Recapping My 2017 Reading Challenges
So this morning I finished The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of
Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. It is the 63rd book that I have read in 2017. I will write about it and book 62 Visitation Street by Ivy Pochoda soon. For now though, I want to review my performance on my various Reading Challenges. I will also provide some thoughts about my 2018 Reading Challenges.
Here are the final statistics regarding my 2017 Reading Challenges…..
| 2017 Reading Challenges | Goal | Total | % of Goal |
| 2017 Literature Reading Challenge | |||
| General Fiction | 2 | 4 | 200.00% |
| Classics (Books I should have read but didn’t) | |||
| Award-Winners | 2 | 1 | 50.00% |
| 2017 Mystery/Thriller Reading Challenge | |||
| Mystery – New Series | 6 | 12 | 200.00% |
| Series that I am behind on (i.e. Gabriel Allon) | 6 | 6 | 100.00% |
| Current Mystery Authors (series or non-series) | 12 | 16 | 133.33% |
| New Mystery Authors (non-series) | |||
| 0 | |||
| 2017 Science Fiction /Fantasy Challenge | 6 | 6 | 100.00% |
| 2017 Nonfiction Reading Challenge | 12 | 13 | 108.33% |
| Totals | 60 | 63 | 105.00% |
As you can see overall I did great in meeting most of my Reading Challenge Goals. There were only three challenges that I did not meet: Classics, Award-Winners and New Mystery Authors.
Discussing My 2017 Reads
So while I only read one classic The Great Gatsby it’s one more than I read last year and maybe next year I’ll get to two!! And while I only listed one Award-Winner All That Man Is, Here are the awards won by Ann Leckie for sci-fi novel Ancillary Justice …..
Hugo Award for Best Novel (2014), Nebula Award for Best Novel (2014), Locus Award for Best First Novel (2014), Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Novel (2014), British Science Fiction Association Award for Best Novel (2013)
Philip K. Dick Award Nominee (2013), John W. Campbell Memorial Award Nominee (2014), The Kitschies for Golden Tentacle (Debut) (2013), James Tiptree Jr. Award Honor List (2013), Seiun Award 星雲賞 for Best Foreign Novel (2016) .
I only read four books that are not part of a series from authors that are new to me. However, I did read books that are part of a series from seven authors whose books I read for the first time!
Among those books I read three books in the Carter Blake series from Mason Cross. Likewise. I read three books in the David Slayton series by Ward Larsen. Finally, I read two books in the Jana Berzelius series from the pen of Emelie Schepp. While those novels did not win any awards Emelie Schepp was named 2016 Swedish Crime Writer of the Year.
All in all, it was a great year in reading. In addition to the books discussed above I read some great books from some of my favorite authors like: Harlan Coben (Don’t Let Go), C.J.Box (Paradise Valley), William Kent Krueger (Sulphur Springs) and Michael Robotham (The Secrets She Keeps), James Rollins (The Seventh Plague)and Steve Hamilton (Exit Strategy).
Thoughts About 2018 Reading Challenges
So I really don’t know all of the details of my 2018 Reading Challenges yet but I do have a thought. I have around 28 bookshelves in my room, so I want to read at least 1 book from 25 of those shelves. My total goal will be 65 book. So I will fill in with some other genres and thoughts. Maybe I’ll look around online for some challenges. Anyway I post my challenges by the end of next week!!