Reading Sanctum #18: Year in Review

I have never done a year in review post, but I want to start doing these. Goodreads is such a valuable organizational tool that if you use it correctly, it makes the Obsessive Compulsive Disorderly (OCD) parts of me feel extremely ordered.

Followers of the blog will know that I set some literary goals, some I reached and some I completely whiffed on. My major goal was to read 150 books in a year. It is a goal I started three years ago when I came to Puerto Rico; I have met and exceeded it every year since, but this year I smashed it with 200 books read and reviewed.

In all, there were 46,377 pages read. My longest book was Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew (612 pages) while my shortest book was Avell Kro’s Shape-Shifter (10 pages.) I received Shape-Shifter and another short story from the author for free with the promise to review. I gave it 2 stars. Nothing to write home about, but as I promised to write a review, I did. It is listed with all of my reviews for the year on my “read 2021” Goodreads bookshelf.

The average book-length was 231 pages, which means that I must have read a lot of short books. I believe it because even though I read a few tomes by Stephen King, Veronica Roth, and Patricia Cornwell, I also read at least 20 Amy Cross novels. She tends to write short horror novels of about 150 pages each. (These statistics are taken directly from Goodreads; believe me, I may be nuts, but I do not count everything.)

One of my New Years’ resolutions last year was to start and complete several long series in one year. I completed several like Amy Cross’ Mass Extinction Event series (13 books,) Veronica Roth’s Divergent series (4 novels each 500 pages at least,) The Howling novels, Melanie Karsak’s The Harvesting zombie mash-up 5 book series, The 12 Caribbean Cruise Cozy Mysteries by Susan Harper, and the Western Fictioneers presents West of the Big River (8 book collection.)

Two of my failures were the Sue Grafton alphabet series (I got to R is for Ricochet the 18th book of 25), and the Ian Fleming James Bond books (I got to Thunderball #9 of 14.) In fact, Thunderball was book #200, last on my list.

I would have liked to have gotten further along in both series. I think if I would have been more focused, I could have finished both series, but Kinsey Millhone can be a rather tedious main character. Sometimes she does not behave as a protagonist, gets mired in self-indulgent narcissism, and just does dumb things.

James Bond is both better and worse. He is sharp, generally sexist, a little racist, and superior. I have excused some of his behavior as endemic of the late 1950s milieu and raison d’être, but the constant use of racial epithets acceptable back then can grind my gears enough to chafe me in my happy places. I started the series months into the year, and sincerely had to walk away a few times a little pissed off at Fleming.

In January 2021, the pandemic was still going strong, but we felt we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I felt the need to be very protective of my 75-year-old father, so I rarely allowed him to leave the house. I ran all the errands, but I made sure I was protected. I carried my phone everywhere which accesses my huge Kindle library. Thus began my journey to 200.

In January, I read 15 books.

**1. Postmortem — Patricia Cornwell — 4 Grey Geeks**

**2. Irish Chain — Earlene Fowler — 4 Grey Geeks**

**3. Gods of the North — Robert E. Howard — 3 Grey Geeks**

**4. Dark Passages — Dan Alatorre — 3 Grey Geeks**

**5. The Wrecker — Robert Louis Stevenson — 3 Grey Geeks**

**6. Skeleton Crew — Stephen King — 4 Grey Geeks**

Mistletoe and Mischief by Melanie Karsak

**7. Mistletoe and Mischief — Melanie Karsak — 3 Grey Geeks**

**8. ST:DS9 #3 Bloodletter — K. W. Jeter — 4 Grey Geeks**

**9. Christmas Chopping — Chris Regan — 3 Grey Geeks**

**10. The Cemetery Ghost — Amy Cross — 3 Grey Geeks**

**11. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home — Vonda N. McIntyre — 4 Grey Geeks**

**12. A is for Alibi — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**13. The Good Soldier — L. T. Ryan — 3 Grey Geeks**

Ghosts, Ghouls, and Haunted Houses by Carrie King

**14. Ghosts, Ghouls, and Haunted Houses — Carrie King — 2 Grey Geeks**

**15. Night Shift — Stephen King — 5 Grey Geeks**

In February, I read 17 Books.

