Monday, December 30, 2019

Between the Pages - Books I Read in 2019




"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” – Mortimer J. Adler

Reading is my favorite pastime by far, whether at home or away. This year I accompanied my sister on an epic RV road trip of over five months. Much of that time we were without any cell phone signal. Managing the acquisition and return of Kindle and audiobooks required precise planning with so much time offline. Reading outside with such spectacularly gorgeous scenery made reading extra special and my Kindle was my constant camping companion—for three states and over 5,000 miles! :)


As I haven't discovered a better way of expressing the following, I shall repeat what I said in previous years...

The books I select as my favorites each year are those that: I get lost in; the ones that while reading, I lose all track of time; the ones that evoke the strongest emotions; the ones that make me laugh, cry, blush, gasp, and sigh. Yeah, those books!

Each year I meticulously review my database and Goodreads shelves to select my favorites. Even though I arbitrarily decide upon the categories, I am careful in considering which books deserve each designation.

To all the authors whose stories entertained me this year, and especially those who wrote my favorites below, you've earned my highest esteem, gratitude, and adoration. Thank you!

Sadly, no matter how much I love a book, I am unable to recall details. In other words, although my devotion is clear, my memory is not. I would, indeed, like to attempt to explain my choices to anyone who may be interested.

My 2019 Stats

My Goodreads Challenge total was 236 (first reads and rereads of single titles).
My database total was 194 (first reads only & book bundles are counted as a single title).


There are several books that were published this year that I wanted to read but was unable to, some of which were published late in the year. I may have to make an exception for some of them and include them in next year's list, just as I made an exception this year for 3 books that were published in 2018.

My favorite genre remains romance, but I also enjoy carefully selected mysteries, suspense, thrillers, popular & literary fiction, and memoirs.

In 2019, I finished a total of 91 digital library books (Kindle and audiobooks). I was gifted with a Kindle Unlimited subscription and finished 44 of those, and during the short time I had the Audible Escape Package, I listened to 18 audiobooks. There were 7 books that I did not finish this year.

I'll be starting out 2020 with well over 250 books on my to-be-read shelves—primary and secondary—and nearly 100 books on my library wish list. I've chosen Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston as my first read of 2020 and set my Goodreads Challenge goal at 210 books.

(Note: I receive no monetary compensation. I only wish to show my appreciation. The book links below open up to the corresponding Webpage on Amazon.com.)


My Favorites Published in 2019

(alphabetical by author)

Single Titles

Moonlight Scandals (de Vincent #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Eleanor & Grey by Brittainy C. Cherry
Chasing Fire (Colorado High County #7) by Pamela Clare (published 12/2018)
The Night Fire (Ballard and Bosch #3) by Michael Connelly
Bombshell (EOD #2) by Jane Harvey-Berrick
Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
Devil's Daughter (Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
As Dust Dances (Play On #2) by Samantha Young (published 08/2018)

Special Mentions

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves (read an ARC and reviewed here in 2018 but published in 2019)
Waking Olivia by Elizabeth O'Roark (published in 2016 but discovered in 2019 and reviewed with high praise here)

Series Titles (two or more installments published within 2019)

Love Stories on 7th and Main Series by Elizabeth Hunter
Cobra Elite Series by Pamela Clare
Crimson Point Series by Kaylea Cross
Captain John West Series (Five Years Gone and One Year Back by Marie Force
Elemental Legacy Series by Elizabeth Hunter
The Parallel Duet by Elizabeth O'Roark
All the King's Men Duet by Kennedy Ryan


