I personally don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I’ve talked about this before, but I basically feel like you’re setting yourself up for failure when you set resolutions. Especially since 99% of the time they aren’t realistic.
While I don’t set resolutions, I did set a goal for myself back in January that I was going to keep track of all my reads for the year. I’m happy to report that I met my goal. I kept track of every book I read.
I used Goodreads to keep track, and I think it was a good system. Each month I started a new “bookshelf” and as I finished a book I added it to the shelf along with a quick note about it. I also made a shelf for books I re-read. I was good and only counted the books I re-read from cover to cover, and not the ones I skimmed (if I did that I’d probably have more re-reads than new reads this year..I re-skim-through a LOT).
I plan to continue keeping tracks of my reads. I even joined a reading challenge on Goodreads called 144 Books in 2010, in which I’ll try to read 144 books in 2010. Since I hate challenges as much as I hate resolutions, this is a big deal for me.
Anyway, here are my final numbers for 2009:
for a total of:
159 books read
While that isn’t quite the number I was hoping to achieve, it’s still pretty good. That’s an average of about 13 books a month. I can live with that.
Here’s a breakdown:
march-2009 (14)
Summary of favorite and least favorite reads each month:
January – I have to say Kill for Me was probably my favorite read for the month, with Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis and Reining in the Rancher by Karen Templeton as close seconds. Mistress Menage was my least favorite. Overall I read some pretty great books, though.
February – I have to say my favorite read of the month was Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James with honorable mentions to What I Did for Love by SEP and Devil of the Highlands by Lynsay Sands. Mother in Training by Marie Ferrarella was my least favorite.
March – Sadly I read quite a few wallbangers this month. I really hate it when that happens. I have to say my best read of the month was The Key by Lynsay Sands with honorable mentions to Giving Chase by Lauren Dane and both Susan Elizabeth Phillips re-reads I did. My worst reads for the month were All of Me by Lori Wilde (a HUGE disappointment since it’s the last in her Wedding Veil Wishes series) and, even more sadly for me, Too Hot Too Handle by Robin Kaye.
April – My favorite reads of the month were Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder and She’s Got It Bad by Sarah Mayberry. My least favorite was Runaway Bride Returns, which isn’t saying much since I enjoyed it. I just enjoyed it less than the others I read this month.
May – I’d have to say my favorite reads for the month were Dirty Sexy Knitting by Christie Ridgway and The Conqueror by Kris Kennedy. I’d also give a honorable mention to Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan. Lease favorite was Wyoming Wedding by Sara Orwig.
June – My favorite read of the month was What Happens in London by Julia Quinn. It was such a fun read and just what I was in the mood for. Honorable mentions go to Sexual Healing and Butterfly Tattoo. If you haven’t already read Butterfly Tattoo I suggest you do so. It’s very unique and unconventional. I’m not sure I’d actually classify it as a romance, but it’s still a fabulous read. My least favorite read of the month is The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever. The writing was as stellar as always, but the characters drove me up the wall.
July – My favorite read of the month was definitely my re-read of Pride and Prejudice. I’d forgotten how much I adore that book. It really is an amazing classic. Honorable mentions go to Crux by Moira Rogers and Uncovered by Linda Winfree. My least favorite read of the month was The Doctor’s Surprise Family by Mary J. Forbes. I’m really bummed that I didn’t enjoy it more, since it was the conclusion to a series.
August – My favorites are Demon Forged by Meljean Brook (book 8 in the Guardians series and probably the most emotionally compelling so far) and I Can See You by Karen Rose. Honorable mentions go to Rewriting Monday by Jodi Thomas and my Susan Elizabeth Phillips re-reads. My least favorite read of the month was A Fortune Wedding by Kristin Hardy. It just didn’t work for me.
September – My favorite read this month was Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh and Dream A Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I also enjoyed catching up on the Heartmates series by Robin D. Owens. Her world-building is amazing. My least favorite read was probably Texas Wedding by Kathleen O’Brian, though Can’t Stand the Heat by Louisa Edwards comes in as a close second.
October – My favorite reads were the Lisa Kleypas re-reads I did, namely Worth Any Price, Because You’re Mine and Devil In Winter, though all of them are awesome. My least favorite read was Beginnings by Judith Duncan (which I hope to review at some point). It’s an old school Harlequin SuperRomance I picked up at the UBS on a whim. It was definitely Old Skool (the hero bordered on abusive while the heroine bowed and scraped before him), though the entertainment factor was huge.
November – My favorite reads of the month were probably Double Play by Jill Shalvis and Something About You by Julie James. Honorable mentions go to Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen and The Care and Feeding of Unmarried Men by Christie Ridgway. My least favorite read of the month was Take Me for a Ride by Karen Kendall. I don’t know what to say about that book except it sucked.
December – My favorite read of the month was Must Love Mistletoe by Christie Ridgway. My least favorite read was Breakfast in Bed by Robin Kaye.
If you’re interested in seeing a full monthly list, you can click here.