First Quarter Reading Stats

First Quarter Reading Stats

So I got the idea to look at my reading stats every quarter from Rincey over at Rincey Reads. If you haven't seen her videos you should check them out. (https://www.youtube.com/user/rinceyreads)

So I went through my reading spread sheet and looked to see what I have been reading for the first three months of the year. So here is how it plays out.

Total books: 25 books

Total pages read: 5,017

Gender:

Male: 11 books (44%)

Female: 11 books (44%)

Both: 3 books ( 12%)

This doesn't really surprise me. I usually end up reading more female writers but it usually is pretty close to 1/2.

Translated: 1 book

I do need to read more book that have been translated into English. So I need to be aware of that.

Written by a person of color: 6 (24%)

My goal for this year was 30%. In the beginning of March I realized this category was pretty low and I started taking a bit more time carefully selecting which books I was reading on my TBR. I think I can get this percentage a little higher in the next quarter.

Genre

Mystery: 12%

Graphic Novel: 40%

Fantasy: 8%       

YA: 12%

Humor: 4%

Short Story: 8%

Sci-fi: 8%

Non Fiction: 4%

Poetry: 4%

So for my genres I am reading very broadly right now. I actually had not realized how many genres I had read so far this year. I have gotten more into graphic novels and have been reading a lot of trade paperbacks of great new titles this year.

Format:

Paperback: 76%

E-book: 12%

Hardcover: 16%

Audio: 0%

I was surprised I hadn't listened to any audio books this year. But I have been listening to a lot of podcasts this year so I think that is where my listening is. So I need to listen to a couple audio books in the next quarter. I usually read a lot of paperbacks so the fact that the paperbacks are the highest is not surprising.

I am completing a 25 book challenge, Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge and a Classics Challenge.

  25 Book Challenge: 11 books read

Read Harder: 10 books read

Classics: 6 books read

So I am doing really well with my challenges this year!

I found going through this very helpful. I know which areas I need to be more aware of and which areas I am doing well in.  So we will have to see what the next three months brings!!

Where to start in Urban Fantasy!

Urban fantasy is a type of fantasy that we are seeing more and more books categorized as. They are books that have magical or supernatural elements most of the time they take place in a contemporary setting. A great example of this would be the Dresden series by Jim Bucher. The series revolves around Harry Dresden. He advertises in the yellow pages as a Wizard and has an office. He is a private eye type character. Butcher set his series in Chicago and it is a fantastic place to set these stories. The series takes place in modern times and deals with magic, vampires, fairies, etc. It is my favorite type of fantasy and I am constantly on the lookout for new ones. If you are interested in diving into this genre here are some suggestions on where to start.

1. The Dresden series

As I mentioned above, I love the Dresden series by Jim Butcher. They are funny and fast paces and as the series goes on the books get so good. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone. Especially if you love the Harry Potter books this may be up your alley. If you are big into audio books or even looking to try them this is an awesome series to do in audio. This is actually how I started listening to audio books and all but one are narrated by James Marsden. He does such a fantastic job.

2. Written in Red

Written in Red is the first book in The Others series by Anne Bishop. The world building is amazing in this book. This book takes place in an alternate reality. The characters are well done and I like how she progresses through each book. The third book in the series was just released in March.

3. The Diabolical Miss Hyde

This book by Viola Carr is on my TBR. This book is about Dr. Jekyll's  daughter and how she is a crime scene investigator. I have seen this on a couple lists for Urban fantasy but it also could be under the steam punk genre. I cannot wait to see how this author takes my understanding of the original classic and makes it something new.

4. Tales from the Nightside

This is a very interesting idea by Simon R. Green. I really enjoyed the first book and the series is now complete. This series is about John Taylor who is a private investigator and can find missing things. He also can go between his home in our world and the Nightside. This is a pretty fun read.

5. Monster Hunter International

Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia is an adventure in a group of special agents trained to hunt the monsters of the world. This is another one that is good in audio book. There are several books in the series and are a lot of fun. 

Watching What I Read

Watching What I Read

                Every year I take tracking my reading a bit further. In 2013 I just listed what books I read. In 2014 I listed the books I read and included the date I finished it. I started tracking how many books I read each month and how many pages I read each month. When Book Riot posted a reading spreadsheet I entered all my data and kept that as well. This year I have several ways I track and a lot of data I collect on my reading. I am curious about my reading stats and I honestly enjoy it. So in 2015 I am using the reading spread sheet with the following categories: Title, Author, Gender, Translated, POC (person of color), Date Published, Nationality, date started, date finished, pages, genre, format, where I got it, and if it fits into one of my challenges.  That is one epic spreadsheet. I also keep a book journal. I track how many books I read each month, how many pages I read, and what genres I have read that month.

                This year I am making more of an effort to evaluate what I read. I already read a lot of female authors and I do read somewhat diversely. This year I wanted to watch what I read and where I need to improve. I wanted to read more diversely  and I wanted to explore genres I do not  typically read. Last year my main focus was on new genres. This year I am continuing that but I am also looking at the authors I am picking up. I also want to explore different cultures through books.

