Monday, January 01, 2018

My Year in Books, 2017: Stats


Happy New Year!  2018 was an interesting year for me, one that was full of ups and downs, highs and lows.  Like every year, I guess.  I'm not sad to wave goodbye to 2017; in fact, I'm quite excited to welcome 2018.  I hope it will be a great year for all of us, one in which the ups outweigh the downs and the highs beat out the lows.  My wish for you this year is that it will be filled with peace, joy, love and, of course, good books.

As far as reading goes, I had a fairly successful year.  Here's how it broke down for me:

Total Books Read:  158 (6 more than last year; 28 fewer than my record of 186)

Number of fiction books read:  148 (94%)
Number of non-fiction books read:  10 (6%)
Number of adult books read:  98 (62%)
Number of young adult books read:  40 (25%)
Number of middle grade/chapter books read:  20 (13%)
Number of books by female authors:  132 (84%)
Number of books by male authors:  21 (13%)
Number of books by multiple authors, female and male:  5 (3%)
Number of books by LDS authors:  29 (18%)
Number of books read, personal collection:  42 (27%)
Number of books read, review copies:  61 (39%)
Number of books read, borrowed from library:  55 (35%)
Number of reading challenges joined:  2
Number of reading challenges completed:  0

-- My basic stats remain pretty consistent over the years.  I still need to read more non-fiction and more books by male authors.  I did a fairly good job borrowing books from the library this year, but I also read a lot from my own collection, which is great except that I ended up buying more books than I should have.  Oops.  This year I need to focus on reading the books already in my possession. 

-- I'm not going to make any reading/blogging goals this year except to try to stay more caught up on reviews.  I'd also like to meet my goal of reading 200 books this year, or at least beating my all-time record of 186.  Wish me luck!

-- Since I'm waaayyyy behind on reviewing the books I read in 2017, I'm going to be reviewing like crazy over the next couple weeks.  Bear with me as I catch up. 

-- Thanks for hanging with me at BBB in 2017.  I appreciate all the comments, link love, reading recs, and support.  Here's to a fabulous new year of reading and blogging!

-- Just for my records, here's the list of books I read this year (asterisks denote favorites):

158. FREEDOM'S RING BY HEIDI CHIAVAROLI (DEC)


  • 157. HEAVEN'S CROOKED FINGER BY HANK EARLY (DEC)
  • 156. A GAME FOR ALL THE FAMILY BY SOPHIE HANNAH (DEC)
  • 155. YEAR ONE BY NORA ROBERTS (DEC)
  • 154. ODD CHILD OUT BY GILLY MACMILLAN (DEC)
  • 153. A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS* [RE-READ] (DEC)
  • 152. THE HOUSE ON FOSTER HILL BY JAMIE JO WRIGHT (DEC)
  • 151. FAR FROM THE TREE BY ROBIN BENWAY (DEC)
  • 150. THIS IS OUR STORY BY ASHLEY ELSTON (DEC)

