Tis time for my annual retrospective look back at my highlights from this previous year! As is traditional, I shall start with looking back at the books I’ve read, followed by my annual skating update, and then a few days of sewing posts, including a look back at the year of Burda. However, it is just the start of my lengthy week of posting, so I will start off with a look back at 2016 in books.
I’m happy to report I completed my Goodreads reading challenge this year!
Number of Books Read: 30
Favorite Book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Favorite Sword & Laser Pick: Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong
Honorable Mentions: The Golem and the Jinni, The Water Knife, Aurora, All the Birds in the Sky
From last year my reading goals were:
(1) Write a book review right away after finishing the book! This year I read a lot of books, but I was very lax in posting reviews for them. This is partially because in the beginning of the year I wasn’t sure what I was doing with my blog, then, once I decided I was moving platforms I spent more time working on the blog format than writing posts for it, and, finally, because I had to read many of these books on a deadline, when it came down to it I had to choose between reading and writing, and reading won out. Next year I hope that I can be more timely with my posts and book reviews.
-EPIC FAIL. I wrote barely any reviews this year, let alone right after I finished the book. I am writing a few reviews for some of the non-fiction books I’ve recently finished, but I didn’t manage to get much written about any of the other books I’ve read this year.
(2) Reduce my Currently Reading List to 6 books OR read The Silmarillion. Seriously, you guys, I’ve been reading that book for like 2 years. I need to finish it.
NOPE. Currently Reading List expanded to over 20 and The Silmarillion remains unread.
(3) Read at least 1 non-fiction science book or history book from my pile. I have so many. It shouldn’t be that hard. It just keeps getting put off.
Quasi-fail. I read some non-fiction, but it was neither history nor science.
(4) Read at least 1 sewing book. Again, I have so many! I at least want to familiarize myself with their contents so I have a better idea of which books I should use for which techniques. Perhaps even have a book/technique experimental research project happening all year? I don’t really have time for that, but it sounds like a cool idea.
YES! I read a book about how to sew leather, and I’m counting How to Get Dressed and the Konmari book as being part of my sewing/wardrobe/life journey, so those totally count too.
(5) Continue my efforts to stay culturally relevant. This means reading The Shanara Trilogy, Ringworld, more of The Expanse series, Dragonriders of Pern, A Wrinkle in Time, the Outlander series (currently running on Starz), and Asimov’s Foundation series, Gateway, American Gods, and Hyperion. Possibly also reading more of The Magicians series. I also need to get caught up on the “new cannon” of Star Wars.
NO. I started reading The Expanse, but I didn’t get very far. I’m still wanting to read more of the new Star Wars, and my sister has been pestering me non-stop about The Magicians. These are all things I still have an interest in reading, so they will still be on my radar next year.
(6) Keep up with Sword and Laser. I’ve found some great new books (as well as some not so great new books) these past few year through this book club, so I expect I’ll keep up with their reading list.
Mostly yes. I think I may have lemmed 3 of their book picks this year. One intentionally, because it was awful, and two more because I just ran out of time. I’ve been pretty good about getting to the book club meeting though.
The other major changes I’ve noticed this year are (1) I’m using my kindle more than paper books, mainly out of convenience when I’m traveling and (2) I’ve started using audible for audio books, which has significantly increased my reading throughput the past two months. I think it might be a bit of a game changer heading into the next year. This year my time has been pretty strained, so my goals for next year will be a bit less ambitious.
(1) Write a review if I really liked a book. I can remember liking a lot of the books I read this year, and I wish I had a better record of how I felt about the books after I had finished reading them.
(2) Finish The Magicians series. This one is for my sister.
(3) Read The Expanse series.
(4) Read one science book.
(5) Read fewer books, but longer books. I’ve been reading a lot of short books lately. Which is good, but it’s been a while since I sank my teeth into a really long story.
And I think that’s about it. I’ve read some really great books this year, I just wish I’d had time to sit down and write reviews for them all. Hopefully next year’s reading will be just as enjoyable!
Doctor T Designs 