                There are several ways I am doing this. I reflect on what I am reading as I go so if I see quite a few no's in my POC column I know that I need to improve in that area.  In March I noticed I had not read as many diverse authors and made it a point to go through my TBR and select books that would help me look at other cultures and points of view.  This is also the same with the my translated column. That is also a column I need to focus on this month and next month. Which is why I find a lot of value in tracking what I read closely. I won't know where to make improvements if I am not looking at trends.  

                Another great way to make sure I am reading a variety of genres and authors is my TBR jar. What I do for my TBR jar is a have a small mason jar and I put slips of paper in it that I pull out when I want to. I don't do it once a month or anything like that. I like to pull the slips when I need some guidance on what to read. I am completing three challenges right now. I am doing the Read Harder challenge, a 25 book challenge my friends made, and a classics challenge. I put the different categories in my TBR jar, not book titles. The only challenge that is not in the jar is the classics challenge because I read one a month and my book club votes on a classic each month.

                A  book club is also a great way to get some strong recommendations. The members of my book club have very different tastes in books. That is why typically we just bring what we have read and talk about great books we loved. We would occasionally do group reads or buddy reads.  This year we are all trying the classics challenge to expand out horizons.

                I also like to look at what genres I am reading because I love romance novels and I tend to slip very comfortably back into reading that genre. I love crossover genres as well. Paranormal romance and mystery romance are some of my favorite genres.  I also love YA, which is a good thing since I am a middle school teacher. So I never have to struggle finding books I want to read in those genres. But I have also found out that I like certain kinds of sci-fi and fantasy. I would never have said I was a huge fan of either genre just two years and now I am finding aspects of those genres that I love.

                Many of us have lots of reasons for tracking our reading or not. Whatever system you have that works for you is a great way to help you explore who you are as a reader. I would love to know how other track their reading. 

Matilda by Roald Dahl

As a child I didn't read any of Roald Dahl books. I had seen some of the movies that were based on the books and they were a bit dark for me. This is the third Roald Dahl that I have read. I enjoyed this book very much. I thought it thoughtful and really got down to looking at the importance of people in our lives. It also looks at how important it is to believe in yourself and go after what you think is important. I love how Dahl looks at the world in his books and how he empowers kids. It is why I think his books stand the test of time. Kids still love them and are reading them. They are stories that are relatable no matter how old you are. 

Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

           

poetryfreak38

I really enjoyed this book. It is written as a journal entry and I think it was very different. It is a very strong opening to this trilogy and I am very interested to see where it goes. I also do like that the books were released so close together. While I am not reading them as they are coming out, if I had known about the series then I definitely would have been more inclined to read it. I usually wait for a chunk of books in a series to be out since I hate waiting a year in between books.

            This book really makes you think and how the narrator sees the world and comments on it is very interesting and well done. Vandermeer also was able to write very strong and compelling characters. I loved the use of memory as a way to learn more about our narrator and the connection we feel towards her. In this type of book it did not bother me that none of the characters had names, but where referred to by their role in the group. I think that added to the mystery and danger of the mission and was an interesting psychological feature to the book.

             Another thing I really enjoyed was his writing style. It was very easy to read and was fast paced. I never felt like this book lagged or was slow. It was a fast paced book and he unraveled just enough mystery that you really wanted to keep going so you could find out more.

             I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for something new. It was a delightful read. It also is pretty short which is great for the first book in a series. I know the other two are different and I actually look forward to see the other side of the world and exploring more of Vandermeer's work.

Jamberry

I have decided to start selling Jamberry nails. I recently started using them and I love them. SO I thought it would be a great idea to start selling them since I really love them.

They are very easy to put on and come off really easy. If you are interested in trying them out let me know. 

http://staceympena.jamberrynails.net/

Classics Challenge: March

Classics Challenge: March

Classic read: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier  

WHEN I Discovered This Classic: This has been on my list to read for awhile. I have wanted to see the movie based on this book for a while as well.

WHAT Makes It A Classic: This book was published in 1938 and is still very popular. It is a widely read book that is loved by many.

WHY I Chose to Read It : My book club is doing the classics challenge and this was the ick for March.  

WILL It Stay A Classic: I would say yes because of the character types and how popular it still is today.

WHO I’d Recommend It To: I would recommend this book to people who love mysteries and suspense. I would also recommend this book to people who are just starting out with classics and need a place to start. 

Classics Challenge: February

Classics Challenge: February 

Classic read: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 

WHEN I Discovered This Classic: I had read this classic back in high school and really wanted to revisit it. 

WHAT Makes It A Classic: It is a story that stands the test of time and is considered a main stream classic. 

WHY I Chose to Read It : I wanted a shorter book to be honest with you and this had been on my TBR for a while to re-read.  

WILL It Stay A Classic: Yes. This story has some wonderful universal themes and it is a very accessible text. 

WHO I’d Recommend It To: I would recommend this book to people who like to think about who we are and why we make certain decisions. I would also recommend this book to people who are just starting out with classics and need a place to start. 

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The Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis

I received a copy of The Joy of the Gospel from blogging for books in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book. I thought it was interesting to read Pope Francis's message and his view. I don't generally read many religious texts but I was very interested in this one for quite a while. I give this book 3.5 stars. I actually learned a lot from this book and am very glad I got the opportunity to check this title out and read the Pope's ideas and thoughts.  Because of the type of books this is I really don't have a lot to say about it. It is religious non-fiction.