I’ve learned over time that work/life balance not only looks different for every person, but looks very different for an individual from one moment to the next. The needs you and your loved ones have and the things that give you the most pleasure can radically change over time. This year, I really tried to make more time in my life for reading. While reading helped transport me to other places when I was dealing with horrible work stress that no longer exists in my current (wonderful) job, I’ve found the practice of reading every evening psychologically beneficial. Reading centers me… puts me in a good mental space. I still have some nights when I’m so worn out I just want to watch guilty pleasure TV (and do), but I’ve found myself turning to books more often than not this year.
Here’s a list of books I’ve read in 2015. The books noted with an asterisk were ones I couldn’t get through. Ones in bold, were books I REALLY enjoyed or found particularly moving (it’s hard to say you enjoyed a book that emotionally put you through the ringer). I put what I’d probably say was my favorite book read this year as the featured image for this post.
This year, I’ve included some books that I read to my son, though only the long ones and only those we’ve read since summer. We are pretty religious about our approximately one hour of reading to our son each night (though now he has to do 15-20 minutes of reading to us as well), so we’ve covered a lot of territory over time. Getting into the Harry Potter books this Fall has been such a great pleasure for me (I’m the only one allowed to read those because my husband can’t do a British accent). It’s so fun to see the books through his eyes this time around.
The Martian: A Novel – Andy Weir – a rare case where the movie was better than the book. Great story, but badly written IMHO.
The Residue Years* – Mitchell Jackson
Yes, Please – Amy Poehler
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – I wanted to keep following the compelling story of the two Nigerian protagonists long after the book ended.
Everything I Never Told You – Celeste Ng – about growing up under the weight of parental expectations. A tragedy.
Department of Speculation – Jenny Ofill – a book that defies description. Almost stream of consciousness, but not in an artsy pretentious way.
Juliet, Naked – Nick Hornby
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War – Karl Marlantes – this book shook me to my core.
All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr – simply beautiful
The Invisible Circus – Jennifer Egan
Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo – a bit dogmatic, but my house is so much less cluttered and better organized now!!!
The Book of Unknown Americans – Cristina Henríquez
Find Me – Laura Van Den Berg
Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg – I liked this much more than I’d expected to given that I don’t feel I really lean in.
The Devil in the White City – Erik Larson
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed – Jon Ronson
The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins
Our Souls at Night – Kent Haruf – I was so sad for it to end, knowing I’d never read another new book by one of my very favorite authors. RIP.
Funny Girl – Nick Hornby
The Phantom Bully (Star Wars – Jedi Academy 3) – Jeffrey Brown
Last Things – Jenny Ofill
Euphoria – Lily King – easily the most overrated book of the past year IMHO
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – J. K. Rowling
Ramona the Pest – Beverly Cleary
The Children Act – Ian McEwan
Disclaimer – Renée Knight
A Spool of Blue Thread* – Ann Tyler
Henry and Ribsy – Beverly Cleary
Attachments: A Novel – Rainbow Rowell
Henry and Bezus – Beverly Cleary
I don’t Know Where You Know Me From: My Life as a Co-Star* – Judy Greer
The Narrow Road to the Deep North* – Richard Flanagan – I was surprised I couldn’t get into this book
Annihilation: A Novel – Jeff VanderMeer – I’d expected to like this, but it was a real disappointment
In the Unlikely Event – Judy Blume
Modern Romance – Aziz Ansari
Paper Towns – John Green
A Window Opens – Elisabeth Egan
Mothers, Tell Your Daughters – Bonnie Jo Campbell – female characters so vulnerable, real, and raw it’s painful to read. But also such compelling short stories
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I was very happy to see that I am not the only one who keeps a list of the books I have read. I am also glad to see that people still find time to read. More often than not when I speak to my colleagues they tell me that as teachers they just don’t have the time. I read daily because I believe it helps me mentally unwind at the end of a busy day. If you peruse my list you will not find any academic literature. I spent a lot of time during my undergraduate years (and I know I will spend even more time during graduate school) reading academic texts. As a result, I prefer to spend my free time reading what I love: thrillers, mysteries, horror, and the like. You will also see some children’s literature as I am helping students prepare for the Battle of the Books program. I also include the month the book was read in an effort to keep track of my reading habits, favorite authors, and to avoid reading the same book twice. I look forward to being a part of the conversations here.
2015 Books Read
1. Where there’s smoke: a short story by Jodi Picoult (January)
2. A face in the crowd/short story Stephen King and Stewart O’Nan (January)
3. Revival by Stephen King (January)
4. Showdown by Ted Dekker (January)
5. Down River by John Hart (January)
6. The Housewife assassin’s handbook by Josie Brown (January)
7.Torn by Chris Jordan (January-February 1)
8. Horns by Joe Hill (February)
9. Minor in Possession by J A Jance (February)
10. First Love James Patterson and Emily Raymond (February)
11. The City by Dean Koontz (February)
12. Sight Unseen by Iris and Roy Johansen (February)
13. The Housewife Assassins Guide to gracious killing by Josie Brown (February)
14. Cop Town by Karin Slaughter (March)
15. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (March)
16. Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz (March)
17. Mean Streak by Sandra Brown (March)
18. Night by Elie Wiesel (March)
19. Private India:City on Fire by James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi (March)
20. Witch & Wizard: The Lost by James Patterson and Emily Raymond (March)
21. Daniel X: Armageddon by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (April)
22. Confessions the Paris Mysteries by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (April)
23. Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich (April)
24. Live to see tomorrow by Iris Johansen (April)
25. Love you more by Lisa Gardner (April)
26. NYPD Red 3 by James Patterson and Marshall Karp (April)
27. Crash & Burn by Lisa Gardner (May)
28. the perfect witness by iris johansen may
29. Private Vegas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (may)
30. Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner (may)
31. Killer by Jonathan Kellerman (may)
32. Saint Odd by Dean Koontz (may)
33. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (may)
34. Your Next Breath by Iris Johansen (June)
35. Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult (June)
36. Until we meet again by Christine Mcguire (June)
37. Sleep Tight by Anne Frasier (July)
38. The Session by Judith Kelman (July)
39. Hush by Anne Frasier (July)
40. The Energy Bus by (August)
41. Full Tilt by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes (September)
42. Full Speed by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes (September)
43. Finders Keepers by Stephen King (October)
44. The Bad Place by Dean Koontz (October)
45. Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton (October)
46. What the Dickens by Gregory Maguire (October)
47. Full Blast by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes (October)
48. Full Bloom by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes (October)
49. Full Scoop by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes (October)
50.The old Willis place by Mary Downing Hahn (October)
51. Where there’s smoke by Sandra Brown (October)
52. The 14th Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm (October)
53. School of Charm by (October)
54. Scumble by Ingrid Law (November)
55. The Naked Eye by Iris and Roy Johansen (November)
56. The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis (November)
57. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd (November)
58. Hero by Perry Moore (November)
59. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (November)
60. The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (November)
61. Alert by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (November)
62. Truth or Die by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (December)
63. Cross Justice by James Patterson (December)
64. Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag (December)
65. Deserves to die by Lisa Jackson (December)
66. 2012 by Whitley Strieber (December)
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