Yearly Round Up 2022/23

It was my birthday yesterday and therefore the end of my reading year. Bit of a change from last year, I’m home in Stockport so I spent the day in Manchester instead of New York but it was sunny and I had a fab time, which is all that matters.

Yearly Round Up 2021/22

Well, what a year it has been. I took this picture before I came away because this year, as you may be aware, I am spending my birthday in one of my absolute favourite places, New York!

Yearly Round Up 2021/22

Well, what a year it has been. I took this picture before I came away because this year, as you may be aware, I am spending my birthday in one of my absolute favourite places, New York!

Half Year Point Thoughts

I love see everyone’s annual wrap ups at this time of year but for me it’s only the halfway point in my reading year as I start on my birthday in June.

Yearly Round Up

Well, another year older and another reading year over! It’s my birthday today, which means it’s also my bookstagram anniversary and the end of my reading year. For new readers of my blog, I use my birthday as the start of my reading year rather than doing the traditional calendar year.

In total I have read 23,362 pages across 68 books, which is my highest since I started tracking the numbers so I’m feeling very pleased with myself. Looking back over my star ratings for the year as well I’ve read some really amazing books too, which is definitely more important to me. Here’s how my ratings broke down:-

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 27

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – 10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 14

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – 4

⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4

⭐️⭐️ – 1

DNF – 1

Unrated (kids book re-reads) – 8

At the halfway point of the year I did a post, which can be found here, detailing some of the fabulous books I’d read during the first six months of the year so I’m not going to repeat those but here are some of my favourites from the second half of the year:-

📖 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. This has been recommended by basically everyone and I can see why it’s so widely loved.

📖 Forced Out by Kevin Maxwell. At times difficult to read but overall I’d say an important read, very thought provoking.

📖 When I was Ten by Fiona Cummins. This was a NetGalley read and a new author to me. A really gripping read.

📖 Just Friends in Vegas by Lucy Keeling. This made me so happy, a genuinely fun & sexy read.

📖 American Predator by Maureen Callahan. By turns angering and brilliant, an excellent true crime book about what I would consider to be a little known case.

📖 Cujo by Stephen King. My last book of the year and I ended on an absolute high!

I’m also astounded that there are now 434 people following me over on Instagram, which is over a hundred more than last year. Never ceases to amaze me that people are interested in what I post on there and I’ve met some fabulous people. I don’t really actively set out to grow my following so I’m always so happy when new people find me.

Over the coming year I’m just gonna keep doing what I have been doing really. I’ll be trying (and no doubt kind of failing) to get my TBR under control, carrying on with my King journey and my 50 books to read before I’m 40 as well as trying to push myself to try new authors and genres. For my Stephen King journey I’m currently sitting at 51 read out of 75 and on my 50 books to read before I’m 40 I’m at 24 read out of 50 so still a bit of work to do.