Happy New Year! 2020 has successfully snuck up on us like a ninja, which means … you guessed it! A recap of 2019 and resolutions for the new year that are bound to fail.
Okay, okay, we’ll try to succeed, but sometimes even the best of intentions aren’t enough. Since Goodreads has some really fancy data that it presents gift-wrapped, I figured it’d be a waste to not use it. Next year, for the 2020 wrap up, I hope to have even better data, since I’ve started tracking it on my own, because I’m a bundle of optimism and misplaced hope. After all, maybe 2020 is when I stop being such a procrastinating slacker. You never know. Anything can happen.
So without further ado … let’s see how 2019 went for me!
2019 Goodreads Challenge
Conclusion: Nailed it.
My original goal for 2019 was 100 books, but when I met that fairly early on, I decided to make my stretch goal 120 books and beat it by one! I wasn’t quite sure I’d make my stretch, and I may have cheated and read a few shorter books, but hey, I did it just the same! This is the most I’ve read in any year to date, and I do hope to see the trend continue next year.
2019 Reading Stats
Pages Read:
39,997 pages
Longest Book:
The Priory of the Orange Tree (848 pages)
Shortest Book:
First Case (77 pages)
5-Star Reads:
21 books
4-Star Reads:
19 books
3-Star Reads:
30 books
2-Star Reads:
12 books
Unrated Reads:
39 books
DNF’d:
10 books
2020 Bookish Resolutions
✦ Read 150 books ✦
I’m going to up my Goodreads challenge from last year to 150 books. My stretch goal, if I hit that early (which I’m thinking I probably will, because of other goals) will be to read 200 books. This is … mind-blowing for me, but what’s the point if it’s not, you know, a challenge? I’ve decided to up this number because, one, I read so much last year, so it’s clearly possible for me to read more, and two, I have a couple resolutions later on that will have me reading some smaller books, which means I should be able to read more books since I’m deviating from the 450 to 500-page tomes I normally read.
✦ Catch up on ARCs ✦
I’ll be posting more about this in the coming weeks, but I am waaaay behind on ARCs, and I feel horrible about it. The problem with being behind is that once you’re behind, it’s really hard to catch up. Due to the loss of my grandmother, a miscarriage, and depression, I fell way behind and never quite got my footing back. I hope to fix this in 2020!
✦ Participate in blog tours and interviews ✦
Neither of which I’ve really done before, have I? Mostly because I feel like I don’t have much to add to either, but I know that’s not true. That’s just my inner pessimist whispering in my ear. So this year, I’m going to try to own it and do at least a few blog tours and interviews (hopefully).
✦ Read more manga/graphic novels ✦
I used to read a lot of manga (and my husband still does), so why did I get out of it? One, manga tends to be expensive to buy in book form and I don’t actually have access to it elsewhere. Two, I didn’t have a decent device to read it on, as I hate reading on my computer and having to zoom in on my phone drives me crazy. I’ve gone a more middle-of-the-road and have bought a few graphic novels and subscribed to the Shonen Jump app and bought a new phone, all of which will hopefully make it easier for me to reach my goal!
✦ Read more mid-grade books ✦
Since I’ve started working at the library, I’ve realized that I haven’t really read a whole ton of mid-grade. Yet, the little bit of mid-grade I have read has put me as the go-to for the library, because nobody else there reads mid-grade period. So this year, I really want to actually start reading it some more!
✦ Read more books I/the library owns ✦
Don’t get me wrong, I love ARCs and I’m thankful for every single one I get. However, I have a whole bookshelf (quickly spreading across the floor of my library like a plague) full of books that I bought and haven’t read yet. There’s even more of those types of books at the library. Plus, having read books from the library is handy with helping patrons.
✦ Post more regularly ✦
I feel like you should’ve seen this coming. You totally did, didn’t you? I know that my posting habits can sometimes be spotty, especially since I started the second job at the library. I’m trying. Really, I am. Sometimes, by the end of the day, I just want to pass out and not have to try to put words together, no matter how much I love the subject. At the same time, I really want to put more effort into this. I know I’m not the only one with this resolution!
✦ Hit 500 followers ✦
Listen, this is a huge freaking dream stretch goal. I’m not even sure this is possible. But then again, when I started, I didn’t think 50 followers would be possible. And when I ended 2019, thanks to some fabulous people on Twitter, I made it to just over 300 followers. I’m still not sure how. I’ve clearly hoodwinked you all, and as soon as I figure out how I’ve achieved such mass brainwashing and hypnosis, I fully intend to exploit it for my Evil Plans™. I appreciate every single one of you, and I’ve already succeeded, as far as I’m concerned, whether I achieve this goal or not. But it’s nice to dream big sometimes.
Good luck!!
Thank you!
How can you ever call yourself a procrastinating slacker when you’ve read 121 (!!!!) books this year. I do not accept 😂 I love all of your goals. I’m so excited for you to get back into manga & graphic novels! That means I’ll have one more person to shove all of my favorite at.
150 or 200 books are both crazy numbers, I hope you’ll be able to reach both of those marks. I’m thinking of aiming for 100 books (I’m posting my goals tomorrow so I’ll have to decide soon) and that’s a huge stretch for me! This year I doubled my ‘record’ amount of books from 30 too 61.
