2019 Reading Roundup

I read 175 books in 2019, a bit off my average, but more than double what I read in 2018 (80 titles, probably a lifetime low.)

By the Numbers:

Approximately 59,504 pages read

Average length of a book: 341 pages

Mystery: 64

Romance: 46

Sci Fi/Fantasy/Paranormal: 46

Young Adult/Children: 10

I fell off the no Re-Reading Wagon and reread 21 books, mostly by Anne Bishop, Charlaine Harris, and Kim Harrison. Non-Fiction took a hit, as I only read 4 books in that category. I tend to primarily read books by female authors, as only 24 books were written by males, with six written by male/female co-authors.

At one point in the year, I decided to start tracking my “source” of reading materials – books I own (approximately 22), or books I borrow from my libraries, while also tracking if it was a physical or digital copy (at least 43) of a book. Two of the books were in audio format this year. As I am both a speed reader and terrible listener, this is not a format I will stick with, but Carrie Fisher’s voice made listening to the audio version of the The Princess Diarist worth it. The other title was by Carola Dunn, and I opted for the audio version because none of my libraries had a physical or e-book option for it.

In looking at my reading trends, I realize my favorite thing to read are books in a series, as 145 of the 175 books read in 2019 were series books. A bittersweet read was the final book in Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody series, coauthored by Joan Hess after Peters passed away. I could not wait to get my hands on Big Sky by Kate Atkinson, the next in her Jackson Brodie series after a long hiatus.

 New series I started this year include Kerry Greenwood’s Phyrne Fisher book (8), three related series by Gail Carriger (10 books), six in Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple mysteries, the first five in Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Department Q books, and four in the Sebastian St. Cyr series by C.S. Harris.

Top 12 of 2019

12. The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

I read this on a whim, it was featured as a top choice on the home page for my library’s online catalogue. Set in Minnesota, it follows a college student with a troubled past as he interviews a man moved from a prison to a nursing home for a class project.

11. Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs

The latest in Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. While the first four books remain my favorites, I love the characters in this series so much.

10. What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris

Excellent addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series, set in Regency England, but with a dark twist.

9. Roar Like a Dandelion by Ruth Krauss

An alphabet picture book, with whimsical phrases and delightful drawings.

8. Death’s Door: The Truth Behind Michigan’s Largest Mass Murder by Steve Lehto

An in-depth look at the Italian Hall Disaster (Dec. 24, 1913) in Calumet, Michigan, and the events leading up to the tragedy, and the fallout after it occurred.

7. Big Sky by Kate Atkinson

The fifth book in her Jackson Brodie series. Almost impossible to put down.

6. The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

She writes books that both smolder and make me laugh, with captivating characters and dialogue that keeps the story moving.

5. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

A crime novel translated from Danish, this is the first in the Department Q series. The main character is curmudgeonly, and the books contain a thread of humor that reminds me a bit of Brooklyn 9-9, while the storylines carry the darkness of Breaking Bad.

4. The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

Utterly riveting book, set in the Bahamas, Great Britain and beyond during World War II. Is it a spoiler to say there was a twist at the end?

3. In This Grave Hour, To Die But Once, and The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear

I somehow fell behind in reading the Maisie Dobbs series, but reading these three caught me up. I cannot recommend these books enough. Set in England, the first book is primarily set just after WWI, with flashbacks to the main character’s childhood. The most recent book is set in the late 1930s.

2. How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny

The ninth book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, and my favorite so far. Start with Still Life. 

1. Brazen and the Beast by Sarah Maclean

Love her writing style, and how she weaves current topics into a historical with richly drawn characters and engaging dialogue. She started a FB group for those who love old school romances, and it remains one of my favorites to follow on Facebook.