2026
The Green Mile Stephen King Horror
A432 pp54 pages a dayAudiobook, read by Frank Muller
Honorable mentionsWhistler Ann Patchett ABuckeye Patrick Ryan A
The Shelf
Every book since 2010, graded the week I finished it. The A list is the recommendation; genre is mine, one tag per book.
866
Books finished
89
Worth your time
255k
Pages
66
Pages a day
3.20
Average grade
16 September
Last finished
Crime/Thriller
Biggest shelf, 323
89 of 866 books · 28 with a note
2026
3 of 35 books · avg 3.17 · 12k pp
2025
3 of 63 books · avg 3.04 · 23k pp
2024
6 of 66 books · avg 3.12 · 24k pp
2023
4 of 78 books · avg 3.11 · 27k pp
2022
8 of 67 books · avg 3.24 · 25k pp
2021
6 of 74 books · avg 3.27 · 20k pp
2020
3 of 46 books · avg 3.00 · 15k pp
2019
6 of 50 books · avg 3.31 · 11k pp
2018
3 of 41 books · avg 3.27 · 9k pp
2017
5 of 37 books · avg 3.28 · 11k pp
2016
4 of 37 books · avg 3.21 · 10k pp
2015
2 of 38 books · avg 3.09 · 13k pp
2014
7 of 49 books · avg 3.28 · 14k pp
2013
10 of 51 books · avg 3.30 · 14k pp
2012
1 of 62 books · avg 3.09 · 13k pp
2011
14 of 61 books · avg 3.38 · 14k pp
2010
4 of 11 books · avg 3.64 · 2k pp
A+ and AA−B rangeC and belowTaller is longer. Hover for the title, click to open.
Pick one
The highest grade on each shelf, ties to the one I read fastest.
Crime/Thriller 323A+The Border (Power of the Dog, Book 3)Don Winslow
Perfection - both in pace and story. (and as the completion to a 3 book epic)
Sci-Fi 154AReady Player OneErnest ClineLiterary 152A+Remarkably Bright CreaturesShelby Van PeltMaybe a perfect novel
Horror 134AWorld War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie WarMax BrooksHistorical 24A+Button ManAndrew GrossPerfect in almost every way - so well done, with just the right tone.
Fantasy 24AThe Ocean at the End of the LaneNeil GaimanNonfiction 22AUnbrokenLaura HillenbrandSuch a quality told story of survival. This was historical non-fiction done in novel form. Very little dialogue, but a narrative tone. Perfectly done.
Comic/Satire 13A2030: The Real Story of What Happens to AmericaAlbert BrooksMemoir 10AOn Writing: A MemoirStephen KingAn amazing look into how he writes. Priceless window into the writer's soul.
YA 10A-Every DayDavid LevithanStart here
The three A+ grades in 17 years.
A+
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Shelby Van Pelt · 2024 · 368 pp
Maybe a perfect novel
A+
The Border (Power of the Dog, Book 3)
Don Winslow · 2019 · ends the Power of the Dog series
Perfection - both in pace and story. (and as the completion to a 3 book epic)
A+
Button Man
Andrew Gross · 2019 · 371 pp
Perfect in almost every way - so well done, with just the right tone.
The best book of every year
Highest grade takes it; a tie goes to the one I read fastest. Honorable mentions are the other A grades.
2025
Stoner John Williams Literary
A320 pp106.7 pages a dayAudiobook, read by Robin Field
Honorable mentionsAll the Colors of the Dark Chris Whitaker AMy Friends Fredrik Backman A
2024
Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt Literary
A+368 pp61.3 pages a dayAudiobook, read by Marin Ireland, Michael Urie
Maybe a perfect novel
2023
Small Mercies Dennis Lehane Crime/Thriller
A307 pp102.3 pages a dayAudiobook, read by Robin Miles
This was great. Loved the characters and it was a great mix of strong drive, race relations, a 1970s setting, and a bit of mob ties
2022
The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles Literary
A576 pp115.2 pages a dayAudiobook, read by Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland, Dion Graham
2021
Cloud Cuckoo Land Anthony Doerr Literary
A630 pp157.5 pages a dayAudiobook, read by Marin Ireland, Simon Jones
2020
The Glass Hotel Emily St. John Mandel Literary
A301 pp75.2 pages a dayAudiobook
Honorable mentionsThe Boy From the Woods Harlan Coben ABroken Don Winslow A
2019
Button Man Andrew Gross Historical
A+371 pp53 pages a day
Perfect in almost every way - so well done, with just the right tone.
2018
Dodgers: A Novel Bill Beverly Crime/Thriller
A293 pp48.8 pages a day
Honorable mentionsHow to Stop Time Matt Haig ANormal Scott J. Holliday A
2017
The Force Don Winslow Crime/Thriller
A480 pp60 pages a day
Solid - perfection in writing, in storytelling, in character development. Perfect cop novel.
2016
The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge Michael Punke Historical
A262 pp37.4 pages a day
2015
All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr Historical
A531 pp59 pages a day
Honorable mentionsFinders Keepers Stephen King A
2014
The Radleys: A Novel Matt Haig Literary
A337 pp84.2 pages a day
Great vampire book - just as good as Humans. Such perfect tone and story structure.
2013
Defending Jacob William Landay Crime/Thriller
A423 pp105.8 pages a day
2012
The Mount Carol Emshwiller Sci-Fi
A
2011
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War Max Brooks Horror
A342 pp85.5 pages a day
2010
Under the Dome Stephen King Horror
A
The authors worth trusting
Four books or more, by average grade. Bigger dot, more books. Click a name to filter the shelves.
BB+A−A
Series I am in the middle of
Three books or more. Only 5 of the 89 A grades belong to a series. Click one to see it in reading order.
Am I getting harder to please?
Average grade per year. Mildly, yes. Not above the long-run average since 2019.
The numbers
| 2010 | 11 books | avg 3.64 | 2,294 pages |
| 2011 | 61 books | avg 3.38 | 14,476 pages |
| 2012 | 62 books | avg 3.09 | 12,770 pages |
| 2013 | 51 books | avg 3.30 | 13,870 pages |
| 2014 | 49 books | avg 3.28 | 13,814 pages |
| 2015 | 38 books | avg 3.09 | 12,577 pages |
| 2016 | 37 books | avg 3.21 | 9,599 pages |
| 2017 | 37 books | avg 3.28 | 10,563 pages |
| 2018 | 41 books | avg 3.27 | 8,539 pages |
| 2019 | 50 books | avg 3.31 | 10,771 pages |
| 2020 | 46 books | avg 3.00 | 14,758 pages |
| 2021 | 74 books | avg 3.27 | 19,975 pages |
| 2022 | 67 books | avg 3.24 | 24,743 pages |
| 2023 | 78 books | avg 3.11 | 27,265 pages |
| 2024 | 66 books | avg 3.12 | 24,188 pages |
| 2025 | 63 books | avg 3.04 | 22,764 pages |
| 2026 | 35 books | avg 3.17 | 11,984 pages |