2019 Bookish Recap

*Cries* 2020 is here. I can't say that I'm not anxious for 2019 to be over, but somehow I feel so unprepared for a new year.

But y'know, I recently realized that it's okay not to have all your ducks in a row for the new year. You don't need to have everything planned out. Even though heaven knows I'd like to.

2020 is just picking up where 2019 left off. The earth finished its orbit around the sun. God is still in heaven, and He's still in charge, and he's gonna love me even when I feel utterly frazzled starting this year.

SO.

Let's get on down to the bookish recap, shall we, before I start rambling even worse?

According to Goodreads

Anyone else love seeing their Goodreads year-in-books?? 

In 2019 . . .

-I read 82 books (#mindblown)
-I read 22,319 pages (even more impressive, muahaha)
-The most popular book I read was Wonder by R.J. Palacio (pretty good book, actually)
-The least popular book I read was my Science & Nutrition textbook (big surprise there)
-My average rating was 3.9 stars (I read a surprising amount of 5-star reads, actually)
-The highest overall rated book was Behold by Faith Potts at 4.57 stars (all the fuzzy feels tho)
-My first review of the year was Fury by Jack Cavanaugh & Bill Bright (powerful book, that)
-My last review of the year was In 27 Days by Alison Gervais (5 stars, y'all. Wow.)

Top 5 books of 2019

Wow, guys. I read so many good books in 2019. BUT. If I were to pick just five . . .

Freedom—Faith Potts

Click to read my review 

Fallen Angel—Jeff Struecker & Alton Gansky

In 27 Days—Alison Gervais

Click to read my review

The Divided Nation—Angela Watts

Click to read my review

Monday Night Jihad—Jason Elam & Steve Yohn

Click to read my review

If I had to pick just one of them, though . . . hmm. Stay tuned for the end of the post when I announce my favorite book of 2019!

Writing

'Cause a writing update totally belongs in a bookish recap post, right?? Right. ;)

So, in Camp NaNo April I wrote somewhere around 30,000 words. Camp NaNo July, I did about 11,000 words. NaNoWriMo, I wrote about 26,000 words. Then with all the eclectic writing I did in between everything (which my best guess would be around 10,000, give or take), I wrote somewhere in the vicinity of 75,000 words! Wow, okay, I'm impressed with myself now.

*bows at all the applause* thank you, thank you, you're too kind.

So, you might be wondering just what stories I wrote in this year. 'Cause yeah, I mean, 75,000 is impressive but it's more fun if that's all in one story. Right?

Well, heh, you know that my project for both Camp NaNo July and NaNoWriMo was Little Boy Blue. I did some other writing in this baby, but it currently sits at 26,000 since I completely restarted it in November. Plus, it is in great need of heavy revision, so we'll see when this baby ever gets finished.

My Camp NaNo April project was Invisible, but right now it's been shelved—hopefully not for long!—since when I do pick it up again, it'll be completely restarted unless God tells me differently. So there's that.

Other writing projects I've been working on are obviously not nearly as big. I actually wrote several flash fiction pieces this year, and we'll see, maybe I'll write a bit more and compile them all into a flash fiction collection!

AND NOW FOR MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2019!

It was so, so close, y'all. Like, seriously. Trying to pick just one book out of the above five was so hard. 

Freedom was powerful.

Fallen Angel kept me on the edge of my seat.

In 27 Days was so impactful.

The Divided Nation had such a strong message.

Monday Night Jihad was so intense.

But.

But to my recollection, only one of these books made me laugh, get teary-eyed, make me go "AWWWWW" and get goosebumps within the pages.

That book is . . .

*drum roll*

I seriously can't recommend this book enough, y'all. Everyone should read it. Not only could it touch someone right where they need it, it makes us all aware of our calling to share Christ. Share His love with those who are despairing, and even those who seem like they have it all together. Because sometimes the brightest smiles hide the most broken hearts.

What was your favorite book(s) of 2019?