Tag: Holly’s Year in Review

2018 Reading Year in Review: Holly

Posted January 16, 2019 by Holly in Features | 7 Comments

I track all my reading on Goodreads. I set up shelves for the info I want to track. When I finish a book, I add it to the relevant shelves and bam, done.

I may try to keep a more detailed log this year, but we’ll see if that lasts. I’m pretty lazy when it comes to tracking, and Goodreads makes it pretty easy.

2018 was a pretty good reading year for me. I set a Goodreads reading goal of 200 Books in 2018, which I managed to meet in November. I include new-to-me and re-reads in that, as well as DNF’s if I read at least half the book before quitting. I averaged about 18 books per month. I also set a personal goal to read more new-to-me authors. I tend to get into a funk and read a lot of the same authors. I didn’t do quite as well with that as I’d have liked, but I did a lot better than the previous two years.

Quick Stats for the Year

Books Read: 220 | Books DNF’d: 7 | Books Re-Read: 102
eARCs Read: 55 | Books Reviewed: 76 | Average Monthly Books Read: 18
 Audiobooks: 110 | Pages Read: 66,403 | New to Me Authors: 39

The Breakdown

By Month

I tried 39 new-to-me authors. Of those, I went on to read multiple books by Anne Bishop, Molly Harper, J.T. Geissinger, Lauren Blakely and Lorraine Heath. I DNF’d 7 books. Which isn’t too bad, considering how many I read throughout the year. I averaged about 18 books per month.

By Genre

I read a lot of UF/F in 2018. I took a long break from UF, so I had a lot of great series to catch up on. Contemporary remains my favorite sub-genre, but I’m determined to read more historicals in 2019. I really like Sci-Fi, but I rarely read it. I need to work on that. Romantic Suspense remains the bain of my existence. I doubt I’ll ever come to love it.

By Format

  • Hardcover (0)
  • Paperback (0)
  • Audio (110)
  • eBook (100)

I’ll be honest, I didn’t start keeping track of format until late in the year. I kept track of how many audiobooks I listened to, but otherwise didn’t pay attention. I know I didn’t read any hardcovers this year, but it’s possible I read a couple paperbacks. I just don’t remember which ones or how many. Generally speaking, I only read in digital or listen to audiobooks, and audiobooks are new for me. I plan to keep better track in the coming year of eArc vs Purchase, so I may track format better as well.

Monthly Breakdown

January

Books Reviewed


Books Read

A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Pretty Girls Dancing by Kylie Brant
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
Happiness for Humans by P.Z. Reizin
Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath
Honor’s Splendour by Julie Garwood
The Year We Hid Away by Sarina Bowen
The Gamble by Kristen Ashley
The Wedding by Julie Garwood
The Secret by Julie Garwood
The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan
Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood
Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was probably Pretty Girls Dancing by Kylie Brant. It wasn’t a romance, but I enjoyed the ebb and flow of the story. I also really enjoyed Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen, A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet and the Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor. My least favorite read was Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet. That book was a hot mess.

February

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Lake Silence by Anne Bishop
Natural Witch by K.F. Breene
Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews
One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews
Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Rough Ride by Kristen Ashley

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite reads of the month were the Anne Bishop books. I’m not sure I have a favorite from the series, so I’m just including them all. Hello Stranger was also wonderful. I adored Ethan.

My least favorite was Rough Ride by Kristen Ashley. I liked Snapper, but overall the novella was slow moving and kind of boring. It wasn’t a bad read, it just didn’t hold up against the other books I read this month.

March

Books Reviewed


Books Read

The Woman Left Behind by Linda Howard
Dark Desires by Eve Silver
Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
Complicated by Kristen Ashley
Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
For You by Kristen Ashley
On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks
Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken
Flames and Chains by G.A. Aiken
About a Dragon by G.A. Aiken

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken, with Duke of Sin a close second. My least favorite was Flames and Chains, a short story included with Dragon Actually. It was originally written for her newsletter and it showed. I also really struggled with the audiobook of Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley. That was horrible. I love that book like whoa, but the audio was junk.

April

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Dragon’s Oath by Sophie Stern
Snowfall and Secrets by Kimberly Loth
Natural Mage by K.F. Breene
Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Prince in Leather by Holley Trent
The Hellion by Christi Caldwell
Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews
Sweep in Peace
One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews
Hour of Need by Melinda Leigh
Ocean Light by Nalini Singh
Crimes Against Magic by Steve McHugh

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was Natural Mage by K.F. Breene. I’m really loving that series. My Least favorite was probably Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid. I didn’t hate the book, but I had high expectations based on recommendations from those in my trust circle and it didn’t live up to them.

May

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Planet Dragos by Thea Harrison
The Hookup by Erin McCarthy
Rock Chick Reborn by Kristne Ashley
Not Quite Crazy by Catherine Bybee
Burn for You by J.T. Geissinger
Melt for You by J.T. Geissinger
Chosen by K.F. Breene
Hunted by K.F. Breene
Shadow Lands by K.F. Breene
Invasion by K.F. Breene
Siege by K.F. Breene
Overtaken by K.F. Breene
Overtaken: Bonus Epilogue by K.F. Breene
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley
Diamond Bay by Linda Howard
White Lies by Linda Howard

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was Burn for You by J.T. Geissinger. It’s a modern-day Beauty and the Beast retelling. I ended up reading it 3 times it was so good. My least favorite read was Rock Chick Reborn by Kristen Ashley. I was so looking forward to Shirleen’s story, but she acted so unlike herself it killed the story for me.

