Reading Habits vol.2

Earlier in the year, I dissected/analyzed/reported about my reading habits in this post.  I thought a 6 month recap was a good way to turn this into a series.  Maybe?  Or maybe this should just be an annual thing?  I don't know.  We'll see.  For now, let's look at my "reading habits" for all of 2016.

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction:  Apparently, I only read one more non-fiction book the entire last half of 2016.  Maybe that's why I got three of them as Christmas presents...to get more of them into my life.

Format:  book vs. ebook vs. audiobook - Nothing has changed since my last review.  I still don't own an e-reader.  I still don't want one.  I'm still old-fashioned. 

Source:  library vs. owned - I'm a little disappointed with this stat.  I wanted to make more of a dent in the books that I own already.  I'd like for next year to have these results be more balanced. 

Female Authors vs. Male Authors:  Girl Power!

Genre: crime/mystery/thriller, ya, memoir/bio, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, short stories, western, horror, children's lit, classics - This is what I said at mid-year, and it remains true:  "I know I read an assortment of genres.  I enjoy mixing it up.  I guess this (again, sorta kinda maybe) shows that is true.  Heavy on the crime/mystery/thrillers."

Ratings:  Obviously, I'm a big fan of giving books high marks.  I think that's a combination of reasons - I've learned what I like and tend to pick up books I know I'll enjoy, I'm not much of a book basher, and if I'm wavering between two ratings, I tend to be generous rather than stingy.  I feel like there were another couple of DNF in the mix though.

Favorites:  I told you about my faves of the year in this post:  Show Us Your Books Best of 2016: The Lucky 13; if you're interested and you missed that post of mine, take a look because I hit several genres with my recommendations.  I am confident there is something there for any reader.

Book Challenges:  You know, I am a book challenge junkie.  Here's a wrap-up of the challenges I participated in 2016:

Book Challenge by Erin 4.0 - read 17/20
Book Challenge by Erin 5.0 - read 20/20
Aussie Author Challenge 2016 - read 12/12
Read My Books Challenge 2016 - read 7 books that I already owned during the month of June
Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge 2016 - read 12/12
Semi-Charmed Winter Book Challenge 2016 - I've fumbled the ball on this one, and there's no picking it up - read 5/12
Around the World in 80 Books - read 18/80, but still going with this one; I've given myself a "due date" of my 50th birthday which is YEARS away.
USA Reading Roadtrip - read 6/50; same due date as above

As much as it pains this book challenge junkie's heart, I may sit out of the Semi-Charmed challenges in 2017.  There's a lot of crossover and a little bit of challenge burnout.  I am still passionate about keeping my personal book challenge a source of joy, so others may take a backseat moving forward.

Now, I need to stop posting and start reading.  I'm so behind in my blog reading, and I need to know what is going on in your lives!

Reading Habits vol.1

Emma at "ever emma" shared this post about her reading habits, and good gracious, I knew straight away that I was going to steal borrow it from her.  Sure, it would be great to do this at the end of every year.  But, I can't wait that long!  How about the end of every June and every December.  But, the end of June has come and gone.  How about the end of July/start of August?  Okay! 

Let's look at my reading habits up to this point for 2016.  According to goodreads, I've read 57 books so far.

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction:  This one is no surprise.  I read mostly fiction (48 books); I dabble in non-fiction (9 books).

Format:  Again, no surprise.  I like my books.  I don't even own an e-reader or an ipad.  I'm so old-fashioned. 

Source:  I was pretty pleased with this outcome.  I've been making an effort to #ReadMyBooks that are sitting on my bookshelf at home.  I think this shows that I'm sorta kinda maybe making a dent in those stacks.

Genre:  I know I read an assortment of genres.  I enjoy mixing it up.  I guess this (again, sorta kinda maybe) shows that is true.  Heavy on the crime/mystery/thrillers. 

Ratings:  I think this is the category that surprised me the most...the fact that I am happy to give away 4star and 5star ratings.  Then again, it doesn't surprise me all that much.  I am weird about book-bashing (I don't like to do it all that often).  So, I'm probably generous in that department.  And, I am pretty good about knowing what I'm going to enjoy. 

Best in Fiction:  Damn, this is tough...after all, you can see I've rated 19 books so far with 5stars, and several have really stuck with me...to pick just one is tough...I've fallen in love with books by Ruta Sepetys, so I will say Out of the Easy.

But, on a different day, or in a different hour, I may have picked The Cartel by Don Winslow, or Please Come Back from the Moon by Dean Bakopoulos, or I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, or The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi, or, or, or...

Best in Non-Fiction:  Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming

Biggest Surprise:  The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan; I honestly did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

Best Series Started:  I think the only series I've started (I've read several series books, but not the start of one) is Tana French's "Dublin Murder Squad", and I've only read the first book - In the Woods - but I do plan to read more.

Best "New to Me" Author:  I've been pretty lucky; I've read several fantastic books by authors that are new to me.  I'll go with Clare Mackintosh (I Let You Go) for a couple of reasons: I liked this thriller so much that I've put myself on the library's reserve list for her new release before it has even been released (I See You), and she replied more than once to a tweet that I mentioned her...so, you know, she's kinda sorta maybe my best friend now.

Most Memorable Character:  Without a doubt, Shorty from The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale

Most Thought-Provoking:  Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent  I actually said so in my review on goodreads: 

"Uplifting, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking. Culturally and socially, this book is educational. Morally, this book is inspirational. Lessons of love, faith, forgiveness, change, philanthropy, and more. I respected the honest (sometimes brutally, painfully honest) description of the pain and suffering of a terminal illness. It made the other parts of the story carry merit and truth...parts that a reader could assume were sensationalized or exaggerated. For any person of faith, read this book. For others, read this book. Everyone, read this book."

Book lovin' bloggers, I'd love for you to steal borrow this post idea as well.  I enjoy learning about other people's reading habits. 

Did you learn anything new about my reading habits?