A Year in Books: 2011

This yearly wrap up isn’t late! I’m working on a lunar calendar, so it’s right on time.

This was a good year for reading. My new commute to work has given me an extra 45 minutes of time to read, though the new smartphone does sometimes pose a distraction. I met my reading challenge for 2011 of 80 books and have set a new one of 86. In 2012 I’d like to branch out a bit more, read more non-fiction, some travel writing, and discover at least one new author with a deep backlist I can dive into.

So with goals reviewed and new goals set, here are the numbers for 2011. (Full spreadsheet here if you’re interested in that kind of stuff.)

A Month in Books: December 2011

December was a pretty standard mix of romance and mystery books. I finished the year strong with 84 books “read” (I put it in quotes because there were a handful of Did Not Finish) and have set my 2012 goal for 86 books.

My second annual Year in Books is coming up soon.  I always like seeing the breakdown of what I read, genres, etc… It’s an interesting retrospective and a fun way to remember the very good and the very worst books I came across in 2011.

To finish out the year, here are the books I read in December.  Links take you to full reviews on Goodreads.com.

A Month in Books: February 2011

Slight title change for this reoccuring post.  ”What I Read” was starting to feel a little stale and, well, blah.  Not that there’s much to be done with a monthly round up of book reviews, alas.

ANYWHO – here’s a month of reads.  Some great new series discoveries, a couple series wrap ups and new favorite. (Shockingly, it was non-fiction, too!)

Major reading mojo this month, helped along by the Kindle which is great for filling in the quiet moments in between library pick ups.

Links take you to the full reviews!

What I Read: January 2011

Into some serious reading mojo this month, which has been assisted by many snowy, cold Sundays spent snuggling in bed with a book until late in the afternoon.

One strange trend I noticed was an upsurge of “mold-breaking Regencies.”  I’ve been really drawn to novels (romances and mysteries) that explore the darker side of Regency England; books that stay out of the ballrooms and spend most of the plot in the gutters and back alleys.  It’s a welcome change from my usual fare of light, bubbly books.

I also got in two ebooks this month!  So far, so good with my Kindle.  The ease of download and the price point makes it a perfect tool for when I can’t get a book via my public library (a rare occasion).

Links take you to full reviews on Goodreads.com!