Favorites by Category

Favorite Literary Fiction - Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Favorite Historical Fiction - The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Favorite Paranormal - Night's Reckoning (Elemental Legacy #3) by Elizabeth Hunter
Favorite Mystery - The Night Fire (Ballard & Bosch #3) by Michael Connelly
Favorite Suspense - The Boy by Tami Hoag (published in 12/2018)
Favorite Thriller - Ambush (Sydney Rose Parnell #3) by Barbara Nickless
Favorite Non-Fiction - Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
Favorite Mainstream Romance - Under Currents by Nora Roberts
Favorite Contemporary Romance - Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward 
Favorite Historical Romance - Devil's Daughter (Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas
Favorite Romantic Suspense (tie) - Chasing Fire (Colorado High County #7) by Pamela Clare (published 12/2018) and Rocky Ground (Crimson Point #4) by Kaylea Cross
Favorite Paranormal (Gothic) Romance - Moonlight Scandals (de Vincent #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Favorite Inspirational Romance - The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
Favorite New Adult - Eleanor & Grey by Brittainy C. Cherry
Favorite Novella - Valley of the Shadow (Elemental World #4.5) by Elizabeth Hunter
Favorite Romantic Series - Cobra Elite Series by Pamela Clare
Favorite Audiobook (tie) - As Dust Dances (Play On #2) by Samantha Young. Narrated by Felicity Munroe and Devil's Daughter (Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas. Narrated by Mary Jane Wells.
Favorite Alpha Male - Bodie "Hammer" Dodge of Hammer (Evil Dead MC Series #10) by Nicole James
Favorite Romantic Hero - Weston Ravenel of Devil's Daughter (Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas
Favorite Romantic Heroine - Phoebe, Lady Clare of Devil's Daughter (Ravenels#5) by Lisa Kleypas
Favorite Romantic Couple - Connor O'Neal and Shanti Lahiri of Hard Asset (Cobra Elite #2) by Pamela Clare

Most Tormented Hero - Caden St. John of The Edge Series by C.D. Reiss
Most "Kick-Ass" Heroine - Jenna Hamilton of Hard Target (Cobra Elite #1) by Pamela Clare
Most Realistic Romance - Grit (7th and Main #3) by Elizabeth Hunter
Most Luscious - Devil's Daughter (Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas
Most Erotic - Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone
Most Heartrending - The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
Most Humorous - Devil's Daughter (Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas
Most Guilty Pleasure - Call Me Daddy by Emma Roberts
Most Pleasant Surprise - As Dust Dances (Play On #2) by Samantha Young
Most Striking Cover - Hooked (7th and Main #2) by Elizabeth Hunter

 
Most Anticipated Books of 2020

Dirty Charmer (The Bodyguards #1) by Emma Chase
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (Outlander #9) by Diana Gabaldon (Fingers crossed!)
Inappropriate by Vi Keeland
Chasing Cassandra (Ravenels #6) by Lisa Kleypas
The Blessings of Ethan Blackstone (Blackstone Affair #5) by Raine Miller (Fingers crossed!)
My Lord (Rothvale Legacy, #2) by Raine Miller (Fingers crossed!)
Runaway Road by Devney Perry
Amped (Trent Brothers #2) by Tina Reber (I hope this one will finally be released in 2020!)
A Conspiracy of Bones (Temperance Brennan #19) by Kathy Reichs
Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno #4) by Sylvain Reynard
Hideaway by Nora Roberts 
Wild at Heart (Wild #2) by K.A. Tucker

 
Book Bundles I Read in 2019

Since my book database counts a multi-book bundle as a single book, the following is a list of the individual books from within the book bundles I read this year. The remainder of my 2019 book database follows.

Edge of Darkness: The Complete Edge Series (5 Book) Bundle by C.D. Reiss
Cutting Edge (#.5) 03/13/2019 (8 out of 10 stars)
Rough Edge (#1) 03/13/2019 (8 out of 10 stars)
On the Edge (#2) 03/13/2019 (8 out of 10 stars)
Broken Edge (#3) 04/15/2019 (8 out of 10 stars)
Over the Edge (#4) 04/26/2019 (6 out of 10 stars)

Broken Souls (2 Book) Bundle by C.D. Reiss
Secret Sins (#1) 05/12/2019 (6 out of 10 stars)
Sacred Sins (#2) 05/14/2019 (6 out of 10 stars)


Individual First Time Reads of 2019
(The (a) following a book's title designates an audiobook.
Table best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices.) All the Books I Read in 2019

