I’ve been trying hard to reach my goal of 30 books in one year. For me, this is a BIG goal to reach. Being a writer means that whenever I take the time to read, it has to be for research purposes. If it ends up being a book that draws me in and holds my attention (it usually does!!), then it makes the process even more enjoyable.
Well, I’m happy to report that I’m up to book number 18. Yes, I have read 18 books this year. That’s over half my goal, but it still leaves me with 12 to go.
Can I do it? Yes, probably. And I will make sure to share the information about each book when I do.
For now, I’m going to post a picture of the books I’ve read so far and tell you a little about each one. Maybe it will inspire you to pick one of them up and give them a chance. Or, perhaps, you’ll set your own book goal and reach it!
All 18 Books I’ve Read in 2016
Now, I’ve already written about 3 of these books. You can find those posts HERE and HERE. So, without further ado, let’s discuss books 4-18.
The Summer I Became A Nerd- by Leah Rae Miller
This book is a super sweet romance between comics, a young girl trying to find her true identity and a boy who just wants to be himself. If you’re looking for a fast read with a cute love story that revolves around LARP, then this is the book for you! I read it because the author lives in the town I went to college in and she sprinkles in references to the town throughout the book.
The Girl on the Train–by Paula Hawkins
This was a request from my summer reading group. Honestly, it starts out really slow and it was difficult to get in to. Once it picks up, around chapter 4, it was difficult to put down! The ending is a bit peculiar. It is difficult to say if I liked this one or not. I’m glad I read it but throughout the entire book I couldn’t find one character that I identified as the good guy. It’s a jumbled mess of slacked off and mentally disturbed people, that’s for sure!
The Choice– by Nicholas Sparks
Can I just start this by saying that I LOVE Nicholas Sparks’ books? There has only been one of his books that I just did not like and that was because I didn’t realize there was a book before it that I needed to read. I read them out of order and it ruined it for me. But this book….this book is exactly why I love him so much! The choice that the main character must make is heartbreaking and I cried when he made it. In the end, it was the best choice for the characters and I love that their story was told so passionately.
Storm– by Nina Levine
O-M-G! Hot motorcycle men? Alpha personalities? Every now and again I just need to read a book where the man throws a little tantrum when the woman doesn’t listen and follow his orders. This was that book! It’s a quick and easy read with steamy romance. This would be my idea of a perfect beach read.
Storm Front– by Jim Butcher
My friend insisted that I would like this book if I read it. I wasn’t convinced. It is, after all, a sci-fi book. I admit, I wasn’t expecting to get very far in the book at all. But you know what? I read the entire book! And now I have the next 8 or so of the series on my book shelf just waiting for their turn to be devoured by my little eyes! This book has mystery and romance all in one. When the main character, who is a wizard, sets out to solve some magical problems he gets more than he bargained for when he realizes who is really behind all the trouble in his town. Throw in his sex crazed friend Bob, who lives inside of a skull and you’ve got the makings of a great story just waiting to be told!
Missed Connections– by Tamara Mataya
This book was an ARC from NetGalley. The concept of this book was something that you don’t see often in books. The main character has an addiction to reading the missed connections from her local paper. When she stumbles upon one about herself, she strikes up a relationship with the person, all the time thinking it’s someone other than who it really is. It’s an interesting read. Throw it in your bag and read it while you are waiting at the doctor’s office or to pick up the kids from school.
The Panty Whisperer– by Sloane Howell
Ok, I know. This is a taboo book for sure. The main character is a cocky ass who thinks he can seduce any woman within ten feet of him. And, because the author says so, he can and does. This was another quick read. It falls into the erotic category, for sure, so be prepared!
Cleat Chaser– by Celia Aaron and Sloane Howell
This was an interesting read for me. It’s written by a man and a woman who take turns writing the chapters. The male author writes the male lead and the female author writes the female lead. It was so interesting to see the characters through the eyes of the authors and how well the book melded together in the end. This is another fast, fun read that I recommend!
The Submissive– by Tara Sue Me
Ok, there seems to be a theme with these erotic, submissive type books. The cover of this book honestly pulled me in and I had to read it. This is the first in a series. Let me be honest here and say that I only read the first two books in the series and I do not have plans to read the others. For me, this book was too close to the Fifty Shades books. I could only think about the parallels while reading and never really got into the story line. If you are a Fifty Shades follower, this book may be a great read for you. Give it a try!
The Dominant– by Tara Sue Me
This book is the exact same as The Submissive only from the male main character’s point of view. I didn’t enjoy reading the same book twice, and for that reason I wouldn’t recommend this book. I never felt like I was truly seeing the story through a man’s eyes. The writing was too feminine to accomplish what the author was going after. This was sadly a miss for me.
Troublemaker– by Leah Remini
Oh how I love Leah Remini! She has been a huge celebrity favorite of mine for some time. I picked up this book solely based on the fact that she wrote it. I had no idea what I would find when I read it. Let me tell you, she does not hold back in this book. It is one of the most refreshing looks at Hollywood and Scientology that I have ever come across. I recommend this book if you are a Leah Remini fan, if you are curious about Scientology or if you want to get an insider look at Tom Cruise’s crazy antics.
True Believer– by Nicholas Sparks
This is the first book in a series. At First Sight is the second book. I did not know this and I ended up reading AFS before True Believer. That made it difficult to go back and read this one, but I did it because I hated At First Sight and I thought if I read the first one, then maybe it would change my mind. And it did! It answered a lot of questions that I had from reading the second book first. So, if read in order, I highly recommend these two books by Mr. Sparks.
Three Day Summer– by Sarvenaz Tash
Have you ever wondered what Woodstock was like? For some reason the thought of all of those people in that tiny field fascinates me. So when I saw that this book was centered around the festival, I knew I had to read it. This is a book of hippies, love, sex and acceptance. It’s a must read for anyone with an interest in Woodstock.
Easy– by Tamara Webber
This book focuses on rape, or almost rape, and the stigma’s surrounding it. It’s a book filled with secrets and lies that cover up a girl’s almost rape on her college campus. Her savior during the attack shows up throughout the book and finally helps her realize that she’s the victim. The secrets kept between two people bloom into a sweet love story.
The Distance Between Us– by Kasie West
This book is the typical rich guy, poor girl plot. She can’t be seen with him, he just wants to save her. It was a sweet read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys this particular set up. Oh, and there’s a slight twist at the end that left me a little unsure about how I felt about the whole story. If you like surprise endings, this might be the book for you.
Have you read any interesting books lately? Any suggestions for some I might need to add to my to read pile (Not that it isn’t already three thousand miles long)? I look forward to your suggestions. Also, let me know if you’ve read any of the books above and what your thoughts were on them!
Mary Louise Moore 