  • 149. I'LL KEEP YOU SAFE BY PETER MAY (DEC)
  • 148. AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN BY SUSAN MEISSNER (DEC)
  • 147. ALMOST SISTERS BY JOSHILYN JACKSON* (NOV)
  • 146. THE DISAPPEARANCES BY EMILY BAIN MURPHY* (NOV)
  • 145. THE THING WITH FEATHERS BY MCCALL HOYLE (NOV)
  • 144. BEFORE I LET YOU GO BY KELLY RIMMER (NOV)
  • 143. SILVER PRINCESS BY LEA CARTER (NOV)
  • 142. CHRISTMAS AT RUBY'S BY HOLLY SCHINDLER (NOV)
  • 141. GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT BY MONICA HESSE (NOV)
  • 140. RETRIBUTION RAILS BY ERIN BOWMAN* (NOV)
  • 139. THE CROOKED PATH BY IRMA JOUBERT (NOV)
  • 138. IT'S ALL RELATIVE BY A.J. JACOBS (NOV)
  • 137. INTO THE BRIGHT UNKNOWN BY RAE CARSON* (NOV)
  • 136. THE GREAT DIVORCE BY C.S. LEWIS (NOV)
  • 135. THE NOBLEMAN'S DAUGHTER BY JEN GEIGLE JOHNSON (NOV)
  • 134. THE GREAT ALONE BY KRISTIN HANNAH* (NOV)
  • 133. OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS BY CHRISTIE GARDINER (NOV)
  • 132. CHRISTMAS GRACE BY VARIOUS AUTHORS (NOV)
  • 131. THE RULES OF MAGIC BY ALICE HOFFMAN (OCT)
  • 130. LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS BY LAURA INGALLS WILDER [RE-READ] (OCT)
  • 129. LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE BY CELESTE NG (OCT)
  • 128. REAL FRIENDS BY SHANNON HALE AND LEUYEN PHAM* (OCT)
  • 127. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS BY AGATHA CHRISTIE (OCT)
  • 126. DEAR FAHRENHEIT 451 BY ANNIE SPENCE (OCT)
  • 125. YOU MAY ALREADY BE A WINNER BY ANN DEE ELLIS* (OCT)
  • 124. THE SAFEST LIES BY MEGAN MIRANDA (OCT)
  • 123. DYING IN THE WOOL BY FRANCES BRODY (OCT)
  • 122. THE PERFECT STRANGER BY MEGAN MIRANDA (OCT)
  • 121. ONE BY SARAH CROSSAN (OCT)
  • 120. THE CORONER'S DAUGHTER BY ANDREW HUGHES (OCT)
  • 119. WISHTREE BY KATHERINE APPLEGATE* (OCT)
  • 118. ORPHAN ISLAND BY LAUREL SNYDER (SEP)
  • 117. THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY BY MARY ANN SHAFFER AND ANNIE BARROWS (SEP)
  • 116. ALL THE MISSING GIRLS BY MEGAN MIRANDA (SEP)
  • 115. TO WAGER HER HEART BY TAMERA ALEXANDER (SEP)
  • 114. THE CLUE IN THE TREES BY MARGI PREUS (SEP)
  • 113. ENCHANTMENT LAKE BY MARGI PREUS (SEP)
  • 112. CHILDREN OF EXILE BY MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX (SEP)
  • 111. SLIDER BY PETE HAUTMAN (SEP)
  • 110. THE CONFUSION OF LANGUAGES BY SIOBHAN FALLON (SEP)
  • 109. A TREACHEROUS CURSE BY DEANNA RAYBOURN (SEP)
  • 108. MISS LESLIE'S SECRET BY JENNIFER MOORE (SEP)
  • 107. THE SHIP BY ANTONIA HONEYWELL (SEP)
  • 106. THE LIFE SHE WAS GIVEN BY ELLEN MARIE WISEMAN (AUG)
  • 105. GOOD AS GONE BY AMY GENTRY (AUG)
  • 104. MURDER AT THE BRIGHTWELL BY ASHLEY WEAVER (AUG)
  • 103. INTO THE LION'S DEN BY LINDA FAIRSTEIN (AUG)
  • 102. THE WRITING DESK BY RACHEL HAUCK (AUG)
  • 101. THE CHILD FINDER BY RENE DENFELD (AUG)
  • 100. THE THIRD DAY, THE FROST BY JOHN MARSDEN (AUG)
  • 99. DEAD WOMAN WALKING BY SHARON BOLTON (AUG)
  • 98. WOOL BY HUGH HOWEY* (AUG)
  • 97. THE DRY BY JANE HARPER (AUG)
  • 96. THE LYING GAME BY RUTH WARE (AUG)
  • 95. WHAT I LOST BY ALEXANDRA BALLARD (AUG)
  • 94. SWEETBRIAR COTTAGE BY DENISE HUNTER (JUL)
  • 93. MY BONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN BY L.A. MEYER* (JUL)
  • 92. THE SPACE BETWEEN THE STARS BY ANNE CORLETT* (JUL)
  • 91. A FRONT PAGE AFFAIR BY RADHA VATSAL (JUL)
  • 90. HOW TO HANG A WITCH BY ADRIANA MATHER (JUL)
  • 89. UNSEEN ANGEL BY ALISSA PARKER* (JUL)
  • 88. MORTAL ARTS BY ANNA LEE HUBER (JUL)
  • 87. HE SAID/SHE SAID BY ERIN KELLY (JUL)
  • 86. THE BOOKSHOP AT WATER'S END BY PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY (JUL)
  • 85. THE ANATOMIST'S WIFE BY ANNA LEE HUBER (JUL)
  • 84. ONE OF US IS LYING BY KAREN M. MCMANUS (JUL)
  • 83. THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC BY CRYSTAL CESTARI (JUN)
  • 82. MORMON GIRL: INCOGNITO BY KARI IROZ* (JUN)
  • 81. COLLECTING THE DEAD BY SPENCER KOPE (JUN)
  • 80. THE END OF TEMPERANCE DARE BY WENDY WEBB (JUN)
  • 79. LOVE ON POINTE BY TIFFANY ODEKIRK (JUN)
  • 78. LET THE DEAD SPEAK BY JANE CASEY (JUN)
  • 77. FAST FALLS THE NIGHT BY JULIA KELLER (JUN)
  • 76. THE EXPLORERS: THE DOOR IN THE ALLEY BY ADRIENNE KRESS (JUN)