June

Books Reviewed


Books Read

A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Unicorn Lane by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Fernandos by Ilona Andrews
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Soup by Ilona Andrews
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Midnight Games by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Hot Tub by Ilona Andrews
Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Kate’s Origin by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Naked Dinner by Ilona Andrews
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Conclave by Ilona Andrews
Curran POV Collection: Awake by Ilona Andrews
Magic Dreams by Ilona Andrews
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
Retribution Clause by Ilona Andrews
An Ill-Advised Rescue by Ilona Andrews
Curran Twitter, The Wilson Building by Ilona Andrews
Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
Dabwaha, Curran Twitter by Ilona Andrews
Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews
Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews
Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews
Magic Stars by Ilona Andrews
Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks
Seduction of a Highland Lass by Maya Banks
Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks
The Kingpin of Camelot by Cassandra Gannon
Giving Chase by Lauren Dane
Taking Chase by Lauren Dane
Shadow’s Edge by J.T. Geissinger
Edge of Oblivion by J.T. Geissinger
Hot Single Dad by Claire Kingsley
Her Best Friend by Claire Kingsley

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite non-reread of the month was probably Hot Single Dad by Claire Kingsley. There were some issues, but overall it was a cute read. My least favorite was Shadow’s Edge by J.T. Geissinger. I kept anticipating some major event to happen, and it never came to be. I enjoyed book 2 quite a bit more.

July

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Wild Like the Wind by Kristen Ashley
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The Trouble with Love by Lauren Layne
Midnight Valentine by J.T. Geissinger
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews
Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was The Kiss Quotient. I really loved the reverse Pretty Woman storyline and both the hero and heroine. My least favorite was Midnight Valentine by J.T. Geissinger. It started out really strong but went downhill at the end.

August

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Complicated by Kristen Ashley
The Secret (Highland Lairds #1) by Julie Garwood
Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
Ransom (Highland Lairds #2) by Julie Garwood
Herons Landing (Honeymoon Harbor #1) by JoAnn Ross
Snowfall on Lighthouse Lane (Honeymoon Harbor #2) by JoAnn Ross
When a Duke Loves a Woman (Sins for All Seasons #2) by Lorraine Heath
Lumberjack Werebear (Saw Bears #1) by T.S. Joyce
Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely
The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo (Victorian Rebels #6) by Kerrigan Byrne
The Bourbon Kings (The Bourbon Kings #1) by J.R. Ward
The Hookup (Game On #1) by Kristen Callihan
The Chase (Briar U #1) by Elle Kennedy
The Time in Between (Magdalene #3) by Kristen Ashley
Play it Safe by Kristen Ashley
Duke Most Wanted (Heiress Brides #3) by Celeste Bradley
Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels #10) by Ilona Andrews
Wild Like the Wind (Chaos #5) by Kristen Ashley
Getting Schooled (Getting Some #1) by Emma Chase

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was a tie between Getting Schooled by Emma Chase and When a Duke Loves a Woman by Lorraine Heath. Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely gets an honorable mention. I loved the story, but Richard Armitage as narrator really put it over the top. That might actually be my favorite. Or maybe just my favorite audiobook. My least favorite was The Bourbon Kings by J.R. Ward. I know I DNF’d it, but trust me, it was bad.

September

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven
Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks
Hot Dad by Whitley Cox
Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone
The Lion’s Lady by Julie Garwood
Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
The Only One by Lauren Blakely
Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely
Light My Fire by Christie Ridgway
Feral Magic by Robin D. Owens
Fairytale Come Alive by Kristen Ashley
Touch the Sky by Kari Cole
The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely
For the Love of English by A.M. Hargrove
Part-Time Lover by Lauren Blakely
The Seduction of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley
The Will by Kristen Ashley
Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Lover by Jennifer Ashley
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Satisfaction by Lexi Blake
Complicated by Kristen Ashley
Getting Schooled by Emma Chase
Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs
Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill
Nights with Him by Lauren Blakely
The Hot One by Lauren Blakely

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite read of the month was Part-Time Lover by Lauren Blakely, with an honorable mention to Getting Schooled by Emma Chase. I also really liked Phoenix Unbound, but the beginning was a little slow. My least favorite read was Hot Dad by Whitley Cox. That book was a mess from start to finish.

October

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Fantastical by Kristen Ashley
Broken Dove by Kristen Ashley
Midnight Soul by Kristen Ashley
Soaring by Kristen Ashley
How to Date Your Dragon by Molly Harper
Love and Other Wild Things by Molly Harper
Lionheart by Thea Harrison
The Scribe by Elizabeth Hunter
The Singer by Elizabeth Hunter
Archangel’s Heart by Nalini Singh
Archangel’s Prophecy by Nalini Singh
Shadow and Ice by Gena Showalter
Speakeasy by Sarina Bowen
If He’s Daring by Hannah Howell
Steadfast by Sarina Bowen
Once Upon a Sure Thing by Lauren Blakely
On the Surface by Kate Willoughby
Red Wolf by Jennifer Ashley
Natural Dual-Mage by K.F. Breene

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite reads of the month were Lionheart by Thea Harrison and Archangel’s Prophecy by Nalini Singh. I’m still not recovered from AP. I need the next book SO BAD! My least favorite reads were The Scribe and The Singer (which I DNF’d) by Elizabeth Hunter. The premise was really interesting, but I’m annoyed The Scribe ended in a cliffhanger and The Singer was basically just a recap of The Scribe for the 35% I read.