**16. By the Light of the Moon — Dean Koontz — 3 Grey Geeks**

**17. B is for Burglar — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**18. Days 1 to 4 — Amy Cross — 3 Grey Geeks**

**19. The Lawman — James Reasoner — 4 Grey Geeks**

The Viking Funeral by Stephen J. Cannell

**20. The Viking Funeral — Stephen J. Cannell — 4 Grey Geeks**

**21. Days 5 to 8 — Amy Cross — 3 Grey Geeks**

**22. The Avenging Angel — Michael Newton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**23. Body of Evidence — Patricia Cornwell — 4 Grey Geeks**

**24. STDS9 #4 The Big Game — Sandy Schofield — 3 Grey Geeks**

**25. C is for Corpse — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**26. The Artist — Jackson Lowry — 3 Grey Geeks**

**27. Days 9 to 16 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**28. D is for Deadbeat — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

The Easton Falls Massacre by Holly Rae Garcia

**29. The Easton Falls Massacre — Holly Rae Garcia — 2 Grey Geeks**

**30. STDS9 #5 Fallen Heroes — Dafydd ab Hugh — 4 Grey Geeks**

**31. Agent of Time — Nathan Van Coops — 3 Grey Geeks**

**32. Zero — Nathan M. Farrugia == 4 Grey Geeks**

In March, I read 18 books.

**33. Days 46 to 53 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**34. Yesterday’s Gone Season Six — Sean Platt — 2 Grey Geeks**

West of the Big River by James J. Griffin

**35. The Ranger — James J. Griffin — 4 Grey Geeks**

Murder in the Art Gallery by Sandi Scott

**36. Murder in the Art Gallery — Sandi Scott — 3 Grey Geeks**

**37. Primary Colors — Anonymous — 4 Grey Geeks**

**38. E is for Evidence — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**39. Days 54 to 61 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**40. Mr. Mercedes — Stephen King — 4 Grey Geeks**

**41. The Purchase — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**42. Day 100 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**43. The Colorado Kid — Stephen King — 3 Grey Geeks**

**44. Murder Run — John Hunt — 4 Grey Geeks**

**45. STTNG #11 Gulliver’s Fugitives — Keith Sharee — 3 Grey Geeks**

**47. X-O Manowar Book One TPB — Dennis Hopeless — 4 Grey Geeks**

**48. The Queen’s Gambit — Walter Tevis — 4 Grey Geeks**

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

**49. The Mysterious Affair at Styles — Agatha Christie — 4 Grey Geeks**

**50. F is for Fugitive — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

In April, I read 20 books.

**51. Paper Girls, Volume 1 TPB — Brian K. Vaughan — 4 Grey Geeks**

**52. Saga, Volume 1 TPB — Brian K. Vaughan — 5 Grey Geeks**

**53. STTOS #24 Killing Time — Della Van Hise — 4 Grey Geeks**

**54. Animal Farm — George Orwell — 4 Grey Geeks**

**55. The Forty Niners — Charlie Steel — 5 Grey Geeks**

**56. Days 109 to 116 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**57. The Secret Adversary — Agatha Christie — 4 Grey Geeks**

**58. Loss of Reason — Miles A. Maxwell — 3 Grey Geeks**

**59. STTNG #15 Fortune’s Light — Michael Jan Friedman — 4 Grey Geeks**

**60. Days 195 to 202 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

**61. The Swiss Family Robinson — Johann David Wyss — 3 Grey Geeks**

**62. G’s Future — Don Viecelli — 4 Grey Geeks**

**63. Relics: The Dawn — Nick Thacker — 4 Grey Geeks**

**64. G is for Gumshoe — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

**65. A Study in Scarlet — Arthur Conan Doyle — 5 Grey Geeks**

**66. H is for Homicide — Sue Grafton — 5 Grey Geeks**

**67. Days 203 to 210 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**68. I Married a Serial Killer — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**69. The Count of Monte Cristo TPB — Stacy King — 3 Grey Geeks**

**70. The Dead and Buried — Kim Harrington — 4 Grey Geeks**

In May there were 14 books.

Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina by Kevin J. Anderson

**71. Star Wars Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina — Kevin J. Anderson — 4 Grey Geeks**

**72. The Vision — Dean Koontz — 3 Grey Geeks**

**73. Days 349 to 356 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**74. Days 357 to 364 — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**75. Day 365 — Amy Cross — 5 Grey Geeks**

**76. I is for Innocent — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

**77. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country — J. M. Dillard — 4 Grey Geeks**

**78. STDS9 #7 Warchild — Esther Friesner — 1 pitiful Grey Geek**

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

**79. And Then There Were None — Agatha Christie — 4 Grey Geeks**

**80. Teenage Monster Hunters — Charlie Wood — 3 Grey Geeks**

**81. The Graveyard Book — Neil Gaiman — 4 Grey Geeks**

**82. STTOS #27 Mindshadow — J. M. Dillard — 2 Grey Geeks**

**83. Mary — Amy Cross — 1 sad Grey Geek**

An Unconventional Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

**84. An Unconventional Holmes — Lise Sherwood-Fabre — 2 Grey Geeks**

In June I read another 16 books.

**85. The Bandit — Jerry Guin — 4 Grey Geeks**

**86. The Doctor — Clay More — 4 Grey Geeks**

**87. The Raft — S. A. Bodeen — 2 Grey Geeks**

**88. Casino Royale — Ian Fleming — 3 Grey Geeks**

**89. Holes — Louis Sachar — 4 Grey Geeks**

**90. Dead of Night — Jonathan Maberry — 2 Grey Geeks**

**91. Live and Let Die — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

**92. The Hobbit — J. R. R. Tolkien — 5 Grey Geeks**

**93. STTOS #28 Crisis on Centaurus — Brad Ferguson — 4 Grey Geeks**

**94. The Howling — Gary Brandner — 4 Grey Geeks**

**95.The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between — Hisham Matar — 5 Grey Geeks**

**96. STA #5 Planet of Judgment — Joe Haldeman — 4 Grey Geeks**

**97. Lassie Come-Home — Eric Knight — 4 Grey Geeks**

**98. Moonraker — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

**99. J is for Judgment — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**100. K is for Killer — Sue Grafton — 3 Grey Geeks**

In July there were another 18 books to read.

**101. The Howling II — Gary Brandner — 3 Grey Geeks**

**102. L is for Lawless — Sue Grafton — 2 Grey Geeks**

**103. The Sheriff — Chuck Tyrell — 4 Grey Geeks**

**104. Divergent — Veronica Roth — 5 Grey Geeks**

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

**105. A Raisin in the Sun — Lorraine Hansberry — 5 Grey Geeks**

**106. A Doll’s House — Henrik Ibsen — 3 Grey Geeks**

**107. Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck — 4 Grey Geeks**

**108. Diamonds are Forever — Ian Fleming — 3 Grey Geeks**

**109. The Maltese Falcon — Dashiell Hammett — 1 Grey Geek**

**110. Walls Within Walls — Arthur R. Tofte — 4 Grey Geeks**

**111. STA #12 Devil World — Gordon Eklund — 2 Grey Geeks**

**112. #EOTW — Jonathan Maas — 1 Grey Geek**

**113. From Russia with Love — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

**114. Insurgent — Veronica Roth — 4 Grey Geeks**

**115. Seeing Red — Nick Thacker — 3 Grey Geeks**

**116. The Stepford Wives — Ira Levin — 4 Grey Geeks**

**117. Fatal Distraction — Diane Capri — 4 Grey Geeks**

**118. The House on Fisher Street — Amy Cross — 4 Grey Geeks**

In August, I read 16 titles.