  • 75. ROMANCING DAPHNE BY SARAH M. EDEN (JUN)
  • 74. BEFORE WE WERE YOURS BY LISA WINGATE* (JUN)
  • 73. LEMONS BY MELISSA SAVAGE* (JUN)
  • 72. YORK BY LAURA RUBY (MAY)
  • 71. SNOW IN SUMMER BY JANE YOLEN (MAY)
  • 70. THE BOOKSHOP ON THE CORNER BY JENNY COLGAN* (MAY)
  • 69. J. GOLDEN KIMBALL: THE REMARKABLE MAN BEHIND THE COLORFUL STORIES BY KATHRYN JENKINS GORDON* (MAY)
  • 68. IRRESISTIBLE: THE RISE OF ADDICTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND THE BUSINESS OF KEEPING US HOOKED BY ADAM ALTER (MAY)
  • 67. FORGET ME NOT BY ELLIE TERRY (MAY)
  • 66. MAKING BOMBS FOR HITLER BY MARSHA FORCHUK SKRYPUCH (MAY)
  • 65. WORTH THE WRESTLE BY SHERI L. DEW* (MAY)
  • 64. WRONG FOR YOU BY JENNY PROCTOR (MAY)
  • 63. INTO THE WATER BY PAULA HAWKINS (MAY)
  • 62. PRISONER B-3087 BY ALAN GRATZ (MAY)
  • 61. THE SHIMMERING ROAD BY HESTER YOUNG (MAY)
  • 60. SENSE & SECOND CHANCES BY BRITTANY LARSEN (MAY)
  • 59. ICEBREAKER BY LIAN TANNER (MAY)
  • 58. THE ORPHAN'S TALE BY PAM JENOFF (MAY)
  • 57. RIDING FREEDOM BY PAM MUÑOZ RYAN (APR)
  • 56. THE KNOWING BY SHARON CAMERON* (APR)
  • 55. THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY BY WILEY CASH (APR)
  • 54. HIDE AND SEEK BY JANE CASEY (APR)
  • 53. BLACKSOULS BY NICOLE CASTROMAN (APR)
  • 52. GHOSTSITTER BY SHELLY BROWN (APR)
  • 51. BET YOUR LIFE BY JANE CASEY (APR)
  • 50. LOVE'S SHADOW BY NICHOLE VAN (APR)
  • 49. GLADLY BEYOND BY NICHOLE VAN (APR)
  • 48. HOW WE FALL BY JANE CASEY (APR)
  • 47. MISS WHITAKER OPENS HER HEART BY JENNIFER MOORE (APR)
  • 46. LOVE AT FIRST NOTE BY JENNY PROCTOR (APR)
  • 45. HOW I MET YOUR BROTHER BY JANETTE RALLISON (APR)
  • 44. DREAMLAND BURNING BY JENNIFER LATHAM (APR)
  • 43. AFTER THE FIRE BY JANE CASEY (APR)
  • 42. A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME BY WILEY CASH (APR)
  • 41. THE KILL BY JANE CASEY (APR)
  • 40. UNDER THE HARROW BY FLYNN BERRY (MAR)
  • 39. TWO NIGHTS BY KATHY REICHS (MAR)
  • 38. THE STRANGER YOU KNOW BY JANE CASEY (MAR)
  • 37. SWEET IS THE WORK BY BREANNA OLAVESON (MAR)
  • 36. THE WIDOW'S HOUSE BY CAROL GOODMAN (MAR)
  • 35. THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON BY KELLY BARNHILL (MAR)
  • 34. THE LAST GIRL BY JANE CASEY (MAR)
  • 33. BLACKHEARTS BY NICOLE CASTROMAN (MAR)
  • 32. A BRIDGE ACROSS THE OCEAN BY SUSAN MEISSNER (MAR)
  • 31. THE PASSION OF DOLSSA BY JULIE BERRY* (MAR)
  • 30. THE SERPENT KING BY JEFF ZENTNER (MAR)
  • 29. SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL BY PATRICIA MACLACHLAN (MAR)
  • 28. A FINE GENTLEMAN BY SARAH M. EDEN (MAR)
  • 27. BE HAPPY BY HANK SMITH (MAR)
  • 26. OPTIMISTS DIE FIRST BY SUSIN NIELSEN (MAR)
  • 25. AT THE PULPIT: 185 YEARS OF DISCOURSES BY LATTER-DAY SAINT WOMEN BY JENNIFER REEDER AND KATE HOLBROOK, EDS. (FEB)
  • 24. THE RECKONING BY JANE CASEY (FEB)
  • 23. THE TRUTH ABOUT FRAGILE THINGS BY REGINA SIROIS (FEB)
  • 22. P.S. I LIKE YOU BY KASIE WEST (FEB)
  • 21. THE GHOST ORCHID BY CAROL GOODMAN (FEB)
  • 20. THE BURNING BY JANE CASEY (FEB)
  • 19. THE WARDEN'S DAUGHTER BY JERRY SPINELLI (FEB)
  • 18. HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN BY LOUISE PENNY* (FEB)
  • 17. MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS BY RICHARD AND FLORENCE ATWATER (FEB)
  • 16. THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT BY JOHN MARSDEN (FEB)
  • 15. THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY BY LOUISE PENNY* (FEB)
  • 14. THE LAKE OF DEAD LANGUAGES BY CAROL GOODMAN (FEB)
  • 13. RIVER ROAD BY CAROL GOODMAN (JAN)
  • 12. TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN BY JOHN MARSDEN* (JAN)
  • 11. THE VISCOUNT OF MAISONS-LAFITTE BY JENNIE GOUTET (JAN)
  • 10. KETCHUP CLOUDS BY ANNABEL PITCHER (JAN)
  • 9. THE STRANGER GAME BY CYLIN BUSBY (JAN)
  • 8. THE EDGE OF THE EARTH BY CHRISTINA SCHWARZ (JAN)
  • 7. THE OLD BUZZARD HAD IT COMING BY DONIS CASEY* (JAN)
  • 6. MIRROR IN THE SKY BY ADITI KHORANA (JAN)
  • 5. SCYTHE BY NEAL SHUSTERMAN (JAN)
  • 4. THE MISSING HOURS BY EMMA KAVANAGH (JAN)
  • 3. UNTRACEABLE BY LAURA GRIFFIN (JAN)
  • 2. THE PERFECT GIRL BY GILLY MACMILLAN (JAN)
  • 1. THE FORGETTING BY SHARON CAMERON* (JAN)