November

Books Reviewed


Books Read

One More Time by Laurelin Page
Goddess with a Blade
Royally Hung by Anne Marsh
Coming Undone by Lauren Dane
Ache for You by J.T. Geissinger
Sin and Chocolate by K.F. Breene
Ain’t She a Peach by Molly Harper
Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck by Molly Harper
Sweet Tea and Sympathy by Molly Harper
The Christmas Cottage by Samantha Chase
Taking Chase by Lauren Dane
Making Chase by Lauren Dane
Chased by Lauren Dane
The Restorer by Amanda Stevens
Sleepover by Serena Bell
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
Raven’s Shadow by Patricia Briggs
Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas
A Little Night Magic by Lucy March
Complicated by Kristen Ashley
Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
The Gamble by Kristen Ashley

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite new read of the month was probably Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck. I actually really enjoyed the entire Southern Eclectic series by Molly Harper, but that was my favorite of them. My least favorite read was Ache for You by J.T. Geissinger. I haven’t hated a heroine that much in..maybe ever. You know things are bad when the idea of her falling down the stairs and breaking all her bones makes you giddy inside.

December

Books Reviewed


Books Read

Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright
Force of Temptation
Lure of Oblivion
Echoes of Fire by Suzanne Wright
Feral Sins by Suzanne Wright
Wicked Cravings by Suzanne Wright
Carnal Secrets by Suzanne Wright
Wild Hunger by Suzanne Wright
Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
Inside Out by Lauren Dane
Never Enough by Lauren Dane
Mystery Man by Kristen Ashley
Fairytale Come Alive by Kristen Ashley
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite reads of the month were Echoes of Fire and Wild Hunger by Suzanne Wright. I really enjoyed both. My least favorite was Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t good, either.

Do you track your reading each year? How did your year in books look? Share in the comments!

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Year in Review: 2015

Posted January 14, 2016 by Holly in Features | 4 Comments

year in reviewOh, 2015.

I had great expectations for the reading year. Sadly I was in the funk for the majority of it.

The reading goals I set for 2015:

1. Read more sub-genres  
2. Read more new authors
3. Read 200 books
4. Complete the 26 Books in 2015 challenge

I did read 200 books in 2016 (just), but I wasn’t able to meet any of my other goals. I read very few new-t0-me authors and hardly any variety of sub-genres. I did read 24 of the 26 Books in 2015 Challenge, but that still leaves me 2 shy of the goal. In short, I had a sad, sorry reading year.

Because GR doesn’t count a book toward the challenge unless I mark the date read, and because I re-read books multiple times, the number of books on my 200 Books shelf isn’t accurate.

200 Books in 2016 (160)
January (14)
February (23)
March (18)
April (12)
May (21)
June (18)
July (7)
August (16)
September (12)
October (24)
November (21)
December (14)

Adding the months together, I come up with 200 books read in 2015, which was my goal exactly. The truth is I probably read more than that, but I don’t count partial re-reads or books I read more than once in a month (which is something I do quite often).

Breaking that down:

Contemporary (76)
Fantasy (52)
Sci-Fi (3)
Historical (18)
Paranormal (46)
Romantic Suspense (5)

I read a lot more Fantasy/PNR than I normally do, but as you can see I didn’t read much variety. Those number aren’t 100% accurate because sometimes I shelve a book PNR and Fantasy and Sci-Fi (or some variation thereof).

New Adult (23)
New-to-Me Authors (15)
Novellas (22)

I wanted to read at least 2 new-to-me authors per month, and I fell far short of that. I just barely averaged 1 per month. I definitely want to work on that in 2016. The two new-to-me authors that stand out the most are Ilona Andrews (yes, I finally read the Kate Daniels series) and Whitney Garcia Williams (I’ve only read the one book by her so far, but I really loved it).

Read in 2015 (94)
Re-read in 2015 (79)

Though it says I read more than I re-read, I know that isn’t true. As I said, I don’t log books I read more than once in a month or partial re-reads. If I had, my re-reads for the year would probably be double what they are now.

I meant to keep track of which books I re-read the most. I’ll make a better effort do that this year. I know I re-read Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh multiple times, and Kristen Ashley continues to be my most re-read author, period.

I read two five-star reads this year: November 9 by Colleen Hoover and Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh. The Hoover was such an emotional ride, I couldn’t set it down. The Singh was the perfect trifecta of goodness: Hero, Heroine and Story. I adored it.

Here’s a breakdown of my most and least favorite reads each month.

January

My favorite read of the month was probably Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh. Though I’ve been enjoying the series as a whole, Branded by Fire stands out because of Mercy. I heart her. (This is, of course, excluding re-reads since we all know Judd is the bestest ever).

