2016: My Year in Books

Another year has come and gone.  At times it seemed endless, but now that 2016 is in the past it seems like it zoomed past.  I'm nervous for 2017, not gonna lie.  I'm also excited and hopeful.  A new year holds so much potential, doesn't it?  Happy New Year to you.  Let's make it a fabulous one!

Thank you for hanging with me here at BBB in 2016.  I hope you'll stick around for another year of reviews, giveaways, memes, and more.  Interacting with you is what I enjoy most about this blogging gig; it's what makes this very time-consuming hobby so fun and worthwhile.  

Speaking of time-consuming ... despite my efforts over the last week or so (I should probably make a resolution addressing my penchant for procrastination!), I am still way behind in writing reviews for books I read in 2016.  I will be posting as many as I can in the next few weeks so I can catch up and officially move on to 2017.  Bear with me, won't you?  It's a blogging OCD kinda thing ...

I love reading people's end-of-the-year stats.  It's fun to see what we've all accomplished during our reading year.  Here's how 2016 broke down for me:

Total books read:  152 (three more than last year; 48 fewer than I needed to meet my goal of 200)

Number of fiction books read:  140 (92%)

Number of non-fiction books read:  12 (8%)

Number of adult books read:  104 (68%)

Number of YA books read:  20 (13%)

Number of MG books read: 28 (18%) 

Number of books by female authors:  131 (86%)

Number of books by male authors: 21 (14%)

Number of books by LDS authors:  17 (11%)

Number of books read from my personal collection:  26 (17%)

Number of books read, review copies:  58 (38%)

Number of books read from the library:  68 (45%)

Number of reading challenges joined:  2

Number of reading challenges completed:  0

What do the numbers show?

-  Although I read a little more non-fiction this year than usual, my clear preference is fiction.  

- I continue to ease away from YA books.  I read more middle grade and adult than usual.  I'm not sure what this means—that I'm getting old?  Maybe.

- I read a lot more library books this year than I have in years past.  This is good budget-wise, but I have thousands of review books stacked around my house that I need to get around to reading.  We'll see how it all balances out this year.

- I still read way more books written by female authors than male.  Why is this?  I really don't know.

I'm not making blogging resolutions this year.  I, will, however keep chugging away at my goal to read 200 books in a year.  It may not be possible, but it's fun to try.  I'll also try to keep up with reviews a little better.  I'm not promising anything, though.  Beyond that, I'm just going to try to keep up with things around here.  That's not always an easy task.  At least it's one I enjoy!

How about you?  How did your year in reading turn out?  Did you meet the goals you set?  Did you find any great new authors?  What was the best thing you read in 2016?  I'd love to know.

For my records, I'm going to list the books I read this year.  Asterisks denote favorites.

BOOKS READ IN 2016 (ASTERISKS DENOTE FAVORITES)

