Looking back at 2011

I realise we are already six days into 2012 but I still wanted to do a roundup of 2011 despite it being a bit late! Personally 2011 was a terrible year for me in general but surprisingly it actually turned out to be a pretty good year reading wise. I managed to read 56 books in total for the year. I have no idea how that compares to previous years as this is the first time I have ever kept count but I think it’s probably better than my average. I was aiming for 50 so I managed to beat my target which is good.

I took part in three reading challenges in 2011. The Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge The Stephen King Reading Challenge and The Criminal Plots Reading Challenge.

The one I thought I would find most challenging was the Speculative Fiction reading challenge. I was worried that I would struggle to read 12 speculative fiction books in the year but in actual fact I read 35, almost triple the original target! I really enjoyed this challenge and was even lucky enough to win one of the prize packs!

I just managed to complete the Criminal Plots reading challenge in time. I had read five of the six books by July but then struggled to find a book for the debut author category. Eventually I found one and managed to complete the challenge.

The Stephen King reading challenge was the only one I didn’t manage to complete. I ended up reading just a pitiful two out of six books. I thought I would have done well with this one seeing as King is my favourite author but I just felt too guilty re-reading when I have so many never read books sitting in my to read pile! I do intend doing at least one King re-read during 2012 though as it has been many years since I read some of his books and it would be nice to revisit them at some point.

I have read quite a wide range of books over the past year including crime, thrillers, horror, science fiction, urban fantasy and biographies and on the whole I really enjoyed them. I read quite a lot of young adult in 2011 which is not the norm for me. Some I wasn’t so keen on (House of Night) and others I really enjoyed (Morganvile Vampires series and the Hunger Games trilogy – two of which I still need to review!).

My target for 2012 is 52 books. I have already read one and am three quarters of the way through another so doing well so far! I also want to get my reviews up quicker but that’s not going so well yet as I am currently three reviews behind! I have decided not to take part in any reading challenges this year and just see where my reading takes me on it’s own!