Okay, so last year, I saw everyone with their pretty charts and graphs analyzing how they'd spent their year reading, and I vowed I'd be able to do the same this year. So, I changed up my spreadsheet...you know, the one that you use to keep track of all the books you have to read, the ones you did read, when they're due for release, how you acquired it, etc. Anyway, I added a few columns to that bad boy and set myself up for maintaining some serious data when it came to this whole reading thing.
Some tidbits you should know before we proceed:
- Books read in 2013: 203
- Longest book read: Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick, which came in at 688 pages
- Of those 203 books read, I reviewed: 173
- Number of posts in 2013: 505
- Stats are from: 1/1/13 to 12/31/13
- I love: charts and graphs, so you're going to see quite a few below =)
- Oh, and the charts and graphs are all interactive -- just scroll over them to highlight the info you want to see
First of all, I wanted to see which publishers I read the most. I had an inkling, based on favorites and auto-approvals, but here's what the numbers show:
Yeah, I'm not surprised. Except that I read fewer Random House and Macmillan titles than I would've thought.
Okay, so now we know what publishers I'm reading most, but how? How am I reading over 200 books in a single year? Here's how:
Yeah, I listened to a
ton of audio...and my pocketbook is paying for it!
Okay, so if you've added those numbers, you realize they don't add up to 203. That's because in some cases, I listened to an audiobook for which I'd already received a review copy or had a copy on my shelf, and I listed it on my spreadsheet in all formats in my possession. But if I purchased the audio, there's a good chance I didn't read it first.
Next, you're probably wondering how I obtained all of those books:
I think this hopefully helps to debunk that myth that all book bloggers are out to get free books. I paid handsomely for about half of what I read last year. (And, yes, again the numbers don't add up to that magical 203...and the same reasoning applies -- sometimes I'd get an ARC when I already had an egalley, or I'd get an ARC
and a finished copy from the publisher, so I counted it twice.)
So, what else could you possibly want to know about my 2013 reading experience? Hmm...how about how I rated all 203 books?
Apparently I was rather generous with the 4 and 5 stars this year. Only one DNF. Going forward, there won't be any half stars because I changed my rating system when I changed my blog design. So, to be fair, some of those 4 and 5 stars might have been 4.5 and 3.5 stars rounded up, if they occurred
after my design was changed. I crunched some numbers, and my average rating over 203 books was 4.14 stars. I'd say that's definitely average for me...before I even looked at the data, I could've told you that most of my reads are 4 stars, which means I like them a lot.
Also, you should know that I try my hardest
not to read things that I won't like or barely like, thusly negating the need to rate them 3 stars or lower. My reading time is precious and too little to waste on bad books. It's only because I attempted to read one truly terrible book that there's even a DNF on the chart, but sometimes, you're led astray by a pretty cover and promise of a good story that just doesn't hold up. My lowest rating equates to "hated it with the fire of 1000 suns" so you can guess how bad I thought that one DNF was if I couldn't even finish it.
Anyway, I have more columns and more data I could share, but these are the biggies, I think. I only just realized that I don't have areas to record the type of book (series, companion, stand-alone, novella, etc.) or the genre. But genre is so subjective sometimes...I always feel that a lot of the books I read fall into several different categories at once, and so it's really hard to gauge where to place them for exercises like this.
If you're still here and made it to the end, I hope you found some of this intriguing. Since I've been working with this data all year long, it doesn't come as a surprise, but it's still interesting to see the numbers like this. Plus, I just really like making pretty charts and graphs.
Well, I'm off to prepare for the rolling in of the new year. Also, to add some stuff to that spreadsheet so that I have more to share next year. :)
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
2016 End of Year Check In
I love doing stat posts based on my reading for the year. So, if you don't like charts and graphs or analysis of any kind, you can probably skip this post. :) I did one of these posts about midway through the year, too, because I just love playing with the graphics. Er, and also reviewing my reading progress. Yeah, that.