Author Title Publication Year Reading Date My Rating
Adams, Lyssa Kay The Bromance Book Club 2019 12/21/2019 8
Alexander, Kindle Order 2019 3/7/2019 6
Andrews, Julie Home Work 2019 10/30/2019 8
Armentrout, Jennifer L. Moonlight Sins 2018 2/17/2019 10
Armentrout, Jennifer L. Moonlight Seduction 2018 2/18/2019 10
Armentrout, Jennifer L. Moonlight Scandals 2019 3/19/2019 10
Ashley, Kristen Fast Lane 2019 11/1/2019 4
Blakely, Lauren Satisfaction Guaranteed (a) 2019 11/6/2019 10
Bowen, Sarina Fireworks 2018 4/2/2019 4
Boyd, Natasha Inconvenient Wife 2018 1/20/2019 6
Bromberg, K. Cuffed 2017 6/13/2019 6
Bromberg, K. Combust 2018 12/26/2019 6
Brown, Sandra Outfox 2019 9/4/2019 8
Caine, Rachel Wolfhunter River 2019 5/21/2019 8
Carlino, Renee Blind Kiss 2018 9/22/2019 6
Carlino, Renee The Last Post 2019 9/13/2019 8
Carlino, Renee Wish You Were Here 2017 9/15/2019 10
Carr, Robyn Angel's Peak (a) 2010 1/6/2019 6
Carr, Robyn Moonlight Road (a) 2010 1/9/2019 6
Carr, Robyn Promise Canyon (a) 2010 11/4/2019 6
Carr, Robyn Wild Man Creek (a) 2011 12/28/2019 6
Cherry, Brittainy Eleanor & Grey 2019 5/6/2019 10
Child, Lee Persuader 2003 7/6/2019 4
Christy, Samantha Purple Orchids 2015 5/7/2019 8
Clare, Pamela Hard Target 2019 8/14/2019 10
Clare, Pamela Hard Asset 2019 11/18/2019 10
Clare, Pamela Hard Justice 2019 12/22/2019 10
Clare, Pamela Chasing Fire 2018 3/5/2019 10
Connelly, Michael The Night Fire 2019 11/16/2019 10
Connelly, Michael The Black Box 2013 2/20/2019 8
Connelly, Michael The Burning Room 2014 5/28/2019 8
Connelly, Michael The Crossing 2015 6/8/2019 10
Connelly, Michael The Wrong Side of Goodbye 2016 6/9/2019 10
Connelly, Michael Two Kinds of Truth 2017 6/13/2019 10
Connor, Claudia Where I Belong 2018 7/26/2019 6
Cross, Kaylea Fractured Honor 2018 9/19/2019 8
Cross, Kaylea Buried Lies 2018 9/22/2019 8
Cross, Kaylea Shattered Vows 2019 9/22/2019 8
Cross, Kaylea Rocky Ground 2019 9/22/2019 10
Davenport, Jack Minus 2018 2/21/2019 10
Davenport, Piper Road to Peace 2018 6/13/2019 8
Davis, Fiona The Chelsea Girls 2018 10/3/2019 8
Daws, Amy Wait With Me 2018 4/13/2019 8
Daws, Amy Next in Line 2018 6/3/2019 4
Day, Sylvia Butterfly in Frost 2019 10/23/2019 6
Day, Sylvia One With You (a) 2016 11/1/2019 10
Douglas, Penelope Birthday Girl (a) 2018 10/31/2019 8
Dunbar, L.B. Second Chance 2019 2/5/2019 4
Dunbar, L.B. After Care 2018 6/13/2019 8
Dunbar, L.B. Restored Dreams 2018 7/22/2019 6
Fairstein, Linda Blood Oath 2019 4/12/2019 8
Farrow, Ronan Catch and Kill 2019 12/19/2019 10
Force, Marie Five Years Gone (a) 2019 8/8/2019 10
Force, Marie Five Years Gone 2018 4/16/2019 10
Force, Marie One Year Home 2019 11/11/2019 10
Force, Marie Fatal Chaos 2018 5/30/2019 10
Force, Marie Famous 2019 12/1/2019 6
Frank, Ella; Blaine, Brooke Halo 2019 3/17/2019 6
Frank, Ella; Blaine, Brooke Viper 2019 4/4/2019 6
Frank, Ella; Blaine, Brooke Angel 2019 5/6/2019 6
Garvis Graves, Tracey The Girl He Used to Know (a) 2019 10/18/2019 10
Gerritsen, Tess The Shape of Night 2019 12/11/2019 8
Gilbert , Elizabeth City of Girls 2019 9/10/2019 10
Godwin, Pam Knotted 2018 6/16/2019 4
Grafton, Sue "Y" is for Yesterday 2017 1/18/2019 8
Halle, Karina The Forbidden Man 2019 12/18/2019 8
Halle, Karina My Life in Shambles 2019 4/19/2019 6
Halle, Karina The Swedish Prince 2018 2/10/2019 6
