January:
* Remy Sneakers vs. the Robo-Rats by Kevin Sherry - From the man that created The Yeti Files! This book was a super cute way to kick off the year.
In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
* Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh - John Waters recommended this book and it was a solid read. I really identified with Eileen and so did not see the ending coming at all.
February:
* The Bitch by Jackie Collins
Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
* Princess Diarist ¹ by Carrie Fisher - This was great because Carrie Fisher recorded the audiobook and had her daughter, Billie Lourd, read young Carrie's diary entries.
The Taming by Jude Deveraux
* Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas - The one that got me crazy hooked on Lisa Kleypas romance novels. I spent all of March reading only her books.
March:
Marrying Winterbourne by Lisa Kleypas
Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
The Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
* Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
April:
♥ Enter Whining by Fran Drescher
♥ Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
♥ Gangsta Granny by David Walliams
Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire
* I Loved Her in the Movies ¹ by Robert J. Wagner
She Persisted ¹ by Chelsea Clinton
Go Set a Watchman ¹ by Harper Lee - No surprise that I prefer To Kill a Mockingbird, but I thought that Reese Witherspoon did a really good job narrating the audiobook version.
Big Magic ¹ by Elizabeth Gilbert
♥ Along the Way by Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez
♥ Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself ¹ by Alan Alda - Alan Alda. I mean, how can you go wrong? You can't. I wish he wrote more books.
abandoned:
The Bigfeet: Attack of the Kraken by Kevin Sherry
On Bowie by Rob Sheffield
The BFG by Roald Dahl (I just couldn't get into it....)
May:
Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
The Science of Kissing by Sheril Kirshenbaum
June:
* High Styles by Buddy Walton
My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris
Smoke and Mirrors by Michael Faudet - I loved Michael Faudet's Dirty Pretty Things but his last two didn't spark with me like I'd hoped. So I passed those on to Kayla, who adored them.
* Remy Sneakers and the Lost Treasure by Kevin Sherry - a fun follow up to the Robo-Rats and I scored a signed copy from Atomic Books in Charm City, author Kevin Sherry's hometown (psst....I read online that he was born in South Jersey, though!)
♥ Dog Man: Unleashed by Dav Pilkey
July:
Things Are What You Make of Them by Adam J. Kurtz
Here We Go Again ¹ ² by Betty White - Betty White does a fab job of narrating her books but I wish this was an unabridged reading.
What We Carry by Dorianne Laux - Ani DiFranco mentioned Dorianne Laux a while back and her poems are unique and lovely.
♥ Demon Dentist by David Walliams
* Fight Back and Win ¹ ² by Gloria Allred - Again, as with Ms. White, I would have preferred Gloria Allred to have performed the full version of this book. That said, it was wonderful to learn more about her life and the challenges she has met and conquered.
Nightmares! ¹ by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller
Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath
Oddfellows Orphanage by Emily Winfield Martin
* If You Ask Me by Betty White - I really liked this book and it was a super fast read. Betty White is just seriously too cool.
In Such Good Company ¹ by Carol Burnett
* The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace
Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory
Soft Magic by Upile Chisala
Sharing Good Times ¹ by Jimmy Carter
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ¹ ² by John LeCarre - John LeCarre was superb and gave each character their own voice and likeness, but I'm still not smart enough to follow this story.
Notes from a Small Island ¹ ² by Bill Bryson - Meh. I preferred Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods which had me crying from laughing at every turn.
August:
The Viscount and the Vixen by Lorraine Heath
♥ Tales of the City ¹ by Armistead Maupin
How to Think More About Sex ¹ by Alain de Botton
* Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties by Dav Pilkey
Nancy Drew: The Hidden Staircase ¹ by Carolyn Keene
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ¹ by Robert Louis Stevenson
Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock ¹ by Carolyn Keene - I'm on the fence regarding Laura Linney (I liked her in Tales, couldn't stand her wimpy-wishy-washy character in Love, Actually, thought she was dreadful in Mystic River, then liked her in Kinsey - I'm all over the place with my opinion of her.) but she was fresh and energetic in her reading of Ms. Nancy Drew.
