My 2017 Book List

2016 Book List
2015 Book List
2014 Book List
2013 Book List
2012 Book List
2011 Book List

* readaloud with Bug
+ audiobook

Click on each month's name to see more info on my thoughts!

January
1:   The Nix by Nathan Hill (628 pages)
2:   The Wizard of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (189 pages)
3:   A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (205 pages)
4:   Feverborn (Fever series) by Karen Marie Moning (433 pages)
5:   Study Hall of Justice (Super Hero Society series) by Derek Fridolfs* (175 pages)
6:   Feversong (Fever series) by Karen Marie Moning (501 pages)
7:   The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier+ (267 pages)
8:   The Little Book of Hygge:  The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking (240 pages)
9:   Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (320 pages)
10: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris+ (272 pages)
3,230 pages

February
11: Dr. Maniac Will See You Now (Goosebumps series) by R.L. Stine* (138 pages)
12: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison+ (337 pages)
13: The First Four Years (Little House on the Prairie series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder (135 pages)
14: The Burning Page (The Invisible Library series) by Genevieve Cogman (356 pages)
15: Shelter by Jung Yun (336 pages)
16: Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (307 pages)
17: The Marvelous Land of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (319 pages)
18: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest+ (416 pages)
19: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson* (128 pages)
20: The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma+ (304 pages)
21: The Shack by William Paul Young (248 pages)
22: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber (32 pages)
23: The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez+ (286 pages)
24: The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh by Kathryn Aalto (286 pages)
25: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo* (268 pages)
26: Attack on Titan Volume 1 by Hajime Isayama (193 pages)
3,989 pages

March
27: Attack on Titan Volume 2 by Hajime Isayama (184 pages)
28: Attack on Titan Volume 3 by Hajime Isayama (208 pages)
29: Attack on Titan Volume 4 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
30: Attack on Titan Volume 5 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
31: On the Way Home by Laura Ingalls Wilder (101 pages)
32: Fort Solitude (Super Hero Society Series) by Derek Fridolfs* (176 pages)
33: Attack on Titan Volume 6 by Hajime Isayama (208 pages)
34: Attack on Titan Volume 7 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
35: Attack on Titan Volume 8 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
36: Attack on Titan Volume 9 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
37: Attack on Titan Volume 10 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
38: Trigg's Ozark Tour at Shawnee National Forest by Todd Carr (128 pages)
3,269 pages

April
39: Attack on Titan Volume 11 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
40: Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary* (208 pages)
41: The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton* (256 pages)
42: Attack on Titan Volume 12 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
43: Attack on Titan Volume 13 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
44: Attack on Titan Volume 14 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
45: Attack on Titan Volume 15 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
46: Attack on Titan Volume 16 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
47: Attack on Titan Volume 17 by Hajime Isayama (192 pages)
48: The 26-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton* (352 pages)
2,160 pages

May
49: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (850 pages)
50: The 39-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton* (352 pages)
51: The Host by Stephanie Meyer (620 pages)
52: Alex (Cold Fury Hockey series) by Sawyer Bennet (224 pages)
53: Ozma of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (182 pages)
54: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (940 pages)
55: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (299 pages)
56: Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard (175 pages)
57: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (208 pages)
3,850 pages

June
58: Stuart Little by E.B. White* (131 pages)
59: Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money by Dave Ramsey (330 pages)
60: The Line (Witching Savannah series) by J.D. Horn (296 pages)
61: The Shining by Stephen King (447 pages)+
62: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (251 pages)+
63: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pages)
64: Beartown by Fredrik Backman (432 pages)
65: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (393 pages) 
66: Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente (352 pages)
67: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (224 pages)+
3,178 pages

July
68: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (256 pages)*
69: The 52-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (336 pages)*
70: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1,273 pages)
71: Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (180 pages)
72: The 65-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (240 pages)*
73: The Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (208 pages)
2,493 pages

August
74: Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne (161 pages)
75: Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips (288 pages)
76: The Fifth Wave (The Fifth Wave series) by Rick Yancy (457 pages)
77: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (292 pages)
78: The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (145 pages)
79: Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas by Jonathan W. Stokes (336 pages)
1,679 pages