Halle, Karina The Wild Heir 2018 3/12/2019 6
Halle, Karina A Nordic King 2018 2/7/2019 8
Harvey-Berrick, Jane Bombshell 2019 3/2/2019 10
Harvey-Berrick, Jane Guarding the Billionaire 2019 6/21/2019 8
Harvey-Berrick, Jane Saving the Billionaire 2019 6/24/2019 8
Hoag, Tami The Boy 2018 5/6/2019 10
Hoover, Colleen Maybe Now 2018 9/17/2019 6
Hoover, Colleen Regretting You 2019 12/13/2019 8
Hoover, Colleen Verity 2018 1/6/2019 8
Hunter, Elizabeth Blood Apprentice 2019 11/23/2019 10
Hunter, Elizabeth The Devil and the Dancer 2019 11/24/2019 8
Hunter, Elizabeth Night's Reckoning 2019 11/28/2019 10
Hunter, Elizabeth Valley of the Shadow 2019 12/11/2019 10
Hunter, Elizabeth The Seeker 2018 7/10/2019 8
Hunter, Elizabeth Hooked 2019 10/20/2019 8
Hunter, Elizabeth Grit 2019 10/21/2019 10
Hunting, Helena Hooking Up 2017 7/26/2019 8
Hunting, Helena Making Up 2019 10/5/2019 8
Iles, Greg The Death Factory 2014 8/18/2019 6
Jackson, Brenda A Lover's Vow 2015 12/24/2019 6
James, E.L. The Mister 2019 4/24/2019 8
James, Nicole Liam 2019 3/5/2019 8
James, Nicole Rory 2019 6/21/2019 8
James, Nicole Hammer 2019 10/23/2019 8
Johnson, Craig Death Without Company 2007 10/9/2019 8
Keeland, Vi All Grown Up 2019 11/5/2019 8
Keeland, Vi We Shouldn't 2019 3/22/2019 8
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope The Christmas Pact (a) 2019 12/16/2019 6
Keeland, Vi; Ward, Penelope Dirty Letters 2019 11/8/2019 10
Kennedy, Elle The Goal 2016 9/15/2019 8
Kenner, J. Lost With Me 2018 6/2/2019 6
Kenner, J. Damien 2019 8/18/2019 6
Kleypas, Lisa Cold-Hearted Rake (a) 2015 10/20/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Marrying Winterborne (a) 2016 10/21/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Devil in Spring (a) 2017 10/24/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Devil in Spring 2017 1/29/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Hello Stranger (a) 2018 10/26/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Hello Stranger 2018 2/1/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Devil's Daughter (a) 2019 10/27/2019 10
Kleypas, Lisa Devil's Daughter 2019 3/26/2019 10
Lake, Autumn Jones Strength from Loyalty 2015 9/4/2019 8
Lake, Autumn Jones Tattered on My Sleeve 2015 9/6/2019 8
Lauren, Christina Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating (a) 2018 6/2/2019 6
Lauren, Christina My Favorite Half-Night Stand (a) 2018 12/8/2019 8
Lauren, Christina The Unhoneymooners 2019 5/28/2019 4
Lauren, Christina Twice in a Blue Moon 2019 11/26/2019 6
Leighton, M. Wild Child 2013 8/22/2019 4
Lynn, J. Stay With Me 2014 2/28/2019 6
Moore, Demi Inside Out 2019 11/6/2019 10
Moyes, Jojo The Giver of Stars 2019 12/4/2019 10
Nickless, Barbara Ambush 2019 5/6/2019 10
O'Roark, Elizabeth Drowning Erin 2017 4/10/2019 8
O'Roark, Elizabeth Parallel 2019 7/18/2019 10
O'Roark, Elizabeth Intersect 2019 7/19/2019 10
O'Roark, Elizabeth Waking Olivia 2016 3/15/2019 10
Parker, Josephine Chasing Kate 2017 1/6/2019 6
Parker, Josephine Loving Lindsey 2017 1/7/2019 6
Perry, Devney The Coppersmith Farmhouse (a) 2017 11/9/2019 8
Perry, Devney The Clover Chapel (a) 2017 11/12/2019 8
Perry, Devney The Lucky Heart (a) 2017 11/14/2019 8
Perry, Devney The Outpost (a) 2018 11/17/2019 8
Perry, Devney The Bitterroot Inn (a) 2018 11/18/2019 8
