
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If there can be one good thing that came out of 2020, it’s that my reading hit an all-time high. I don’t think I’ve read this many books in a single year before! In part, this is due to all the circumstance changes throughout the year with lockdowns and working from home meaning I was more inclined to read in my spare time. I also started a Booktube and a Bookstagram account because I was enjoying myself so much! (YT: Rai Reads; IG: @what.rai.reads)
Things I learned this year:
– if it has a Goodreads entry, it counts!
– if you’re not enjoying it, DNF it!
– I still don’t like 95% of ‘classics’
– I can enjoy some YA but it’s still largely not my bag
– I still love fantasy & sci-fi
– I am increasingly loving horror books
– I need to be a touch more discerning with thrillers
Challenges completed:
My initial GR goal was 24 books, which I increased to 30, then 36, then 52, then 60 and then ended up reading 80 books. I am still astounded by this and rather chuffed.
I set myself a variety of mini-challenges for the year that I also completed, which can be seen here:
https://aspectsof.me/2020/10/05/reading-challenges-2020-update/
Favourite Books of 2020:
The Arkhel Conundrum
The Priory of the Orange Tree
The Obelisk Gate
The Hate U Give
All Systems Red
Artificial Condition
Fahrenheit 451
Gods of Jade and Shadow
The Gravity of Us
Traitor’s Blade
Disappointing* Books of 2020:
Spare Room
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Woman in the Window
The Woman in Black
The Haunting of Hill House
*These are books that I was disappointed by, which doesn’t necessarily make them bad, it means that I expected a lot more of these titles and was sorely let down: I didn’t enjoy them, I found them boring or over-hyped, and they were a bit of an effort to get through. Don’t get me wrong I read some genuinely BAD stuff this year but I don’t feel like that stuff is even worth mentioning.
Moving forward:
– in keeping with my +6/year approach to my GR target I think I’ll start with a goal of 30 and if I hit that before mid-year I might up it to 52.
– I’m attempting #MountTBR2021 and starting with a climb up Pike’s Peak: this is a challenge to read books you already owned before the start of the year and Pike’s is a humble target of 12. I suspect I’ll read more than that but as it’s my first attempt I’ve started off at the lower slopes.
– I’ve written up a new list of challenges for myself and tried to keep them fairly generic and simple just in case my reading slumps in 2021 after such a boom year in 2020. Challenges are here: https://aspectsof.me/2020/11/16/rais-reading-challenge-2021/
– I’ve sorted myself a few buddy reads already: Dune, House of Leaves & Black Leopard, Red Wolf
– I’m considering an extra bonus challenge to read all books I received this Christmas by next Christmas (that’s 10 books)
So that’s my wrap up for 2020 and a taster for 2021’s ideas and plans. Thanks for reading and good luck in all your challenges!
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