Wednesday, January 6, 2016

My Year in Reading Challenges: 2015

This year I didn't blog or read a whole lot. I didn't pay much attention to my challenges throughout the year, which lead to a lot of uncompleted challenges. I still did complete some and I'm happy to say I spent this year reading the books that I want to read. 

Stats are through A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber since I want to get this up before the new year. Updated 1/4/2017 to include all books read in 2015. 

Stats:
Books Read: 38
Pages Read: 10,669 pages (as of November 30th, 2015)
Chunksters (400 + pages): 4
In the Middle (300 to 400 pages): 17
Quick Fix (under 300 pages): 16

Authors
Besides My True Love Gave to Me by Various Authors I did not read a single book this year by a male author. I can't tell you exactly why this happened, but I find it very interesting that I didn't read a single male author this year. I read 28 different authors this year. 
New: 15

Ratings:
5: 27
4: 6
3: 5

Publication Dates


2003 1
2005 1
2006 1
2007 1
2008 1
2009 2
2010 4
2011 1
2012 5
2013 7
2014 7
2015 7


Again I read a variety of publication dates, but I read significantly less new releases this year, but still focused on those 2013 and 2014 releases.
Reading Challenges
Joined: 19 + Reading Challenge Addict
Completed: 7 + Reading Challenge Addict
Did Not Complete: 12




Goal: 2
Read: 2
Status: Completed January 31st, 2015
Joining in 2016: No
I only managed to read two books not from the library in January for this challenge. I did better at refraining from library books in March when I participated in Take Control of Your TBR Pile. This challenge is not available for 2016 as far as I know. 

Hosted by James Reads Books 
Goal: As Many as Possible
Read: 15
Status: Completed April 1st, 2015
Joining in 2016: Yes
This is the final year for this challenge, so if you have ever wanted to join now is the time. The only 2015 release I read before April 1st was Fairest by Marissa Meyer. I did really good at hitting those books on my TBR list. My goodreads started 2015 at 313 books and ended March with only 300 books. As of December 16th my goodreads tbr has 312 books. 

Hosted by Laura @ Trips Down Imagination Road and Michelle @ Because Reading.

Goal: 4 Resolutions
Completed: 2 Resolutions
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: Maybe

1. Read 65 Books: This year was a slow year for reading. I was in a reading slump from June until Early November, so that really took down most of my reading for this year. I read 33 books this year, so about 50%. 
2. Finish the Series I have Started
In 2015 I would like to finish the Cedar Cove Series, Caroline Series, Anna and the French Kiss, and the Lunar Chronicles: I have not finished any of these. I'm working on a Cedar Cove book and waiting for Winter to come in for me at the library, so that will be completed in early 2016. 
3. Read the Books I want to Read: I think I did great with this goal. I didn't focus on New Releases this year I mainly just did everything by mood. 
4. Personal Goal- Healthier Lifestyle: I fell off the exercise bandwagon towards the end of the semester, but for majority of the year I did great with exercising regularly. My healthy eating is going great. I eat lots of healthy food and drink quite a bit of water per day. This is a success and this goal will continue into 2016. 

I'm unsure if I want to join this challenge in 2016. I didn't pay much attention to the challenge throughout the year and I chose goals that I'm already working on. I probably will not join this one in 2016, but I will join the New Release Challenge. 

Hosted by Bookmark to Blog
Goal: 12
Completed: 8
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: Yes

This challenge has a new owner, but it is coming back in 2016. Although I struggle to complete this challenge I'm hoping 2016 is my year. I really like this challenge because it gets me to read books off my TBR List

Months Completed:
January: Sold for Endless Rue by Madeleine E. Robins
February: Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts
March: Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
April: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
May: Fill in-Boyfriend by Kasie West
August: Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
September: My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
November: A Little House of their Own by Celia Wilkins

From Left to Right: Hosted by Sheila @ The Book Journey ,  Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and The Book Nympho, and  Book Dragon's Lair.
Goal: 36
Read: 23
Status: Did not complete
Joining in 2016: Yes 

I'm going to join one of these challenges in 2016 because of course I will continue to read library books. I'm disappointing not to complete this one this year. I read less books in 2015 than usual and I cut down on my number of library books as I wanted to focus on owned and kindle books. 




Hosted by Literary Escapism

Goal: 25
Read: 15
Status: Did not complete
Joining in 2016: No

So far I have not found this challenge again for next year, so right now I won't be joining, but if it becomes available I would love to. I read less books and therefore less authors in 2015. Jessica Day George was probably my favorite new author of this year. 

1. Madeleine E. Robins
2. Ali Novak
3. Jessica Day George
4. Morgan Matson
5. Colleen Hoover
6. Lauren Morrill
7. Robyn Schneider
8. A.J. Betts
9. Alyson Noel
10. Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
11. Amy Poehler 
12. An Na
13. Linda Sue Park
14. Sarah Ockler
15. Una La Marche

Hosted by The Geeky Zoo Girl
Goal: 3
Read: 2
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: No

I read To All the Boys I Have Loved Before by Jenny Han and The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider for this challenge. I would do this challenge again, but I'm not that disappointed that I didn't finish the challenge. 

