What I'm Reading

Books on a shelf

Growing up, I always heard folks associate smart people with reading books. Well, the books these "smart people" read may not be the same as mine, but I still firmly believe that reading (and listening to) books has benefited my life in multiple ways. It's helped me build strong bonds with other readers (starting with my mom and sisters reading Harry Potter together), and it's boosted my creativity and writing skills.

If you're looking for new books to read, try taking a look at the books I've been reading. Most of them will be fantasy or sci-fi, but there are one or two non-fiction gems in there. Feel free to ask me my opinions if you see a book you think you might like, and if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

*favorites

Books Read in 2023

Book Title Author
Tress of the Emerald Sea* Brandon Sanderson
The Silmarillion J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings)* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings)* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings)* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England Brandon Sanderson
Spec Ops (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Paradise (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Trouble on Paradise (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Black Ops (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman
Believing Christ Stephen E. Robinson
Zero Hour (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Mavericks (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter* Brandon Sanderson
Renegades (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Homefront (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Mavericks: Death Trap (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Armageddon (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson
Ahsoka E.K. Johnston
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Phillip K. Dick
Heir to the Empire* Timothy Zahn

Books Read in 2022

Book Title Author
Turn Coat (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
Sourdough Robin Sloan
The Path of Daggers (The Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
Winter's Heart (The Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast Laura Vanderkam
Crossroads of Twilight (The Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
Knife of Dreams (The Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
The Gathering Storm (The Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
A Memory of Light (The Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
Changes (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
Ghost Story (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
WIP (Beta Read) L.J. Bucci
Cold Days (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
Skin Game (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
Peace Talks (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
We Are All the Same in the Dark Julia Heaberlin
Battle Ground (Dresden Files)* Jim Butcher
The Original Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal
Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera)* Jim Butcher
Academ's Fury (Codex Alera)* Jim Butcher
Ready Player One* Ernest Cline
Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera)* Jim Butcher
Captain's Fury (Codex Alera)* Jim Butcher
Venom Wars of the Desert Realm Michael C. Baumann
Princep's Fury (Codex Alera)* Jim Butcher
First Lord's Fury (Codex Alera)* Jim Butcher
Alloy of Law (Mistborn)* Brandon Sanderson
Shadows of Self (Mistborn)* Brandon Sanderson
Bands of Mourning (Mistborn)* Brandon Sanderson
Arcanum Unbounded Brandon Sanderson
The Lost Metal (Mistborn)* Brandon Sanderson
Intuitive Eating Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole
The Man in the High Castle Philip K. Dick
The Silmarillion J.R.R. Tolkien

Books Read in 2021

Book Title Author
Outrider* J. J. Braley
Warbreaker* Brandon Sanderson
The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive)* Brandon Sanderson
Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive)* Brandon Sanderson
Edgedancer (The Stormlight Archive) Brandon Sanderson
Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive)* Brandon Sanderson
Promise of Blood (The Powder Mage Trilogy) Brian McClellan
Dawnshard (The Stormlight Archive) Brandon Sanderson
Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive)* Brandon Sanderson
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
Arcanum Unbounded* Brandon Sanderson
The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
New Spring (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
Coraline Neil Gaiman
Small Favor* Jim Butcher
Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time)* Robert Jordan
Blood Song Anthony Ryan
A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force) Craig Alanson

Books Read in 2020

Book Title Author
The Power of Vulnerability Brené Brown
Birdbox* Josh Malerman
Maze Runner James Dashner
You Caroline Kepnes
The Count of Monte Cristo* Alexandre Dumas
I Am Legend Richard Matheson
Shutter Island Dennis Lehane
Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
And Then There Were None Agatha Christie
Dearly Devoted Dexter Jeff Lindsay
Dracula Bram Stoker
Never Split the Difference Chris Voss
Dexter in the Dark Jeff Lindsay
Partials Dan Wells
Grave Peril Jim Butcher
Elantris* Brandon Sanderson
Fragments Dan Wells
Ruins Dan Wells
Dexter by Design Jeff Lindsay
Dexter is Delicious Jeff Lindsay
Double Dexter Jeff Lindsay
Dexter's Final Cut Jeff Lindsay
Dexter is Dead Jeff Lindsay
The Seven Principles of Making Marriage Work John M. Gottman, Ph.D.
Summer Knight Jim Butcher
The Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis
Leviathan Scott Westerfeld
Hunting Big Mule Deer: How to Take the Best Buck of Your Life Robby Denning
Behemoth Scott Westerfeld
Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes* Suzanne Collins
The Great Divorce* C.S. Lewis
The Magician's Nephew C.S. Lewis
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe C.S. Lewis
Jurassic Park Michael Crichton
The Horse and His Boy C.S. Lewis
Prince Caspian C.S. Lewis
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader C.S. Lewis
The Silver Chair C.S. Lewis
The Last Battle C.S. Lewis
Death Masks Jim Butcher
Blood Rites Jim Butcher
Dead Beat Jim Butcher
Proven Guilty Jim Butcher
White Night Jim Butcher
I Am Not a Serial Killer* Dan Wells
Mr. Monster* Dan Wells
The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman
Goliath Scott Westerfeld
The Devil's Only Friend* Dan Wells
Over Your Dead Body* Dan Wells
I Don't Want to Kill You* Dan Wells
Nothing Left to Lose* Dan Wells
Dune Frank Herbert

