This year, I managed 66 books read or listened to. Considering the fact that my phone stopped letting me download my audiobooks in mid-September and I typically spent 2 hours a day listening to books, I will take that number all day long. Especially considering my goodreads goal of 30 to begin the year. I turned to podcasts while I ran and worked, and I learned so much and was inspired to read more through several great podcasters (let's not forget the great breakup with my friends at the popcast).
I've had a busy year full of starting grad school (3 classes left!), completing a foster care home study, beginning and completing an adoption home study, starting therapy, and changing grade levels at work - which we all know means it's like the first day of your first year all over again, but with grey hair. Let's add in that the last 6 weeks of the year saw 3 separate family vacations.
I wanted to do a top 5 or top 10 list, but when I went through my goodreads challenge list, I couldn't settle on a round number, so here's a top something and bottom something list to show that even the most OCD among us can make progress with the help of my good friend Zoe. I'm sparing everyone plot synopses and commentary on each entry, because I really don't have time for that. All of these are available on Amazon; if you'd like to learn more, click or tap the author's name.
Top Non-fiction
1. Seeing White: An Introduction to White Privilege & Race by Jean Halley
2. The Good Neighbor: The Life & Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
3. The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, & Murder by Charles Graeber
4. Educated by Tara Westover
5. 41: A Portrait of my Father by George W. Bush (this was a re-read in early winter, which wound up being very fitting considering the passing of both Barbara & George HW this year)
Top Fiction
1. Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (this was the one book I asked for for Christmas)
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
3. The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer
4. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
5. Here & Gone by Haylen Beck
6. Still Me by Jojo Moyes
7. A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena
8. The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison
9. Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
Bottom (which all happen to be fiction, oddly)
1. Mr. Dickens & His Carol by Samantha Silva
2. Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent
3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. The Man Who Came Uptown by George Pelecanos
As always, if you've read any of these this year or in recent years, I would love to hear your thoughts. There is the possibility of the #doopsread19 becoming an online book club of sorts, but to be honest I can't make any promises with my degree completion & Baby Doop #2 (or 3) on the way. Feel free to follow along with that hashtag on the socials to see what @redoop & I are reading next year. Best wishes & happy reading.