September
80: Child Star: An Autobiography by Shirley Temple Black (546 pages)
81: The Infinite Sea (The Fifth Wave series) by Rick Yancy (300 pages)
82: Peony in Love by Lisa See (287 pages)
83: Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King (384 pages)
84: The Road to Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (181 pages)
85: The Last Star (The Fifth Wave series) by Rick Yancy (338 pages)
86: The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snickett (176 pages)+
87: Number the Stars by Lois Lawry (137 pages) +
88: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (449 pages)
2,798 pages

October
89: A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan (496 pages)
90: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Illustrated Edition by JK Rowling (248 pages)*
91: The Emerald City of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (209 pages)
92: Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate (256 pages) +
93: Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (134 pages)*
94: All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater (320 pages)
95: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (558 pages)
96: Stranger the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (538 pages) 
97: Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (120 pages)
98: Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Chronicles by Kate DiCamillo (233 pages)
99: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (525 pages)
100: Ghostbusters Movie Novelization by Stacia Deutsch (144 pages)*
101: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (288 pages)
102: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (352 pages)
103: Strider by Beverly Cleary (176 pages)*
4,741 pages

November
104: The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova (478 pages)
105: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (531 pages)
106: The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds (80 pages)
107: The Princess Bride by William Goldman (450 pages)
108: Push by Sapphire (192 pages)
109: The Patchwork Girl of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (160 pages)
110: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (225 pages)
111: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (337 pages) +
112: Gerald's Game by Stephen King (332 pages)
113: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (326 pages)
114: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (369 pages)
115: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Reading by Alexandra Bracken (362 pages)
116: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan (448 pages)
117: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (277 pages)
118: The Leavers by Lisa Ko (352 pages)
119: The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo (281 pages)
5,200 pages

December
120: Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich (267 pages)
121: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee (513 pages)
122: Tik-Tok of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (182 pages)
123: The Scarecrow of Oz (Oz series) by L. Frank Baum (208 pages)
124: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (304 pages)
125: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition by JK Rowling (259 pages)*
126: The Disney Book by Jim Fanning (195 pages)
127: Strange Weather by Joe Hill (432 pages)

September 2017 Books

I made up for the lack of books in August and finished September with a grand total of nine books. I finished off the 5th Wave series, a couple of chunky books, and got back into listening to audiobooks in the car.

My favorite this month was surprisingly Little Women.  I started this book years ago and barely read a chapter because I just wasn't feeling it but this time around I could not stop reading it every spare chance I had. 

Goose's Twelfth Birthday

My baby turned twelve a few weeks ago and it broke my heart.  She's supposed to be a little girl on my hip for the rest of my life.  :(

For her birthday cake she wanted another computer game cake.  This year it was Animal Jam and she asked for this very specific top hat.  I tried my hardest and she said she liked it so I guess that's all that matters, but this was probably the hardest homemade cake I've ever made.

 We have a whole slew of annual celebrations that we do for birthdays in our house.  They get to pick a cake and homemade meal, a restaurant to eat at (no holds barred in this area), and we try to do a special party or event.  Goose wanted me to cook chicken quesadilla's, to eat the big man steak at Patti's Settlement and then take her best friend to Holiday World.  We bought season passes for all of us at Christmas and they were best present idea ever.  We've already gone four times this summer and we still have a month left on our passes.

For her birthday morning I covered her door in crepe paper but she's a moody preteen girl and refused to come through it.  So she carefully peeled off some tape and stepped through it for a few days until I finally took it down.  *sigh*

 For her quesadilla's I throw a buttered tortilla into a skillet, cover it entirely with cheese (Fiesta is my fave!), put cooked chicken, crumbled bacon, and pico de gallo over half and once the cheese gets a little melty you can flip the other side over the one with all the toppings.  A couple minutes to brown and it's done.  It's Goose's current favorite Mom Meal.

We took them to Patti's for the first time last Christmas and even though it was bitterly cold, we had a fun time walking around and looking at all the lights.  This time it was a lot nicer weather, but we I think we all kind of preferred the winter experience.

Goose got her steak and was a happy girl.

We took her to Holiday World and it poured on us most of the day but it cleared the parks out and her and her BFF spent the entire day riding roller coasters over and over.

