Books of 2014

93 books (80 "real" books, 13 audiobooks)

Won on Goodreads: 9

Non-fiction / Memoirs: 20
Graphic Novels / Comics: 16
Classics: 8 (This is a low number for me!)

My original goal was 52 books, but that was kind of a cop-out. Based on years past, I knew I'd read at least 65 books. I always set these lowball goals just in case the year gets crazy. I don't think I'll be so unrealistic in 2015.

Like last year, I listened to audiobooks while running. Some time in the fall I ran out of good ones and switched to podcasts (Serial and BBC's The Archers, of course. On the Media is another current favorite). I'm sure I'll get back into audiobooks in 2015, but they were taking far too many runs to finish. The Lemony Snicket books are great for running (quick and funny), but I'm not a 9 year old so I felt a little odd spending my time on those...

Unlike last year, I did not have a particular challenge in mind. It was a relief to be able to read whatever I wanted. Unfortunately, I intended to make a sizable dent in my to-read shelf and that didn't happen. My shelf is jam-packed with books. I plan to organize it this weekend, but I'd estimate there are at least 100 books. Prior to this fall, I allowed myself to buy only $1 books at Half Price Books. As I realized I was reading more library books than those I owned, I stopped allowing myself to go to Half Price Books...

Anyway, without further ado... Most recent first. (Click to enlarge):

Complete List in ABC order by Author: (* = won on Goodreads)

1. Megan Abbott, Dare Me 
2. Daniel Abraham, A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1
3. Richard Adams, Watership Down
4. Tasha Alexander, Death in the Floating City (Lady Emily, #7)
5. Sarah Addison Allen, Lost Lake
6. Sophia Amoruso, #GIRLBOSS
7. Laurie Halse Anderson, The Impossible Knife of Memory
8. Jacob M Appel, The Biology of Luck * 
9. Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
10. Richard Bachman (Stephen King), The Running Man
11. Richard Bachman (Stephen King), The Long Walk
12. Jo Baker, Longbourn
13. Michael Barakiva, One Man Guy * 
14. Mac Barnett, Extra Yarn
15. Drew Barrymore, Find It in Everything
16. Melinda Tracy Boyce, AOA #1: The Daily Diary Comics of Melinda Boyce
17. Libba Bray, The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)
18. Libba Bray, Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle, #2)
19. Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, #3)
20. Kate Brian, Private (Private, #1)
21. Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
22. Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
23. Charles Burns, Black Hole
24. Willa Cather, Alexander's Bridge
25. Willa Cather, My Mortal Enemy
26. Daniel Clowes, David Boring
27. Gemma Correll, A Cat's Life
28. Michael Crichton, The Andromeda Strain
29. Roald Dahl, The Witches
30. Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
31. James Dashner, The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1)
32. Rob Delaney, Rob Delaney: Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage.
33. Sarah Dessen, Just Listen
34. Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key
35. Cory Doctorow, In Real Life
36. Lena Dunham, Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"
37. George Eliot, Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe
38. Nora Ephron, Heartburn
39. Stephanie Feuer, Drawing Amanda * 
40. Becca Fitzpatrick, Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2)
41. Matt Fraction, Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick
42. Michel Gagné, The Saga of Rex
43. Tavi Gevinson, Rookie Yearbook Two
44. John Green, The Space & The Cat and the Mouse
45. Lev Grossman, The Magician's Land (The Magicians, #3)
46. Samantha Hahn, Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most Beloved Heroines
47. Chelsea Handler, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
48. Matthew Inman, The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances
49. Rael Isacowitz, Pilates * 
50. Dave Isay, All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps
51. Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
52. Piper Kerman, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
53. Kazu Kibuishi, Explorer: The Hidden Doors
54. A.S. King, Reality Boy
55. Elsie Larson, A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home: Painting, Crafting, and Decorating a Cheerful, More Inspiring Space
56. Elsie Larson, A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book: 95 Inspiring Ideas for Photographing Your Friends, Your World, and Yourself
57. Jacques Lob, Snowpiercer, Vol. 1: The Escape
58. Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
59. Lisa McMann, Gasp (Visions, #3)
60. P.S. Meronek, Stay Another Night * 
61. Kristin Newman, What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding * 
62. Lauren Oliver, Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)
63. Lauren Oliver, Requiem (Delirium, #3)
64. Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall
65. Tonya Olsen, Room Recipes: A Creative and Stylish Guide to Interior Design
66. Wolfgang Parker, Missing (Crime Cats #1)
67. Gary Paulsen, Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books
68. Jodi Picoult, Where There's Smoke
69. Sophie Benini Pietromarchi, The Color Book * 
70. Amy Poehler, Yes Please
71. Celia Rivenbark, Rude Bitches Make Me Tired: Slightly Profane and Entirely Logical Answers to Modern Etiquette Dilemmas
72. Celia Rivenbark, You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl: Observations on Life from the Shallow End of the Pool
73. Vicki Robin, Blessing the Hands That Feed Us: What Eating Closer to Home Can Teach Us About Food, Community, and Our Place on Earth
74. Veronica Roth, Four: A Divergent Story Collection (Divergent, #0.1 - 0.4) * 
75. Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl
76. Rainbow Rowell, Attachments
77. Rainbow Rowell, Landline
78. J.K. Rowling, The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike, #2)
79. Louis Sachar, Holes (Holes, #1)
80. Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
81. Julie Schumacher, Dear Committee Members
82. Lemony Snicket, The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the First)
83. Lemony Snicket, The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #2)
84. Mariko Tamaki, This One Summer
85. Rob Thomas, The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars, #1)
86. Rufi Thorpe, The Girls from Corona del Mar * 
87. H.G.Wells, The Invisible Man
88. Julia Wertz, Drinking at the Movies
89. Aaron Whitaker, The City Troll
90. Suzanne Young, The Program (The Program, #1)
91. Gabrielle Zevin, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
92. Cecily von Ziegesar, You're the One That I Want (Gossip Girl, #6)
93. Cecily von Ziegesar, Cum Laude

Biggest Undertaking: House of Leaves. You can read my spoiler-free and short thoughts here. I began the book after a work trip to Dallas in the summer, took a three month break, then read it steadily through the end of November and into December. It was fantastic, but I can't recommend it to everyone. I'll probably move on to S. at some point (J.J. Abrams), but not until I find it at Half Price Books!

Next year: I may follow Popsugar's challenge... I may read more books on my to-read shelf... or I may go with the flow and read whatever I want!

If you're still reading, did we read any of the same books? Any recommendations? And as always, if you're on Goodreads, let's be friends.