2015 was a great Year in Books for me. Some amazing book signings with Brad Meltzer and Diane Chamberlain and how #SuperheroesRead in our family!
I’m joining 3 of my favorite bloggers today to discuss My Year in Books for Day 1 of #AMonthofFaves. I’m late despite my planner obsession, can you imagine how I’d never get things done if I wasn’t planner obsessed? The nightmare!
This is a bookish recap of my year so far. I’ve been blogging more and reading less so have finished 28 books out of my goal of 50.
Here’s the run down by the stats:
Books Read by Rating:
Loved it! 5 star books: 7
Really liked it – 4 star books: 12
Liked it – 3 star books: 8
It was OK – 2 star books: 1
Books Read by Genre:
World or Cultural Fiction: 15
Historical Fiction: 9
Nonfiction: 4
Books Read by Challenge:
Total Pages Read: 9,270
Bookish Highlights:
Brad Meltzer Book Signing
I attended two author signings this year. The boys and I saw Brad Meltzer and he entertained us all. As a writer of Justice League graphic novels, the kids’ series Ordinary People Change the World and a political thriller writer, we all had books of his to sign. How many authors can you say that about?
Brad was super cool and connected to each one of us on a different level. My youngest drew a picture of Brad and gave it to him, the next day it showed up on Twitter. The illustrator of his kids’ series, Chris Eliopoulus, had a great response to the picture, totally made our family’s day!
Brad Meltzer signed all of our books: Justice League comics, 2 of his Ordinary Heroes children’s books and political thriller The President’s Shadow for me!
My boys drew Brad Meltzer’s attention dressed in their Superman and Batman shirts. He called our family “best dressed” on social media. 🙂
My youngest son loves to draw and drew a picture of Brad Meltzer at the book signing we attended at Flyleaf Books. Brad graciously accepted the drawing and the next day it appeared on Twitter. The response from the illustrator of his Ordinary Heroes children’s book series, Chris Eliopoulus, totally made our day!
#SuperheroesRead
I volunteered to start a kids’ book club for my middle son’s 3rd grade class. My Superhubby dressed as Batman to read the boys in the class I am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer. The rather rowdy bunch got totally pumped seeing Batman walk in the room. I was not sure how it would turn out. Batman started to read and by the end, these boys got the book’s message and were captivated by Jackie’s story. The book is beautifully written and magnificently illustrated. Batman had standing room only trying to show the boys the pictures of real life Jackie Robinson at the end of the book. #SuperheroesRead, don’t you think?
My Superhubby dressed as Batman to read I am Jackie Robinson for my middle son’s boys book club. #SuperheroesRead, don’t you think?
The rowdy bunch of boys were captivated by the story of I am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer. They wanted to get a closer look at the real life hero who broke the color barrier in sports. #SuperheroesRead
Superhubby also dressed as Batman to read my youngest son’s class There’s a Wocket in My Pocket. That was a magical experience in a completely different way. The kids were so excited, read along with him and it reinforced what rhyming words were that they happened to be learning about that day. The kids were so adorable! #SuperheroesRead again, we might make this a regular thing!
My Superhubby dressed as Batman to read Dr. Seuss’ There’s a Wocket in My Pocket to my youngest son’s class. He totally stayed in character and I love my little guy’s expression who’s looking at his dad like “Dad, what happened to your voice?” #SuperheroesRead
Diane Chamberlain Book Signing
My favorite author is Diane Chamberlain. Besides the fact that she writes complex characters I emotionally connect to and impossible situations in which they find themselves, she’s a local author, an amazingly nice lady and is a Rheumatoid Arthritis warrior too.
I heard her talk about her newest book, Pretending to Dance at an indie bookstore near my house. This time she shared how her sister with advanced Multiple Sclerosis inspired a character in the book. It was a wonderful time as always hearing what inspires her, her writing process and how hard it is to keep up with the characters and plots of her 23 books.
Me and Diane Chamberlain at the book signing for Pretending to Dance.
Fellow RA Warrior and my favorite author Diane Chamberlain signed my copy of her 2015 release Pretending to Dance.
Well 2015 is not over yet and I’ve got some great bookish news soon that I can’t wait to share with you. Let’s hope I can get a couple more books read to before we ring in the New Year.
This post linked up with Motivation Monday Linkup.
How was your year in books? What have you enjoyed reading? Have you attended any author or bookish events?
Really impressive reading list! I just got back into the swing of things with reading this year, and hope to continue on through the new year. Blessed to visit you from Literacy Musing Mondays!
Congrats to your son!! That’s super cool!! I’ve already said it before, I think on Instagram, but your husband is AWESOME! #ReadingBatDad 🙂
XOXO
I love that you take your kids to see authors! What a great gift! I need to check and see when our library brings in guest speakers. Thanks for the idea.
Thanks Sarah, this was the first one we all went as a family. I can’t wait to find more that would interest my boys. I almost took them to see Chelsea Clinton who wrote a book about giving back. But she wasn’t speaking only signing her book and I wasn’t feeling well. My kids are bookworms too and I love encouraging their love of reading. Library us a good resource too!
What a great year! I enjoyed your re-cap.
I really love all your book posts as we have some similar tastes! You remind me I need to read more often! Thanks for hosting the Small Victories Sunday Linkup!
You may not have read as many books this year but my goodness you’ve read good ones! That’s so cool that Brad Meltzer tweeted that drawing!
I always do an end of year book reading post – with stats(!), too. But mine probably won’t make it up till early in the New Year. I’ve never included my book signings before – that’s a great idea.
Sounds like a great reading year and that’s exciting that you got to meet two fantastic authors!
This is a beautiful post, Tanya! You really made books and meeting authors an integral part of your life and your family’s fun times together. A great example, and a big smile for this reader’s day! 🙂
Oh my goodness your hubby is so adorable to do that!! What a great idea. I’m in need of a casual read over the holidays – definitely picking up Diane’s latest!!
Thanks, I’m not sure if my hubby or the kids had more fun. My hubby is a big kid at heart, it makes him a really fun dad! I’m going to have to read Pretending to Dance here soon too. I’ve got one more review book to read then it will be pleasure reading just for me. Thanks for stopping by Chrissa.
What an absolutely awesome year – and looks like you had some great bookish memories! And of course – you can join in the event anytime 🙂
I did a lot of bookish things and helping get kids to enjoy reading is a lot of fun for me. Less time for me to read myself but it’s so worth it to see the kids get into the books like that. Thanks for hosting a great event Tanya, I’ve got ideas for future posts just need time to get them out!! Will all the daily linkups be open through 12/31?
Love this recap! It was a wonderful year for books! 2016 looks pretty amazing, too. 🙂 We have to read together at some point and maybe finally meet.
Seriously, yes. There’s no excuse why I haven’t gotten out to see you. Pretty Baby, you and me! 🙂 I realized putting that big fat zero for TBR books I read in 2015 that I seriously need to change that.
I was looking for you at the Diane Chamberlain event, but I can see from your picture that you went to another bookstore on her tour. I’m glad that you got to go, I was worried that something had come up last minute since we talked about attending. Happy holidays to you!
Aw thanks Donna, she ended up being at the store minutes from my house the weekend before the book came out so I went to that ons. It poured rain as Ieft but thankfully the books I bought were not harmed. County book sale starts next Thursday, I’m going Friday morning. Are you going?