Hi all!
Since we are started a new year (which feels like it happened so quickly but also feels like 2021 went on forever), I thought I’d look back on my reading year with a survey.
I’ve adapted this from questions for Cait at paper fury. It looked like fun and the pie chats looked so cute. You will be glad to know that I found a way to simplify the pie chart making process, and now have a spreadsheet which I fill in throughout the year and it automatically makes the charts yay!!
Also this is for the all books I’ve read in 2021 so not all where released this year.
Number of books read: 100
Number of rereads: 3
In 2021, I took part in four reading challenges:
- Goodreads Challenges
- Around the Year in 52 Books
- Romanceopoly
- Finish Series
Goodreads Challenge
I am beyond thrilled that I was able to read 100 books again this year. My reading slump did make it a little touch and go. I completed my 100th book on 31st. Talk about leaving it to the last minute
Around The Year in 52 Books
Goal: 52
Read: 43
While I never seem to finish this challenge I really do love it. I will do it again in 2021. I’ve figured out that I’m not so great when it comes to assigned reading, even if they’re books I actually want to read. So I’m pretty happy with this. This challenge feels like
Romanceopoly
Goal: 39
Read: 09
I failed miserably at this challenge. It’s sad to look at these numbers 🤪🤪🤪. I will be starting afresh in 2022 with the Sun board and see if I can complete it.
Finish Series
Goal: 22
Read: 12
I am really happy with how much progress I made with this challenge. Out of the 14 series I wanted to catch up on, I completed 5 of the series (as you can see below)
Archangel’s Heart (Guild Hunters #9) by Nalini SinghArchangel’s Viper (Guild Hunters #10) by Nalini SinghArchangel’s Prophecy (Guild Hunters #11) by Nalini SinghArchangel’s War (Guild Hunters #12) by Nalini Singh- Seeker (Riders #2) by Veronia Rossi
- The Damned (The Beautiful #2) by Renee Ahdieh
The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerising Girl (The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #3) by Theodora Goss- Thor’s Serpents (The Blackwell Pages #3) by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr
- For the Immortal (The Golden Apply Trilogy #3) by Emily Hauser
- Medea (Delpic Women #1) by Kerry Greenwood
- The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden
- The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden
- Lair of Dreams (The Diviners #2) by Libba Bray
- Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners #3) by Libba Bray
- The King of Crows (The Diviners #4) by Libba Bray
Evermore (Everless #2) by Sara Holland- Night of Cake & Puppets (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2.5) by Laini Taylor
Life & Death: Twilight Reimagined (Twilight #1.75) by Stephenie MeyerI Want You to Want Me (Rockstar Romance #2) by Erika KellyTake Me Home Tonight (Rockstar Romance #3) by Erika Kelly- More Than a Feeling (Rockstar Romance #4) by Erika Kelly
King of Sword and Sky (Tarien Soul #3) by C.L. WilsonQueen of Song and Souls (Tarien Soul #4) by C.L. WilsonCrown of Crystal Flame (Tarien Soul #5) by C.L. Wilson
I will be carrying over the rest of the book listed and try my best to finish of these series!
I had a pretty good reading year this year. with most of my reading being 4 to 5 stars — I gave 21 books 4 starts, 31 received 4.5 stars and 25 received 5 star reads. My lowest rating was 2.5 stars which went to Before You Ghost by Helena Hunting & Debra Anastasia. This just didn’t work for me. It’s a ghost romance and I felt it was too short to explain any of the world building. Ultimately, I just couldn’t despend my disbelief.
My average rating for the year was 4.3 stars
These are all my 5 star reads for the year!
I am not really surprised to see that most of the books I’ve read were published in the last 5 years. I didn’t read any classics this year. The earliest published book I read was Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost.
I read 39 2020 releases (12 of which was ARCs), 55 books released in 2020, 23 of the books were released between 2019 and 2018, 17 were released between 2017 to 2011 and 5 books released between 2006 to 2010.
I’d like to see a wider rang of years published this year. There are a number of classics I would like to get to but I haven’t been in the mood. In saying this, I don’t want to feel pressured to read anything and just want to read what I want. So I imagine this will stay much the same.
In 2021 I continued my comfort reads so it’s no surprise that romance and paranormal where my two top genres. They were closely followed by my other two favourite genres, fantasy and historical fiction.
To breakdown the numbers; 40 were romance, 33 paranormal, 18 fantasy, 5 historical fiction, 1 literary fiction, 2 nonfiction and 1 short story collection.
There is a massive divide between my two top genres, romance and paranormal, and my next two, fantasy and historical fiction. I would like to see this divide decrease in 2022 because I do adore historical fiction and fantasy and I have a books on my shelves that I am dying to get to.
The stats for target audience really do go hand in hand with the genres I’ve read. I read mostly romance so it makes sense that adult is my most read target audience.
88 of the books were intended for an Adult audience, 10 were YA and 2 where Middle Grade.
I am hopeful that I can see an increase in the number of YA and Middle Grade titles I read in 2022. I have a few series that I want to finish off in these age ranges. So fingers crossed we see a change next year.
While it still looks like that I tend to favour digital books, I am glad to see the number of physical books I’m reading has increased. I would like to see the number of physical books I read in 2022 to be greater than the digital format. This is mostly because it would mean that I am reading the books I own. I really want to reduce my physical TBR by at least 100 books.
I read 52 digital books (40 eBooks, 11 digital ARCs and 1 Audiobook) and 48 physical books (40 paperbacks, 7 hardbacks and 1 physical ARC).
I read 33,511 pages across 100 books. These number honestly blows my mind. I am beyond thrilled that I was still able to reach 100 books despite how challenging 2021 has been and being in a reading slump for most of the year.
Seems to be a running tread that January is my biggest reading month; I guess I like to start the year off strong. I finished 13 books in January which was a total of 4,952 pages. On the flip side, April was my worst read month, which on reflection makes sense, work at the time was crazy busy. I read 1,931 pages across 5 books.
On average I read 8 books per month
The shortest book I read was Feed by Aveda Vice at 48 pages and Lethal Redemption by April Hunt was the longest book I read at 688 pages.
My average book length in 2021 was 335 pages.
Yep, I am still very much a series reader. You have no idea how thrilled I am to see that the number of sequels is more than the number first books in a series I am reading! I might be learning actually be learning to finish reading series.
I read 33 standalones, 24 first books in a series and 43 series sequels.
Hopefully I can see this trend of reading more sequels in 2022. I have created a spreadsheet to keep track of the series I am reading and which book I am up to (why yes I was ashamed to know I am in the middle of 31 series and have just read the first book of another 45). This should help to keep me motivated.
That’s all for me. Comment down below and let me know what your favourite read of 2021 was
Until next time, happy reading and wishing you all a happy New Year!
Dearna
Words of the Roses 