Paddle Your Own Canoe ¹ by Nick Offerman
Seeing Voices ¹ by Oliver Sacks
Vengeance Is Mine ¹ ² by Mickey Spillane
* All in All ¹ by Stacy Keach
* Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
* Murder on the Orient Express ¹ by Agatha Christie - Kenneth Branagh narrated the audio version and did a spectacular job. I couldn't stand his film version but his performance on the audiobook was spot-on.
Yes, Please ¹ by Amy Poehler
Gift from the Sea ¹ by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help ¹ by Amanda Palmer
♥ More Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
abandoned:
Status Anxiety ¹ by Alain de Botton
House of Tomorrow ¹ by Peter Bognanni
September:
Cautionary Tales ¹ by Stephen Tobolowsky - This was a short lil' book by Stephen Tobolowsky and as you may expect from him, it was pretty damn funny.
♥ I Must Say ¹ by Martin Short
♥ Further Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin - This was without question one of the best of the entire series. I was sick in Dublin, sitting in bed under the blankets, surrounded by mugs of tea and crumpled tissues completely unable to put this book down.
♥ The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams
No One Belongs Here More Than You ¹ by Miranda July
* I'm Just a Person by Tig Notaro
Me Talk Pretty One Day ¹ by David Sedaris - I have absolutely no memory of this book whatsoever.
Cringeworthy ¹ by Melissa Dahl
The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrigan Byrne
Coraline ¹ by Neil Gaiman
♥ Tales of the City ¹ by Armistead Maupin
♥ The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
The World is Round ¹ by Gertrude Stein
The Camino ¹ ² by Shirley MacLaine
* The Year of Magical Thinking ¹ by Joan Didion - My first Joan Didion book and I will definitely be checking out her other work very soon.
♥ Further Tales of the City ¹ by Armistead Maupin - I had to listen to this book because it was read by Frances McDormand. Oh how I wish she had read the entire series and not just Tales and Further Tales.
* The Big Tiny ¹ by Dee Williams
* Babycakes by Armistead Maupin
The Gifts of Imperfection ¹ by Brené Brown
♥ Grandpa's Great Escape ¹ by David Walliams
abandoned:
Uncommon Type ¹ by Tom Hanks
Wildflower ¹ by Drew Barrymore
October:
♥ Keep Moving ¹ by Dick Van Dyke
* Carrie and Me ¹ by Carol Burnett - Carol Burnett's book for her daughter and everything they all went through regarding her addictions showed the side of a woman not often seen - her strength. She always seems happy-go-lucky and carefree, which I'm sure she is, but this book showcased her determination to do everything she possibly could to help her child overcome something that could have easily swallowed her whole. I was extremely impressed by her outstanding parenting skills and dedication to family.
* It's Always Something ¹ ² by Gilda Radner
* Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero ¹ by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
The Midnight Gang by David Walliams
♥ The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
* Jaws ¹ by Peter Benchley - The first chapter of this book, where the story unfolds from the shark's point of view, had me terrified! I was driving home late at night and was seriously spooked. Aside from some of the side stories about Chief Brody's wife Ellen, which dragged a bit, this was damn good entertainment.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - This was one of those required reading books in high school that I never bothered to crack open. It was decent enough and Tim Robbins narration was excellent. (But his telling of The Great Gatsby is sublime. I listened to it years ago and wish he'd do more audiobooks.)
* Anthem ¹ by Ayn Rand - When I saw a short Ayn Rand novel, I had to give it a listen.
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
♥ Bid Time Return ¹ by Richard Matheson - I knew this story from the film Somewhere in Time but the ending still killed me. I was reduced to a sobbing mess.
* Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
* A Stir of Echoes ¹ by Richard Matheson - Another engrossing Richard Matheson story.
Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin
Hell House ¹ by Richard Matheson
* Of Mice and Men ¹ by John Steinbeck - Beautifully read by Gary Sinise, whose film version is pure perfection.
A Man Without a Country ¹ by Kurt Vonnegut
* As You Wish ¹ by Cary Elwes - Cary Elwes and crew tell us all about the making of one of the most memorable and delightful movies of all time and it was such a treat.
♥ Dog Man: Unleashed by Dav Pilkey
* The Amityville Horror ¹ by Jay Anson - Very well written and mega creepy.
* My Stroke of Luck ¹ by Kirk Douglas - Kirk Douglas read the beginning and end of his account of the stroke he had in 1996 with his son Michael reading everything in between.
* Charlotte's Web ¹ by E.B. White
* Significant Others by Armistead Maupin
* Girl Walks Into A Bar ¹ by Rachel Dratch - So nice to get to know more about Rachel Dratch, who always came across as down to earth and zany. Her book proves that.
The Time Machine ¹ by H.G. Wells
*Black Like Me ¹ by John Howard Griffin - One of those books that I had always heard about but never read. Extremely interesting.
* If This Isn't Nice, What Is? ¹ by Kurt Vonnegut - Kurt Vonnegut's collection of commencement speeches is so worth a listen.
♥ Sure of You by Armistead Maupin
♥ If Chins Could Kill ¹ by Bruce Campbell - I met Bruce Campbell in June of 2001 and it's taken me this long to finally read, or rather, have Bruce read his book to me. It was so good that I felt sad and a lil' guilty that I hadn't picked it up sooner.
* I Feel Bad About My Neck ¹ by Nora Ephron - Nora Ephron had me cracking up with this book and hearing her read it was the cherry on top.
* Lullaby ¹ by Jonathan Maberry - This was a free short story that I got with my Audible membership and I liked it, especially with Scott Brick reading it. Oh that man is too good.
* Goosebumps: You Can't Scare Me by R.L. Stine
On Her Majesty's Secret Service ¹ by Ian Fleming - I was swooning listening to David Tennant, but in the end, it was a Bond book and clearly written for men from a different era. Just not my thing.
* I Remember Nothing ¹ by Nora Ephron - Another hit from the fabulous Nora Ephron.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ¹ by Lewis Carroll
* An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
abandoned:
Still Foolin' 'Em ¹ by Billy Crystal - I love Billy Crystal, but this book felt like it was straight out of some routine by a comic in the 1950s at a Catskills resort. And not in a good way.
Treasure Island ¹ by Robert Louis Stevenson
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning ¹ by Lemony Snicket - God-awful audiobook - I was hoping to have Tim Curry read to me but the sound effects and the other actors reading each character was not my cup of tea. I loved the book when I read it years ago, but this audiobook...horrible.
November:
* Mr. Stink ¹ by David Walliams
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ¹ by Ian Fleming
Mary Poppins ¹ by P.L. Travers
♥ Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin
* Around the World in 80 Days ¹ by Jules Verne - Jim Dale. He's one of the best in the biz and this story was an escape from reality and just so delivered a wonderful ending. I really, really liked it.
♥ Michael Tolliver Lives ¹ by Armistead Maupin
* Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day ¹ by Winifred Watson - Frances McDormand read the audiobook and as soon as it was done I had to find my copy of the film and re-watch it for the dozen-th time.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
* From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler ¹ by E.L. Konigsburg - Brilliantly read by Jill Clayburgh.
* Little Leaders ¹ by Vashti Harrison
* The Power of Compassion ¹ ² by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
* Maybe the Moon by Armistead Maupin
♥ The Exorcist ¹ by William Peter Blatty
The Da Vinci Code ¹ by Dan Brown - This started out strong then lost me toward the end.
* Rosemary's Baby ¹ by Ira Levin - Mia Farrow's reading of this was exceptional. I was hanging on her every word.