I'm a little behind, seeing as how it's been 2017 for nearly a month now, but better late than never, right? But all of a sudden, I have the urge -- and the time -- to blog again, so here I am. I'm not going to list all of the books I read in 2016 or even my favorites since I already did the 2016 End of Year Book Survey with April, but I am going to point you to my 2016 Goodreads challenge, which does list all the books I read:
2016 Reading Challenge
I know a lot of people have stopped participating in this challenge for one reason or another, but it's the only one I participate in, and I've never had a problem reaching my goal. But that's because I listen to a shit ton of audio. ;0)
See? I hardly read a physical book last year, unless it was an ARC. Most everything is audio these days because it's sometimes impossible to find the time to sit down and read. Even so, I guarantee that nearly half of those audiobooks listened to were for re-reading purposes.
And a lot of the audiobooks I read come from the library because audiobooks are hella expensive. I do purchase some with my Audible subscription, but let's see where the rest of my reading material comes from...
Hmm...that's quite a bit different from the last time I did this end-of-year post full of charts and graphs. I didn't even use the library then!
I used to care to see which publishers I reviewed more for, but as I did a lot less reviewing this year than in years past, I'm not going to worry over that. Instead, I want to see which genres I read the most from:
As I suspected. =) And here's how the ratings break down:
So, it would seem I've gotten a bit pickier with my reading, giving out a few more 2 stars and DNFing a bit more than I have in the past. I'm kind of proud of that fact.
All in all, a pretty good reading year, if I do say so myself. :D So, how did your 2016 reading year stack up? Any stats I should include next time that you don't see here?
As always, happy reading!
Friday, July 1, 2016
Mid-Year Check In
So, I love checking out everyone's EOM posts...what they read, what they liked, what they didn't. But I don't do one of those myself. It's hard enough to put together one at the end of the year, let alone every single month. But I thought I'd at least check in to show how I've been doing for the first six months of the year.
I'm not going to list all of the books I've read because that's already a lot, and the year's only half over. But I want to highlight some favorites and look at some stats and just genuinely see where I've spent my reading time so far this year. Plus, I just really like looking at stats and making charts and graphs. ;)
Here's a look at how I'm faring with my Goodreads challenge:
2016 Reading Challenge
I know a lot of people aren't participating in the challenge this year because of the stress involved, but I've never had a problem meeting my goal. In fact, sometimes, I increase it when it gets toward the end of the year and I see how well I'm doing. Also, I try not to set too lofty a goal for myself so that it's still doable, should something come up and slow my reading progress.
I've read some really amazing novels already this year. Here are a few (ha!) of my favorite reads so far for 2016:
Some great contemporaries. A few phenomenal series finales. Some new beginnings to series that I can't wait to continue. A few books that crushed my soul. And a 2017 that I just could not wait to start. Anything here you've read or are dying to read? I could honestly re-read all of these right this minute.
Speaking of re-reading, I've been doing a lot of that lately, too. Mostly via audio, but we'll get to that. :P Here's how I've fared with re-reads over the last several years...
But as you can see below, each year I read more altogether, so it makes sense that my number of re-reads is on the rise. I'd like to keep this trend going, though. I think I'm going to set an unofficial goal of 100 re-reads for myself this year.
Curious as to how I go through so many books so quickly? I listen to a ton of audio, of which you already know a lot are re-reads. =) Thank you, library, and thank you friend who made that possible again!
So, that's how my reading has gone so far this year. I think I'm doing preeeeettttty well. :P And here are some of the books I'm most excited to read during the second half of 2016:
I would have included Blood for Blood, but I just started it so I can no longer look forward to it...I can only hope it doesn't crush my soul like some others have this year. ;)
How's your reading progress so far for 2016? Do you have a similar post or an EOM post you'd like me to check out? I'd love to see how you spend YOUR reading time!
