199 Books* Ranked From Worst to Best

*I know that some are adaptations and original movies, but that’s besides the point.

Holy moley! I’m now approaching my 200th review. I’ve enjoyed posting these reviews for the last six years, and to meet that milestone means so much to me. I’m also glad that I’ve expanded what I evaluate. I plan on continuing to post reviews as long as possible.

Just like before, I will rate each of the 199 books that I have reviewed on this site. These are based on the ratings that I gave them on Goodreads, Letterboxd, and IMDb, but some have changed since their initial postings.

Here is the chart that I used to rate^ them:

* = Bad

** = Meh

*** = Decent

**** = Good

***** = Great

^Note: The books within each rating are only in alphabetical order.

Now, let’s begin!

*

• Final Jeopardy by Linda Fairstein
• The Flight of Celestial Race Horses by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
• For Whom the Bell Tolls Movie Version
• The Polished Hoe by Austin Clarke

**

• The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity: How the Modern Culture is Robbing Billions of People of Happiness by Matthew Kelly
• Carry the One by Carol Anshaw
• A Farewell to Arms 1957 Movie Version
• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1969 Movie Version
• The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers by Sarah Tomlinson
• LOY and Beyond by Todd David Gross
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

***

• The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard
• Blue Eyed Devil by MJ McDuffie
• The Bouncer by David Gordon
• Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl
• The Cold War by Norman Friedman
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
• A Farewell to Arms 1932 Movie Version
• The Fountainhead Movie Version
• For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips Series Version
• Kill the Farm Boy by Deliah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne
• Knitting for the First Time by Vanessa-Ann Collection
• Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison
• A Life Well Bred, A Life Well Led: A Personal Memoir in Eight Psychosocial Development Stages by Robert C. Jones
• A Man Called Otto Movie Version
• My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson
• Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith
• Richville: A Chance for Redemption in a Town Without Pity by Robert C. Jones
• Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian
• The Summons by John Grisham
• The Suspect by Fiona Barton
• Tangerine by Christine Mangan
• The 23rd Hero by Rebecca Anne Nguyen
• Where the Crawdads Sing Movie Version
• The Widow by Fiona Barton

****

• The Ballad of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark
• Blowback by Brad Thor
• Blue Beetle Movie
• The Book of Love: 50 Poems to Fall in Love by Shah Asad Rizvi
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
• Box of Birds: What New Zealand Taught Me about Life and the Practice of Medicine by Stephen Stowers, M.D.
• Cancer Moon: How I Survived the Best Years of My Life by Jenna Tico
• Caterham Sevens: The Official Story of a Unique British Sportscar from Conception to CSR by Chris Rees
• The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
• Dalva by Jim Harrison
• Divan of Shah by Rizvi Shah Asad
• The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
• The Four Sworn: Spring Equinox by Lenore Sagaskie
• Glass Houses by Louise Penny
• Go West, Girl! by Kit MacKenzie
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1939 Movie Version
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips 2002 Movie Version
• The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson
• The Hate U Give Movie Version
• The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James
• A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
• Her She Lady: A Tribute to Womanhood by Shah Asad Rizvi
• I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
• The Indispensable Element: Six Keys to Lead Yourself to Success in Your Life, Work, and Relationships by Micah E. Huggins, Esq.
• The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
• The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen
• Lie Down in Darkness by William Stryon
• NeuroMastery: Retraining Your Brain to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Attacks by Ugochukwu Uche MS., LPC
• Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
  • (I will be reviewing the movie version in December, so stay tuned for that.)
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Oasis by Bharat Krishnan
• Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
• Once Upon a Winter: A Folk and Fairy Tale Anthology edited by H.L. Macfarlane
• One Day in December by Josie Silver
• Open for Interpretation: A Doctor’s Journey into Astrology by Alicia Blando
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
• The Outsider by Stephen King
• A Polar Bear in Love Manga Series by Koromo
• Richville: Another Tale of Travail and Treachery by Robert C. Jones
• Richville: A Silver Lining in Richville – Hope Springs Eternal – Good vs. Evil, the Struggle Continues by Robert C. Jones
• Rose Madder by Stephen King
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
• The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
• A Song of Silence by Steve N. Lee
• A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
• The Tale of the Red Fox in the North Woods by Robert C. Jones
• There There by Tommy Orange
• Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
• Valley of Shadows by Rudy Ruiz
• The Vampire of Maple Town by Kane McLoughlin
• The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• What Was Your Name Downriver: Tales of the Shattered Frontier by Anthony Lowe
• Where’d You Go Bernadette Movie Version
• Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
• Wild Women of Michigan: A History of Spunk and Tenacity by Norma Lewis
• Win by Harlan Coben
• Writers & Lovers by Lily King
• You Can’t Spell America Without Me: The Really Tremendous Inside Story of My Fantastic First Year as President Donald J. Trump (A So-Called Parody) by Alec Baldwin and Kurt Andersen

