Making a List and Checking it Twice

I am busy this week writing in a notebook all of the books that I might want to read for the challenges that I signed up for.  I have a separate page for each challenge noting how many books I agreed to read but also how many I really expected to read when I signed up for each challenge. I lowballed my sign-ups since I didn't meet my required number of books in 2018. Hopefully, being more organized about my reading plans will help me get more reading done next year.

2019 Christian Reading Challenge

My Top 10 Books From 2018

Below is a list of the best books that I read in 2018.  Note that they may not have been published in 2018 but I read them in 2018.

10.  The Romanov Empress by C. W. Gortner

9.  The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

8.  Deadly Cure by Lawrence Goldstone

7.  The Painter's Apprentice by Laura Morelli

6.  Story of a Sociopath by Julia Navarro

5.  The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

4.  Sabrina by Nick Drnaso

3.  Brazen, Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu

2.  Berlin by Jason Lutes

1. White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht

2018 Reading Statistics

I read 52 books this year, down from the 81 books that I read last year. I struggled hard with my reading this year and I don't know why.  Perhaps it is due to that unknown reason why I stopped reading entirely from my usual 120 books a year 5+ years ago. I never did figure that one out either.

2019 may be the last year of this blog before I change it to a genre specific blog. Historical fiction seems to be my primary interest so I may go that route.

While I still love graphic novels, I have caught up on the older books. I am now only reading certain authors that I like and they do not produce annual novels like traditional authors do. Mysteries, which had been my favorite genre ever since I began reading, just aren't catching my attention anymore. Part of the reason was that I read political and spy thriller subgenres. These novels are just too much like being on the job for me and I can't bear to read them. My 29 years in a government job has killed my love of these subgenres. I have lived through more on this job than has ever been written in a thriller and, no, I won't be writing about it.  I don't want to die.

On to 2019!

2019 Series Challenge

I have a couple of lengthy series that I need to work on. I am not sure that I will have time for more than one of them. Laura Joh Rowland's series on feudal Japan is a favorite and probably will be the one that I will read next year.  I believe there are 18 books in the series and I have only read 2 of them.  Ms. Rowland is no longer writing this series. She has begun another one set in the Victorian era.

The Sharon Kay Penman medieval fiction series is another option. Again, I have only read 2 of her books but there are many more for me to catch up on.

I have a 3rd option and it is a 6 book graphic novel series called Beardo. I have read the first 2 in the series but since there is only a 3 book minimum for the challenge of any genre this option will work.

2019 Library Love Reading Challenge

This challenge is new to me.  The challenge will be in its 3rd year in 2019. Since I am a big user of my public library it would be foolish for me not to enter this challenge. The requirement is to read a minimum of 12 library books of any genre in the 2019 calendar year.  Easy peasy! Of course, you can read more than 12 if you wish.  I am looking forward to meeting more bloggers through this challenge. 

Wrap Up of 2018 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

I read 18 books for the Historical Fiction challenge this year. I signed up to read 25 books so I fell short of my goal. Here us what I read:

The Court Dancer by Kyung Sook Shin
The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
Deadly Cure by Lawrence Goldstone
Vita Brevis by Ruth Downie
The Abbot's Tale by Conn Iggulden
Death in St. Petersburg by Tasha Alexander
The Painter's Apprentice by Laura Morelli
City of Ink by Elsa Hart
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
Heretics by Leonardo Padura
The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner
Death on Delos by Gary Corby
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht
Salt Houses by Hala Alyan
The White Mirror by Elsa Hart
Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford
City of Masks by S. D. Sykes

Favorite Book:  White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht

Second Favorite Book:  The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

Least Favorite Book:  Death in St. Petersburg by Tasha Alexander