A very Happy New Year to everyone. Thank you so much to all new followers and everyone who is still following my random musings and reviews. It always amazes me, (and those little like post hearts always give me a happy) even though I'm a terrible social introvert and am dreadful at replying and commenting. (I really do appreciate it, though half the time never know what to say). So thank you again to everyone who reads these posts.
I read a grand total of 170 books this year. Bit of a step down from last years 200 plus, however, I realized that even though I read so many books in 2015 I barely remember any of them. So I took it a bit slower and made sure to enjoy what I read and be even quicker about DNFing the ones I don't like.
I also hit a few slumps this year and did fewer challenges, I think I did two rounds of Story Sprites and a few rounds of Bookish Bingo. (Which are my favourite challenges) I found I struggle when mixing the two. I didn’t do a Goodreads challenge again this year and for some reason I find that always helps when I don’t set a set limit, go at my own pace with a mix of Netgalley books and owned stuff.
I also discovered grown up colouring books this year, and have a bunch of them, which I find incredibly relaxing, so I’ve been diving personal time between that and books (and cuddling with my beloved kitty of course). Had a bit of a blogging slump as well, not been reviewing much other than Netgalley stuff. It also occurred to me the other day I’ve been doing this blogging thing since 2012.
I was also contacted by an author this year (I think for the first time) with a review offer – so thank you Audrey Greathouse! (I’m a very small blog presence, I’ve had one or two publishers contact me ((and I shamefully still haven’t read the book yet)) so this always amazes me as well that an author can do it directly).
And since then I’ve found so many different blogs and reviewers to follow and the difference of opinion is always absolutely fascinating. Also it really helps to find new books and authors I would never consider looking at otherwise.
I usually set a goal to finish a series, one that has more than five books either a reread or an unfinished one. I didn’t manage that this year (I didn’t even reread Harry Potter or Throne of Glass this year and usually do that at least twice, I think I only read The Shining once this year and usually read that at least three times a year). I don’t think I even finished any trilogies.
That’s going to be my goal for 2017. Finish a series with more than 5 books, and finish more trilogies. I also started a lot of things that were abandoned or put on hold (usually because I started a new challenge and wanted to find books to fit that) at some point next year I want to finish all those books.
As usual, read more of my Netgalley books (as these are the only review books I get other than the occasional Read It Now books on Edelweiss.)
I finally read and finished Outlander after starting it March, probably my most favourite book this year. (I’ve already gone and purchased every book in the series. It is now going to be my goal to read all the books in this series, some of them are huge! This will probably take me forever but this is my new obsession.
Also, review more. Pretty Deadly Reviews ran a Backlist Books challenge last year part of which included a condition that all books must be reviewed. If that’s run again in 2017 I’ll be doing that one.
I’m also signing up for Flights of Fantasy from Alexa Loves Books blog. I read a lot of fantasy novels, this is a fantasy novel challenge. I’m going to set myself an initial goal of 20 fantasy books to read.
And I will be doing my favourite Story Sprites from Great Imaginations blog and Bookish Bingo from Pretty Deadly Reviews.
Maybe this year I will find a Booklikes Bingo card to do, these cards looks like so much fun every post I read for these. (Romance Bingo really isn’t my thing, but maybe next card, too many squares for things that I don’t like reading). But I still really want to try Booklikes Bingo.
Probably enough rambling at this point. Thank you again to anyone still reading.
Next up my Best and Worst books of 2016.
Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1510115/2016-in-review
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