*****

• Almost Family by Ann Bancroft
• Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography by Eric Idle
• The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek
• Around the World in 80 Days With Michael Palin by Sir Michael Palin
• Barbie Movie
  • (Yes, even a book reviewer like me couldn’t escape the Barbenheimer phenomenon in 2023.)
• The Beat, The Scene, The Sound: A DJ’s Journey Through the Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of House Music in New York City by DJ Disciple and Henry Kronk
• Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
• Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
• Big Love by Bari Beckett
• Blankets by Craig Thompson
• Britt-Marie Was Here by Frederik Backman
• Buy My Book: Not Because You Should, But Because I’d Like Some Money by John Marszalkowski
• The Caiman of Iquitos by Bayard & Holmes
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• The Cheesemaker’s Daughter by Kristin Vukovic
• The Child by Fiona Barton
• Childless Mother: A Search for Son and Self by Tracy Mayo
• The Cinematic Voyage of The Pirate: Kelly, Garland, and Minnelli at Work by Earl J. Hess and Pratibha A. Dabholkar
• Clock Dance by Anne Tyler
• Confessions of a Bad, Ugly Singer by Collette McLafferty
• Confessions of a Campaign Manager by Bharat Krishnan
• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
• Cul-de-Sac by Liz Crowe
• Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Daisy Jones & The Six Series Version
• Darling Girl: A Novel of Peter Pan by Liz Michalski
• Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life by Annie Spence
• Death in a Gilded Frame by Cecelia Tichi
• The Deepfake by Joan Cohen
  • (I originally had this as 4 stars on Goodreads, but I changed it to 5 stars because I realized it had a bigger impact on me than I realized at the time.)
• Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
• Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
• Educated by Tara Westover
• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
• Enchanted Flames: A Magical Collection of Short Stories published by Lyndsey Hall
• Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
• Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
• Falling Through the Night by Gail Marlene Schwartz
• The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht
• Fiona’s Fury by Roxy Blue
• Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
• The Four Sworn: Summer Solstice by Lenore Sagaskie
• From the Sidelines to the Finish Line: A Chronic Illness Survivor’s Challenges and Everyday Triumphs by Emily Falcon
• The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
• The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
• Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian
• How to Punch Kids in Bathrooms by John Marszalkowski
• Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova
• Last Light: A Collection of Short Stories by Chris Coppel
• Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife by Melissa Giberson
• Laws of Annihilation by Eriq La Salle
• The Lesser Blessed by Richard Van Camp
• Lifeline to a Soul: The Life-Changing Perspective I Gained While Teaching Entrepreneurship to Prisoners by John K. McLaughlin
• Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
• Lily’s Wondrous World: A Day in the Park by Marc Polett and illustrated by Vasya Baev
• Love, Pride, Virtue, and Fate by Bharat Krishnan
• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
• A Man Called Ove Movie Version
• The Many Adventures of Peter and Fi Volume 1 by Kelvyn Fernandes
• Maus by Art Spiegelman
• The Mechanics of Memory by Audrey Lee
• Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
• My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
• Nighthawk by Clive Cussler
• Not Weakness: Navigating the Culture of Chronic Pain by Francesca Grossman
• The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music by Tom Breihan
• On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
• The Only Way Through is Out by Suzette Mullen
• Oppenheimer Movie
  • (This film is really 4.5 stars because it’s Oscar bait, but compelling nonetheless. I’m ok with it winning Best Picture at the Oscars.)
• Our History Has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies edited by Colin Kaepernick, Robin D. G. Kelley, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
• The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure
• The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
• Privilege by Bharat Krishnan
• The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
• Reparenting Myself: A Memoir to My Daughters on Growing Up, Getting it Wrong, and Giving My Best by Anony Mom, MD
• The Riders by Tim Winton
• Rolls-Royce Motor Car: Making a Legend by Simon Van Booy and Harvey Briggs
• Solo Leveling Manhwa Series by Chugong
• The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
• Stranger in the Shogun’s City: A Japanese Woman and Her World by Amy Stanley
• Stress Test by Kay White Drew
• Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm
• The Survivors Club by Lisa Gardner
• The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
• Tesla: Inventor of the Modern by Richard Munson
• That’s Me Groucho!: The Solo Career of Groucho Marx by Matthew Conniam
• Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell 
• Transcendence by Shay Savage
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Movie Version
• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
• Uncredible Thoughts: Essays, Spiels, and Poppycock by John Marszalkowski
• Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko
• The War Legacy by Nandita Pant Joshi
• The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
• What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha
• The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell

And there you have it! Let me what you think via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or email!

Join me as I post my 200th review next week! It’s of the weirdest book I’ve ever read, and I’ve looked at plenty of strange ones.

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