• 152. EVERYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BE BY MINDY MEJIA (DEC)
• 151. FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM: THE ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BY J.K. ROWLING* (DEC)
• 150. THE ECHO OF TWILIGHT BY JUDITH KINGHORN (DEC)
• 149. STALKING JACK THE RIPPER BY KERI MANISCALCO (DEC)
• 148. WARREN THE 13TH AND THE ALL-SEEING EYE BY TANIA DEL RIO (DEC)
• 147. STONE FOX BY JOHN REYNOLDS GARDINER (DEC)
• 146. TOOK BY MARY DOWNING HAHN (DEC)
• 145. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS BY J.K. ROWLING* [RE-READ] (DEC)
• 144. MY LIFE AS A JOKE BY JANET TASHJIAN (DEC)
• 143. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE BY J.K. ROWLING* [RE-READ] (DEC)
• 142. FAIREST BY MARISSA MEYER (NOV)
• 141. A LONG WAY HOME BY SAROO BRIERLEY (NOV)
• 140. THE MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE BY BEVERLY CLEARY (NOV)
• 139. BOUNCE BY MEGAN SHULL (NOV)
• 138. PASADENA BY SHERRI L. SMITH (NOV)
• 137. ONLY DAUGHTER BY ANNA SNOEKSTRA (NOV)
• 136. I FOUND YOU BY LISA JEWELL (NOV)
• 135. EL DEAFO BY CECE BELL (NOV)
• 134. NO PITY FOR THE DEAD BY NANCY HERRIMAN (NOV)
• 133. COFFIN ROAD BY PETER MAY (NOV)
• 132. YOU'VE GOT THIS! COMPILED BY ELISE HAHL (NOV)
• 131. RAIN REIGN BY ANN M. MARTIN (NOV)
• 130. HOLDING UP THE UNIVERSE BY JENNIFER NIVEN (NOV)
• 129. LIKE A RIVER GLORIOUS BY RAE CARSON* (OCT)
• 128. WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER BY RAE CARSON* (OCT)
• 127. THE GIRL WHO FELL FROM THE SKY BY HEIDI W. DURROW (OCT)
• 126. WINTER BY MARISSA MEYER (OCT)
• 125. A PERILOUS UNDERTAKING BY DEANNA RAYBOURN (OCT)
• 124. MY LIFE AS A CARTOONIST BY JANET TASHJIAN (OCT)
• 123. THE BURNING AIR BY ERIN KELLY (OCT)
• 122. DARK MATTER BY BLAKE CROUCH* (OCT)
• 121. THE RIVER AT NIGHT BY ERICA FERENCIK (OCT)
• 120. THE LAST SEPTEMBER BY NINA DE GRAMONT (OCT)
• 119. 101 BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU GROW UP BY BIANCA SCHULZE (OCT)
• 118. THE VANISHING YEAR BY KATE MORETTI (OCT)
• 117. BROADCHURCH BY ERIN KELLY (OCT)
• 116. A MOUSE CALLED WOLF BY DICK KING-SMITH (OCT)
• 115. BLACKBIRD FLY BY ERIN ESTRADA KELLY (OCT)
• 114. THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 BY RUTH WARE (SEP)
• 113. IN A DARK, DARK WOOD BY RUTH WARE (SEP)
• 112. I SURVIVED: THE ERUPTION OF MOUNT ST. HELENS BY LAUREN TARSHIS (SEP)
• 111. THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP BY JOANNA CANNON* (SEP)
• 110. MY LAST CONTINENT BY MIDGE RAYMOND (SEP)
• 109. MOO BY SHARON CREECH (SEP)
• 108. SOUTHERN CHARMED BY MELANIE JACOBSON* (SEP)
• 107. RED BONES BY ANN CLEEVES (SEP)
• 106. A PLACE FOR MISS SNOW BY JENNIFER MOORE (SEP)
• 105. UNTIL SUMMER ENDS BY ELANA JOHNSON (SEP)
• 104. THE INCIDENT ON THE BRIDGE BY LAURA MCNEAL (SEP)
• 103. DAISY IN CHAINS BY SHARON BOLTON (SEP)
• 102. THE SECRET WAYS OF PERFUME BY CRISTINA CABONI (SEP)
• 101. THE SECRET TREASURE BY WINTER MORGAN (SEP)
• 100. THE TRESPASSER BY TANA FRENCH* (AUG)
• 99. THE BURIED BOOK BY D.M. PULLEY (AUG)
• 98. DANIEL X: GAME OVER BY JAMES PATTERSON (AUG)
• 97. HOUR OF THE BEES BY LINDSAY EAGAR (AUG)
• 96. BANISHED BY KIMBERLEY GRIFFITHS LITTLE* (AUG)
• 95. TRULY MADLY GUILTY BY LIANE MORIARTY (AUG)
• 94. WHAT SHE KNEW BY GILLY MACMILLAN* (AUG)
• 93. SORROW ROAD BY JULIA KELLER (AUG)
• 92. THE LAST TREASURE BY ERIKA MARKS (AUG)
• 91. SMALL GREAT THINGS BY JODI PICOULT (AUG)
• 90. ENTRY ISLAND BY PETER MAY (AUG)
• 89. WITH LOVE FROM THE INSIDE BY ANGELA PISEL (JUL)
• 88. THE CHESSMEN BY PETER MAY (JUL)
• 87. THE LEWIS MAN BY PETER MAY (JUL)
• 86. WALK INTO SILENCE BY SUSAN MCBRIDE (JUL)
• 85. THE BLACKHOUSE BY PETER MAY (JUL)
• 84. YOU WILL KNOW ME BY MEGAN ABBOTT (JUL)
• 83. THE MANGLE STREET MURDERS BY M.R.C. KASASIAN (JUL)
• 82. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS BY B. A. PARIS (JUL)
• 81. MERCY TRAIN BY RAE MEADOWS (JUL)
