We are just a few days away now from ringing out the old and ringing in the new. What better time for those who love books and stories to reflect on what we’ve been reading?
As I have shared before, I love Goodreads and their annual Reading Challenge. The site helps me keep track of my reading and the challenge keeps me trying to read more.
While I will finish reading another book or two before the end of 2016 (I am preparing this post on Christmas), the numbers will not change dramatically from the accompanying graphic.
So far in 2016, I completed 67 books and 14,790 pages. Of those books, I listened to 52 of them (78%) in audiobook format. Oh, how I love my audiobooks (as do a number of other Inspired by Life authors). I shudder to think what I would do without them, and I am so disappointed when I learn of a book I want to read and discover the publisher hasn’t put it out on audiobook, as has happened to a number of my own releases. 🙁
Of the 67 books I read this year, a whopping 48% earned 5-star ratings from me. This may have been my favorite reading year in ages. Another 31% earned 4-star ratings and 10% got 3-star ratings. I gave 2 stars to only 3% while 8% received no rating from me. (I have reasons for not rating some books which I won’t go into.)
Picking a favorite or some favorites from among my 5-star reads is difficult, but here are a few in no particular order (I’m just going down my list):Victoria; Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ; The American Miracle: Divine Providence in the Rise of the Republic; Manliness: The Robert Mitchum Way; The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto; Lilac Girls; Esther: Royal Beauty; A.D. 33; The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl; Ava’s Man; Risen; and We Shall See God: Charles Spurgeon’s Classic Devotional Thoughts on Heaven. (Maybe it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that the authors of Inspired by Life…and Fiction gave me hours and hours of enjoyment with their stories this year and were among my favorite reads. Thanks, friends!!)
Coming in April 2017
I can only hope that 2017 will bring as much reading pleasure as 2016 did. As soon as Goodreads opens up the new challenge, I will be setting my goal and getting busy reading. Whether you use an app like Goodreads or an old-fashioned notebook on the stand beside your bed, I hope you’ll track your reading. When you do, it’s lots of fun to look back at the end of the year.
Happy New Year, everyone. See you in 2017.
~robin
Robin Lee Hatcher
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It’s great fun to get a peek at your reading in 2016, Robin! I, too, keep track of everything I read (except books I judge for the RITA) on Goodreads. Like you, I had a great time looking back over my “year in books” and like you, I do the majority of my reading via audio book these days.
I’d very much like to read more in 2017. 5-10 more books in 2017 is a resolution I can get excited about. 😉
And like you, I don’t keep track of those books I judge in the RITAs. But other than that, everything is there. My book reading has doubled since I started doing the Challenges in 2013. But it isn’t because of the Challenge. It is because of the audiobooks.
I love tracking my books on Goodreads. Plus I often forget if I have already read a book and can check to see. I did not know about the stats like you showed so searched and found that! Thanks!
Glad you found the stats, Joan. And like you, I can forget if I’ve read a book. And that’s even if I really enjoyed it.
I love Goodreads also, and have been a member for two years. I just completed my challenge last week, and like you, I had raised mine this year, and will do that again for next year. I also applaud your advice about keeping a record of what you read, even if in a notebook. I started listing my books on my computer in 2004, and was able to easily transfer the information to Goodreads.
Congrats to you, and happy reading!
Thanks, Betty. Have a great 2017 in books.