Hosted by Book Dragon's Lair 

Goal: 15,000 pages
Read: 10,669 pages
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: Yes

Here's my month by month stats as you can see it went down as the year went on. I'm happy to have read as many pages as I did and I will for sure join this challenge in 2016. 

January: 2040 pages
February: 1688 pages
March: 1429 pages
April: 1079 pages
May: 987 pages
June: 289 pages
July: 900 pages
August: 769 pages
September: 489 pages
October: 544 pages
November: 384 pages

Hosted by All About Books.

Goal: 36
Read: 35
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: No

I loved this challenge it was so fun to try to reduce my ever growing TBR pile, but unfortunately it is so far not available for 2016. 

Mount TBR Hosted by My Reader's Block, Shelve Love Hosted by Chapter Break and Second Run Reviews.

Goal: 12
Read: 8
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: Yes

I will be joining both of these challenges with the hope of reading 12 books again. I think the books that I own tend to get pushed back because they have no deadline, but I own so many amazing books that I want to read. 


And So It Begins Hosted by The Reader's Antidote. Series Enders Hosted by Somewhere Only We Know and Words Fueled by Love. Prequel & Sequel Hosted by Hosted by Jessi @ Novel Heartbeat and Melissa @ Writer Girl Reads.
And So It Begins
Goal: 7
Read: 5
Status: Did Not Complete
Joining in 2016: No

So it is probably a good thing I didn't complete this challenge because I don't need to be in the middle of any more series. The good news is that I finished one of the series I started and I probably won't be completing The Orphan Queen series. 

Series Ender's
Goal: 1-5
Read: 3
Status: Completed
Joining in 2016: yes

 I finish none of the books that I hoped to finish, but I did finish the Princess of the Midnight Ball, Hunger Games, and Caroline Series. 

Prequel/Sequel
Goal: 25-50 pts
Read: 50 pts
Status: Completed
Joining in 2016: yes

 For this year being a year where I mostly read standalone contemporaries I'm pleasantly surprised that I earned so many points for this challenge. 


Goal: 5-9
Read: 9
Status: Completed
Joining in 2016: Yes

Fairytales were not a huge focus for me in 2015, but I still read some great retellings and I'm sure Winter will put me back in the fairytale retelling mood. 

Hosted by Books and Iced Coffee
Goal: As many as possible
Read: 27
Status: Completed
Joining in 2016: no

Compared to my 45 YA books I read in 2014 this is nothing, but never less since I only read 34 books this is majority of my reading. 

Goal: 1-15
Read: 7
Status: Completed
Joining in 2016: Yes

Kind of forgot I joined this challenge, but as I was looking through old posts I found my sign up. I completed this one by just doing my usual reading. I missed many 2015 releases which I hopefully get to in 2016. 

Read:
1. Fairest by Marissa Meyer
2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
3. The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
4. Off the Page by Jodi Picoult
5. The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorki
6. The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
7. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen



Goal: 6-10 Challenges
Read: 6 Challenges
Status: Completed
Joining in 2016: Yes

Completed Challenges
1. Put the Library on Hold Hosted by The Emerald City Finished January 31st, 2015
2. TBR Triple Dog Dare Hosted by James Reads Books Finished April 1st, 2015
3. 2015 Series Enders Hosted by Somewhere Only We Know and Words Fueled by Love Finished March 13th, 2015
4. Prequel & Sequel Challenge Hosted by Jessi @ Novel Heartbeat and Melissa @ Writer Girl Reads. Finished December 31st, 2015
5. Fairytale Challenge Hosted by Mel @ The Daily Prophecy Finished February 21st, 2015
6. Everything YA Hosted by Books and Iced Coffee Finished December 31st, 2015
7. 2015 New Release Challenge Hosted by Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! and (un)Convential Bookviews Finished August 22nd, 2015

5 comments:

  1. 7 completed challenges is awesome! I am doing a couple of these challenges as well. The New Authors challenge is up now at this link: http://www.literaryescapism.com/48331/the-8th-annual-new-authors-reading-challenge

    I ended up with 4 posts for my reading challenges and I am trying to keep myself from signing up for more!

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  2. Thats a good job on your challenges in 2015, Rachael. It's hard sometimes to keep up with them all. I' have decided to do fewer challenges this year, but to be better about my participation :)
    Good luck reaching your goals.
    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

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  3. I missed your challenges so much but it is so great that you did some more!!! I can't wait to see what you did!! Xx

    http://www.yumiandyuji.blogspot.kr/

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  4. Wow you certainly joined a lot of challenges. That can get overwhelming fast, and I can see some reading and blogging burnout from having to track them all. Happy to see you joining #ShelfLove 2016 and hope you do well this year :)

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  5. Thanks for joining me on the Mount TBR challenge! Great job!

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