My least favorite read was probably Wild and Free by Kristen Ashley. That book was just boring. The secondary romance added a little spark, which is why I graded it a 2.5, but the main romance and plot were a snoozefest.

February

My favorite reads of the month, excluding re-reads, were Heart of Obsidian and Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh, though I really liked all the Psy/Changeling books I read. Honorable mention goes to Midnight’s Kiss by Thea Harrison. I really liked Julian and Melly.

My least favorite read was Mate Bond by Jennifer Ashley. I liked the romance, but the suspense plot didn’t work for me.

March

I actually read some really great books this month. Suddenly One Summer by Julie James was great and so was Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh (of course, Heart of Obsidian is still my favorite Psy/Changeling book, but don’t tell Aden I said that). The Deal by Elle Kennedy was fabulous. I absolutely loved the story. Still the One by Jill Shalvis was good, too.

My least favorite reads were The Alpha Meets His Match by Georgette St. Clair and Waking the Beast by Lacey Thorn. The St. Clair had an interesting premise, but it lacked in execution. It could have benefited from a good editor. The Thorn really needed to be longer. It felt half-told.

April

My favorite reads of the month were Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley and The Mistake by Elle Kennedy. My least favorite was Beastly by Alex Flinn.

May

My favorite (new) read of the month was The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan. I adored Gray and Ivy. Great read. I also really loved Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley. Joker was a total surprise (in a good way) and I loved the heroine.

My least favorite read was probably Cat’s Lair by Christine Feehan. It isn’t the one I would rate the lowest grade-wise, but it was the biggest disappointment. I usually love her heroes, but I felt like this one was more asshole than alpha. Total bummer. I didn’t love Bound in Darkness by Cynthia Eden or Seven Years by Dannika Dark, either, but I liked them enough to continue reading the series, so I guess that says something.

June

Excluding re-reads, my favorite reads of the month were Archangel’s Enigma, Back to You and Sweet. My least favorite read was probably Ruby Shadows by Evangeline Anderson. The bones of the story were pretty good, but that book needed editing like whoa. Plus, the heroine made questionable choices considering she was literally in hell for most of the book.

July

My favorite read of the month was Archangel’s Enigma. I’ve been dying to find out more about Nassir and Singh didn’t disappoint. I loved him. His heroine was pretty great, too. I adore this series.

My least favorite read was Night’s Surrender by Amanda Ashley. I didn’t dislike the book, I just read so few my options were limited.

August

I didn’t really have a least favorite book this month, since all my reads were old favorites. I will say The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and The Duke’s Perfect Wife are my favorites from the Mackenzie & McBrides series by Ashley.

September

My favorite reads of the month were Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh and The Legend of Lyon Redmond by Julie Anne Long. Have we been waiting a million years for that book, or what? Okay, a million is an exaggeration, but it’s been nigh on a decade for real, right? I’m glad it lived up to the hype. I really liked Lyon and Olivia (yes, even Olivia).

My least favorite read of the month was probably Walk Through Fire. I didn’t dislike it, necessarily, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of the others in the series.

October

I did a lot of re-reading in October, but I think my favorite new read of the month was November 9 by Colleen Hoover, followed by The Game Plan by Kristen Callihan. November 9 wrecked me. Just totally wrecked me. I really loved Dex and Fiona in The Game Plan.

My least favorite read of the month was Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz. I liked the romance, but the bumbling mystery plot was such a mess it totally killed the book for me.

November

In November  I binge-read the Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews. It started out slow but really picked up as the series wore on. I really like the world and the characters. I’m excited to continue, though I am taking a break now. I don’t want to burnout on the series.

My favorite read of the series so far is probably Magic Rises. My least favorite is Magic Bites.

December

Of the six new books I read, Fire Touched and The Score were my favorites. I was so angry at Adam at the end of Night Broken, but by the 1/4 mark of Fire Touched I was no longer mad at him. I didn’t expect to love Dean as much as I did in The Score. Kennedy has done such a fabulous job with that series.

My least favorite read was Soul of Smoke. I really liked the world, but the heroine drove me batty.

There’s my reading year in review. What did yours look like?

Did you complete any challenges you signed up for, or meet your reading goal?

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2014 in Review: Holly

Posted January 15, 2015 by Holly in Features | 6 Comments

year in review

My reading goal for 2014 was to read 200 books and to read more new-to-me authors, and more books outside my comfort zone. While I met the first goal and didn’t do too bad at reading new authors, I didn’t do very well at reading outside my comfort zone.

I include re-reads in my yearly log, but only if I read from cover-to-cover. I re-read a lot during the year. I even re-read the same book many times during the year. Some books I read once a month in 2014. I start thinking about a scene and decide to skim it, then before I know it I’ve read the entire thing. It’s a quirk.  I don’t count books I read more than once in a month (something else I do far too often).

Here’s a breakdown by month from my Goodreads shelves.

200 books in 2014 (211)
January (17)
February (13)
March (31)
April (22)
May (25)
June (22)
July (17)
August (16)
September (24)
October (23)
November (18)
December (7)

Because GR doesn’t count a book toward the challenge unless I mark the date read, and because I re-read books multiple times, the number of books on my 200 Books shelf isn’t accurate. If I add up all the books by month, I read a total of 235. That averages out to just under 20 books a month. That number would have been higher if I hadn’t fallen into a slump in December. 7 books? Bah.

