2019: Reading off "The Shelf" and Stephen King

For the past few years I've had a shelf of books I've been meaning to get to; ones that I want to read just "not right now." I decided this year was the year I would tackle The Shelf.  I did pretty well, finishing a few while progressing on others (ie Ron Chernow's Grant) until late June when Stephen King, whose books have been on a mental version of The Shelf, took over the list. Some other books have snuck in under the radar here and there and there's been a few more added to The Shelf for later. Here's what I've read this year:

March (4)
Carry On, Warrior* by Glennon Doyle Melton
Night* by Elie Weisel
If You Feel Too Much* by Jamie Tworkowski
Reasons to Stay Alive* by Matt Haig

April (2)
Ungifted by Gordon Korman
Super Gifted by Gordon Korman

June (1)
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

July (6)
It by Stephen King
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Max the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Under the Dome by Stephen King
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Naturally Tan by Tan France

August (2)
The Stand by Stephen King
The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

Total for the year: 15

Re-reads: 0

New Reads: 15

*book resides in my personal library

Once Again, a New Reading List (2018)

Keeping up the reading list. Got a few books that I am still slowly chewing on but, thanks to hearing some being read aloud and needing to know how they ended, I've got a couple to get the list started.

March (3)
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

April (3)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Bewitching by Alex Flinn

Mirrored by Alex Flinn

May (2)

Generation One by Pittacus Lore

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

June (2)

The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus

Origin by Dan Brown

July (8)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Steelheart* by Brandon Sanderson

Firefight* by Brandon Sanderson

Calamity* by Brandon Sanderson

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

August (6)

The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall

Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Moonraker by Ian Fleming
The Ocean at the End of the Lane* by Neil Gaiman

Total for the year: 24

Re-reads: 0

New Reads: 24

*book resides in my personal library

Reading ... One book at a time in 2017

Let's just say reading hasn't been high on my list of priorities.  There's been other activities like work, knitting and ... TV (there's been a lot of good TV lately). I'm starting off the year with a book that's been on my list for more than a few years, ever since I saw Ken Burn's The War.  Now that I've actually finished a book, the reading trend may continue ... or it may not. I'm hopeful. Summer is around the corner.

May (1)

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge

June (8)
Helmet for my Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific by Robert Leckie
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore
The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore
The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore
United as One by Pittacus Lore
Dangerous by Shannon Hale

July (10)
The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel
Inferno by Dan Brown
An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige
Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige
The End of Oz by Danielle Paige
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Duty and Desire by Pamela Aidan
These Three Remain by Pamela Aidan

August (3)
Pride and Predjudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
Wonder* by R.J. Palacio
Anansi Boys* by Neil Gaiman

September (2)
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Into the Water by Pamela Hawkins

November (1)
Took by Mary Downing Hahn

Total for the year: 25
Re-reads: 0
New Reads: 25
*book resides in my personal library

Jumping Back On the Reading Bandwagon.

After my year-long book fast, I'm surprised to find I'm not snarfing down books like a book-deprived, story-starved fiend. Then again, I also haven't abandoned the practice completely. I've been mentally listing a few books I want to read, but first I have a series to finish. Here's to 2016 and new worlds and new information.

January (3)
Physik (Septimus Heap #3) by Angie Sage
Queste (Septimus Heap #4) by Angie Sage
Syren (Septimus Heap #5) by Angie Sage

February (3)
Darke (Septimus Heap #6) by Angie Sage
Fyre (Septimus Heap #7) by Angie Sage
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

March (1)
The Hunger Games* by Suzanne Collins

May (2)
Catching Fire* by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay* by Suzanne Collins

June (1)
Vivatera* by Candace J. Thomas

July (1)
Conjectrix* by Candace J. Thomas

August (3)
Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story* by Mary Downing Hahn
The Midwife's Apprentice* by Karen Cushman
Meet Kit: An American Girl 1934* by Valerie Tripp

September (5)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane* by Kate DiCamillo
The Wednesday Wars* by Gary D. Schmidt
The Tale of Desperaux* by Kate DiCamillo
The Phantom Tollbooth* by Norman Juster
Maniac Magee* by Jerry Spinelli

October (2)
Five Pages a Day: A Writer's Journey by Peg Kehret
I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Total for the year: 21
Re-reads: 4
New Reads: 17
*book resides in my personal library