Carol’s Comments (group member since Feb 27, 2013)

Carol’s comments from the Challenge: 50 Books group.

I always start with 52 (avg 1/wk) but I usually end up between 65-75
I "read" both books (mostly ebooks) as well as audio about an even split but have found that books counts don't mean as much if you read bigger books or short stories.... so I keep track of pages and hours as well.

As the past few years one goal is to get through the books on the Kindle I inherited from my deceased mother. There are still over 190 unread on that although I have determined that they are not all to my taste so I have been averaging about 10/yr at this rate the kindle will die before I get through them.... Plus there are over 35 unread books on my Kindle that I need to get through as well.
I am an avid user of the online library systems- All my audio books and some ebooks that someone may have recommended.
I also have some physical books on my shelf that I need to either read or give to someone else to read.

I've tried theme /topic goals- thought about joining a book club but I never find something that really meets my need which is to escape into books/stories. I finally decided that life is too short to read a book that you are not enjoying, so if its not pulling me in then I just put it away. -- in theory -- I am quite stubborn so I tend to stick around longer hoping something will happen to turn things around - I have been surprised before - several times in fact - so its more likely that I give up if I am getting annoyed -- by the main characters , the voice of the narrator in audio books, or if I feel that way the book is being written in not conducive to my peace of mind.

This will be the link to this years list where you can access actual reviews etc too https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_i...

2022 Totals
total cnt: 70: (56+ 14 SS )+2 dnf
24 ebook + 13 SS -> # pages 11011 Avg/week: 212 pp
32 audio + 1 SS-> # hrs: 376.3 Avg/week: 7.24 hrs

other notes:
59% are from the library ( all the audio and 6 of theebook)
19% came from Amazon Prime Read ( which is Amazons library)
I got through 12 of the books on my mother's Kindle
77% are from female authors.
I still review each book some in more detail than others
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Comparison to previous years
2022 70 11011pp 376.3 hrs
2021 77 13443pp 457 hrs
2020 66 10305pp 311 hrs
2019 72 11276pp 327.7 hrs
2018 69 10407pp 443.5 hrs

Dec finished 3 books

ebook 1029 pp
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah 479pp
I also ready 550 pp of Go Tell the Bees that I Am Gone ( not to mention skimming through several hundred pgs of Written in My Own Heart's Blood to refresh my memory on some storylines)

Audio 40.5 hrs
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn 10.25 hr
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult 15.25 hrs
I listened to 15 hrs of The Overstory

Q4 totals
12 books + 1 SS 1/wk
6 Ebooks -> 2801 pp 215pp/wk
6 Audio + 1 SS 89.7 hrs 6.9hr/wk

Nov 5 bks

ebook all on Mom's kindle 1147 pp
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz 505 pp
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear 321 pp
Christmas Crazy by Kathi Daley 321 pp

Audio all from the libary 23.2 hrs
A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King 10.5 hrs
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny 12.7 hrs

Oct 4 books +1 SS

ebook 625 pp
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly 358 pp
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 260 pp moms kindle

audio 25 hrs
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd 13.5 hrs
by Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs 10.5 hrs
The Marriage of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King 1 hrs

September 4 bk+ 9 ss

Short stories 9 375 total pages
I decided to take advantage of Amazon Prime Reading offering of 2 short story series.
A Point in Time Series- historical fictionesque collection of stories about the pivotal moments.
Naomi's Gift by Martha Hall Kelly 53 pp
A Wild Rose by Fiona Davis 35 pp
Ash Wednesday by Paula McLain 35 pp
Landing by Olivia Hawker 33 pp
We Are Bone and Earth by Esi Edugyan 36 pp
Alison's Conviction by Thomas Keneally 35 pp

The Forward Collection - Scifi authors tell stories of emerging technology ( I read 3 of them in April and June)
Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin 38 pp
You Have Arrived at Your Destination by Amor Towles 54pp
The Last Conversation by Paul Tremblay 56 pp

e-book 2 bk 719 pp
The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen 401 pp
River Bones by Mary Deal 318 pp

Audio 2 bk 25.5 hrs
A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn 12.5 hrs
Miss Moriarty, I Presume? by Sherry Thomas 13 hrs

Q3 Totals
# books : 16 + 9 Short stories appx 1.2/wk
7 ebooks + 9 SS ># pages 3134 Avg/week: 241.5 pp
9 audio -> # hrs:104 Avg/week: 8.3


2022 YTD
total cnt: 57: (44+ 13 SS )+2 dnf
18 ebook + 13 SS -> # pages 8117 Avg/week: 208 pp
26 audio -> # hrs: 286.6 Avg/week: 7.33 hrs


