Yay! It is only mid-July and I’ve reached my goal of 52 books for 2018! (I wish it was as easy to reach my goal of losing 52 pounds but we won’t discuss that now =/) I’ll admit I feel like Middle Grade books are a little bit of a cheat since they are such quick reads, but hey… Goal achievement is goal achievement and I’ll take it however I can get it.
Sadly, I am not adept at Goodreads so the books are listed here in reverse reading order. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was my first read or the year. Of the 52 books, 51 were audio books and one was an eBook. Yep… 51 audio books. I have virtually given up TV with the exception of a “Psych” and “Monk” binge that lasted most of May and June. Otherwise, I’d likely be up to 65 books by now. It takes a REALLY long time to watch an 8 season show! I do own physical copies of 26 of these books but, lately, as a busy working mom, audio books just work better for my current lifestyle. Nineteen of these are technically Middle Grade although I feel like Harry Potter and the Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen are on the cusp of YA.
Here is a quick summary of how I ranked the books using a 5-star scale. For an explanation of my personal star ranking philosophy, please visit my about page. Books are listed roughly in the order I read them starting with January 1st. You can find brief reviews for most of them on my Goodreads account.
3 / 5 – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
5 / 5 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5) by J.K Rowling
5 / 5 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6) by J.K Rowling
5 / 5 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K Rowling
3 / 5 – The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase #3) by Rick Riordan
4 / 5 – Serafina and the Twisted Staff (Serafina #2) by Robert Beatty
4 / 5 – Serafina and the Splintered Heart (Serafina #3) by Robert Beatty
2 / 5 – A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes #1) by Brittany Cavallaro
3 / 5 – Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
5 / 5 – Glass Houses (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #13) by Louise Penny
3 / 5 – The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
3 / 5 – The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
5 / 5 – The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) by Mackenzi Lee
3 / 5 – The Girl in the Spider’s Web (Millennium $4) by David Lagercrantz
4.5 / 5 – An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
4 / 5 – Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1) by Christopher Paolini
4.5 / 5 – And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga #1) by Kiersten White
4 / 5 – Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #4) by Maggie Stiefvater
4 / 5 – Dividing Eden (Dividing Eden #1) by Joelle Charbonneau
5 / 5 – Now I Rise (The Conqueror’s Saga #2) by Kiersten White
4.5 / 5 – Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor
3.5 / 5 – Origin (Robert Langdon #5) by Dan Brown
4 / 5 – The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
4 / 5 – The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Piorot #1) by Agatha Christie
3.5 / 5 – The Wizards of Once (The Wizards of Once #1) by Cressida Cowell
4.5 / 5 – Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor
5 / 5 – Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Piorot #10) by Agatha Christie
5 / 5 – And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
5 / 5 – The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black
4 / 5 – Everless (Everless #1) by Sara Holland
4.5 / 5 – Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3) by Laini Taylor
5 / 5 – Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
5 / 5 – The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
5 / 5 – The Runaway King (The Ascendance Trilogy #2) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
4 / 5 – A to Z Mysteries (Books A-C) by Ron Roy
3 / 5 – Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi
4 / 5 – Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thief #1) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
5 / 5 – Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo
5 / 5 – The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy #3) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
4 / 5 – Rise of the Wolf (Mark of the Thief #2) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
5 / 5 – Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
4 / 5 – Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi
5 / 5 – Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
3 / 5 – Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi
4 / 5 – Wrath of the Storm (Mark of the Thief #3) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
4 / 5 – Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi
5 / 5 – Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
5 / 5 – Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
5 / 5 – Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
4.5 / 5 – The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
3 / 5 – Hocus Pocus and The All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha
4.5 / 5 – Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
