For a few years now I have tracked my reading list, both craft of writing titles and fiction. I won’t break any records for books read per year, but if I finish a book it’s because I valued it (I finally gave up finishing books I wasn’t enjoying a few years ago). If you have any comments or questions about any of these titles, please let me know.
2018
January:
NPCs (Spells, Swords, & Stealth, book 1) by Drew Hayes
Split the Party (Spells, Swords, & Stealth, book 2) by Drew Hayes
Going Rogue (Spells, Swords, & Stealth, book 3) by Drew Hayes
Ink and Bone (The Great Library, book 1) by Rachel Caine
February:
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
The Eyre Affair by Fford – did not enjoy and abandoned
March:
Artemis: abandoned
Breakthrough by Michael C. Grumley
April:
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by KM Weiland
Leap (Breakthrough book 2) by Michael C. Grumley
Red Sneaker Writing Series book 3: Perfecting Plot: Charting the Hero’s Journey by William Bernhardt
May:
Redshirts by John Scalzi
Red Sneaker Writing Series book 4: Dynamic Dialogue: Letting Your Story Speak by William Bernhardt
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
Artemis by Andy Weir
Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell
Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M. Weiland (re-read plus highlights)
June:
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Hooked (re-read plus notes) by Les Edgerton
Ruby Red (Ruby Red Trilogy book 1) by Kirstin Gier
Catalyst (Breakthrough book 3) by Michael C. Grumley
Plot Versus Character: A Balanced Approach to Writing Great Fiction by Jeff Gerke
Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red Trilogy book 2) by Kirstin Gier
A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliott
July:
Fire Up Your Writing Brain by Susan Reynolds
Writing 21st Century Fiction by Donald Mass
August:
The Art of X-Ray Reading: How the Secrets of 25 Geat Works of Literature Will Improve Your Writing by Roy Peter Clark
Emerald Green (Ruby Red Trilogy book 3) by Kirstin Gier
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
September:
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
The Plastic Magician by Charlie Holmberg
Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules by Steven James
Ripple (Breakthrough book 4) by Michael C. Grumley
2017
January:
Exile by Colleen Vanderlinden
Dark Net by Matthew Mather
Riven (Exile book 2) by Colleen Vanderlinden
The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Ann Noble
47 Mind Hacks for Writers: Master the Writing Habit in 10 Minutes or Less and End Writer’s Block and Procrastination for Good by Karen & Steve Dimmick
February:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
March:
The Plagiarist by Hugh Howey
The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy book 1) by Jonathan Stroud
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes
The Drums of Autumn (Outlander book 4) by Diana Gabaldon
April:
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
May:
The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great by Donald Maas
June:
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Creating Character Arcs: The Masterful Author’s Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 7) by K.M. Weiland
July:
The Secrets of Story: Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers by Matt Bird
Heroes and Legends: The Most Influential Characters of History by Professor Thomas A. Shippey (Great Courses)
Killing Floor (Jack Reacher book 1) by Lee Child
Write Characters Your Readers Won’t Forget: A Toolkit for Emerging Writers by Stant Litore
August:
Die Trying (Jack Reacher book 2) by Lee Child
Story Engineering by Larry Brooks
Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin
September:
Write Your Novel From the Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between by James Scott Bell