Perry, Devney The Candle Palace 2019 10/18/2019 8
Perry, Devney Tragic 2018 2/11/2019 8
Perry, Devney Tinsel 2019 3/8/2019 10
Perry, Devney The Birthday List (a) 2018 11/27/2019 8
Perry, Devney Letters to Molly 2019 8/13/2019 8
Perry, Devney Gypsy King 2019 12/7/2019 10
Pierce, M. Last Light 2014 2/22/2019 6
Pierce, M. After Dark 2015 2/23/2019 6
Proby, Kristen Shadows 2019 12/10/2019 8
Reid, Penny Kissing Tolstoy 2017 8/6/2019 6
Reid, Penny Kissing Galileo 2019 10/3/2019 6
Reid, Penny Motion 2019 10/26/2019 4
Reid, Penny Truth or Beard (a) 2015 9/24/2019 6
Reid, Taylor Jenkins Daisy Jones & The Six 2019 11/14/2019 10
Reid, Taylor Jenkins The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo 2017 5/10/2019 8
Reiss, C.D. Broken Souls 2019 5/14/2019 6
Reiss, C.D. Edge of Darkness 2019 4/26/2019 8
Reiss, C.D. Iron Crowne 2019 12/12/2019 8
Reynard, Sylvain Gabriel's Inferno (a) 2012 11/20/2019 10
Reynard, Sylvain Gabriel's Rapture (a) 2012 12/4/2019 10
Reynard, Sylvain The Man in the Black Suit (a) 2018 9/25/2019 10
Roberts, Emma Call Me Daddy 2019 3/3/2019 8
Roberts, Nora Under Currents 2019 9/9/2019 10
Ryan, Kennedy The Kingmaker 2019 12/1/2019 10
Ryan, Kennedy The Rebel King 2019 12/1/2019 10
Salsbury, J.B. Fighting for Forever (a) 2015 5/28/2019 6
Scott, Kylie It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time 2018 2/15/2019 8
Scott, Kylie It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time (a) 2018 6/5/2019 6
Scott, Kylie Lies (a) 2019 12/26/2019 8
Scott, Kylie Repeat (a) 2019 2/3/2019 8
Scott, Kylie Strong 2018 7/24/2019 6
Shen, L.J. Sparrow 2016 1/15/2019 6
Simone, Naima Sin & Ink 2018 2/13/2019 4
Simone, Sierra Misadventures in Blue 2019 11/21/2019 8
Simone, Sierra Misadventures With a Professor 2018 3/28/2019 8
Simone, Sierra Misadventures of a Curvy Girl 2019 3/4/2019 10
Simone, Sierra American Squire 2019 11/8/2019 4
Simone, Sierra Sinner 2018 1/28/2019 8
Simone, Sierra A Lesson in Thorns 2019 10/16/2019 4
Sivec, T.E.; Arndt, Andi Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words 2019 10/31/2019 8
Solheim, Tracy Smolder 2016 9/11/2019 4
Steinbeck, John Cannery Row 1993 12/22/2019 8
Taylor , J.S. The Doll's House 2019 6/19/2019 8
Torre, Alessandra Hidden Seams (a) 2018 1/10/2019 8
Torre, Alessandra Tripping on a Halo 2018 2/8/2019 8
Tucker, K.A. He Will Be My Ruin 2016 5/28/2019 8
Tucker, K.A. Say You Still Love Me 2019 8/31/2019 6
Tucker, K.A. The Simple Wild (a) 2018 6/26/2019 8
Vanderah, Glendy Where the Forest Meets the Stars 2019 12/15/2019 10
Ward, Penelope The Day He Came Back 2019 10/16/2019 8
Ward, Penelope Neighbor Dearest 2016 9/14/2019 10
Ward, Penelope When August Ends 2019 5/15/2019 8
Ward, Penelope; Keeland, Vi Park Avenue Player 2019 10/22/2019 10
Webber, Tammara Easy (paperback) 2012 2/20/2019 10
Wilder, Jasinda Good Girl Gone Badd 2017 2/25/2019 6
Wilder, Jasinda Hammered 2019 5/28/2019 6
Wilder, Jasinda Drilled 2018 6/13/2019 6
Wilder, Jasinda Nailed 2018 6/19/2019 6
Wilder, Jasinda Screwed 2019 7/1/2019 8
Witherspoon, Reese Whiskey in a Teacup (a) 2018 7/7/2019 4
Wylde, Joanna Eli's Triumph 2019 12/8/2019 6
Yarros, Rebecca The Last Letter 2019 5/21/2019 10
Young, Samantha As Dust Dances 2018 7/29/2019 10
Young, Samantha As Dust Dances (a) 2019 11/7/2019 10