I really hope you get to 500 followers this year because you totally deserve it. I’m SO glad I found your blog this year because your posts are great and it has been wonderful interacting with you <3
Good luck on these and I hope 2020 has some great things in store for you 🙂
Honestly, I don’t know *how* I read 121 books this year? Probably by professional slacking on everything else I was supposed to do in my life. So it still totally counts lol.
Yeeees, shove all your favorites my way! Hubby has informed me that I have to read Psyren or he will divorce me, so … I guess I’m starting with that, because there’s no way I can kill bugs and mow the lawn by myself.
I mean, 61 is fantastic, and doubling is extraordinary! That’s how my previous years went, too. I think I read 60-ish books in 2018, too, and 30 in 2017, so I’ve been basically doubling. It’s just taken me a while to get to the point where I put reading before other things, like sitting on the couch like a potato staring at the wall. To be fair, though, I think 150 will be easier to reach simply because I can read several lower mid-grade books or graphic novels in a day, and I hope to read more of those. 🙂
Thank you so much. <3 I'm so glad I found your blog, too. I've honestly just met the best people through this blogging thing, so regardless of how many numbers are on my followers, I couldn't be more thankful. :D
I can relate zo much on the “professional slacking on everything else I was supposed to do” it’s not even funny. I really need to manage my time better 😂
I will be your personal shoving favorites at your face machine for this year. At least nobody can say your husband is not passionate about his manga recommendations haha.
Your number progression over the years is admirable. I hope I can keep reading more every year too. Manga & graphic novels definitely help to read more things!
You’re welcome! It’s the best thing to meet so many lovely supportive people through this blogging thing. ❤
He’s a little *too* passionate about his manga and book recommendations haha. I still need to read Mistborn, but at this point, it’s more fun watching him get annoyed than it is reading the actual book. xD When you’ve been married for a certain amount of time, you’ve gotta find some way to entertain yourself. Often at your partner’s expense lol.
That sounds fair. It’s just part of the deal 😂
I’m so impressed by people who can read more than 100 books a year. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do that, but I hope you meet your goal of 200 books! All your goals sound great, best of luck Sammie!
Thank you! Honestly, you read a lot of chunky books, and this year, in particular, I plan on reading smaller books (mid-grade and graphic novels), where I can read one or more in a day. So my number looks impressive, but time-wise, it won’t take as much as reading, say, a 450-page fantasy/sci-fi book. So it’s a tad bit misleading. 😛
I hope you will be able to achieve all your goals!
(www.evelynreads.com)
Thank you!
I used to work at a library where no one seemed to read middle-grade, and it was really awkward when I saw people asking the workers for recommendations and they were like, “Uh, I don’t really know. The new books are over here…. Have you heard of Rick Riordan?” I had to fight down the urge to interrupt like, “I can actually answer your question!:
I sort of love that our library is so diverse now, because we’ve got someone who’s good at everything. We’ve got the older people reading the same books as the older patrons, the artsy younger woman, the gregarious one, the geeky computer/tech guy, and I’m the one for recommendations. xD I’m the one that reads most of the books lol. It’s a nice breakdown, but yeah, it’s so frustrating when someone asks someone else and you don’t want to interrupt, even though you know the answer.
You had a fabulous year! I’m so happy to have found your blog. I’ve learned so much as a new blogger, added some more books to my toppling shelves, and I always leave with a smile! Good luck on your new goals! <3
Thank you so much. <3 I'm so glad we've met. And for sure, you aren't the only one with toppling shelves (though these days, mine are more like an expanding blob than anything).
Congratulations on hitting the stratosphere of followers and keep reaching for more. You aren’t hoodwinking anyone! Sorry to break it to you. You just rock like that
Aww thank you. I love you. <3 Although, to be fair, hoodwinking can sometimes be fun, too. xD Maybe you should watch out next time you visit your mind castle, just in case. ;)
Great wrap up and goals, Sammie! I also upped my goal this year, as I managed to read an insane and unprecedented number of books last year. I have no doubt that you’ll be able to reach your goal to read 150 books (or even 200)! 😉I haven’t really thought about what I want my goals to be for this year but reading all my eARCs is defo one of them! I’m hoping to reach 500 followers by the end of this year too 🙂 You totally got this! 🤩
Look at us, doing all sorts of insane things last year. 😉 Totally on brand. xD We can totally do it! Go big or go home, right? And since I’m already home … that one’s really not an option …
Good luck with all your goals! And congrats on the 300 Twitter followers!
Thanks so much!
Yeay for a challenging goal. I might return back to a more challenging goal next year. Right now Merijn is home a lot still but after the summer he should be going to primary school. You know, if I get him potty trained in time.
Also yes to reading more middle grade books!
You’ve had a lot going on, so that’s understandable. Primary school is exciting, though! Is Merijn excited to go? My minion dreaded going … until she got there and then she told me to go away when I went to pick her up, because she decided she was just going to live there. xD
I think he will be. Now it is still so far away. But it is going to be hard on him so we’ll see.
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