I didn’t have a specific book I re-read most in 2014, but I know I re-read Kristen Ashley more than any other author.

Breaking it down by genre:

Contemporary (136)
Historical (16)
Paranormal (31)
Sci-Fi (6)
Fantasy (41)
Romantic Suspense (8)

These numbers aren’t totally accurate, since I put some novels in more than one category. I read more contemporary than anything, which isn’t surprising since that’s always been my favorite genre. What did surprise me was how many Fantasy novels I read. That isn’t usually a go-to genre for me.

New Adult (43)
New to Me Authors (46)
Novellas (22)

I wanted to read at least two new-to-me authors each month in 2014, and I definitely succeeded in that. Most of them were free downloads, however, so I can’t say I discovered many new favorites. I did find some. Like Sarina Bowen, Kat Latham, Colleen Hoover, Ann Aguirre, Kylie Scott and Tiffany King.

I didn’t rate a single book 5 stars in 2014, though a couple came close. Several years ago I vowed to be more discerning in my grading and I’ve stuck to that. The majority of my reads were rated between 3.5 – 4.25 stars.

Here’s a breakdown of my favorite (and least favorite) reads by month, taken from our Monthly Reads posts:

January

My favorite reads of the month were Love a Little Sideways. I adore the Kowalski’s and had a blast on vacation with them.

My least favorite was Forgotten Sins. I just can’t do romantic suspense. My second least favorite was Never Stopped Loving You. The romance, setting and plot were all problematic for me.

February

My favorite reads of the month were Air Bound by Christine Feehan and Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover. Air Bound is a continuation of Feehan’s Sea Haven series. I really loved the first book but didn’t care much for the second. I’m really glad to report this one rocked. Finding Cinderella is a free download that caught my attention when a Twitter conversation prompted the publisher to put it out in print. I admit it was a really fabulous story. I believe it’s still free to download. If you haven’t already, I’d suggest you read it.

My least favorite read was Fresh Temptation by Austin Reeni. There were a ton of editing issues and I didn’t care for either main character. I’m not even sure why I finished reading it. Werewolf Love Story also lands on the least favorite list. It also had editing errors, but more the story was disjointed and a bit silly.

March 

Not counting re-reads, my favorite read of the month was Count on Me by Lauren Dane. This book returned to Petal, Georgia and really sucked me in. I love that town, I love the inhabitants and I love the way Dane writes. Honorable mention goes to Meljean Brook for The Kraken King. If only all the parts were available now!

My least favorite read of the month was Preservation by Rachael Wade, followed closely by Flee and Crux by Miranda Kavi. Preservation was wrong on so many levels and the Kavi series was nothing to get too excited about. I’m also going to list Spell of the Highlander here. Not because it’s an awful book, but because I loved that book like cops love donuts back in the day, and this re-read left a lot to be desired. I still liked parts of the story, but most of it I just rolled my eyes at.

April

As you can see, I did a lot of re-reading last month. Once again I blame Rowena. Not that I’m mad, since I love those books. My favorite read of the month was probably Whisper to Me by Christina Lee  or Taken with You by Shannon Stacey, but I really enjoyed all the new books I read in April. Honorable mention goes to All Fired Up by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy. I had some problems with it, but it was such a cute, fun story I keep thinking about it.

I didn’t read any bad books this month. My least favorite read was probably The Bottom Line by Sandy James, but that isn’t saying much since I really liked it. I just liked it a bit less than the other books I read.

May

My favorite read of the month (not including re-reads) was probably Satisfaction by Sarah Mayberry. It was spicier than the previous books I’ve read by her, but it carried the same emotional punch. Honorable mentions go to Then Came You by Jill Shalvis and It Happened One Wedding by Julie James. Both were solid reads.

My least favorite read of the month was Father Found by Judith Arnold. The heroine drove me absolutely crazy. She was uptight and judgmental and completely ruined the story for me. Dishonorable mention goes to Finding Pride by Jill Sanders. This would have been my least favorite if I’d actually finished it. As it stands I read two, horrible, non-edited chapters and couldn’t go on. Terrible. Just terrible. Luckily, both were free downloads. At least I didn’t shell out any cash for them.

June

My favorite reads of the month were It’s In His Kiss by Jill Shalvis and Peanut Goes to School by Thea Harrison. Shalvis is Shalvis, no surprise there. Peanut Goes to School did take me by surprise, however. 1) It’s a novella and 2) the main character is a 6-month-old 7-year-old (he was born 6 months ago but is aging at a rapid rate). It was really a fabulous read.

My least favorite reads of the month were both DNF’s (did not finish). Girl at the Gay Bar was demeaning and awful. I had to quit after the 1st chapter.  Rock Chick Revolution by Kristen Ashley had a ridiculous plot twist I just couldn’t deal with. I’m a fan of KA (as you know) but she inserted herself into her book and it was way over-the-top.  As for the books I actually finished, Torn by K.A. Robinson was my least favorite.