Books Read in 2019

Book Title Author
The Final Empire* Brandon Sanderson
The Well of Ascension* Brandon Sanderson
The Hero of Ages* Brandon Sanderson
Daring Greatly Brené Brown
The Alloy of Law Brandon Sanderson
Shadows of Self Brandon Sanderson
Bands of Mourning Brandon Sanderson
Braving the Wilderness Brené Brown
Spellmonger Terry Mancour
Dragon Teeth Michael Crichton
Eaters of the Dead Michael Crichton
Theft of Swords Michael J. Sullivan
Rise of Empire Michael J. Sullivan
Heir of Novron Michael J. Sullivan
Furies of Calderon* Jim Butcher
Academ's Fury* Jim Butcher
Cursor's Fury* Jim Butcher
Captain's Fury* Jim Butcher
Princep's Fury* Jim Butcher
First Lord's Fury* Jim Butcher
Storm Front Jim Butcher
Fool Moon Jim Butcher
The Hunger Games* Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire* Suzanne Collins
MockingJay* Suzanne Collins
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* J.K. Rowling
I Am Not a Serial Killer* Dan Wells
Mr. Monster* Dan Wells
I Don't Want to Kill You* Dan Wells
I'm Thinking of Ending Things Iain Reid
The Devil's Only Friend* Dan Wells
Over Your Dead Body* Dan Wells
Nothing Left to Lose* Dan Wells

Other Books Read as an Adult

Book Title Author
The Fellowship of the Ring* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit* J.R.R. Tolkien
The Way of Kings* Brandon Sanderson
Words of Radiance* Brandon Sanderson
Oathbringer* Brandon Sanderson
The Devil in the White City* Erik Larson

Books Read in Childhood

This is by no means a comprehensive list as my memory of childhood is not the best.
Book Title (scroll right for more info) Author
Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo* Obert Skye
Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret* Obert Skye
Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want* Obert Skye
Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra* Obert Skye
Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder* Obert Skye
Professor Winsnicker's Book of Proper Etiquette for Well-mannered Sycophants Obert Skye
Pillage* Obert Skye
Choke* Obert Skye
Heroic Adventures of Hercules Amsterdam Melissa Glenn Haber
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief* Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters* Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse* Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth* Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian* Rick Rioran
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture* Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Journey Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Rescue Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Siege Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Shattering Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Burning Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Hatchling Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Outcast Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The First Collier Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: To Be A King Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Golden Tree Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Coming of Hoole Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The River of Wind Kathryn Lasky
Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The War of the Ember Kathryn Lasky
The Underland Chronicles: Gregor the Overlander* Suzanne Collins
The Underland Chronicles: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane* Suzanne Collins
The Underland Chronicles: Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods* Suzanne Collins
The Underland Chronicles: Gregor and the Marks of Secret* Suzanne Collins
The Underland Chronicles: Gregor and the Code of Claw* Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games* Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire* Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay* Suzanne Collins
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* J.K. Rowling
Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan* John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice: The Icebound Land John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice: The Sorcerer in the North John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice: The Seige of Macindaw John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice: Erak's Ransom John Flanagan
The Hobbit* J.R.R Tolkien
Grey Griffins: The Revenge of the Shadow King* Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis
Grey Griffins: The Rise of the Black Wolf* Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis
Grey Griffins: The Fall of the Templar* Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis
Invasion: A C.H.A.O.S. Novel* Jon S. Lewis
Alienation: A C.H.A.O.S. Novel* Jon S. Lewis
Domination: A C.H.A.O.S. Novel* Jon S. Lewis
The Hardy Boys Franklin W. Dixon