2016 Challenge Completed

Earlier this year I decided I wanted to read more and so I set myself a Goodreads challenge to read 50 books in 2016. I set up a bookstagram where I posted pictures exclusively of books and book related things to encourage myself and get more involved in the book community, it further progressed to me setting up this blog where I can write a lot more about what I am reading and what I would recommend. I know I don’t get to post on here often but that’s just down to life and spending most of my spare time reading.

So how did I get on with the challenge? Well as of today I have read 52 books surpassing my goal and averaging a book a week. I’m very pleased with this result as I wasn’t sure that I could fit in the time but by cutting down on social media and less time watching tv I managed a lot more reading time, sometimes devouring 2 books in 2 days! I read all sorts of books but the main focus was YA fantasy which seems to be my prefered genre. I started the year with In a Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware and ended it with The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater.

While I read a lot of books that I highly enjoyed there were 3 standouts for me and I can’t recommend them enough:

• Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
• The Call by Peader O Guilin
• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Each of these books made a big mark on me, left me wanting more and total book hangover, ACOMAF in particular left me aching I love it!

I’m starting the New Year half way through The Raven Cycle which is also scraping away at my insides, I love books that take me someplace else and make me really feel. As for goals this year I’ll probably set it at 52 now that I know I can do it, but I would like to get through a lot of the series that I have sitting on my shelf half done or not even started. I have a number of books sitting on my Kindle also waiting to be read and after joining The Rick O’Shea book club I would like to join in with the book of the month, and I’d like to write more if I can too.

How did your book year go and what are your reading goals for the new year?