Books Read But Not Reviewed ~ A Much Longer List Than I Realized

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When I was young, I read an incredible ghost story. It was about a kid who went to spend every summer with their grandparents. They played with a girl that lived nearby every year. As the years went by, the kid noticed that the girl used to be older than them, then they were the same age, and now they were older than her. It turns out that the other child is the ghost of a girl who died when her house burned down. That’s all I remember. And the kid catching fireflies in a jar with their grandparents. I tried to track it down for years, but I don’t remember its name or the author.

Since beginning that struggle, I decided to write down every book I read so that I’d never have that issue again. I started my list in 2009, but that year is a hodge-podge because I decided to do this at the end of the year and couldn’t remember everything I’d read. Every year afterward, I kept a list in a notebook. After finishing a book, I write it and the author down so I don’t lose track. Looking back over this list, it’s funny that some books come back in vivid clarity while there are other titles that I read with no recollection of the story behind them.

Good or bad, here’s every book I’ve read from 2009 to the present. You’ll know the rest because of the reviews, so I won’t be adding to this list. If you see a star next to a book, that’s because I starred it in my notebook. It means that that particular book really struck a chord with me, and I loved it. Let me know if you’ve read any of the same!

Books Read in 2009

Books Read in 2010

Books Read in 2011

You can see my Nancy Drew obsession came back out during 2011. One can never have too much Nancy Drew! Fun fact: my mom, two of my friends, and I, competed in a jigsaw puzzle building contest that the Austin Public Library had put on. We named ourselves Nancy and the Drews. We took first place. It was one of the best gifts I could ever give my mother. As a child, she wanted to be a professional puzzle builder!

Me with my mom and two friends after winning first prize in a jigsaw puzzle building contest. Learn a little more about me!

Books Read In 2012

I’m sure you noticed the smattering of Titanic-related books for 2012. That year was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and my now-husband and I booked passage on the Titanic Memorial Cruise. If you’re at all interested in what that is, check out our travel blog to learn more about the trip. You’ll notice more Titanic books in the following year since I bought quite a few during our trip.

This was also the year I read Harry Potter for the first time. I was 23. I devoured them. I read a book and then watched the film. I read every book and watched every film in 19 days. The magic came alive for me. I’ve been hooked ever since. Roar Roar Gryffindor!

Books Read In 2013

Books Read In 2014

Books Read In 2015

Books Read In 2016

During 2016, I participated in a reading challenge with a friend of mine. There were over 40 categories if I remember correctly, and I didn’t finish them all. However, I was really proud of how many I got through! I read some really great books that I would never have picked up on my own (like Open by Andre Agassi). I also read some books that I had to force myself to finish and really didn’t enjoy (looking at you Soldier, Ask Not). I’m not sure if I’ll ever do another reading challenge for the year, but it was fun to try!

Books Read In 2017

Books Read In 2018

A quick note on Will’s War. I read the book because I booked an audition for the play, written by the author’s grandson. The book is based on the real-life of the author’s grandfather. I booked a small role in the play and got to know the author and the rest of the family. It is a wonderful book and an incredible story. If you’re anywhere near Seguin, TX, stop by and pay your respects at the local cemetery to a few of the people written about in the book.

Books Read In 2019

Books Read In 2020

Books Read In 2021 Before Starting The Blog

And there you have it, folks, whether you wanted it or not. If you’ve read any of these, comment below and let me know what you thought of them! I’d love to chat about any of these!
Cheers,
Lydia