read them a second time?
“One is a knife that shoots bullets, and the other is a gun that shoots knives. I might be making that up. Even I can’t tell anymore.” (Only Dead on the Inside by James Breakwell)

“This book now contains one real fact. It’s officially educational.” (Only Dead on the Inside by James Breakwell)

 “‘Listening to the news! Again?’
‘Well, it changes every day, you see,’ said Harry.” (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling)

“‘Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about.'” (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling)

“‘This is school, Mr. Potter, not the real world.'” (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling)

Top 5 Books of the Year
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
The Risk of Us by Rachel Howard
The Miracle and Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets by Sarah Miller
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? by Vanessa Gray Bartal
A Thief Obsessed by Heather Sunseri

Bottom 5 Books of the Year
Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore
Stop Staring at Screens by Tanya Goodin
Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sonderby
Pasta, Pinot & Murder by Jamie Lee Scott
The Shrigley Abduction by Abby Ashby and Audrey Jones

How many books are in your To Read pile right now?
803 (That’s 51 more than at the end of 2019, 142 more than 2018, and 272 more than at the end of 2017 when I started keeping track… I am definitely going in the wrong direction here…)