14 comments:

  1. 158 books is awesome even if not your personal best. Love all the stats you compiled!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, it was a pretty good reading year overall :)

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  2. Wow, what a great year of reading! I love when blogger share these detailed stats, I just find them so interesting. I look forward to the reviews you have coming up! I also noticed you read quite a bit of Carol Goodman's books--I've only read The Lake of Dead Languages, but this reminds me that I want to try out more of her books. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me, too! I love seeing everyone's stats and checking out their "Best of" lists. It's fun.

      I do like Carol Goodman. Her books are all kind of the same, but I enjoy them. I think my favorite is THE GHOST ORCHID.

      Delete
  3. Did you ever read Shanghai Sisters by Lisa See? I think you might really like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've read SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN and I just bought a used copy of CHINA DOLLS, but I haven't read SHANGHAI GIRLS. It does sound like one I would like. Thanks for recommending it!

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  4. Wow! I think the most I’ve ever read in a year is 103. 158 is awesome! You rock! And way to go reading lots from your own shelf.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, I was pretty proud of myself for reading my own books until I realized most of them were books I bought new this year instead of ones that had been sitting on my shelves for years. Oops.

      Delete
  5. Susan, I have been reading through many of your posts and enjoying your reviews. It's awesome that you read so many books this year. Way to go!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I appreciate the kind words. Happy New Year!

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  6. I read the most I ever have, I think, in 2017. 143 - don't think I'll ever get to 200. Good luck to you though in your quest to get there. LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I probably won't ever get there either. I keep trying, though!

      Delete
  7. I'm still in awe that you read 158 books. I can't even fathom that many.

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  8. 158 is a great number! I want to read more nonfiction this year too. It's one of those genres I love but tend to neglect.

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