2011 was another good year of reading; early on, I set a goal (using Goodreads' Reading Challenge tool) of 100 books. I'm pleased to report that I ended up reading 122 books, thanks in large part to a huge reading spurt in late December while I was on Christmas break.
Because I'm a nerd like this, I'll end up putting together some stats for my reading this year (again, something that Goodreads makes really easy for me), such as the total number of pages read, average number of pages per book, and number of books with 300+ pages. Here's a breakdown of how many books I read each month this year. I may even go back and compare that to previous years, to see what kind of reading habits I've developed over the long run. I'll keep track of that info in my reading mini-album.
January: 5 books
February: 9 books
March: 16 books
April: 11 books
May: 7 books
June: 6 books
July: 9 books
August: 7 books
September: 7 books
October: 8 books
November: 16 books
December: 20 books
(According to those stats, I'm only coming up with 121 books -- not sure where that extra book is.)
As always, I read a lot of YA fiction this year, as well as a lot of science fiction/fantasy. A lot of the novels I read were series, which I wish would quit being such a big thing, particularly in YA fiction. I read a lot of mediocre novels and some really, really excellent novels as well (thankfully, the list of stinkers is pretty short). Here's a look at my 10 favorite reads for 2011; not all of them were 5-star reads (and some 5-star reads didn't even make it onto this list). Just because I give a book 5 stars doesn't make it one of my automatic favorites; I've reserved this list for books that I tell others they absolutely MUST READ:
*Disclaimer: These are in no particular order.
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
A lovely, lovely book about sisters and growing up, among other things.
Chime by Franny Billingsly
I picked this up because of Andrea's recommendation, and I thought it was pure magic.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Cathrynne M. Valente
This book was everything that I want a children's fantasy novel to be. Perfect.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman
More perfection, this time of the grown-up fantasy novel type.
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Another look at sibling relationships, with excellent characterization and a truly unique narrative voice.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
A new addition to the paranormal romance genre -- a breath of fresh air.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
A fun and funny romp through a geek's gamer paradise.
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
The conclusion to Westerfeld's fantastic steampunk trilogy.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
A solidly crafted story for lovers of horses, mythology, and romance.
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
One of the most distinctive literary voices I've encountered all year. Beautifully crafted.
For sure, I am with you on three of these... Caleb, Weird and Penderwicks... although they are so different from each other. I still need to tally my books for the year, as I think I didn't get quite to 100.
Intrigued by your YA reading, in part because I've been reading through the Newberry winners. It is an interesting project, in part because although the criteria haven't changed, the books have. Particularly interesting is how different decades have emphasized the coming of age of female protagonists. It'd be an interesting book club discussion ;)
Have you read The Marriage Plot? That is my new year challenge book... over half way, mixed.
Happy New Year!
Posted by: jill | January 04, 2012 at 07:59 PM
I haven't read The Marriage Plot, though it is on my list -- I just have to make my way to it.
I personally find the Newbery winners to be hit or miss in terms of whether I enjoy them. For my personal tastes, I've always found that I prefer the Printz winners and honor books; many of my most favorite YA novels end up on that list (Jellicoe Road, Frankie Landau Banks, John Green's novels...)
I think my reading has always been pretty heavily skewed toward YA. It's a habit I picked up when I was teaching middle and high school, and I just stuck with it.
Posted by: Aud | January 04, 2012 at 10:08 PM