July 

My favorite reads of the month were Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh, The Best Kind of Trouble by Lauren Dane and Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. Rock Addiction was great, but I didn’t fall in love with it until I read it for the second time. I loved Fox and the rest of Schoolboy Choir (his band), but I also loved Molly. It wasn’t until the second reading that I really fell into Molly. The Best Kind of Trouble also features a rock star. I have  a weakness for them, anyway, but Dane does such awesome women I was totally sucked in. Ugly Love was darker and more gritty than the other two. It was just what I was in the mood for the day I read it.

My least favorite read of the month was The Promise by Kristen Ashley. It actually isn’t the worst book I read, but it was the most disappointing. I’ve been waiting years for Benny and Frankie’s book, and it was such a letdown. Dishonorable mention goes to Meeting Trouble by Emme Rollins. That book was just dumb. The premise was silly and it featured things I hate (like a chick meeting a married rock star and having sex with him the same night, sans condom, then giving up her entire life to run away with him because it’s wuv, twu wuv). My head almost exploded.

August

My favorite reads of the month were Promise Me This by Christina Lee, book 4 in the Between Breaths series. I absolutely adored it. Falling for Max by Shannon Stacey, the last book (for now) in her Kowalski series was so unexpected and so wonderful. Honorable mentions go to Play and Lead by Kylie Scott and Echoes of Scotland Street by Samantha Young. Though really, I read a lot of great books this month.

My least favorite read of the month was Rhett by J.S. Cooper. That book was a train wreck.

September

I read a lot of good books this month. My favorite reads were Make-Believe Wedding by Sarah Mayberry, Tempting the Player by Kat Latham, The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan and The Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre. My least favorite read was Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine. I didn’t really dislike the book, but I enjoyed it less than the others I read this month.

October

My favorite read of the month was The Year We Hid Away by Sarina Bowen. That book packed such an emotional punch I ended up doing the ugly cry. Bridger. Scarlet. Sigh.

My least favorite read was probably Sought by Evangeline Anderson. The characters were jerks and the story slow and mostly boring. The problem I keep running into with that series is it has the potential to be great. The world and premise are interesting, but the characters are a struggle to deal with. I read three books waiting for it to get better.

November

My favorite reads of the month go to Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean and Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare. Both books were so good. I was so happy with the end of the Rules of Scoundrels series and I adored the latest installment in the Castles Ever After series by Tessa Dare. Both books were wonderful treats in this gloomy weather and I definitely recommend both books.

My least favorite read of the month goes to Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot. I just couldn’t get into it.

December

My favorite read of the month was Dead Heat. I’ve always loved Charles and Anna, but their personal growth and the progression of their relationship really worked for me here.

My least favorite read was No Ifs, Ands, or Bears About It. It had a good premise, but it desperately needed an editor.

 

There’s my reading year in review. I think I’m going to challenge myself to read 200 books again in 2015. I’m afraid my days of reading 300+ are long gone.

What did your reading year look like? Did you participate in any challenges? How did you do with them?

 

 

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Reading Goals: 2012 Recap

Posted January 16, 2013 by Holly in Miscellaneous | 2 Comments

photo source

I don’t participate in reading challenges. Like Rowena, I don’t want reading to feel like a chore. I do set reading goals, however. If I meet them, great. If not, well..whatever. I read for pleasure so it doesn’t matter.

I used to read a lot more than I do now. In years past I’d set a reading goal of 300 books and surpass it. Now I set a goal of 200 books and don’t meet it. That’s what getting married and having a baby does to a person. Screws up the reading mojo (though it is, of course, totally worth it..mostly).
In 2012 I set a personal reading goal on Goodreads of 200 books. I didn’t quite make it. I read 191, including re-reads. That includes only re-reads I read from cover-to-cover. If I included the books I just read pieces of the total would probably triple. I do a lot of skimming. That’s only 9 short of my goal, which isn’t too bad. It’s also entirely possible I met my goal, since I didn’t count books I re-read twice in the same month (and yes, I do that). *read-in-2012 ‎(141)

I re-read 49 books. Like I said, that doesn’t include books I re-read more than once in a month. *reread-in-2012 ‎(49)

My main goal in 2012 was to read more new-to-me authors. I’m a creature of habit and I have a hard time breaking out of my shell and trying new authors. I didn’t used to be this way, but over the last few years I’ve gotten lazy. I managed to try 32 new authors in 2012. That’s more than 2 a month. I’d say that’s pretty good. My plan is to continue that in 2013. *new-to-me-authors ‎(32)

I DNF‘d 3 books. The Healer’s Apprentice I plan to go back to at some point. I just wasn’t in the mood. The Darkest Day by Brit Bury is a book everyone seemed to love, but I found it implausible and silly. Eight Arms To Hold You With was just plain boring.

Here’s a recap of my year, sorted by month. The summaries are taken from our Monthly Reads posts. Links take you to my reviews, either here or at Goodreads.

January-2012 ‎(25)
My favorite reads of the month (aside from re-reads) were probably Wicked Games by Jill Myles, Captivated by Lauren Dane and The Duke’s Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley. Wicked Games is a light, fast-paced contemporary that I flew right through. The Duke’s Perfect Wife and Captivated are continuations of series I already love. An honorable mention goes to About That Night by Julie James. Kyle was everything I expected him to be.

My least favorite read was The Greek Tycoon’s Ultimatum. Talk about the quintessential alpha-hole/doormat romance. Kind of depressing since I generally adore Monroe’s novels.

