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 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. :)
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
The Best of 2013
First up, the novels that started it all:
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
Splintered by A.G. Howard
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
These are the first books in new series that published in 2013. Some are trilogies, some are duets, and some are companion novels in a planned series, but all are absolute page-turners.
Next up, we have the sequels I was dying to read in 2013:
World After by Susan Ee
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
Everbound by Brodi Ashton
And I just realized that I totally forgot to include Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi in this list. D'oh. I can't believe I left off Warner!!!
I could go on to create a list of top series endings, but honestly, those are bittersweet for me and probably won't ever make one of my "best" lists. Though that's not to say that they aren't still favorites.
Of course, I can't forget those books that I had to see what all the fuss was about:
One & Only by Viv Daniels
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
The Archived by Victoria Schwab
These four books were ones I was reluctant to read for whatever reason: I'd requested and decided the book wasn't a priority, neglected to request for review because I wasn't sure it would be my thing, or ended up requesting because of other bloggers. It's always another blogger's fault, isn't it? And again, I just realized I forgot to include a really amazing book on this list: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. It is becoming clear that I am simply horrible at lists.
Now for the books I finally got to because I ran across the audio on Audible:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
And last but not least, the books I read at the end of 2013 that don't even release until 2014 that were just too awesome not to mention:
The Unbound by Victoria Schwab
The Treatment by Suzanne Young
Unhinged by A.G. Howard
Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Plus One by Elizabeth Fama (not pictured, #1 because I'm a dorkus and forgot another one and #2 there's not a cover yet, so it doesn't matter...someone get on that already :P)
So, yeah, those are my picks for best reads of 2013. At least, from what I read. If I had to pick a favorite, um, well, I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a pencil than put my brain through that. It's truly that difficult to pick. But, yeah, it'd be one of these. :D
What were some of your favorite reads this year? Did any of mine make your list?
Stop by tomorrow to check out some of my resolutions for 2014. There may or may not be something about sticking to limits on lists. :P
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas!!!
Hey, guys! I hope you're all enjoying the holidays: the weather, the festivities, and most importantly, the time away from school and work. =) I haven't been around much, but that's not for lack of trying. But sometimes, you have to put family and other things before your own wants and wishes.
On top of all of the preparations for Christmas, I have a sick kiddo. Katie's been running a fever for a couple of days and just genuinely feeling yucky, and so all my plans to get things done while she was at daycare have been thwarted. Including getting her presents wrapped. D'oh. But the big day's here and we somehow worked everything out, as is usually the case, so all is well.
I plan to be back to blogging as usual by tomorrow or Friday, but again, that all depends on the family and what we have planned. I'll always put them first, and even though this blog is important to me, my family is even more so.
I hope you are all spending time with family and friends and loved ones on this most special of days. And I hope that no matter what you celebrate and who you're celebrating with, you're all being safe and careful and having a joyous holiday!
Be sure to check back for my 2013 Wrap-up post and my 2014 Blogging Resolutions!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays & all manner of good tidings!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Best of 2013 Giveaway Hop {International}
fivereadsof the yearpublished in 2013 and another list of books I read (or maybe re-read) this year that just blew me away -- even if they weren't published in 2013 -- and let one winner pick which one they'd prefer to read themselves. Sound good? Great.Here's what's up for grabs:
Top Books Pub'd in 2013 (in no particular order):
(Keep in mind that if you're not caught up on a series listed here, you can request the first book in lieu of the one pictured!)
Top Books Read This Year That Weren't Pub'd in 2013:
Yeah, I know that's a lot of choices. But variety is good, trust me. Oh, and I'm going to do this giveaway a little differently than in the past. You can choose whether you receive an ebook (for Kindle or Nook) or whether you'd rather wait on a finished copy from The Book Depository. Your choice, but I know how impatient I get when I'm waiting on a book to arrive in the mail. =)
Rules:
- This giveaway is international. As long as you can accept ebooks via Amazon/Barnes & Noble or if The Book Depository ships to your location and the book is currently available, you are good to go. (You can double-check that here.) Also, if a paperback is available, that is the format you will receive, should you choose a finished copy.
- One entry per household.
- Entries will be verified. Any entry found to be falsified will result in disqualification of all entries for that participant.
- Winner will be notified via email. Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. Please check your SPAM folder!!!
- We are not responsible for lost packages.
a Rafflecopter giveawayNow that you've entered here, be sure to check out all of the other stops on the Best of 2013 Giveaway Hop:
Thanks for entering & happy reading!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
SYNC Summer 2013: Week 11 #syncya
SYNC recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and the program has officially kicked off. Last week's offerings were Death Cloud and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. And here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!
This week's YA title is Enchanted by Alethea Kontis, performed by Katherine Kellgren for Brilliance Audio.
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?
I've read Enchanted, and I thought it was really cute. But Katherine Kellgren is one of my favorite audiobook narrators EVAR, so I'll definitely be listening to that one. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never read Through the Looking Glass, though I know the story of Alice well. My older sister is the biggest Alice fan you'll ever meet, and I've seen nearly every possible adaptation. I've also supported her obsession with many Alice-themed gifts over the years. Guess it's high time I actually read, ehrm, listen, to the story for myself. :D
Will you be checking out either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. Other things to note:
To download this week's titles, just click on the image below to be taken directly to the SYNC download page:
I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last couple of years, and I've had the chance to listen to a ton of great audio for free. If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy. And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed. Win/win. =)
Thursday, August 1, 2013
SYNC Summer 2013: Week 10 #syncya
SYNC recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and the program has officially kicked off. Last week's offerings were The False Prince and The Prince and the Pauper. And here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!
This week's YA title is Death Cloud by Andrew Lane, performed by Dan Weyman for Macmillan Audio.
This collection includes twelve of Holmes’s most famous cases: A Scandal in Bohemia, The Red-Headed League, A Case of Identity, The Boscombe Valley Mystery, The Five Orange Pips, The Man with the Twisted Lip, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb, The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor, The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, and The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.
I just realized that this is a young Sherlock Holmes and an adult Sherlock Holmes pairing. So, pretty much what I'll be doing while listening is picturing a young RDJ for the first, and the present-day RDJ for the second. ;0) Seriously, though, the only Sherlock Holmes story I've read is The Hound of Baskervilles, and that was so long ago that I couldn't begin to tell you what it was about. I just remember not loving it. But that was a long time ago. We'll see if I enjoy a good detective story from the master now.
Will you be checking out either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. Other things to note:
To download this week's titles, just click on the image below to be taken directly to the SYNC download page:
I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last couple of years, and I've had the chance to listen to a ton of great audio for free. If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy. And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed. Win/win. =)
Thursday, July 25, 2013
SYNC Summer 2013: Week 9 #syncya
SYNC recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and the program has officially kicked off. Last week's offerings were Grave Mercy and Hamlet. And here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!
This week's YA title is The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, performed by Charlie McWade for Scholastic Audiobooks.
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.
I still have an unread ARC of The False Prince on my shelf, which was recommended to me by the Scholastic rep at ALA Midwinter 2012 for fans of The Hunger Games. I'm guessing that's because of the orphans having to compete for the role of the prince? Whatever the case, I've wanted to read this novel since I first received it, so I'm excited it's being offered by SYNC this year. And I know the story of The Prince and the Pauper well, though I don't think I've actually ever read the original. Should be a great listen!
Will you be checking out either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. Other things to note:
To download this week's titles, just click on the image below to be taken directly to the SYNC download page:
I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last couple of years, and I've had the chance to listen to a ton of great audio for free. If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy. And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed. Win/win. =)
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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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