In comp to last 4 years
book count ( 2021:60; 2020:43 2019: 52 2018:51) and
pg count (2021:9656; 2020 : 7597 2019:9325 2018: 7926)
and hrs e( 2021: 341.5; 2020:248 2019:218 2018:359)

Aug 6 books

ebook 2 bk 915 pp
Secret Lives by Diane Chamberlain 487 pp moms kindle
The Hunt Club by John Lescroart 428pp moms kindle

audio 4 bk 41.75 hrs
Run Rose Run by James PattersonDolly Parton 10.5 hrs
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams 11.25 hrs
Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz 10 hrs
Upgrade by Blake Crouch 10 hrs

July 6 bks
E-Book 1125 pp
Out of the Shadows by Dana Fraedrich 434pp
The Braque ConnectionEstelle Ryan 330 pp
also reread The Dante Connection to refresh my memory 361 pp

Audio 36.75 hrs
Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich 7.25hrs
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult 21 hrs
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub 8.5 hrs

June
E-book 3 bk 697 pp
The Orchardistby Amanda Coplin 597pp mom's kindle
Randomize by Andy Weir 28 pp prime
Summer Frost by Blake Crouch 72 pp prime

Audio 3 bk 32 hrs all lib
French Braid by Anne Tyler 9 hrs
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card 13.5
Arrowood by Mick Finlay 9.5 hrs

Q2 Totals
# books : 16 appx 1.2/wk
4 ebooks +3 ss-># pages 1982 Avg/week: 152 pp
9 audio -> # hrs:93 Avg/week: 7.15

Mid year totals 32 + 2 dnf avg/wk 1.2
11 ebook +4 SS -> # pages 4983 Avg/week: 192pp
17 audio -> # hrs: 182.6 Avg/week: 7 hrs

in comparison to last year at this time:
overall book count is about the same; page (-170pp) and hour (-5) counts are a little lower due to short stories and dnfs etc

May 4 books

E-book 1bk 327 pp
Tahira in Bloom by Farah Heron 327 pp Prime First Read

Audio 3 bk 38.25hrs all lib
State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clintonand Louise Penny 15.75 hr
The Hollywood Spyby Susan Elia MacNeal 11.5hr
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn 11 hr

April 6 books

E-book 3bk 956pp
Backyard Starship by J.N. Chaney 585pp GRgaw
Ark by Veronica Roth 35pp prime SS
Fae Trials by Sofia Daniel 338pp prime


Audio 3 bk 22.75 hrs LIB
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey 6.75
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz 9 hrs
Game On: Stephanie Plum #28 by Janet Evanovich 7 hrs

March 5 books

e-book 2 bk 1095pp
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris 341 pp moms kindle
Echoes by Maeve Binchy 754 pp moms kindle


Audio 3 bk 33.6 hr lib
The Long Way Home by Louise Penny 12 hr
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary 9.6 hr
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult 12 hr

Q1 Totals
# books :16 Avg/week: 1.15 +2 DNF
# pages 3001 Avg/week: 231pp
# hrs: 89.6 Avg/week: 6.9 hrs
ahead of last year and goal....
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

In addition:
DNF ( both ebooks)
The Four Winds which I could not get into- I was getting annoyed pretty early on which is probably more on me but I could not see finishing.
Confessions of a Curious Bookseller - I keep trying to read a bit more then I get irritated with the tone and writing style but as I got this as a First read I have made several attempts to get through....

Feb 5 books
E-book 3 bk 1053 pp
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 552pp moms kindle
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 481pp lib

Reference
Zentangle Basics: A Creative Art Form Where All You Need is Paper, Pencil & Pen by Suzanne McNeill 20 pp lib

Audio 2 bk 22.5 hrs lib
Murder at Half Moon Gate by Andrea Penrose 12.6 hr
The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy 9:50 hrs

Jan - 6books

Ebooks 3 books 853 pp
The Watchmaker's Daughter by C.J. Archer 295pp
The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado 325 pp Prime First Reads
Rosemary Rememberedby Susan Wittig Albert 233pp lib

Audio 3 books 33.5 hrs
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith 11.5 of 32.5 hrs ( 21 hrs read in 2021)
Death Come Quickly by Susan Wittig Albert 11 hrs
Fire and Ice (J.P. Beaumont #19) by J.A. Jance 11 hrs

good start for the year.....