February-2012 ‎(22)
My favorite reads of the month were the Patricia Briggs books. The Alpha and Omega novella is probably my favorite of the 3, but I also enjoyed the 2 full length novels. I’m so glad the third is coming out this month.

My least favorite was Rules of Engagement by Ann Bruce. Talk about a train-wreck. I live-tweeted while I was reading it, which caused certain authors who shall remain nameless (JoAnn Ross and Bree of the writing duo Moira Rogers) to coin the phrase Face-Punch Courtship, which may or may not be the next big thing in publishing (the hero punches the heroine in the face to knock her out, then handcuffs her to the bed..when she wakes up she decides sexy-times are in order. It was that bad.).

March-2012 ‎(20)
My favorite reads of the month were Fair Game by Patricia Briggs, the 3rd book in her Alpha and Omega series, Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis, Moonshell Beach by JoAnn Ross and More Than One Night by Sarah Mayberry.

My least favorite read was The Rancher and the Rock Star by Lizbeth Selvig. The hero was a complete pushover and the heroine a judgmental know-it-all. Plus, the premise was just silly.

April-2012 ‎(16)
My favorite read of the month was Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis (as an aside, I’ve been trying to write a full review for this since I read it in April, but all I keep coming up with is ZOMG READ IT NOW). It’s no secret that I love Shalvis, but this book is probably the best I’ve ever read by her. The combination of humor and emotion drew me in and left me feeling warm, fuzzy and and extremely satisfied when I finished the book.

My least favorite was Caught in the Act by Jill Sorenson. I liked the secondary plot with Maria, but the main characters and other secondary characters drove me up the wall. Rowena loved it, however, so it could just be my aversion to romantic suspense talking (though I doubt it).

May-2012 ‎(14)
My favorite reads of the month were the Briggs. I’m not going to try to choose a favorite title because I enjoyed them all.

My least favorite read was When She Wasn’t Looking by Dimon. I enjoy her writing, but I couldn’t get past some of the technical issues in regards to police procedure.

June-2012 ‎(11)
June was a really good month for me quality wise. My favorite reads were again the Briggs, but I also really enjoyed the Kilts and Kraken by Cindy Spencer Pape, Blade Song by J.C. Daniels and Slow Summer Kisses by Shannon Stacey contemporaries.

My least favorite read was Tucker’s Crossing. The premise was cute, but it wasn’t executed very well. The characters were wishy-washy and the writing inconsistent.

July-2012 ‎(10)
Even though I had a slow month, I had another good month quality wise. I adored Lord’s Fall by Thea Harrison and Riveted by Meljean Brook. Both are continuations of series I love. I also really enjoyed Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry and the A Girl Named Summer by Julie Garwood.

My least favorite read was Eight Arms to Hold You by Ally Blue. It’s an octopus shifter book, so I expected something kind of freaky and dirty. What I got was boring and slow. And not the good kind of slow. Total disappointment. I ended up stopping about halfway through.

August-2012 ‎(19)
I did another binge re-read of Linda Howard. I do this every so often. Howard is a master. I read one and I just can’t stop. Re-reads aside, I think my favorite read was The Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long. Long writes such beautiful historicals.

My least favorite read was Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I actually enjoyed the first half of it, but the 2nd half went off the rails on a crazy train. It was bad.

September-2012 ‎(11)
My favorite reads of the month were Tart by Lauren Dane and Dream Lake by Lisa Kleypas. Since all I really did was re-read, I didn’t have a least favorite.

October-2012 ‎(12)
My favorite reads of the month were The Seduction of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley and One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Jennifer Ashley. Both were extremely well done. Not that I expected less from MacLean and Ashley. They’re both tremendous talents.

My least favorite read of the month was Heart of Danger by Lisa Marie Rice. That book was way over the top. And kind of a hot mess. Yikes.

November-2012 ‎(15)
Of the Kristen Ashley books I read, I’d have to say The Gamble and Sweet Dreams were my favorites.

My least favorites were Rock Chick and pretty much the entire Dream Man series. And..ok, kind of all of them were my least favorite. These books are…bad. And good. And terrible and awful. And wonderful. Srsly. (Send help)

December-2012 ‎(16)
My favorite read of the month was Games of the Heart by Kristen Ashley. Of The ‘Burg series, that’s the best one, IMO. I didn’t enjoy the other books nearly as much. Honorable mention goes to A Gift for All Seasons by Templeton. I love her stories.

My least favorite read was With Everything I Am by Kristen Ashley.

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2010 in Review: Holly

Posted January 5, 2011 by Holly in Features | 1 Comment

I joined the 144 Books in 2010 challenge on Goodreads last year. Like the name suggests, the idea was to read at least 144 books throughout the year. My reading has drastically declined the last few years, but I figured I could easily do 144 in a year. I was right. According to my 144 in 2010 Goodreads shelf, I read 166 in 2010. The true number is actually 179, because my 144 in 2010 shelf doesn’t reflect books I re-read more than once through the year (I listed them under my monthly shelves, but didn’t mark them twice in the challenge shelf).

I did a lot more re-reading this year than I did last year. I fell into some pretty bad reading slumps and reread as a way to get my mojo back. It did the trick, but that means my re-reads for the year were a lot higher than last year. I reread 35 books in 2009 and 51 in 2010. Those numbers are a little off because of the aforementioned shelving system I use on Goodreads. Still, I almost doubled the number of rereads.

