This year I hit an all-time high number of books read – 55! Up from 52 in 2016.

Another important book-reading number: 2 readers inspired! Sharing my 2016 reading journey partially-inspired Megan H. and Sam A. to set their own lofty reading goals for 2017. And I couldn’t be prouder of these book-lovers for all their reading! Remember: having fun isn’t hard when you have a library card.

My 2017 challenge from Matt H. was to read more nonfiction. I barely succeeded – all my nonfiction reads were pregnancy and baby-related. This means I learned zero cool new facts about WWII and at least six facts about what happens to your hair after you have a baby. (Summary: it doesn’t sound great)

Because of this new baby I’ve been reading so much about, I am expecting my 2018 book-reading numbers to take a hit. I’m keeping my goal low and hope to still fit in any celebrity memoirs.

I’m also hoping that I raise an avid reader – is it too soon to open a Goodreads account for my unborn child?! (Gotta start collecting those stats for My Little Blue Truck and all the Dr. Seuss we can handle!)

Here are my previous years’ book summaries: 2012, 2013, 2016

I used Goodreads to keep track of everything. And as usual, just because I read a book in 2017 doesn’t mean it was published in 2017. Here are my thoughts:

Go-to recommendations when someone asks “what should I read?”
All the Ugly And Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood
You will feel strange about loving a book where an older man and a young girl fall in love. But you should still read it.
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
I found it funny and really liked the characters.
The Nix by Nathan Hill
Super long but once you get into it, so great.
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
I love a good family drama!
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
This was trending towards the science-fiction side with a post-apocalyptic world but I found it super interesting. One of those “makes you think what you would do in that kind of situation” thinkers.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
I was late to this party as this book was a big deal in 2015, but it did not disappoint. Plus, good historical fiction can make you feel better about your trashy reads.

Best food related book:
Give a Girl a Knife by Amy Thielen
Almost makes you want to live off the grid and can pickles all day. Almost.

Best made me cry:
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I haven’t shed this many tears over a book since I got to the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. (See also: pregnancy)

Best celebrity books:
Modern Love by Aziz Ansari
When Alex and I started dating neither of us had texting plans on our phones. So I felt like an old lady shaking my head and saying “back in my day” while listening to this book. (I recommend the audio version!)
The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines
If you’re a Gaines fan, there’s everything to love about this book (spoiler alert: Chip was pretty clueless about babies).

Books I was excited about because of the author and then I didn’t love it:
Turtles All the Way Down
I thought John Green could do no wrong and his latest was just OK.
I’ll Take You There by Wally Lamb
I’m a huge Wally Lamb fan. His book, This Much I Know is True, is my all-time favorite and I re-read it as often as possible. I should have just re-read that and skipped this one.