(click chart made via onlinecharttool.com to embiggen)
Every year, same goal of reading 100 books, but the only year I made it was 2006, before I started reviewing.
Newsflash: reviewing cuts into reading time! But, that’s OK, I like to blog.
To break down the books I’ve read, you can check out goodreads. There you’ll see I read 86 “books”, but I didn’t count the one graphic novel. I did count a couple of novellas because I read some longer 500+ page books as well and figured they balanced each other out. So in 2011, I read 85 books.
Out of those books, I have my favorites, and my favorites have two categories. Those books that blew me out of the water, and those that came very close to doing that. Blew me out of the water always a difficult group to get into, because it’s based on sheer emotion. If I feel euphoric LOVE after I finish a book, it goes on the list. Not many books do that to me. So:
Blew me out of the water:
Close to perfection:
(each image links to my review, if I have reviewed the book).
There are so many books not on this list that I consider keepers. Another 20 books at least, so 2011 was not a bad reading year at all. Check out my goodreads to see all the 4 star books this year not on this list here. I was actually good about putting the books I read on there this year.
Goals for 2012:
- Again keep trying to get to 100 books read
- Since I can’t finish a challenge to save my life.. try not to join so many challenges (hah, we’ll see)
- Buy whatever books I want to. 🙂 I have given up the fight against the TBR, but I know what’s reasonable.
- Stay relaxed with the blogging thing.
- And this year, the goal is to catch up on some series. I have a lot of series that I’m realizing I’m behind on and would like to get back into.
specficromantic 
Our goals are very similar. I have yet to write my goal post though, look for it sometime this week!
Your “blew me out of the water” pile looks very tempting and I’m going to have to add them all to my list. Sigh.
Muhaha (on adding books to your list)! I hope you end up liking them if you get to reading them.
I’ll be keeping an eye out for your list! I’m behind on the reader since being on vacation, but I’m catching up. 🙂
I really must read Unsticky 🙂 And the thief book! Lol, yes I know I know
Lol! 🙂 Well I hope after all this build up you do like it when you get to THE THIEF.
Hooray for Late Eclipses and The King of Attolia! All these end of the year reading lists are reminding me I still need to read Chime.
Those seem like good goals. I’ve given up on doing them other than number of books to read for the year since I much prefer reading what I feel like at the time instead of what I told myself months ago I should read this year. I’ve also given up on the TBR fight, although I think I may need to get better at getting rid of books after I read them in that case.
I am also behind on so many series. So many I don’t want to think about it.
I loved CHIME but it got a mixed reception! That’s one where the main character has a big effect on the reader liking the book.
Yes, the only real concrete goal I feel is about the number of books, but as you can see, I miss it many times! 😀 The rest are sort of “guidelines”.
Yes, the series thing has gotten out of hand!
I haven’t read any of your three top books yet! I almost got THE SCORPIO RACES, but umm… I think the hype has put me off slightly. I will get around to it this year. And everyone seems to love Sarra Manning’s books – I’ve definitely to try and read one this year too!
Li
I also took a little while to finally get to THE SCORPIO RACES, but ended up really liking it. Read it when you’re ready though. Yeah, that Sarra Manning.. one of my favorite discoveries this year.
I like the idea of catching up on series and buying more books despite the TBR. ALSO I really want to read Sarra Manning.
Happy New Year!
Sarra Manning is good stuff, I hope you try her books out. eh, the TBR will cover me one day, but as long as the husband doesn’t mind… 😀
Happy New Year to you too!
“Stay relaxed with the blogging thing.” -> THIS!
The only books that I haven’t read in this list are The Duff and the Toby Daye book. I am hoping I can read both in 2012. Love all of your other choices! Chime wasn’t a favorite but I still think it’s really good.
Yeah, with all the other blogs, sometimes that competitive part of me begins to compare, and I have to remind myself: this is what you do for FUN. This is what you do as an ESCAPE. Haaaa. It’s more than a hobby though. 🙂
Well I think this means you should read The DUFF and the Toby Daye book! Yes, CHIME wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. One of the ones I loved but not everyone else felt the same.
LOL I know exactly what you mean! I love what you said about blogging being more than a hobby because that’s true. This is really what we do to have fun, to unwind and yes, to escape all other aspect of life that are NOT FUN.
Ohh, yes! I definitely would like to read more this year!
x
Lost in the Haze: Fashion Blog
🙂 The problem is finding time! (P.S. I love your blog).
Is that a 99 I see at the top of 2007? If so, SO CLOSE! You must have died to miss your goal by one book. I would love to make it into the 3 digits but I don’t even make the goal because I know it’s just not possible for me. I have enough pressure as it is with the blogging, review writing, etc. 🙂 I still hope that one year I’ll reach it without knowing, and then I’ll really have a reason to cheer.
I have CHIME on my nightstand now, though I’m not sure when I’ll get to it. And THE DUFF – I’ve picked it up before but wasn’t in the mood for it. Between you and Angie’s glowing reviews I should really pick it up again.
I know! That year I looked dolefully at my stats. Sigh. I even remember being holed up in a room till midnight to GET to 99 and my dad pounding on the door telling me that they had sparkling cider and me saying something along the lines of “NO!!! I’M DOING SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT!!! AHHH!!!”
Ah well, you know how it is. Can’t force it. Wait till you’re in the mood. 🙂
Your Blew Me Out of the water books are mine, too. *hugs*
Great minds… 😉
I love the goal to buy the books you want, and to be relaxed about blogging.
Unsticky sounds fantastic. I’ll have to look for it this year.
Best of luck with your reading and blogging goals, and happy new year!
Thanks. I hope I can stick to that. 🙂
That book owns me. I hope you find a copy to try.
Best of luck and a Happy New Year to you too!
I loved The Scorpio Races too!! Plus, I agree that fighting the TBR is painful. Reading what you want when you want seems to be the method that works best for a lot of people. Why force reading when it’s supposed to be fun! Good luck! 🙂
This is a book where I took my time to get to it, but the hype – it lives up to it. So good. So happy I read it. So happy WHILE reading it.
If I look at the actual size of the TBR I give myself stress. Best to just embrace my book buying weakness I say.