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz
Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey
October:
The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne
Myth Conceptions by Robert Aspirin
The Story Works Guide to Writing Character by Alida Winterheimer
Cold Harbor (The Gibson Vaughn series book 3) by Matthew FitzSimmons
November:
Light’s Shadow (Copper Falls series book 3) by Colleen Vanderlinden
December:
Hooked: Write Fiction that Grabs Readers at Page One and Never Lets Them Go by Les Edgerton
Ready Player One
2016
January:
The Seventh Bride: T. Kingfisher
Followed by Frost: Charlie N. Holmberg
February:
Zero Day: Mark Russinovich
Atlantis Gene: AG Riddle
Brilliance (Brilliance Trilogy book 1): Marcus Sakey
March:
A Better World (Brilliance Trilogy book 2): Marcus Sakey
Written in Fire (Brilliance Trilogy book 3): Marcus Sakey
The Help: Kathryn Stockett
April:
The Now Habit: Neil Fiore
Sizzling Story Outlines: How to Outline Your Screenplay or Novel: H.R. D’Costa
May:
Pines (Wayward Pines trilogy book 1): Blake Crouch
Wayward (Wayward Pines trilogy book 2): Blake Crouch
The Last Town (Wayward Pines trilogy book 3): Blake Crouch
The Book of Life: Deborah Harkness
Write a Brilliant Hook:
June:
The Enchantress (The Evermen Saga book 1): James Maxwell
Aloha from Hell (Sandman Slim series book 3): Richard Kadrey
Devil in the Dollhouse (Sandman Slim series book 3.5): Richard Kadrey
Time’s Divide: Rysa Walker
Please Don’t Tell My Parents I’m a Supervillain: Richard Roberts
July:
Vanished: Kendra Elliot
Bridged: Kendra Elliot
August:
Spiraled: Kendra Elliot
The Masquerading Magician: Gigi Pandian
The Magicians: Lev Grossman
Wired for Story: Lisa Cron
Dark Matter: Blake Crouch
September:
The Everything Box: Richard Kadrey
Anansi Boys: Neil Gaiman
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet: Chalrie Holmberg
October:
The Magician King: Lev Grossman
The Short Drop: Matthew Fitzsimmons
November:
Poison Feather: Matthew Fitzsimmons
December:
Story Genius: Lisa Cron
Demons of Christmas Past: Colleen Vanderlinden
The Abbey: Fr. James Martin
2015
A Discovery of Witches: All Souls Trilogy 1: Deborah Harkness
Shadow of Night: All Souls Trilogy 2; Deborah Harkness
Uprooted: Naomi Novik
Sandman Slim: Richard Kadrey
Monster Hunter International: Larry Correia
American Gods: Neil Gaiman
The Accidental Alchemist: Gigi Pandian
The Paper Magician: Charlie N. Holmberg
The Source: JD Horn
With a Single Spell: Lawrence Watt-Evans
Witches on Parole: Debora Geary
Witches Under Way: Debora Geary
Witches in Flight: Debora Geary
Time’s Edge: Chronos Files 1: Rysa Walker
The Glass Magician: Charlie N. Holmberg
The Void: JD Horn
Lost Girl: Hidden Book 1: Colleen Vanderlinden
Broken: Hidden Book 2: Colleen Vanderlinden
Home: Hidden Book 3: Colleen Vanderlinden
Strife: Hidden Book 4: Colleen Vanderlinden
Nether: Hidden Book 5: Colleen Vanderlinden
Guardian: Hidden Soulhunter Book 1: Colleen Vanderlinden
Forever Night: Hidden novella: Colleen Vanderlinden
Earth Bound: Hidden novella: Colleen Vanderlinden
Shadow Witch Rising: Copper Falls Book 1: Colleen Vanderlinden
Time’s Mirror: Chronos Files 2: Rysa Walker
Betrayer: Hidden Soulhunter Book 2: Colleen Vanderlinden
A Soul to Steal: Sanheim Chronicles Book 1: Rob Blackwell
Band of Demons: Sanheim Chronicles Book 2: Rob Blackwell
Give the Devil His Due: Sanheim Chronicles Book 3: Rob Blackwell
Closed at Dark: Rob Blackwell
The Forest of Forever: Rob Blackwell
Shadow Sworn: Copper Falls Book 2: Colleen Vanderlinden
Time’s Divide: Chronos Files Book 3: Rysa Walker
The Christmas Bargain: Shanna Hatfield
Story Structure: William Berhhardt
The Kick-Ass Writer: Chuck Wendig
Creating Character: William Berhhardt
Perfecting Plot: William Berhhardt
Dynamic Dialogue: William Berhhardt
Sizzling Style: William Berhhardt
Powerful Premise: William Berhhardt