As always, happy reading!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The 2013 Wrap-up Post: An Analysis of What I Read This Year
Okay, so last year, I saw everyone with their pretty charts and graphs analyzing how they'd spent their year reading, and I vowed I'd be able to do the same this year. So, I changed up my spreadsheet...you know, the one that you use to keep track of all the books you have to read, the ones you did read, when they're due for release, how you acquired it, etc. Anyway, I added a few columns to that bad boy and set myself up for maintaining some serious data when it came to this whole reading thing.
Some tidbits you should know before we proceed:
- Books read in 2013: 203
- Longest book read: Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick, which came in at 688 pages
- Of those 203 books read, I reviewed: 173
- Number of posts in 2013: 505
- Stats are from: 1/1/13 to 12/31/13
- I love: charts and graphs, so you're going to see quite a few below =)
- Oh, and the charts and graphs are all interactive -- just scroll over them to highlight the info you want to see
First of all, I wanted to see which publishers I read the most. I had an inkling, based on favorites and auto-approvals, but here's what the numbers show:Yeah, I'm not surprised. Except that I read fewer Random House and Macmillan titles than I would've thought.
Okay, so now we know what publishers I'm reading most, but how? How am I reading over 200 books in a single year? Here's how:
Yeah, I listened to a ton of audio...and my pocketbook is paying for it!
Okay, so if you've added those numbers, you realize they don't add up to 203. That's because in some cases, I listened to an audiobook for which I'd already received a review copy or had a copy on my shelf, and I listed it on my spreadsheet in all formats in my possession. But if I purchased the audio, there's a good chance I didn't read it first.
Next, you're probably wondering how I obtained all of those books:
I think this hopefully helps to debunk that myth that all book bloggers are out to get free books. I paid handsomely for about half of what I read last year. (And, yes, again the numbers don't add up to that magical 203...and the same reasoning applies -- sometimes I'd get an ARC when I already had an egalley, or I'd get an ARC and a finished copy from the publisher, so I counted it twice.)
So, what else could you possibly want to know about my 2013 reading experience? Hmm...how about how I rated all 203 books?
Apparently I was rather generous with the 4 and 5 stars this year. Only one DNF. Going forward, there won't be any half stars because I changed my rating system when I changed my blog design. So, to be fair, some of those 4 and 5 stars might have been 4.5 and 3.5 stars rounded up, if they occurred after my design was changed. I crunched some numbers, and my average rating over 203 books was 4.14 stars. I'd say that's definitely average for me...before I even looked at the data, I could've told you that most of my reads are 4 stars, which means I like them a lot.
Also, you should know that I try my hardest not to read things that I won't like or barely like, thusly negating the need to rate them 3 stars or lower. My reading time is precious and too little to waste on bad books. It's only because I attempted to read one truly terrible book that there's even a DNF on the chart, but sometimes, you're led astray by a pretty cover and promise of a good story that just doesn't hold up. My lowest rating equates to "hated it with the fire of 1000 suns" so you can guess how bad I thought that one DNF was if I couldn't even finish it.
Anyway, I have more columns and more data I could share, but these are the biggies, I think. I only just realized that I don't have areas to record the type of book (series, companion, stand-alone, novella, etc.) or the genre. But genre is so subjective sometimes...I always feel that a lot of the books I read fall into several different categories at once, and so it's really hard to gauge where to place them for exercises like this.
If you're still here and made it to the end, I hope you found some of this intriguing. Since I've been working with this data all year long, it doesn't come as a surprise, but it's still interesting to see the numbers like this. Plus, I just really like making pretty charts and graphs.
Well, I'm off to prepare for the rolling in of the new year. Also, to add some stuff to that spreadsheet so that I have more to share next year. :)
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Obligation to Read
But to add to the conundrum, publishers like to send out unsolicited ARCs and finished copies, as well. I don't get these too terribly frequently, but I'm always at a loss when I do. Do I need to review it? Should I try to work it into my reading schedule? One publicist contacted me the day after I'd received a finished copy that I hadn't requested and asked me if I'd received it and if it was something I thought I might be interested in reviewing.
