In my head, I keep thinking 2024 was not a great reading year for me. I bemoan the lack of books read, and the number of 2 star reads. But if I actually look at the numbers, it was actually a great year. Which is why I write things down, instead of relying on my fallible memory.
On to the books.
I read 78 books in 2024. Which is 9 more than the year before. I tend to average a book a week, but this year I think I ended up averaging a book and a half a week. Or something like that. Yay summer break!
When I flipped back through my reading notebook, I noticed that I read many more books out side of my comfort zone than I did the years prior. Partly because I am part of a couple of book clubs, and partly because of my resolution to read the nonfiction books on my shelf. I tried outside of my normal genres and found a few new favorites, as well as some things I will never try again…
I saw this cool blog post where the author did a mini review for every single book she read that year. I will not be doing that, sorry. 78 books is too many to write about and too many to read about. Maybe I will try those with my monthly book wrap up, if I ever get back to them again anyway.
Here are the stats for the year.
I read 31 nonfiction books this year, and 47 fiction books this year.
The nonfiction books were a wide variety of books about turtles, biographies, and quite a few homesteading/gardening books. With a smattering of other things thrown in for fun.
The fiction books I read were across many genres, dips into thriller and historical fiction were attempted with varied success. I am drawn more and more to quiet, slow books, but that might be a phase of life. The crazier life is, the calmer I want my books to be. The opposite is also true, when life is calm, I am able to read roller coaster books.
Fiction Stats Breakdown.
14 fantasy/scifi books.
10 classics.
5 in historical fiction.
5 in the YA/Middle Grade. (I know they are two totally separate things, but I had so few of each I decided to lump them together)
5 in general fiction. (otherwise known as I don’t know where else to put it.)
4 mystery novels.
1 thriller (ish), 1 poetry book, and 1 rulebook. (when it is a rule book with all sort of lore and extra stories, and its page count is bigger than some novels, it completely counts.)
Fantasy/Scifi is still my most read genre. Classics (I feel so posh when saying that) are close behind. I am surprised I read so many historical fiction novels. I usually shy away from them, as I read a few terrible ones many years ago. But this year I read some I really liked and I hope I can find more that I like!
One thing I wish I had read more of this year is poetry. I really like poetry, but I have a hard of time of knowing where to start. Also, so many of the poetry anthologies I have seen are ginormous. I would like slim volumes please. All that said, I want to read more poetry this year. I guess a trip to the bookstore is in order…
Star Rating Breakdown.
I rate the books I read with a simple one to five star rating. If I am really indecisive, I use a half star rating. This probably happens more often that I would like to think…
1 Star Books. I read two of these. Both tragically did not live up to their potential.
2 Star Books. I read six of these. Eek, quite a few that just weren’t my favorite. No wonder I feel like this year was a bleh reading year.
2 1/2 Star Books. Just one. In between not my favorite and meh.
3 Star Books. I read seven of these. Just meh books that I didn’t care much about either way.
3 1/2 Star Books. I read seven of these as well. Not quite good enough to be four stars, but lifted above meh status.
4 Star Books. I read eighteen of these. Phew! We got to books I liked, enjoyed, and just generally had a good time.
4 1/2 Star Books. I read nine of these. I really liked the book, but it hasn’t quite been elevated to loved it status.
5 Star Books. I read twenty eight of these. Wonderful! I am glad I read so many books I loved! I am also very liberal with my five stars, it doesn’t mean anything more special than I loved the book.
As I was going through my reading journal, I was tempted to change the ratings on a few books. Time brings perspective, and there were some books I would have rated higher, or lower, now that I have had more time to think about it. Sometimes, when the emotions are gone, I can think more clearly about a book.
I can now see why I have this perspective that it wasn’t a great reading year. It has been a long time since I have given a one star to any book, and I gave two out this year. Also, between 1 and 3 1/2, a third of the books I read were at best meh books. This year, if I read less books but enjoy more of them, I will count it as a good reading year.
Favorites and NonFavorites.
Don’t worry, this rather long post is coming to an end. (so says I to myself as I am staying up late after parent teacher conferences to finish this)
My least favorite book I read this year is ‘One Pale Reflection’ by Tycho Dwelis. This author had lots of good ideas, and a really interesting fantasy world that I would have loved to learn more about. But the story kind of wandered around all over the place, and character motivations and actions didn’t always make sense to me. I had a hard time understanding the world, and what exactly was going on. I hope this author keeps writing, he has lots of great ideas, and the more we write, the better we get!
My favorite book I read this year is (oh my word this is so hard) ‘House of Rain’ by Craig Childs. I loved, loved, loved this book. It is a travel memoir/historical look at the Ancestral Puebloans. Where they were, and where they went. I love history, and the whole book is basically set in my part of the country. The way he describes the desert is beautiful. I wish I could describe the world the way he does, or just see the world the way he does.
Honorable mentions to ‘A Thousand Days in Tuscany’ by Marlene De Blasi and ‘Spells for Forgetting’ by Adrienne Young. Because I really can’t make up my mind.
I hope you enjoyed this foray into my reading habits last year. It was fun to look back at all the things I read, and remember once again the adventures these books have taken me on.
Have a beautiful day.
Shaina Merrick
The Beauty of a Story 