Books I have read this year, by genre, totaling 56. The year is over and this is the final count. First I’d like to highlight possibly my new favorite book, which I read at the very end of the year. It was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and it was absolutely lovely. The very beginning of the book starts with a woman who is wracked with regret and who chooses to commit suicide. The rest of the book is about how she has the second chance to live through any of her other lives she wishes, erasing each regret from her very heavy Book of Regrets. Slowly it begins to lighten and she begins to see that life itself might just be worth living for after all. Beautiful, simple, perfect. I wish every single one of us could write (and experience) our own just like it.
Now, onto my books read by genre:
My winning category is Fantasy with 21 reads. From Ayana Gray to Leigh Bardugo to Brandon Sanderson. From Erin Morgenstern to Sarah J. Maas to Alice Hoffman.
Next largest category for me this year was Science Fiction, at 9 books, which was a bit of a surprise, as my reading is often more sci-fi heavy. I highly recommend: N. K. Jemisin, Nnedi Okorafor, Nalo Hopkinson, and Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.
Next was Romantasy. I embrace my 5 reads this year and I’m not afraid to say it: I like reading Romantasy! I read this first book of Elisabeth Wheatley‘s (also known as Book Goblin), as well as Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros.
Next, tied for third place was Horror at 5 books. Andrew Joseph White is one of my favorites. Stephen King, of course, this time writing with his son Owen King. And a weird book, The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen, which I couldn’t decide if I liked or not.
Next I read 3 books that fell into the category of Romance/Erotica, because I’m not certain where the line is drawn, and there is some spicy af stuff out there. I’ve been reading Calista Jayne and Jillian Frost, both of whom have (what look to be) very successful newsletter/book businesses.
I read 2 books that I’d consider Lit Fic / Classics. One was Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr which became an instant favorite. And the other was: Lord of the Flies! Can’t tell you how many times I’ve said to myself: Self, you ought to have already read this by now. So I finally did.
And tied for last place was 2 books of nonfiction, which again, I usually read more of. This time around I re-read Miracle Morning (originator of the SAVERS morning routine) and read for the first time How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, which I found to be a very kind book.