First off, if they already had my email, I think I should have been contacted prior to receiving the book. Because in this particular instance, yes, the book was one I'd been interested in, but it was a sequel to a book I hadn't yet read -- though, I'd also received an unsolicited finished copy of the first book -- and honestly, since it's not on my review schedule, it likely won't get read anytime soon. My point is, there are probably a hundred other people who have read the first book and would be in a better position to read and review the copy, had they been given the opportunity instead of me. So, now I kind of feel obligated to read the book. Not that I'm going to in the next few weeks or anything because that would just cause me undue stress, and that's the last thing I need right around the holidays.
On the other hand, there are times when I receive unsolicited books that I never would have requested or wasn't aware of, and receiving a copy puts it on my radar. So, I can see how the tactic works, even if I do think it makes more sense to put review copies in the hands of people who actually want them. I don't think I'll ever understand how publishers work and what methodology they use to decide who gets which review copies. I've seen plenty of posts on other blogs about it, but it seems that no two publishers are alike, and even publicists within the same publishing house have different "systems".
Regardless, I don't think the onus falls to me to review these unsolicited titles unless it's something I want to read. I already have a hard enough time trying to read and review the books I have requested, and even then I can't get to every one of them so I have to prioritize my reading schedule. And that in itself makes me feel guilty. Sometimes, I have every intention of reading and reviewing the book, so I keep it. Other times, I give the book away on the blog so that someone else who wants to read it gets the opportunity.
How do you handle unsolicited review copies? Do you feel like you're expected to review everything you receive, requested or not?
ETA: I don't want it to sound like I'm complaining, though I sort of am. But you know when you're perusing others' In My Mailbox and Stacking the Shelves posts, and you see that someone has gotten an ARC of the sequel that you're seriously coveting? And then they proclaim that they haven't even read the first book and they hope they can make time for both before the sequel's release? And they don't sound all that promising? THAT. I just think instead of sending out review copies all willy nilly, publishers should maybe send those bad boys out to reviewers who really want to read them. Say, those of us who have actually requested them and been ignored. ;0)
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Sunday Symposium: I hate it when you've read a book that I haven't...
Before you tell me where to stick that green-eyed monster, let me explain. When someone -- anyone, not just you or other book bloggers...anyone -- is reading a book that I want to read, this is what goes through my head:
I realize that all of this inner monologue might make me sound a bit nuts. So be it. I usually thrive on organization and a set routine or schedule, but I'm really starting to think being a book blogger is beginning to take a toll on me...and my sanity. I said I was going to take it down a notch, but I think I may have gotten worse instead of better.
I'm doing fewer tours, which has helped significantly with my stress level, but now I'm reading more. Not that I'm complaining. But reading more means having more to review. I feel like I only read and review about half of what I request, which makes me sad, and I feel a bit irresponsible because of it. I know the solution is to stop requesting so many books, but I'm always worried that one of those I skipped over will be the next big thing that everyone's talking about, and then I'll be left out. Being left out of the loop is the worst. Like I said...I don't like it when you've read a book that I haven't. Because then I can't discuss it with you and be a part of the hooplah surrounding it. And that's one of my favorite parts of blogging. Finding that one book and getting super-fired up about it.
I remember what it was like before I was a book blogger and didn't have access to advance copies. That was ten times worse than this...seeing people with ARCs of books that weren't coming out for another six months and stalking their updates and the author's website for teasers. But I was free to read whatever, whenever. I miss that. Though, technically, I suppose that really hasn't changed. The pressure I feel all comes from within. I've always done this to myself. Even in school...when I was vying for valedictorian, I nearly gave myself an ulcer.
So. Maybe the solution isn't merely to stop requesting review copies. Maybe it would be best to rip up that old review schedule altogether.
Even so, I don't think I could ever do it...but I have been allowing my mood to pick my next read for the last couple of weeks, and it's really worked out. I am riding cloud nine on a book high right now after my last four or five reads. But there are other review books on my schedule that I am less than excited for. And because I requested them at some point, I'll end up reading them by their release date. *sigh*
I am a creature of habit. And this is what I know.
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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