If you want to read more—be pickier! I try to only read fiction that grips me in the first 50 pages and I only read non-fiction that I think can truly improve my life, way of thinking or be of use to my clients.

I added the App for Audible onto my phone this year and increased my “reading” by about 30%. But it turns out I only like non-fiction or self-improvement in the car—not fiction. Maybe you are the opposite. Check out Audible, Learn out Loud, or Nook Audiobooks App so that you can listen to books while sitting in traffic or working out.

Here’s is my list for the year and a short comment or review on each:

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir – by Jenny Lawson
Loved it. A totally inappropriate, hilarious book. I cried laughing at times.

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald.
Okay. I should have stopped at 50 pages but didn’t/couldn’t. The last 200 are gripping.

The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results –
by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan
Loved it. Great time management and priority advice.

What I Know For Sure – by Oprah Winfrey
Loved it. Great for a few pages at bedtime or bath time.

The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) by Hal Elrod.
Just Okay. Good basics but did not require an entire book to share the message.

The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring – by Richard Preston
Loved it. I read this book because I never, ever read stuff like this. Learned a lot about the epic Redwoods and the people that climb and study them.

How the World Sees You: Discover Your Highest Value Through the Science of Fascination – by Sally Hogshead
Loved it. This book contains a profile link—which is the whole point. Great test for salespeople.

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die – by Chip Heath, Dan Heath
Loved it. Read it for a client gig and it’s a great marketing and ideas guidebook.

Activate Your Brain: How Understanding Your Brain Can Improve Your Work – and Your Life -by Scott G. Halford
Loved it. My favorite non-fiction book of 2015. I sent out about 20 copies of this book.

The Goldfinch – by Donna Tartt.
Loved it. Favorite piece of fiction this year. Great story-great book.

Ask George Anderson: What Souls in the Hereafter Can Teach Us About Life – by George Anderson, Andrew Barone
Loved it. Easy read and if you want to believe in Angels—this is your proof.

A Wrinkle in Time– by Madeleine L’Engle
Loved it. It was one of my son’s favs and I never got around to reading it until now.

Karmic Management: The Secret Laws of Karma that will Create Success in All Aspects of Your Life – by Michael Roach, Michael Gordon
Loved it. A fresh business book.

My Brilliant Friend– by Elena Ferrante, Ann Goldstein (Translator)
Just okay. I stayed with this book because it set in the time of my mother’s childhood.  

Gift from the Sea – by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Loved it. I have read this book many times but not in 15 years or so. A handbook of life for any woman; anywhere. I listened to it this time and it was still great.

Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined – by Stephenie Meyer
Loved it. If you know me you know I am a fan of Meyer. She reimagined Twilight—I loved it.

The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way – by Wayne W. Dyer
Good. Listened while sitting in traffic to honor the author who died this year. It’s a lot of material but very good, positive stuff.

The Motivation Manifesto – by Brendon Burchard
Loved it. I used this book to teach a confidence class this year. Great shot in the arm.

Crazy Good: A Book of CHOICES – by Steve Chandler
Hated it. I am a fan of Chandler but this book did not make sense against the title-at all!

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t – by Robert I. Sutton
Liked it/Hated it. The first part of the book’s subtitle is exactly what this book is about. As for surviving bullies at work (which is why I read the book in an effort to help others) it fails the reader.

The Last American Man – by Elizabeth Gilbert
Loved it. I had no idea what this book was about and I loved it. Very outdoorsy. Gilbert sure can write and her subject matter (Eustace Conway) is so compelling there is a show on cable about him.