This time of year has always been a milestone for me: a time to look back on what I have accomplished over the last several months and to look ahead, setting new goals and to reorganize where necessary. Two thousand ten was a whirlwind of a year with many ups and downs, including some that are life changing.
Join me in taking a look at my year in reading:
Join me in taking a look at my year in reading:
Longest Book Read ~ The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Shortest Book Read ~ Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth and Childbirth by Jenny McCarthy
Best New Series ~ The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews
Best Nonfiction Book ~ What We Have by Amy Boesky
Books that Touched Me Most Personally ~ Tie: What We Have by Amy Boesky & Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Not Finished ~ Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan
Book that Made Me Smile ~ 29: A Novel by Adena Halpern
2009 Reading Trends ~
Total Books Read ~ 73
Total Authors Read ~ 62 (books written by multiple authors are only counted as one author)
Graphic Novels Read ~ 4
Short Story Collections, Anthologies or Essays ~ 7
Short Stories Read (not counting short stories read in collections) ~ 5
Total New To Me Authors Read ~ 51
Books Read by Genre ~
28 Fiction
29 Crime/Suspense/Thrillers/Mysteries
9 Fantasy
6 Nonfiction
4 Horror
3 Science Fiction
35 Female Authors
26 Male Authors
1 Mixed Gender
Books Read by Authors' Gender ~
40 Females
28 Males
5 Mixed Gender
Books Read by Rating ~
2 Outstanding/5 Stars
3 Very Good +/4.5 Stars
46 Very Good/4 Stars
13 Good +/3.5 Stars
8 Good/3 Stars
0 Fair +/2.5 Stars
1 Fair/2 Stars
0 Poor/1 Star
Book Size ~
7 Pint Size Books (200 pgs and Under)
41 Intermediate Books (201-350 pgs)
22 Substantial Books (351-500 pgs)
3 Doorstop Books (501+ pgs)
Books Read by Type ~
20 Hardback Books
39 Trade Paperback Books
12 Mass Paperback Books
2 E-Books
Books Read by Narrative Voice ~
31 1st Person
35 3rd Person
3 Both
4 Nonspecific Voice
Reading Challenges Participated in ~ 3
Reading Challenges Completed ~ 3
2009 Blog Posts ~ 148 (including this one)
Top Three Movies Seen This Year ~
Inception (2010)
The Town (2010)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (2010)
Top Ten Favorite Crime Fiction Books for 2010 ~
10. Grey Matters by Clea Simon
9. Dog On It by Spencer Quinn
8. The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva
7. Mortal Prey by John Sanford
6. The Devotion of Suspect X Keigo Higashino (review pending)
5. 31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan
4. The Singer's Gun by Emily St. John Mandel
3. The Last Child by John Hart
2. Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Overall it was a good reading year. A great one, in fact, quality wise. I did not read as many books as I hoped, but I did read 13 more than I did last year. Even so, with Anya's illness, my pregnancy, the situation with the house, and my extra responsibilities at work, reading was not a high priority. And still, I couldn't not make time for it--reading is very much a part of who I am. I had no idea what would make my top ten list this year until I sat down this past weekend and began giving it serious thought. After setting my completed list aside for several days and returning to it last night, I feel I made the right choices.
I value good writing, well developed characters, a setting that is just as much a character as the time and location the story takes place, and a story that wraps me up in the pages and won't let go until the end. I tend to be a visceral reader. For a book to become a favorite, it must touch me in an emotional way, whether it be through laughter or tears--even better if it's both.
10. Outside the Ordinary World by Dori Ostermiller
9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
8. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
7. What We Have: A Family's Inspiring Story About Love, Loss, & Survival by Amy Boesky
6. American Rust by Philipp Meyer
5. The Boat by Nam Le
4. The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar
3. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
2. Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
1. The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
Plans for 2011 ~
At the start of 2010, I had big ideas for my blog and a list of books I just had to read within the year. I think I managed to read 1 book off that "must read list". The big craze this year was reading deliberately and the contrarian in me decided my goal would to be to deliberately not read deliberately. I knew then it would be a challenging year on many different fronts, and I wanted to keep my options open. Who knew where my mood and the moment would take me?
This new year I am taking it one step farther. I will not be joining any reading challenges, as tempting as many of them sound (and I do love a good challenge!). I stopped accepting books for review several months ago and will continue to turn down offers in the foreseeable future (exceptions are very few and far between). I still have a number of review books to get through, and so you'll be seeing those titles pop up now and then. I do hope to tackle those TBR stacks, although a lot will depend on what gets packed and when--and then unpacked. I will be taking each day as it comes.
I think Edmund Wilson got it right when he said, "No two persons ever read the same book." When we read a book, we bring who we into our reading experience, including who we are in the moment. Reading is a very intimate and personal experience as a result. That's how I see it, anyway. One of the many things I enjoy about the book blogging community is being able to share our thoughts about the books we read, seeing how similar and different our opinions may vary, all the while learning more about ourselves and each other. I cannot thank you enough for joining me this year on my reading adventures and hope you will join me again this coming year. I look forward to seeing what 2011 will hold for not only me, but for you as well. Keep those book recommendations coming!
Musings of a Bookish Kitty will be dark the first week of the New Year. Have a Happy New Year and stay safe.
This new year I am taking it one step farther. I will not be joining any reading challenges, as tempting as many of them sound (and I do love a good challenge!). I stopped accepting books for review several months ago and will continue to turn down offers in the foreseeable future (exceptions are very few and far between). I still have a number of review books to get through, and so you'll be seeing those titles pop up now and then. I do hope to tackle those TBR stacks, although a lot will depend on what gets packed and when--and then unpacked. I will be taking each day as it comes.
I think Edmund Wilson got it right when he said, "No two persons ever read the same book." When we read a book, we bring who we into our reading experience, including who we are in the moment. Reading is a very intimate and personal experience as a result. That's how I see it, anyway. One of the many things I enjoy about the book blogging community is being able to share our thoughts about the books we read, seeing how similar and different our opinions may vary, all the while learning more about ourselves and each other. I cannot thank you enough for joining me this year on my reading adventures and hope you will join me again this coming year. I look forward to seeing what 2011 will hold for not only me, but for you as well. Keep those book recommendations coming!
Musings of a Bookish Kitty will be dark the first week of the New Year. Have a Happy New Year and stay safe.
© 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
