Total Books: 302
E-book: 51
Print: 20
Audiobook: 231
Total Pages: 86,506 (Estimate because I only added it once and didn't check my work !)
Again, audiobooks win the format race! I have a long drive to work and I can now listen while at work, so that will probably be the norm in 2016 as well. My print book selection went up this year, and my e-book selection went down. Go figure!
My Favorite(s) of 2015
There were two this year that I have a hard time choosing between the best, so I'm putting them both.
The first of a trilogy, I read this first book and the second "Invasion of the Tearling". I am eagerly awaiting the third book and the promised movie starring Emma Watson.
The other favorite of the year is a zombie book about children. Not my usual kind of book, but I really loved this one!
Now for the rest of the best:
January
I started several new series this year and continued with some old favorites.
Trouble in Mudbug series by Jana Deleon is a cute, funny, cozy mystery series. I read the first of the series in January, "Ghost Mother-in-law."
I discovered Simone St. James last year. "The Haunting of Maddy Clare", another ghost story, but a bit more serious.
February
Another new series I started this year was the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I also discovered "FictFact" website for keeping up with series titles. It also includes short stories and novellas. In February, I read the first book in the Lunar Chronicles, "Cinder" along with the second book in the series, "Scarlet", and several short stories in the same series.
Joe Hill and his dad, Stephen King, both made my February list. Joe's "NOS4A2" audio narrated by Kate Mulgrew (awesome narration!) was a February favorite. "Danse Macare" by Stephen King, I also listened to on audio. I was a bit disappointed in the narration of this one. Stephen should always narrate his non-fictions. It makes them way better. I can't remember who narrated this one, but he put emphasis where emphasis was unneeded and didn't emphasis things that did.
"As You Wish" by Cary Elwe is a memoir of the filming of "Princess Bride". Needless to say, I loved it!
March
Lunar Chronicles "Cress" made the March list.
A sad, bittersweet memoir, "Time of My Life" by Patrick Swayze & Lisa Niemi was one of my favorites this month. Written after Patrick was diagnosed with cancer, it was a sad, joyous story of his life, his fame and his hope for the future that did not happen.
April
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne is one of my favorite series. I was able to read several novellas, short stories and one novel "Tricked" this month.
"Horns" by Joe Hill makes the list. Joe is a great horror writer, every bit as good as his dad.
May
My sister loaned me a book a year or so ago and I just got around to reading it in May. It started a massive search for the other books in the series and I read a whopping 8 of them before the year was out. The Puzzle Lady series by Parnell Hall, begins with "A Clue for the Puzzle Lady" I won't list each book separately for the rest of the year, but I really enjoyed them all.
One of my favorite writing duos Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia have teamed up to write more Caster Chronicles. A spin off series is Dangerous Creatures and I read "Dangerous Deception" this month. Also, they are writing a few novellas & short stories from the Caster world and I read a couple of those this month as well.
Another cozy mystery series I began this month, Rose Gardner by Denise Grover Swank, made my favorites list beginning with "Twenty-Eight & a Half Wishes".
I started a new series by one of my favorite authors, Charlaine Harris, Midnight Texas. I listed to the first two books in the series "Midnight Crossroad" & "Day Shift". The next installment comes out soon and I can't wait !
A new series for me, Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer, is now a favorite. I managed to read all the books in the series this year. The first was "The Case of the Missing Marquess."
July
Nothing really stands out this month except for the Paper Magician Trilogy by Charlie Holmberg. Great trilogy beginning with "Paper Magician".
August
One of my favorite all time authors is Andre Norton. It had been years since I read any of her work and I have had "Three Hands for Scorpio" on my TBR shelf for years. I finally read it and it did not disappoint. I loved it.
Other than that, I read several "next" in several series I enjoy, Puzzle Lady, Haunted Home Renovation, and Elemental Assassin.
September
This is the month I read "The Queen of the Tearling"!
I began a new series, Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost. I read the first two books in the series this month, "Paladin Prophecy" and "Alliance".
"Still Foolin' 'Em" by Billy Crystal, possibly the best memoir I've listened to - and it should be listened to, not read.
October
The only thing that really stood out this month was a new short story by Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia, a companion to their Beautiful Creatures series, "The Mortal Heart."
There were also more Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne and the second book in the Queen of the Tearling series.
November
I revisited an old favorite "The Rowan" by Anne McCaffrey.
The rest of the month was reading more series and short stories by favorite authors. Molly Harper came out with a new book as did Susan Elizabeth Phillip - always winners with me. More stories from Beautiful Creatures, more books in the series Haunted Home Renovations, Elemental Masters, Ghost in Law, and Poor Relations. Nothing really stands out, but all enjoyable.
December
I revisited another series I love from my first reading years ago. This time, I listened in audio, the Last Herald Mage series by Mercedes Lackey. I finished up several series Enola Holmes, Poor Relations, and Mortal Instruments.
A new series for me, Colors of Madeleine by Jaclyn Moriarty makes the favorites list.
Two stand alone books, "March" by Geraldine Brooks and "Sea Hearts" by Margo Lanagan were audios I received free last summer from AudioBookSync. Both were outstanding.
That finishes 2015. Now on to greater adventures in 2016!