Happy New year! I hit my goal early September in 2021 I always start with a 52 book goal ( avg 1/week) with the format of audio vs ebook/book being almost 50/50. While my book count is relevant I tend to focus more on my page and Listening hour count.

My focus this year ( at least on the ebook/book side) is to get through the backlog on my late mom's old Kindle. The battery is starting to wear down and I dont want to buy a new tablet/kindle just to read her library.
I need to figure out how to move those books to my library so that I don't have to split my time between reading tablets.
There are titles that will stretch my preference/comfort zone so we will see if that slows me down.

link to the 2022 list with access to my reviews. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Clayton wrote: "I'm at 43 so far..."
Any reading accomplishment is a great. My reading numbers include audio as well as reading- mostly ebooks of various sizes. I track page count as well as hours listened.

Dec 7 books

EBooks 4 books 1316 pp
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear 305pp
The Bees by Laline Paull 340 pp
Jalapeno Cupcake Wench by Carol Kilgore 348pp
Choose Me by Tess Gerritsen 323pp

Text-ebook 490 pp
Exploring Creation with High School Astronomy by Damian Ludwiczak

Audio 2 book 31 hours _+24hrs of next book
Betrayal Of Trust by J.A. Jance 10 hrs
The Outlandish Companion, volume 2 by Diana Gabaldon 21 hrs
Plus 75% through Troubled Blood 24/32hrs

Q4 TOTALS
# books : 16appx 1.23/wk
9 ebooks -># pages 3408 Avg/week: 262pp
7 audio (plus 2 DNF partials) -> # hrs: 108 Avg/week: 8.3 hrs

2021 EOY Totals
74 + 2SS + 2DNF + a skim rereadavg 1.5/wk
36 ebook + 2 pback -> # pages 13,064Avg/week: 251pp
36 audio -> # hrs: 449.5 Avg/week: 8.64 hrs

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

In comp to last 3 years
book count 74 + ( 2020:60 2019: 72 2018:69) and
pg count appx 13,064* (2020 : 10,305 2019:11,276 2018: 10,948 )
and hrs appx 449.5* ( 2020:323 2019: 327.7 2018:428 )
* will confirm actual pg and hr count and update

Nov 5 books + 1 DNF and 1 ongoing

E-books 3 books 1364 pp
The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry 504pp
Spirits, Stilettos and a Silver Bustier by Deanna Chase 237 pp
Stranded by Rosalind Tate 623 pp

Audio 2 books 21.25 hrs
The Switch by Beth O'Leary 10.25 hrs
FaceOff by Many authors 11 hrs

DNF
Five Total Strangers 3 hrs

ongoing
reading Astronomy text book with a class that a friend is teachingExploring Creation with High School Astronomy

Oct 4 Books +1 DNF

E-books 1 books
May Day by Jess Lourey 238 pp

Audio 3 books 23.7 hrs lib
This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan nf 7.7 hr nf
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer 5 hr
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo 6.5 hr nf

Non fiction always takes longer for me to get through- as it isnt as much of an escape.
I also started but DNF'd A Confederacy of Dunces spent 4.5 hours dragging it out

After the last few months this seems a bit of a dud-- but I did have to catch up on all the work I ignored reading the past few months.

Sep 10 books
Paper 1 book 375pp
Waiting for the Moon by Kristin Hannah 375 pp

E-Books 3 books 1056 pp
Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor 356 pp
The Gardens of Covington byJoan Medlicott 368 pp
Star Relic by Clara Woods 332 pp

Audio 6 books 71 hrs ( road trip accounted for 28+ hrs)
Transcription by Kate Atkinson 11 hrs
Mistletoe Man by Susan Wittig Albert 10 hrs
The Last Chance Olive Ranch by Susan Wittig Albert 10 hrs
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny. 13.5 hrs
How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny 15 hrs
Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose 12 hrs

I hit my #52 goal early Sept with more than 15 weeks to go- I think that is one of the earliest I have done that ( at least in the last 5 years)

Q3 TOTALS
# books : 27 appx 2.1/wk
1 Pback + 11 ebooks -># pages 4506 Avg/week: 346pp
14 audio -> # hrs: 153.75 Avg/week: 11.8 hrs( several long car trips helped...)

2021 YTD
58 + 2SS avg 1.5/wk
27 ebook + 2 pback -> # pages 9656 Avg/week: 248pp
29 audio -> # hrs: 341.5 Avg/week: 8.75 hrs

In comp to last 3 years well ahead
book count ( 2020:43 2019: 52 2018:51) and
pg count (2020 : 7597 2019:9325 2018: 7926)
and hrs except 18 ( 2020:248 2019:218 2018:359)