New Year's Post
Happy New Year!
The Sunday Post is a weekly news meme created by Caffeinated Reviewer. I will be posting on the first Sunday of each month and I hope you'll join me.
I hope you are all doing well, and are as excited about the New Year as I am. I'm welcoming it in with a recap of last year and my goals for 2025.
In 2024, I challenged myself to read 12 books. I know it's not a flashy number, but I figure if I'm doing one a month I'm doing alright. I'm happy that not only did I meet my goal of 12 books, I exceeded it by reading 33, a grand total 14,755 pages.
Last year I had set aside some reading goals (other than book count) to help keep my reading habits organized. I wanted to read only from my TBR list, except for when following up previously started series, or rereading prequels to their sequels. And while I did read some from my TBR, I added in a few ARCs and a handful of rereads during the busier holiday months. I'm proud to say, even though I didn't quite hit my reading goals, I had no impulse buys.
In 2024 I read 7 ARCs provided to me by NetGalley:
- What Feasts at Night by T.Kingfisher
- Salem's Cipher by Jess Lourey
- A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
- Flyboy by Kasey LeBlanc
- Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
- Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire
- Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer (Review being posted tomorrow!)
My first book of the year was Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey, but it was not my first review: that award goes to A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer and my last book of the year was A Conjuring of Light by VE Schwab, which was also my last review.
The longest book I read was The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith, I liked it so much I gave it an 5 stars. The shortest book I read was The Walking Dead: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, which was also my first ever graphic novel.
And I was curious in 2024 what my reading trends were, so I generated this pie chart using Excel, tracking my genres. I'm wholly unsurprised that fantasy took the lead, and classic lit is dead last, but I honestly thought Sci-Fi would take second place.
This year, I'm going to keep my yearly goal at 12 books, and hopefully surprise myself again. I'd make a resolution that I won't read anything not on my TBR list, but let's face it, I'll fail. Instead, what I'd like to do, is read 6 books from my TBR, so at least half of my goal will be books that have been waiting for me.
As for upcoming books, there's a few that I know I'm likely to read this year. If you're a horse lover or horse racing fan you might want to tune in... I just got the books: Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory by Lenny Shulman and American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner's Legendary Rise by Joe Drape. I just received a copy of Kiss the Girls by James Patterson and I'm really excited to see what all the hype is about with this book.
This year I may compete in the A-Z Blogging Challenge again. Last year I completed it but later found myself on the fence on whether it had been worth the time and effort. I had been hoping to generate more traffic and more followers but had only temporarily seen an increase in traffic and gained one new follower (whose support I appreciate). If I participate again, I'm also undecided on what I should post. Reviews seem the obvious choice, because it's the best way to showcase my work, but I'd need to find titles for H, Q, X, and Z and get them read before April. I've also made a list of alphabet-based bookish discussions I could potentially have, I'm not sure if that helps me in the long run, because I rarely host discussions on my blog. Decisions, decisions.
What are your plans for the new year? Do you have any reccs for H, Q, X, or Z?
Sounds like a good year to me! Just because other people are fast readers with big goals doesn't make your goal less. It's what matters for you, after all! So you did great.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteYou read some titles and authors I enjoy a lot. I'd recommend Fragile Threads of Power by VE Schwab for more Kel and Lila along with some new folks. I enjoy scifi and would like to read more but I read more mystery this past year. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
happy new year! I think Fragile Threads of Power is on my amazon wishlist, i knew it took place in the same universe as darker shades, but i hadn't realized it involved kell and lila, so that's good to know.
DeleteIt looks like you had a good reading year and read many great books! Reading more than you expected is always a very nice bonus. I read more than I anticipated this past year. I just hope it didn't go to my head and I expect that of myself this year--I am not sure it's realistic. Ultimately it isn't about the numbers, but that we're reading and enjoying ourselves in the process! I hope to read The Daevabad Trilogy trilogy this year. Babel is another one I want to read at some point. I really enjoyed the Shades of Magic trilogy and look forward to Schwab's Threads of Power. I read the Hendrix novel a couple or so years ago and enjoyed it. I I hope you have a Happy New Year and a great reading year!
ReplyDeletehappy new year to you too! you're right, its not about numbers, its about enjoyment...but its nice to look back and say i had carved out so much time to read. some years i'm rushing around like a nut and forget to take the time to mellow out. i liked what grady hendrix did with his vampire novel, making the main character undergo psychologically abuse, so she wouldn't be believed...and that horribly graphic ending, lol.
DeleteHanger's Horseman by Karen Witemeyer, I thought I had one for Z, then realized it was the author's last name. I would look for suggestions on Goodreads. Whatever you decide, good luck! And, some of us have more pockets of time to read in, so don't worry about comparing yourself to others (which I know is so hard!), but as long as you are reading, you are winning!
ReplyDeleteI'll look up Hanger's horseman, thanks!
DeleteNice that you went above your reading goal. I haven't read any of those books. Good luck with your 2025 goals. Happy New Year and have a great week!
ReplyDeletethank you, happy new year to you too!
DeleteWow you really exceeded your goal. Bet you kill it in 2025 as well. Sounds like you really enjoy horse stuff. Am I right or totally off board? I read a bit of mystery, including thrillers and cozies, so watch for some reviews on my blog. Thanks for visiting Booker T's Farm!
ReplyDeleteI love absolutely love horses. I've been riding for 20 years, and am lucky enough to have one of my own.
DeleteCongratulations on exceeding your personal goal! Best of luck with your challenges for 2025.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteCongratulations on a great year of reading and good luck with your goals for 2025!
ReplyDeletethank you!
Delete33 books is awesome! I think even 12 books is a good goal-reading anything at all in any quantity or form is awesome, to me. I love reading stats, it's so interesting to see what makes up our reading! I see a few books I love on your shelf (The Only Good Indians is one of my favorites!). :) I hope you have a wonderful time reading in 2025!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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