Book Lair discussion

Tell us everything about the year that just ended!

Did you read as much as you had hoped? More? Not nearly enough?

What about the quality of the books you read?

Did you set yourself up any challenges?

Let us know your stats as well, both books and pages read, and others if you have any!

So, in 2016 I read a total of 18652 pages, not much compared to 2015's 25687 but I did get a new job that takes up a lot of time so I don't feel to bad about it, heh.

The longest book I read was Stephen King's Different Seasons at 508 pages which interestingly enough is the exact same length as my longest read last of 2015, The Winter Boy.

I read a total of 60 books which is not nearly as much as I would have liked but I am happy with it.

This year I only entered the Netgalley challenge, reading a total of 48 books from my #1 provider. I did not enter 20 Books of Summer this year because that is actually the busiest time of the year at work and if in 2015 20 books in three months seemed like a walk in the park this time I knew I wasn't going to make it.

I read some fairly good books this year. Most of all I did find it difficult to concentrate. I miss reading a book for long periods of time, completely dedicating my full attention to the story. However, when I do get the time, I find myself wanting to do things that require less brainpower as I am just so tired from work. Go figure.

In 2016, I read 72 books for a total of 18543 pages, which is both a lot more than last year. I did not expect that, but it's a rather nice surprise. I guess all the long flights and train rides were useful for something at least...

The longest book I read was Rouge Brésil with 602 pages, compared to last year's 834 pages (The Luminaries).

This year, I did enter a challenge, that I did not mention hear on Goodreads. The challenge was to read books from authors from 20 different countries and the 5 continents (the 5 have to be represented). I did succeed in it, and even a bit more.

I did read a lot of good books, and it's quite hard to pick a favorite, but I think I'd choose The Dovekeepers. I was really impressed by it, and it was big discovery of a period and culture I didn't know much about. And after all, isn't that what we read for? To escape, explore and discover new things?

Regarding my personal "buying" challenge, I must admit I failed miserably. I started sometime in October. The goal was to buy/get (from any way, gift included) less new books than I read. I added 21 new books to my collections for 17 read... I must admit that having my birthday and Christmas in December didn't help, but it's still not an excuse. So one challenge for 2017 will be to read more books than I buy, in order to decrease the piles of unread books at home.

As for a 2017 reading challenge, I might say something heretical here, but I think I'd like to read a little bit less than this year (but not too little). I love reading, and did enjoyed (almost) all of my books, but it left little time for the rest. But it's going to be hard not to get sucked into a nice story... I'm not going to set any numbers, and I'll just wing it as it comes.

That is great, Melas! And kudos on the challenge. You are most definitely a well versed reader. I admire your ability to stay interested in such different books.

Reading more books than you buy definitely sounds like a great challenge. I have to admit I am failing there as well. I don't really buy many but I got 2 second-hand books from someone at work and Netgalley keeps putting up such cool stuff... Good thing most of my requests get rejected, I guess...

I completely understand about wanting to read less. I feel an obligation to review what I read but I am planning on taking it slowly as well because if reading becomes a chore then I can't really derive any pleasure from it, right?

Ana wrote: "I admire your ability to stay interested in such different books."

Well, for me, reading different types of books is a way to stay interested. I would get pretty bored quite quickly if I always read the "same".

Ana wrote: "Reading more books than you buy definitely sounds like a great challenge. I have to admit I am failing there as well. I don't really buy many but I got 2 second-hand books from someone at work and Netgalley keeps putting up such cool stuff..."

Yeah. I'm talking about "buying" for ease of speach, but really, I don't buy that much (well, I do, but it's only a little part of all the books I get). There are the gifts, the exchanges, the second hand books, and all the free ebooks online! So many books!

Ana wrote: "I completely understand about wanting to read less. I feel an obligation to review what I read but I am planning on taking it slowly as well because if reading becomes a chore then I can't really derive any pleasure from it, right?

Exact. I've decided that this year is going to be a year of taking my time doing things, and not rushing to do everything. I'll do less, but better. And I have so many late reviews...

Well, I did challenge myself into reading different things last year which turned out great for me but I still don't feel up to reading most of what you do. I just find it fascinating that your interest is so broad and you are able to appreciate that kind of stuff. I tend to find myself picking easier stuff, you know? Something to take my mind off real life. Some of the stuff you read seems to require a much bigger attention span than I am capable of having!