**119. A Novel Crime — A. C. F. Bookens — 3 Grey Geeks**

**120. Dr. No — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

**121, M is for Malice — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**122. STA #14 The Galactic Whirlpool — David Gerrold — 3 Grey Geeks**

**123. Whose Body — Dorothy L. Sayers — 2 Grey Geeks**

**124. Born a Crime — Trevor Noah — 5 Grey Geeks**

The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield

**125. The Making of Star Trek — Stephen E. Whitfield — 4 Grey Geeks**

**126. Reckless #1 TPB — Ed Brubaker — 4 Grey Geeks**

**127. Dead Wood — Dan Ames — 3 Grey Geeks**

**128. All That Remains — Patricia Cornwell — 4 Grey Geeks**

**129. Southern Bound — Stuart Jaffe —**

Mighty and Brennon Explore the Futuretarium by Alexis Cleoford

**130. Mighty and Brennon Explore the Futuretarium — Alexis Cleoford — 3 Grey Geeks**

**131. The Scarlet Letter TPB — Stacy King — 4 Grey Geeks**

**132. The Wolfling — Sterling North — 4 Grey Geeks**

They Came with the Snow by Christopher Coleman

**133. They Came with the Snow — Christopher Coleman — 2 Grey Geeks**

**134. The Diggers — Jonathan Maas — 4 Grey Geeks**

In September, there were 16 more books read.

Two Tocks before Midnight by Clay Boutwell

**135. Two Tocks Before Midnight — C. J. Martin — 3 Grey Geeks**

**136. To Drink of Deceit — Blythe Baker — 2 Grey Geeks**

**137. Goldfinger — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

**138. N is for Noose — Sue Grafton — 2 Grey Geeks**

**139. Shape-Shifter — Avell Kro — 2 Grey Geeks**

**140. Nephilim Generations — Avell Kro — 2 Grey Geeks**

**141. Chancy — Louis **L’Amour** — 4 Grey Geeks**

**142. Spirit Moves — L. B. Thomas — 3 Grey Geeks**

**143. Batman and Dracula: Red Rain — Doug Moench — 5 Grey Geeks**

**144. STTNG #16 Contamination — John Vornholt — 2 Grey Geeks**

**145. The Melting — Christopher Coleman — 4 Grey Geeks**

They Come in the Night by Lynn-Cee Faulk

**146. They Come in the Night — Lynn-Cee Faulk — 4 Grey Geeks**

**147. STTOS #30 Demons — J. M. Dillard — 4 Grey Geeks**

**148. Publishable by Death — A. C. F. Bookens — 5 Grey Geeks**

**149. O is for Outlaw — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**150. For Your Eyes Only — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

I read 16 books in October

**151. Fahrenheit 451 — Ray Bradbury — 5 Grey Geeks**

**152. Catriona — Robert Louis Stevenson — 3 Grey Geeks**

**153. Allegiant — Veronica Roth — 2 Grey Geeks**

**154. The Howling III — Gary Brandner — 2 Grey Geeks**

**155. Slasher Online — Nera Vivaldi — 4 Grey Geeks**

Murder Book by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell

**156. Murder Book — Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell — 3 Grey Geeks**

**157. A Dog of my Own — Richard Clark — 4 Grey Geeks**

**158. Vampirella: Trial of the Soul — Bill Willingham — 2 Grey Geeks**

**159. P is for Peril — Sue Grafton — 2 Grey Geeks**

**160. Death Magic — M. J. Kraus — 4 Grey Geeks**

**161. Four — Veronica Roth — 4 Grey Geeks**

**162. To Dine with Danger — Blythe Baker — 4 Grey Geeks**

The Biographical Edition Of The Works Of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson

**163. The Ebb-tide — Robert Louis Stevenson — 4 Grey Geeks**

**165.Whispers — Dean Koontz — 5 Grey Geeks**

**166. Trill — Amy Cross — 3 Grey Geeks**

November was another great month with 20 read.

