2018: My Year In Books
2018 was going to be a big year in books for me from the start. At the end of 2017, I realized I had averaged more than 70 books in each of the last two years, so I set myself what I saw as an ambitious goal: 108 books. It started out as a specific list of books, with the acknowledgement that I would add the occassional Advance Reader Copy (ARC) and would probably end the year at 120 or so - still nearly double my recent average. I distinctly remember even 53 books being very difficult in 2008, but my life had also been much different at the time, as a new person in my day job profession, new husband, and driving 100 miles one way to work for over half of that year. 2018 was going to be much easier - I was working a fairly easy job in a settled position in my career, married to the same lady from 2008, and working just 15 minutes from home.
I started the year with a couple of 19th century philosophical works, Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thorau and On Liberty by John Stuart Mills. Those would be the oldest books I read this year, and the only books published before the current Millenium. Over the course of the year, I would find many amazing books, a few duds, march through my mountain of a TBR (while adding even more, peril of a bookaholic), joined several more book and author groups, started a book blog, and overall surprise myself in a couple of ways:
1) I surpassed my original goal of 108 books in *October*. I closed the year at 156. 2) I didn't realize it until counting yesterday, but of those 156 books, 46 of them turned out to be ARCs!
But let's take a brief look at some "best of 2018", shall we? I believe we'll break it down by month before finally picking from those selections for the annual award. January Total books: 15 Series of the month: Spinster Series by Becky Monson Humor of the month: Thirty-Two Going On Spinster by Becky Monson Tear jerker of the month: n/a Nonfiction of the month: Endurance by Scott Kelly Audiobook of the month: Endurance by Scott Kelly Most Interesting of the month: Endurance by Scott Kelly Book of the month: Endurance by Scott Kelly
February Total books: 11 Series of the month: The God Tools by Gary Williams and Vicky Knerly Humor of the month: The Girl He Knows by Kristi Rose Tear jerker of the month: n/a Nonfiction of the month: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander Audiobook of the month: n/a Most Interesting of the month: Infinity Lost by S Harrison Book of the month: The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie
March Total books: 8 Series of the month: Sabel Security Thrillers by Seeley James Humor of the month: Element 42 by Seeley James Tear jerker of the month: Infinity Rises by S Harrison Nonfiction of the month: Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It's Killing Us by Shane Claiborne Audiobook of the month: n/a Most Interesting of the month: Infinity Reborn by S Harrison Book of the month: Sabel Security Thrillers by Seeley James
April Total books: 11 Series of the month: Breakthrough by Michael C Grumley Humor of the month: n/a Tear jerker of the month: Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi Nonfiction of the month: Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi Audiobook of the month: Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi Most Interesting of the month: Breakthrough by Michael C Grumley Book of the month: Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi
May Total books: 14 Series of the month: Rebel Wing by Tracy Banghart Humor of the month: Hawaiian Punch by Rick Chesler and Douglas Corleone Tear jerker of the month: n/a Nonfiction of the month: Failure Is Not An Option by Gene Kranz Audiobook of the month: An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth by Chris Hadfield Most Interesting of the month: Body Count by Jeremy Robinson Book of the month: Failure Is Not An Option by Gene Kranz
June Total books: 8 Series of the month: Lake Haven by Julia London Humor of the month: Death Warmed Over by Kent Holloway Tear jerker of the month: Space At The Table by Brad and Drew Harper Nonfiction of the month: Learning To Speak God From Scratch by Jonathan Merritt Audiobook of the month: Space At The Table by Brad and Drew Harper Most Interesting of the month: Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt Book of the month: Space At The Table by Brad and Drew Harper
July Total books: 14 Series of the month: Project Eden by Brett Battles Humor of the month: #SecondCivilWar - Letters: Letters from America's Second Civil War by U. Ray Moran Tear jerker of the month: Dancing With the Sun by Kay Bratt Nonfiction of the month: The Black And The Blue by Matthew Horace Audiobook of the month: n/a Most Interesting of the month: The Space Between by Dete Meserve Book of the month: The Space Between by Dete Meserve
August Total books: 9 Series of the month: Sweetwater Trilogy by Lisa Clark O'Neill Humor of the month: The Comfort Of Secrets by Christine Nolfi Tear jerker of the month: n/a Nonfiction of the month: Sleepyhead by Henry Nicholls Audiobook of the month: Sleepyhead by Henry Nicholls Most Interesting of the month: Sleepyhead by Henry Nicholls Book of the month: The Waiting Room by Emily Bleeker
September Total books: 15 Series of the month: Jurassic Dead Trilogy by Rick Chesler and David Sakmyster Humor of the month: n/a Tear jerker of the month: Granite Mountain/ My Lost Brothers by Brendan McDonough Nonfiction of the month: Granite Mountain/ My Lost Brothers by Brendan McDonough Audiobook of the month: Granite Mountain/ My Lost Brothers by Brendan McDonough Book of the month: Gold by Steven Savile
October Total books: 19 Series of the month: Brainrush by Richard Bard Humor of the month: Space Force by Jeremy Robinson Tear jerker of the month: Born With Teeth by Kate Mulgrew Nonfiction of the month: Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger Audiobook of the month: Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham Most Interesting of the month: Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger Book of the month: Space Force by Jeremy Robinson
November Total books: 14 Series of the month: Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale Humor of the month: The Perfect Match by Maggie Dallen Tear jerker of the month: Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale Nonfiction of the month: Twain's Feast by Andrew Beahrs and Nick Offerman Audiobook of the month: Twain's Feast by Andrew Beahrs and Nick Offerman Most Interesting of the month: Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie Book of the month: Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie
December Total books: 16 Series of the month: Sanctuary Sound by Jamie Beck Humor of the month: Shy by Brad Tanner Tear jerker of the month: Alter by Jeremy Robinson Nonfiction of the month: In Defense Of Food by Michael Pollan Audiobook of the month: In Defense Of Food by Michael Pollan Most Interesting of the month: Vessel by Lisa A Nichols Book of the month: Alter by Jeremy Robinson
2018 Total books: 156 Series of the Year: Project Eden by Brett Battles. Of all the Series of the Month winners, this one gave the most epic tale and the most complete story arc. Humor of the Year: Space Force by Jeremy Robinson. Quite simply one of the funniest books I've ever read, laden with pop culture (and specifically gaming) references. Tear jerker of the Year: Granite Mountain/ My Lost Brothers by Brendan McDonough. I don't think it is possible to read the full text of this book for all the tears you will be shedding near the end. Nonfiction of the Year: Failure Is Not An Option by Gene Kranz. Kranz was at Mission Control through most of the major NASA missions that set them apart in the American consciousness, and this book is an amazing tale of those events through his eyes. Audiobook of the Year: Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi. Hearing her story in her voice was very powerful, particularly at the end when she is dealing with the complexities of her life once she decided to have a child. Most Interesting of the Year: Infinity Lost by S Harrison. Quite simply, I've never seen anything quite like it. Book of the Year: Gold by Steven Savile. In the end, the 6 year wait and amazing payoff had to be rewarded. Note to authors: If you're going to wait so long between books, make sure they are at least this good.