Exported from BookCollector 12/30/2019 9:36:24 AM

8 comments:

Amy L. said...

I have heard great things about Jennifer Armentrout! I want to read Giver of Stars. Alos The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek deals with a similar subject. I've seen great reviews of Daisy Jones but haven't decided if I want to read it or not. LOL

Virginia Hill said...

Amy, I LOVED The Giver of Stars and have The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek on my library holds list. I learned of The Giver of Stars because I have read and enjoyed several of Jojo Moyes' books. I learned of the latter in this article: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tomiobaro/jojo-moyes-the-giver-of-stars-kim-richardson-bookwoman-of.

I was somewhat hesitant to read Daisy Jones & The Six thinking that the interview format would be too similar to the epistolary style of writing, which I am generally not a fan of. I was very pleased with my decision to give it a try. I hope you are pleased if you decide to read it!

Anonymous said...

Your recommendations have worked out for me. Thanks! Christy

Amy L said...

I don't think I've read any of Moyes' books!

Yes, that's my concern with Daisy Jones! I just can't get into that type of novel as easily as other kinds.

Havefaith1 said...

Ok, first, book updates are never monotonous to this reader. Second, dang girl! That's a lot of books! We read a few similar and I'm definitely checking out your reviews of a couple I've had my eye on. We will compare notes. Cheers to a book filled 2020!

Virginia Hill said...

Since you and I were introduced because of our love of books all those many years ago, I think book discussions will always be a good thing between us. At least I hope so! Thanks for taking a look and for your comment, Roberta. I do a lot of highlighting and note writing and sometimes manage to write reviews. I hope to see your list soon. And yes, a book filled 2020 is something to look forward to. Thank you, friend!

Margaret Hill said...

Wow! As Havefaith1 said, Dang, girl, that’s a lot of books! Although we rarely read the same books, we both love very much to read. I, too, found reading a blessing on our long road trip. So what(!) if the weather turns gnarly; we can be cozy inside reading! Cheers to reading! Happy New Year, Sistah!

Virginia Hill said...

Yep, we had the best of both worlds—fictional and all of the spectacular real-world places we visited! Happy reading and New Year to you too, Sistah!