2014 in Summary & Looking Ahead to 2015

Why, yes, I *did* pull out the fuchsia.

2014 Statistics

Number of books read in 2014: 54

I had a goal of 52.

(Read 63 in 2013, 37 in 2012)

3 were rereads.

14 were ARCs.

Average rating: 3.05 (out of 5)

Even though I’m no longer publishing my ratings, I still keep track.

Average rating of ARCs: 2.98 – But I was quicker to put down ARCs this year.

Read 72% fiction / 28% non-fiction.

(66%/33% split in 2013, 80%/20% in 2012)

62% were by authors I hadn’t read before, excluding the four mixed anthologies that I read.

(71% in 2013, 50%-ish in 2012)

68% were in some electronic form.

(71% were in 2013)

27% were by female authors, again excluding the mixed anthologies and one book by an undetermined author.

(20% in 2013, 40%-ish in 2012)

17% of my 2014 Deal Me In short stories were by women.

Plans for 2015

I want to keep better track of the short works I’m reading outside of Deal Me In. Between the Gothic Challenge/Read-a-longs, Obscure Literary Monsters, and research reading, I’ll be reading even more short stories. I’ve made a few changes to my spreadsheet. I’d also like to be more aware and engaged as I read. Not quite pen-in-hand, but maybe being a little freer with my note taking.

During the last few months, I’ve stepped back from trying to do too many activities and it’s been a good thing. I plan on keeping my extracurricular blogging activities to a minimum.

I find that genre-aspected challenges (read X number of Y type book) don’t really work for me. They always sound like so much fun in December, but by next September, I haven’t kept up with the books, the reviews, or checking other participant’s blogs. Instead, I think I’ll do more read-a-longs. Also, I love readathons, but I’ve come to realize that I can only do them occasionally or I get really burnt out. I probably won’t do more than one every two months or so.

In general, more reading, less stressing, and hopefully higher quality interactions.