Anyway, it's not really your fault if people give you books! So I say you should count those out, eheh. But yes, it is so difficult to resist the free stuff online. I have a feeling we will have a difficult time doing both challenges - reading more books than we get and taking our time reading. Still, it seems to be the best course of action.

As for reviewing luckily I don't really have that issue because I start my posts in advance and add to them as I read. Still, sometimes I do find it difficult to finish the post sometimes, but I as a rule I don't pick up a new book until I reviewed the previous, so I can be fully invested in it.

I do miss reading your reviews!

I have to admit that, like Ana, over the last couple of years, my reading choices have been more about escape than "learning". There's been too much in real life going on to want to really work at reading too!

I read 119 books, longest 1,088 pages, 36,732 pages total, which is more than last year, but the material was by and large "easier".

I have been buying less, relatively speaking, but have begun real collecting, so spending more. I've been buying limited editions, including a few signed and handcovered/slipcased, so I don't feel too bad about it. I bought one for $125 and saw it for sale on ebay for almost $500 yesterday, so am going to consider these purchases an investment instead of an indulgence!

Wow Kandice, over 1k pages, that is crazy! You are one brave woman. Well better that than divide it into sequels, right?

It's great to keep your options open about the fancy books you get. Sounds like you could make some really good money selling those!

Ana wrote: "It's great to keep your options open about the fancy books you get. Sounds like you could make some really good money selling those! ..."

Honestly, I know I never will. I love my books too much for that! I have so many I've collected over the years worth so much now, but unless I was starving or something, they will always be with me!

Eheh figured it would be easier said than done :)

Ana wrote: "I just find it fascinating that your interest is so broad and you are able to appreciate that kind of stuff. I tend to find myself picking easier stuff, you know? Something to take my mind off real life. Some of the stuff you read seems to require a much bigger attention span than I am capable of having!"

Yes, I do tend to like a lot of stuff. It has its good sides, but also its bad ones. Sometimes, it feels like I never have time to go into a subject in-depth before I get caught into something else...

It's strange. Before, I used to like to read lighter things. But lately, I've liked picking up more "serious" stuff. It almost feels like that since I stopped studying in school, I'm missing it and need to find another source of learning and knowledge, i.e. books.

It was a good year for me. I read 74 books (4 for more than my challenge), 23 335 pages. Still baffled at how much joining Goodreads has pushed me to read.
I was worried about reading Gone with the Wind, but I devoured it while on break. I might challenge myself with War and Peace this year. We'll see.

Mainly, I wanted to read more horror and sci-fi in 2016, and I did. Cabal and The Call of Cthulu and Other Stories are standouts for the former; and Contact and The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for the latter. I'll continue that this year.

Aside from that, I got into comics in 2015, and I really enjoyed what I read this year too. Scott Pilgrim, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Kingdom Come. Still decades of comics to go through.

Overall, not sure if I have any favourites. The two I'd consider contenders are very different books: The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, hilarious book; and Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, which was beautiful but dense.

Melaslithos wrote: "Ana wrote: "I just find it fascinating that your interest is so broad and you are able to appreciate that kind of stuff. I tend to find myself picking easier stuff, you know? Something to take my m..."

I can relate to that Melas. I also like to keep educating myself, that's why I don't read only romance or fiction. I saw you will read the The Vagina Monologues. That's a book I would be interested to read sometime too. I'm curious about it.

Gavin wrote: "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Kingdom Come. Still decades of comics to go through. .."

Did you know that every single name mentioned in aLoEG is a name from Victorian literature. I mean every single one! I remember when my brother and I were reading it years and years ago and had just come off a year of reading classics. We had fun trying to place them all.

Melaslithos wrote: It's strange. Before, I used to like to read lighter things. But lately, I've liked picking up more "serious" stuff. It almost feels like that since I stopped studying in school, I'm missing it and need to find another source of learning and knowledge, i.e. books.

That actually makes a lot of sense. I do find it easy to concentrate just reading fiction though, so when I am in the mood for something more thought provoking I usually turn to movies and try to find something independent.

Ana wrote: "That actually makes a lot of sense. I do find it easy to concentrate just reading fiction though, so when I am in the mood for something more thought provoking I usually turn to movies and try to find something independent."

Well, I won't say that it's easier to concentrate on fiction, more that I don't need as much concentration to read and enjoy fiction. So there is indeed a big difference in reading time for an "easy" fiction compared to a more complex book. For a same number of pages, maybe I'll need only a couple of days for a easy one, compared to a couple of weeks for a complex one. But I like to have both ^^