* The BFG ¹ by Roald Dahl - I had tried to listen to this book as read by David Walliams but just couldn't get into it. That was in April. I gave it another go and really enjoyed it! Made me want to check out lots more from Roald Dahl.
* James and the Giant Peach ¹ by Roald Dahl
* The Camera My Mother Gave Me ¹ by Susanna Kaysen
* George's Marvelous Medicine ¹ by Roald Dahl
abandoned:
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler ¹ by E.L. Konigsburg (note that this version was read by Jan Miner)
Motherless Brooklyn ¹ by Jonathan Lethem
Notorious RBG ¹ by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
Sin Bravely ¹ by Maggie Rowe
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry ¹ by Neil deGrasse Tyson - I am just not an intellectual and couldn't focus and follow along. Maybe I'll try it again some other time.
December:
* The Godfather ¹ by Mario Puzzo
* Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin
* And The Band Played On ¹ by Randy Shilts
* A Bear Called Paddington ¹ by Michael Bond - Stephen Fry was so good as the narrator!
♥ Logical Family ¹ by Armistead Maupin
* Christmas in Plains ¹ by Jimmy Carter - Jimmy Carter is a lovely man and his voice is almost as soothing as Bob Ross'!
* Matilda ¹ by Roald Dahl - Wow. Kate Winslet had me in stitches with this! I can't believe it took me this long to become addicted to Roald Dahl's books.
Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi
My Father's Dragon ¹ by Ruth Stiles Gannett - Jackson and I listened to the audio version, but I still prefer my own inner voices and turning the pages. This was a book I found in the library at my grade school and I've loved it ever since.
The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin
* The Mayor of Castro Street ¹ by Randy Shilts
* A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas
♥ Kisses, She Wrote by Katharine Ashe - After two very serious books this month I wanted to end on a frivolous holiday note. This novella from Katharine Ashe was a great end to my year of reading and the main characters were endearing as hell.
abandoned:
Octopussy/The Living Daylights ¹ by Ian Fleming
Dumplin' ¹ by Julie Murphy
Clearly I read a fair amount of silly historical romances in the beginning of the year but then got into scary audiobooks in October and ended the year with loads of young adult stories from Roald Dahl and of course, the Tales of the City series. What I learned: I do not like audiobooks or regular books on serious topics that are written in relaxed, "wink-wink, nudge-nudge", voices. I understand an author’s desire to connect to the reader and not come across as a textbook, but the "am I right?"s and "ya know?!"s feel glib. As if the author wasn't 100% serious about their subject. I also resent authors who read an abridged (!!!) version of their own story (John Le Carre, I'm talking to you). Except in Gilda's case, since she was extremely ill at the time of the reading and passed away a month later. Then again, the world would forgive Gilda for just about anything. I hope to continue reading lots and lots in the coming years and writing even more.
If it's true that you can tell a lot about someone by the books they read, I wonder what mine say about me? Do the romance novels paint me as a hopeless romantic or a sad-sack spinster? Am I a coming-into-his-own gay man, trying to read up on the countless lives lost to a plague and longing to have lived life in 1970s San Francisco? Perhaps I'm a seven year old child that loves tall tales and silly stories about a half-dog half-cop or a sneaker wearing raccoon. Or maybe I'm a stately old granny that voted for Jimmy Carter, enjoys a love story set in the 1890s, and admires people my age like Carol Burnett, Dick Van Dyke, and Betty White. Then again, I could be a lazy teenager trying to get through required reading from Ray Bradbury, Steinbeck, and Wells who sneaks in a James Bond book every now and then. I like to think that I'm complex enough to be a bit of all these.
¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so. Those that were abandoned were deemed dreadful and not worthy of my time or too tough to follow.
TIPS:
For copies of any of Armistead Maupin's works, please visit his website here and as of this writing, you can request a signed copy from the man himself. Does it get any better than that? I say nay-nay!
David Walliams books are fun for anyone at any age and I can't recommend them enough. Please visit his site for more info and to find out what's coming up next.
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