2022: A Banner Reading Year
For the past ten years, I’ve tracked my reading by participating in the Goodreads Reading Challenges. In addition to helping me remember to “write down” the books I’ve read, it’s helped me to rank those books more consistently as well as to write reviews. I hope my reviews help the people who follow me on Goodreads, but mostly they are reminders to myself of what I liked about the books.
In 2022, my goal was to read 36 books, but thanks to audiobooks via Audible, Hoopla (which I only got to use for a few months before my library dropped it), Scribd, and Chirp, I reached 381% of goal by completing 137 books (34,349 pages). The next best year I’ve had was 77 books in 2020 so this was a huge achievement.
My reading goal for 2023 is 50 books. I’m keeping my goal “reasonable” for me, especially since I want to read at least one biography that is the equivalent of about ten to twelve “normal-length” books.
Do you set reading goals for yourself? If so, how do you track your reading?
~robin
My goal to read 36 books & I read 136. Don’t know if I will be able to read that many this year or not as my responsibility to take care of my husband may increase. I don’t know from one day to the next. Dr. says I have to take it one day at a time.
Wow. We had the same goal and almost exactly the same results. Well done. I pray that the care for your husband will still allow time to escape into books for refreshment and enjoyment.
I do set reading goals. I started truly tracking 3 years ago and I’ve increased my book count each year. Last year it was 200 books and I read 211. This year I set it at 220. Audiobooks make all the difference! I listen to them at 1.8 speed because otherwise I cannot listen.
Oh my. How wonderful. I can’t listen to most books at 1.8. If speeding up distorts the narrator and ruins my enjoyment, I slow it down. Each book is different. I almost never listen at 1.0. Usually it is between 1.2 and 1.5.
My retirement hobbies are quilting and reading. While I don’t set annual goals I read some and sew some every day. The books are recorded on excel spreadsheets, one set by author the other by title. Annual average for last 8 years is 450.
Oh, my. That’s amazing to average so many every year. Do you use the library a lot?
Yes! Limited budget. My favorite and most used piece of plastic is my library card.
Always take 2 books when going out the door.
I have been using Goodreads to track my books for about 12 years. I am a retired teacher so have more reading time than most people. I read an average of 225 books a year, and my husband knows I am reading addicted! Love your books and keep writing. Happy New Year.
Loraine Ertelt
Christian Fiction Devourers @ Goodreads Moderator
Loraine, I love tracking via Goodreads. I doubt I will ever reach 225. Definitely not as long as I am writing books. Thanks for reading my books. God willing, I will be able to keep writing to the very end of my life.
I put the books I’ve read whether on my kindle or or a book .or listened to on goodreads .
I follow you and find new authors to read
I love you books and read them as soon as they come out
Bonnie, Goodreads is definitely the easiest way for me to track. Thanks for following and for reading my books.
Congratulations, Robin, on exceeding your reading goal for 2022! Praise the Lord!
I, too, utilize the Goodreads Reading Challenge feature and find it a good way for me to keep track of what I read. Like you, I also like that I can leave reviews to help fellow authors.
It really helped when I started using Goodreads as a reader. I enjoy it so much. I love finding books recommended by others that I might have missed otherwise.
I have been using goodreads for a few years now. Last year I came up with some (3) extra mini challenges for myself–sort of an A to Z. 1–a book that started with each letter of the alphabet. 2–authors with first names A to Z. 3–authors with last names of A to Z. I managed to finish the last one on the very last day. This year though it will probably be the book shelf method (pick a shelf and start reading).
Linda, I have never tried to do those kinds of challenges. I’ve just done the number thing, I suppose because I only want to read what I want to read at any given moment. LOL!
Hi Robin,
I’m reporting I read 105 books this year. Many months were slow, but I started reading The Left Behind Books for Teenagers by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, and that drove my count way up. The series contained 40 thin-ish books. Loved them! My husband is reading them now. Very inspirational.
Happy New Year,
Myra Cole
Congratulations on 105 books. Thin stories count!