Last year, I read 171 books.
You might be wondering how I read so many books if your total number of reads is slightly lower than mine. Well, I’m glad you asked. You see, when I find a favorite author, they become an auto-read author for me. Which means I will devour their entire backlist and automatically purchase any book they release. When I examined the books I read in 2022, I noticed there was a theme of series. I always knew I liked series, but I didn’t realize I read so many.
There are series in my list of reads that center around family, friends, coworkers, etc. For the purpose of this post, I gathered the ones I read in their entirety (or as currently released to date) that were Christian contemporary romances. Trust me, there are a lot more series books on my list that I didn’t finish up because the rest haven’t been published or they fall into a different genre.
Without further ado . . .
I read a lot of Brooke St. James in 2022. One reason is she writes fast (yay me), the other is I enjoy how much her books connect and seeing others from previous books. So I read the Alexander family and . . .
This series has five books (currently) and I was all too happy to read them this year. I kind of felt like a stalker waiting for her to inform us of a new book on her Instagram page. But every time I saw the new cover, I cheered. I knew I’d have a book that would move right up to the top of my TBR pile.
Besides reading Brooke St. James, I also read our very own Elizabeth Maddrey. I feel like I’ve been reading Elizabeth’s books forever, but in reality, I think it’s only been ten years. Picking up her new billionaire series was a no brainer. I loved her previous billionaire series and expected to feel the same way. I didn’t finish the Billionaire Next Door series only because book 4 comes out this year.
Another series I read this year was one by Carol Moncado. Can we ever have enough royal books? My thoughts are NO and Carol is my go-to when I need a royal fix. Carol writes so fast I don’t think I have read all of her books, but I had a chance to make a dent in her backlist in ’22. I’m still working on one of her other series but at least I’m caught up with this for now.
What about you? Do you like series? Did you read an entire set in ’22? If so, share in the comments. They may all land in my TBR pile. :)
Firstly 171 WOW. I did about 36 last year. Sometimes if I like a series I will keep reading. I read your Prince books last year and Narelle Atkins Sydney Sweetheart books. I did start a couple of series that I stopped due to not connecting.
I have also been reading the book in a couple of mystery series which are released about twice a year which makes it easier for me. same with Penny Zellers historical books.
I have so many on my TBR list at present.
I don’t think I read anything like 171 books!
I do really enjoy series, I agree about the Billionaire Next Door series, and I also enjoyed Elizabeth Maddrey’s Hope Ranch series. I read Jessie Gussman’s Heartland Joy which was good, Autumn McArthur’s Love In Store series and Jess Mastorakos’ Kailua Marines, both of which were great. I also really enjoy Evangeline Kelly’s Blind Date Disasters series which I think had a new book last year, although I’d read most of it the year before.
Thanks for the recommendations, I haven’t read anything by Brooke St James before so will have a look.
Hi Toni! Last year I read 160 books. This retired high school English teacher enjoys reading series. I enjoy reading Elizabeth Maddrey’s and Carol Moncado’s series. I like reading a variety of genre: young adult fiction, non- fiction, cozy mysteries and historical romances. Many of the historical romances are multi author series. This year I leaned heavily in the cozy mystery and historical romance genres. I like binge reading a series with a unique premise – quilts, recipes, pets, older sleuths which is often more prevalent in cozy mysteries or historical romance. Few CCR have older characters that I can relate with. This week binge reading Holiday Pet Sleuth Mysteries. Fun – been a gloomy month in Michigan. Enjoy your weekend.
153 books for me last year. I got hooked on Susan May Warren’s writing and several of her series made it on my list, plus others in my current TBR pile. I kept finding references to past series characters in newer books and was obsessed with finding out their stories. It took me a while to figure out the sequence of series, but once I did, the books flew into my cart. There are some older ones that I can’t get my hands on (I don’t read e-books), but I think I’ve pieced together enough of those stories to be ok with not reading them.
I do like reading series, though it can be frustrating if something happens with the author or publishing process and the rest of a series never makes it to print (or is never made available in your country), and the last one that you have ends on a cliff-hanger.
I can understand stopping a series due to not connecting. I’ve done that before as well.
I really loved the Hope Ranch series too! I’ll need to check out Jessie Gussman’s. And I’ve read almost everything by Jess Mastorakos!
I like reading in other genres as well. Otherwise it would be hard to read 171 in one genre for me. :)
Yes! Susan May Warren has such an intricate build in her world. It’s so fun to see (and remember) past characters.
And I totally agree about not being able to finish a series due to publishing process.
I do like series!! I have not binge read an entire series, though! I get each book as they come out, though I’d love to go back and read them all together sometime! I did that once, though, and it totally turned me off of that writer. I don’t think that would happen with the ones I want to do that with now, though, as they aren’t the continuing saga of one family!! I read a total of over 231 books last year. I say over, because there were some I read twice that I only counted once. This year, I’m counting them twice when I read them twice! I also started one on Dec 31, and finished it Jan 3. I can’t think of a series that actually finished last year that I read, though.
I usually don’t count rereads either unless it’s been a really long time since I first read it.
I got hooked on Remi Carrington’s romcom cowboy romances in 2022. I also love Milla Holt’s series set in Norway. I’m a series lover too and if I like an author I usually exhaust their titles!
Wow, I read about 55 books in 2022. I also reading Debbie Macomber, Valerie Bodden books .
sometimes I like series and sometimes I like just one book.
Makes sense
I read Valerie Bodden too but have already read most of her books.
I need to read more of Milla’s books.
As I went back and looked at the books I read last year (221), I found that I read 31 series. WOW!!! Some of my favorites were:
Sewing in SoCal by Sarah Monzon as well as her Carrington Family
Grant Us Grace, Baxter Family Bakery, Taste of Romance, and Billionaire Next Door all by Elizabeth Maddrey
Urban Fresh Farm, Garden Grown Romance, Cavanaugh Cowboys, and Pot of Gold Geocaching all byValerie Comer
The Bloom Sisters by Tara Grace Ericson
The other series that I enjoyed are by authors not in here.
only like standalone
I read around 56 books last year and am amazed at all of you who read more than 100 or 200. I like reading series but don’t think I read any complete ones last year. I often like to space out my reading of series books so that the series lasts longer for me.
Yes, I love series. I read some trilogies in 2022, but not series. I have been on a number of ARC teams. Thank you for sharing. God bless you. Happy New Year.
That’s amazing! And I’ve read a lot of the ones you’ve mentioned as well. They’re great!
Good to note!
Making it last longer is a great idea but I’m impatient, lol.
Blessings to you as well!
That’s awesome! I’m going to have to read the two series you mentioned that I haven’t already read. I don’t know how many books I read last year though it was over 300, and included Sara Blackard’s latest two series (Rebels and Wilde about Alaska – I’d already read her Stryker series and vestige of time) Mandi Blake’s, Tara grace Erickson’s, Liwen Ho’s and Jessie Gussman’s 2022 series’ (multiple from each – some which are continuing into 2023) and the Heroes of freedom ridge series (which contains books from a number of the above authors and has just finished their 3rd season – hope they continue! As well as Jodi Bayse’s latest in her series, Carol Moncado, Kimberly Rae Jordan and more!
The Heroes of Freedom Ridge series is great!