Dear readers, it’s time for a 2021 Reading Wrap Up!
This year of reading has been unlike any other for me. Although there are still several weeks left in the year, I wanted to go ahead and take a look at my stats. I used StoryGraph throughout the year to track my books. I had several physical ways of keeping up with them in the beginning, but in the end, it is more efficient for me to just hit “Currently Reading” and “Read.” I LOVE this site/app. It is simple, clean, and does the exact job that I need it to do. Also, c’mon, the stats are pretty epic. What do you use to keep up with your reads?
This year, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree and working a couple of different jobs, I had more time to read than before…until I began working on my Master’s degree this October. In total, I finished 80 books, exceeding my goal of 45 by 178%. (I can’t tell you the number of books that I DNF.) I read 24,003 pages, which I realized might be a little off because of the random editions that I failed to pay attention to. Whoops. To the pie charts!
My top three most read moods for 2021 include: emotional (28), adventurous (27), and lighthearted (26). The largest percent of books that I read are medium paced (45%), which is kind of surprising. I tend to read shorter, slower paced novels. Okay, the shorter aspect still rings true with 56% of the books that I read being 300 pages and under. I used to only pick up the thickest books I could find. Now, I attempt to seek out well written books that pack a punch. Out of the 80 books of the year, 71 of them were fiction with only 9 of them being nonfiction. My star rating can be broken down like: 5 (13), 4.5 (5), 4 (5), 3.5 (3), 3 (4), 2.5 (3), 2 (1). (I am no math genius, but I obviously did not rate all of the books that I read on StoryGraph or on the blog.) These are all of the stats that I am reporting this year! There are a few more, but I feel like I covered all of the most interesting ones.
| Favorite Books 2021 | Least Favorite Books 2021 |
| The Comet Seekers – Helen Sedgwick | The Invisible Life of Addie Larue – V.E. Schwab |
| The Anthropocene Reviewed – John Green | Vinegar Girl – Anne Tyler |
| The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman | Something Borrowed – Emily Giffin |
| The House on Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros | Lab Girl – Hope Jahren |
| The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan | Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding |
This year of tracking my reading, writing numerous reviews, and stressing myself out over one of my favorite hobbies has led me to make a decision about my reading goals for 2022. The first is that I will not have a read goal! All I want to do this next year is enjoy what I read. It is a ZERO pressure year! I will still be using TheStoryGraph, but I won’t set up a numerical goal.
I can’t wait for the new year. I have been stuck in a book blah as of late. I am still reading, but I haven’t read anything spectacularly wonderful recently. I have big ideas about rereading some of my favorites next year as well as more nonfiction! Oh, lot’s of picture books too. I’m excited!
That’s all for now. I hope that you are well! Take a walk with your pup. Watch a good show. Buy some books if you need to!
Did you have any favorite books of 2021? Do you have any new reading plans/goals for 2022?
Thanks for reading!
I Literary Can't! 