I love you, little Goose!  You are silly and beautiful and so smart.  You were my number one baby.

August 2017 Books

We went to Disney World in August and the older I get the harder it is for me to read in the car so my completed number really isn't all that great.  They were almost all kids books, too.  Oh well.  At least I read!

My favorite books this month were Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips and The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy.  The Yancy was a reread and I loved it even more the second time around.  The rest of the series isn't that great but this first one I just love. 

Disney World 2017

We surprised the girls with a trip to Orlando a few weeks ago and it was a secret six months in the making.  The girls woke up at six in the morning and we told them they were going to Disney World and we were leaving right then and there.

Before Disney we ate dinner at Medieval Times and it was probably the highlight of the trip for us.  The girls are already asking when we're going back.

Beside the castle is an authentic medieval village and you could go inside them.  We only went through the torture chamber but it was really interesesting.

The last time we stayed at Disney we were in one of the moderate resorts and we both agreed that the amount of time we actually spent in our hotel was not worth the extra money so this time we went for one of the value resorts.  And it was not the best choice.  The hotel was clean and fun but it was in desperate need of an upgrade.  The girls loved that our maid posed their dolls everyday, though!

We only spent one day in each park and while we got to ride pretty much everything we wanted to, it would have been nicer to take our time and not power walk through the parks.  I walked 25,000 steps the first day alone!

We've already decided we're going back quicker than five years like we did this time.  We love Disney!

July 2017 Books

I only finished six books in the month of July which was one of my smaller months, BUT I did finally finish the monstrosity that is War and Peace.  FINALLY.  

I'd been working on this since the first of the year and it was a chore, not going to lie.  I finally just forced myself to read at least ten pages a day.  I figured ten pages isn't much but every little bit counts and I normally managed to do around 15 pages instead of 10.  Once I started that the book finally started to seem manageable.  It was a big day when I finished.

Those MinaLima classic editions of Peter Pan and The Beauty and the Beast are beautiful and they're interactive.  I love them. The books themselves are a little boring but everything is more fun with a pull-out or pop-up!

Random Things I've Loved Lately

It's been ages since I made a random post of things I'm loving so here's just a hodgepodge of pretty pictures and stuff I'm obsessed with lately.

I was introduced to Larabars back in January when I did my first 28 Day Reset round.  They're these snack bars that only have a few ingredients in them and they. are. amazing.  I buy them in bulk every time I go to the store.  Peanut Butter Cookie is just the best thing ever.  I savor them like a candy bar.  So, so good!

I worked my butt off during this last year.  Most days I was gone between 10 and 6 and there were quite a few days where I worked 7-6.  So I rewarded myself with a handful of Barnes and Noble orders.  There's nothing I like better than beautiful books.  Usually I buy for my girls or when it's for me I only order books I've read through the library and loved.  There's nothing I hate worse than spending $15-$20 on a book and hating it.  The MinaLima editions of classics are an exception.  I buy every one that comes out because it's not just the story I want to enjoy, it's the whole experience.  They are worth the money.  I already have the entire Harry Potter collection but I want to start reading them with Bug and I thought she would enjoy the illustrated versions so I'm going to slowly start to collect them, too.

If you have a Krispy Kreme near you then run, don't walk, and get there before the Cake Batter donuts are gone.  They are the best donut I've ever eaten and Goose can literally eat five in one sitting.  She's unstoppable when it comes to the Cake Batter flavor.  I love sitting at the table with a yummy donut and a hot cup of coffee and not moving for a while because there's a book in my lap. 

*sidenote- this book was horrible

I know this post is heavy on the books, but it's honestly because books are a huge part of my life.  I rarely leave the house without one because you never know when you need something to read.  Growing up my parents spoiled me with books.  They were so cheap and I read so much that pretty much every time we went to town I got a new one.  Wal-Mart came out with the Wizard of Oz paperbacks around the time I was in sixth grade and I eagerly started collecting them.  I never got them all but I had a decent amount that I absolutely loved.  Oz became my favorite fantasy world and over the years I've gone a little crazy in my collection.  I'm rereading the series now and trying to go slow with no more than one book a month but it's so hard!