**167. The Harvesting — Melanie Karsak — 4 Grey Geeks**

**168. STTNG #18 Q-In-Law — Peter David — 5 Grey Geeks**

**169. My Gal Sunday — Mary Higgins Clark — 4 Grey Geeks**

Trick or Treat Free For All! by M.K. Radican

**170. Trick or Treat Free for All — M. K. Radican — 3 Grey Geeks**

**171. Drugged on Deck — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**172. Dead in the Water — Susan Harper — 3 Grey Geeks**

The Case of the Curious Bride (Perry Mason #5 by Erle Stanley Gardner

**173. The Case of the Curious Bride — Erle Stanley Gardner — 4 Grey Geeks**

**174. Midway — Melanie Karsak — 4 Grey Geeks**

**175. Hard Rock — Dan Ames — 4 Grey Geeks**

**176. Stolen at Sea — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**177. STTOS #32 Chain of Attack — Gene Deweese — 4 Grey Geeks**

**178. Spiders and Vampires — Jonathan Maas — 4 Grey Geeks**

**179. The Shadow Aspect — Melanie Karsak — 4 Grey Geeks**

**180. Playing for Pizza — John Grisham — 4 Grey Geeks**

**181. Excursions to Die For — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**182. Violence on Vacation — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**183. The Canterville Ghost — Oscar Wilde — 5 Grey Geeks**

**184. Sodium Harbinger — Stephen Arseneault — 2 Grey Geeks**

**185. Witch Wood — Melanie Karsak — 4 Grey Geeks**

**186. Island Investigation — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

Finally, in December I read 14 books to round out the year at 200 works.

**187. Body at the Banquet — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**188. Chaos at the Casino — Susan Harper — 3 Grey Geeks**

**189. The Torn World — Melanie Karsak — 4 Grey Geeks**

**190. Finders Keepers — Stephen King — 5 Grey Geeks**

**191. The End of the Pier — Martha Grimes — 1 lonely Grey Geek**

Hot Bids and Cold Bodies by Susan Harper

**192. Hot Bids and Cold Bodies –Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**193. Southern Charm — Stuart Jaffe — 4 Grey Geeks**

**194. Murder at the Museum — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**195. STDS9 #9 Proud Helios — Melissa Scott — 4 Grey Geeks**

**196. A Deadly Reunion — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**197. Painted Lady — Peter Abresch — 4 Grey Geeks**

**198. The Final Piece — Susan Harper — 4 Grey Geeks**

**199. Q is for Quarry — Sue Grafton — 4 Grey Geeks**

**200. Thunderball — Ian Fleming — 4 Grey Geeks**

Well, that took a lot longer than I expected. If you want to see the actual reviews for any particular book, follow me on Goodreads: The Mustache Louie Matos. Thanks, as always for reading our posts and following us. I love you all for engaging with our content. Peace!

4 thoughts on “Reading Sanctum #18: Year in Review”

vtdorchester says:

December 27, 2021 at 7:08 pm

200 books in a year is very cool!

I don’t know if you listen to audiobooks, but i find that the goodreads “pages” for them drags down my total and average page count – some audiobooks are listed as only having a couple of pages, when they’re really of books 300+ pages long!

LikeLiked by 2 people

1. The Mustache says:
  
  December 27, 2021 at 7:13 pm
  
  VT, I do listen to audiobooks and I do find that it drags my page count down. I think there were only about 10 audiobooks on my list, but I’m certain that my page count was affected. Astute observation, and thanks for mentioning it.
  
  LikeLiked by 2 people
  
Lady Geek says:

January 7, 2022 at 9:06 pm

Mamá Mía that’s a lot of books oh Great Devourer of the Written Word.

LikeLiked by 2 people

1. The Mustache says:
  
  January 8, 2022 at 12:00 am
  
  Thanks, Lady Geek and I actually took a pause there in December. Once I hit 200, I decided that whatever I would continue to read, I would count it for 2022. I rarely watch TV nowadays so I really just focus on reading during Prime Time to bedtime. I enjoy my solitude sooo much. LOL!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person