• 80. NEVER MISSING, NEVER FOUND BY AMANDA PANITCH (JUL)
• 79. A DATE WITH DANGER BY KARI IROZ (JUN)
• 78. OUTRUN THE MOON BY STACEY LEE* (JUN)
• 77. I WILL SEND RAIN BY RAE MEADOWS (JUN)
• 76. OUT OF THE DUST BY KAREN HESSE* (JUN)
• 75. CHARLES DICKENS: A LIFE BY JANE SMILEY (JUN)
• 74. WHITE NIGHTS BY ANN CLEEVES (JUN)
• 73. A FALL OF MARIGOLDS BY SUSAN MEISSNER* (JUN)
• 72. UPRISING BY MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX (JUN)
• 71. HOW SECRETS DIE BY MARTA PERRY (JUN)
• 70. A TRICK OF THE LIGHT BY LOUISE PENNY* (JUN)
• 69. RAVEN BLACK BY ANN CLEEVES (JUN)
• 68. WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD BY SUSAN CRANDALL* (MAY)
• 67. A COLD DAY FOR MURDER BY DANA STABENOW (MAY)
• 66. THE MIDNIGHT WATCH BY DAVID DYER* (MAY)
• 65. SUMMERLOST BY ALLY CONDIE* (MAY)
• 64. BURNT MOUNTAIN BY ANNE RIVERS SIDDONS (MAY)
• 63. A GOOD NIGHT FOR GHOSTS BY MARY POPE OSBORNE [MTH #42] (MAY)
• 62. A COLD AND LONELY PLACE BY SARA J. HENRY (MAY)
• 61. ROCKS FALL EVERYONE DIES BY LINDSAY RIBAR (MAY)
• 60. LEARNING TO SWIM BY SARA J. HENRY (MAY)
• 59. PRIDE & POLITICS BY BRITTANY LARSEN (MAY)
• 58. PRIDE & PREJUDICE BY JANE AUSTEN* (MAY)
• 57. WHAT WE FIND BY ROBYN CARR (MAY)
• 56. THE YARD BY ALEX GRECIAN (MAY)
• 55. ALL BETTER NOW BY EMILY WING SMITH* (MAY)
• 54. ONCE UPON A LIE BY MICHAEL FRENCH (MAY)
• 53. A DARK AND TWISTED TIDE BY SHARON BOLTON (MAY)
• 52. LOVING LEAH BY LYNNE LARSON (APR)
• 51. BLOOD HARVEST BY S.J. BOLTON (APR)
• 50. DEAD SCARED BY S.J. BOLTON (APR)
• 49. LOST BY S.J. BOLTON (APR)
• 48. THE HANGMAN BY LOUISE PENNY (APR)
• 47. IF SNOW HADN'T FALLEN BY S.J. BOLTON (APR)
• 46. KEEP ME POSTED BY LISA BEAZLEY (APR)
• 45. SACRIFICE BY S.J. BOLTON (APR)
• 44. LADY HELEN FINDS HER SONG (APR)
• 43. THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND BY KASIE WEST (APR)
• 42. AWAKENING BY S.J. BOLTON* (APR)
• 41. SILENT STING BY CLAIR M. POULSON (APR)
• 40. NOW YOU SEE ME BY S.J. BOLTON (APR)
• 39. DARK TIDES BY CHRIS EWAN (APR)
• 38. BY THE STARS BY LINDSAY B. FERGUSON (MAR)
• 37. PRETTY BABY BY MARY KUBICA (MAR)
• 36. BLACK RABBIT HALL BY EVE GRAVES (MAR)
• 35. LITTLE BLACK LIES BY SHARON BOLTON* (MAR)
• 34. THE TRACK OF THE CAT BY NEVADA BARR (MAR)
• 33. THE WILD INSIDE BY CHRISTINE CARBO (MAR)
• 32. THE SECRETS OF SOLACE BY JALEIGH JOHNSON (MAR)
• 31. WHAT WAS THE HINDENBURG? BY JANET B. PASCAL (MAR)
• 30. THE DEAD CAT BOUNCE BY SARAH GRAVES (MAR)
• 29. SMALL STEPS: THE YEAR I GOT POLIO BY PEG KEHRET (MAR)
• 28. ELIZABETH IS MISSING BY EMMA HEALEY (MAR)
• 27. THE TIME BETWEEN BY KAREN WHITE (MAR)
• 26. THE DARKEST CORNERS BY KARA THOMAS (MAR)
• 25. PAPER WISHES BY LOIS SEPAHBAN (MAR)
• 24. BURY YOUR DEAD BY LOUISE PENNY* (MAR)
• 23. THE BRUTAL TELLING BY LOUISE PENNY* (FEB)
• 22. INTO THE WILD BY JON KRAKEUER (FEB)
• 21. HAS TO BE LOVE BY JOLENE PERRY (FEB)
• 20. THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE BY KIMBERLY BRUBAKER BRADLEY (FEB)
• 19. FRONT LINES BY MICHAEL GRANT (FEB)
• 18. CALVIN BY MARTINE LEAVITT* (FEB)
• 17. THE WEDDING TREE BY ROBIN WELLS (FEB)
• 16. SURROUNDED BY SHARKS BY MICHAEL NORTHROP (FEB)
• 15. MORE THAN THE TATTOOED MORMON BY AL CARRAWAY* (FEB)
• 14. THE VIEW FROM PRINCE STREET BY MARY ELLEN TAYLOR (FEB)
• 13. COVER OF SNOW BY JENNY MILCHMAN (FEB)
• 12. THE GIRLS SHE LEFT BEHIND BY SARAH GRAVES* (FEB)
• 11. THE SEAFRONT TEAROOM BY VANESSA GREENE (FEB)
• 10. INVASION BY JON S. LEWIS (FEB)
• 9. WINTER AT THE DOOR BY SARAH GRAVES*(JAN)
• 8. JALA AND THE WOLVES BY MARTI DUMAS (JAN)
• 7. JUST LIKE ME BY NANCY J. CAVANAUGH (JAN)
• 6. INTO THIN AIR BY JON KRAKAUER* (JAN)
• 5. THE WIDOW BY FIONA BARTON (JAN)
• 4. THESE SHALLOW GRAVES BY JENNIFER DONNELLY* (JAN)
• 3. INDIAN SUMMER BY KERRI SUE JENSEN [A FRIEND'S MANUSCRIPT] (JAN)
• 2. THE OREGON TRAIL: A NEW AMERICAN JOURNEY BY RINKER BUCK (JAN)
• 1. THE PRECIOUS ONE BY MARISA DE LOS SANTOS (JAN)