Here’s a breakdown:

144-books-in-2010 ‎(166)
january-2010 ‎(16)
february-2010 ‎(14)
march-2010 ‎(13)
april-2010 ‎(15)
may-2010 ‎(16)
june-2010 ‎(11)
july-2009 ‎(10)
august-2010 ‎(19)
september-2010 ‎(14)
october-2010 ‎(19)
novemeber-2009 ‎(13)
december-2010 ‎(13)

I count my rereads only if I read from cover-to-cover. If I just skim the book or read my favorite parts, I don’t list them. Last year I reread Just the Sexist Man Alive by Julie James and Fall Into Me by Linda Winfree more often than I reread any other books, but this year I didn’t really have 1 book that I reread and reread. I did reread The Iron Duke and Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook, but mostly I skimmed or reread only my favorite parts. Cover-to-cover rereads were mostly done once..unless it was a book I had to review and I needed to refresh the details.

I was very spare with my 5 Star ratings, both here on the blog and at Goodreads. Last year (2009) I vowed to be more discerning in my grading and I’ve stuck to that. While I enjoyed many books, I was care to give 5 Stars only to the books that I really thought were exceptional.

Here’s a list of my favorite and least favorite reads each month:

January
I think my favorite reads of the month were Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean and Coming Undone by Lauren Dane, with honorable mentions to Slow Heat by Jill Shalvis and Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh. My worst reads of the month were the Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. I plan to review them at some point but meh…not good.

February
My favorite reads this month were Moon Craving by Lucy Monroe and First Comes Love by Christie Ridgway with honorable mentions to On the Steamy Side by Louisa Edwards and The Truth About Lord Stoneville by Sabrina Jeffries. My least favorite read was absolutely Shadow of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Awful, awful story.

March
My favorite read of the month was actually a listen. The audiobook of Pride and Prejudice, read by Lindsay Duncan. I’ve read P&P hundreds of times, of course, but I really enjoyed it on audio. My second favorite was Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean. My worst read of the month was Seduced by Silver by Gwen Campbell. Ames read it and really liked it, but it was way too weird and nasty for me. I only read 30-some pages, but trust me – it was more than enough.

April
My favorites were Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory, Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan and Like No Other Lover by Julie Ann Long. My least favorite was Wicked Little Game by Christine Wells. I just couldn’t connect with the characters.

May
My favorite read of the month was Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas. She writes beautiful contemporary romances. Honorable mentions go to Where There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook (this is her steampunk debut and it was FAB) and my re-read of Fall Into Me by Linda Winfree. I just can’t seem to get enough of that Winfree. I heart Troy Lee Farr. My least favorite read was Can’t Stand the Heat by Wynter Daniels. Unfortunately nothing about the story worked for me.

June
My favorite read of the month was Song of Seduction by Carrie Lofty, with honorable mentions to Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery, Insatiable by Lauren Dane and Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey. My least favorite read was Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase. I’m so sad that it turned out the way it did. I expected so much more from that book.

July
I’d have to say my favorite was probably Water Bound with honorable mentions to Wicked Intentions, The Homecoming, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and Love in the Afternoon. So, you know, basically everything I read. My least favorite read was Money, Honey, which isn’t saying much, since I enjoyed it. Just not as much as some of the others I read this month.

August
My favorite read of the month was Somewhere Along the Way by Jodi Thomas. I would have given it a 5/5 but it ended in a cliffhanger and the next book isn’t out for a year, so I deducted some points. Honorable mentions go to A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries, The Heat is On by Jill Shalvis and Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie. My least favorite read was Do You Take This Cop by Beth Andrews. The hero and the heroine were both TSTL.

September
I’m kind of disappointed in the Drake Sisters series. I adored it the first time around, but it didn’t hold up as well as I’d hoped it would. My favorite re-reads were The Iron Duke and Where There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook and Water Bound by Christine Feehan. My favorite new read was Meet Me in Manhattan by Judith Arnold, with an honorable mention to The Icing on the Cake by Alison Kent.

October
I can’t choose a favorite read of the month. I re-read too many old favorites to pick one, but my favorite new reads of the month were Undertow by Moira Rogers and Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis. An honorable mention goes to Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas. My most disappointing read of the month was probably Kill and Tell by Linda Howard. I remember really enjoying it the first dozen times I read it, but I was disgusted by Marc’s actions this time around.

November
My favorite read of the month was probably Archangel’s Consort. I love the direction Singh is taking the series. My least favorite read was Moon Burning. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I’ve come to expect from Monroe with this series. It wasn’t a bad read, it just wasn’t an excellent one.

December
My favorite read of the month was the Winter Wishes anthology. I just can’t get the Vivi Andrews novella out of my head. I also really liked Delicious by Sherry Thomas. I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. Honorable mentions go to Ice and Veil of Night by Linda Howard, because I was so pleased to see her heading back in the right direction.

If you’re interested in seeing a full monthly list, you can click here.

There’s my reading year in review. I think I might try a 200+ reading challenge for 2011. If I push myself I think I can do it.

What did your reading year look like? Did you participate in any challenges? How did you do with them?

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