2016 : statistics and achievments

Yearly Statistics % & Achievments

I wrote this a week before the end of the year so I might add changes!

First of all I completed the Around the World in 52 books challenge (link here)
& I also read all the books in my Books I want to get to in 2016 (link here)
><><><

Classics I read this year (link here) - totaling around 17 including short story and poem collections

In total I read: 119/or/137

            7+15+21+19+22+17+11+4+6+9+2+4

Pages ~39 973
    Average length 338 pages

Format: ebook x23, audio x8

Arc/sent: 6

Reviewed: 11

In Finnish: 5

Month read most: May & least: November
Most popular (according to Goodreads):  the Catcher in the Rye
     Least popular Alien Busters

Length: longest  Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I : 1059 pages
               shortest Thing Explainer, 64 pages

Publication oldest: Sense and Sensibility 1811 & books I read published this year: 18
Stars: in order of most: 3,4,5,2,1
       average being ~3.42 this year & over all in all the years ~3.15
       This year I gave 10 five-stars & 2 one-stars
Highest rating on Goodreads: Heir Of Fire 4.55

2017 goals, TBR and anticipated releases: all coming in next week's post.

Read on lovelies,

Sally

What Makes a Book Good

Feelings, statistics, both or neither

When rating a book I try to make an effort to distance myself from looking at purely the ending and my feelings right after finishing it. Looking back at books it's easier to see things that you really liked and what were unique and stayed with you.

So what makes a book good?
The feelings, the memorableness, the characters, the plot or something else entirely?

When I review a book I try to look at the book as a whole and work from there. But when rounding half stars on Goodreads - I just go with my feelings.

My STAR SYSTEM:
* Nope, maybe even DNF
** Decent? but wouldn't recommend
*** Good & Promising
**** Great & Entertaining
***** Unique & Loved it

Questions to ponder:
-Sensation after (is the book still good if the ending and only the ending was bad?)
-What do you remember (characters or feelings etc.)
-Which do you have rather lived? (like regret more what you did or didn't do)
-I love suprises and twists, isn't that just playing with your head & feelings?
-Should the book be a world that you are submerged in? - and you don't have a "wait a minute why is..." moment
-The importance of the writing, characters, plot, world and the development. If one is lacking are the others also affected?

The fact of the matter is - it's your opinion, and yours alone.

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Book Related Questions

[Tag/Survey]

1. Which book have you read most frequently?
Harry Potter, The Goose-Girl, The Gallagher Academy books and Babe

2. Reading right now and next?
About to start Agatha Christie: Five Little Pigs

3. What distracts you usually when your reading?
N* 1 Youtube...

4. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? Do you ever skim them?
In the past I couldn't not finish a book, but I've learnt to not force it - there's not enough time to continue one that isn't for you
>Also if I'm in a book slump because of a certain book I start listening to audiobooks!

5. Do you have an e-reader?
I use kindle on my iPad

6. Prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Usually one at a time, but at times I have another book like a short story collection if the "main" book I'm reading is a classic or tough to get through.

7. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Maybe regarding deadlines I've started to rhythm my reading.

8. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not too often, but I've started branching out at least reading a book once a month that I wouldn't normally pick up.

9. Do you like to keep your books organized?
YES! I also love re-arraning my bookshelves. Goodreads is my go to app when cataloguing books, but I also have an excel so I can get all kinds of statistics

10. Can you read on the bus?
Yes, but usually I rather listen to music

11. Favourite place to read?
On my bed or a couch

12. Policy on book lending?
I'm defenitely for lending books

13. Do you dog-ear books? Write in the margins? Not even with text books?
I don't dog-ear them or write text in them, but I do underline and highlight things in all books

14. Favourite language to read in?
English, but I also read some in Finnish

15. What makes you love a book?
I just wrote a post about this and it should be out next week

16. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
All the books that I recommend are either ones I love of think a person in particular will enjoy

17. Genre you rarely read, but wish you did?
Non-fiction, especially biographies and ones that don't have huomour balancing it out

18. Favourite book in that^ genre?
Roald Dahl's Going Solo, Cheaper by the Dozen, We Should Hang Out Sometime and Hyperbole and a Half

19. Favourite reading snack and drink?
I tend to not be able to drink or eat whilst reading, so maybe water

20. Favourite / most disappointing adaption of a novel?
The Maze Runner is the one movie that I liked better than the book,
from book I like I really loved the Lizzy Bennet Diaries and Howl's Moving Castle

21. Feelings about giving bad/negative reviews?
In the start I hated it and tended to just not write reviews on them, but on the other hand I quite like reading negative reviews so I've started writing more about them.

22. Most intimidating book you've ever read? Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?
I usually get most intimidated by books that are either really long, or non-fiction without huomour to balance it out for me

23. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Usually around three, and at least one pretty much at all times

24. What books do you have on request at the library?
Gemina, Crooked Kingdom & A Torch Against the Night

25. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them?
Yes and no. I buy books that I'm quite sure I'll enjoy. When I don't I usually get rid of it, but that doesn't happen often. I prefer to read from the library and then buy the book if I loved it.

For favourites/least favourites, genres and other statistics of the year, I'll be doing a wrap up at the end of the month.

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Social Media

[Something Different]


Social media is a big part of our lives but at times I feel like there are way too many. Each one prizes themselves to be unique and different, yet lots of the same stuff go around all the sites.
>So which ones do I use and for what?

>We can't really say what will stick and what will disappear (like Vine).
Whether you just want to talk to people you know, find new people to talk to, talk about certain subjects, see pictures of other people's lives, see pictures of certain subjects, see videos about this or that, live stream a video, see business profiles or simply see memes about silly animals - there are so many to choose from.

In this society we feel pressure to have an account in certain places so that we can be kept "in the loop" of things. It may be Facebook, Instagram or Twitter depending on your age, country and friends but many of us want to have another account somewhere else to feel apart of the whole world.
>For example this blog: most of you readers are people whom I don't know - and I love that. It makes me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something.

A question to ask yourself before choosing your social media outlet of choise is what do you want it for. People, pictures, certain subjects (dancing, painting, huomour etc.), videos, or just a way to spend time when you are stuck in line.

The most used ones are (in order):
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, Pinterest & Instagram

>><><><<

>I feel like it all started with Facebook. A way to communicate and find people, and for that I still sometimes use it.

>Then there is YouTube, which I love for watching videos, but I don't know where it's headed with the YouTube RED subscription.

>Then I went right into Tumblr, which I loved for seeing pictures by following different hashtags and subjects.
   I don't use it anymore since I switched to Pinterest for finding those same things, but I'm not too acting here either.

>Goodreads is my go to book catalogue app where you have a page and you can meet people, find new books, see lists, quotes and authors and vote in polls.

>Then there is Instagram which I have grown to love. I made one solely based around books (@booksonal).

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Three Dark Crowns : review

Kendare Blake

><><><
This is the first book in a new series(?) by Kendare Blake, and there won't be any spoilers!

The premise is a darker YA book (with magic) about three queens:

The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

Goodreads' link to the book

><><><

>I gave this book 2.5 stars

So as usual, I'll tell 2.5 things I liked about the book and 2.5 thing I didn't like.

So what did I think?

First of all three queens & a battle to the death about whom will become the next queen. Great right?

Well I was disappointed. BUT it did have some great elements!

And the battle itself starts in the next book...

+1 |  The idea and premise is so intriguing

+/-0.5 | The writing is gripping but the pace was at times slow.

Also the plot twist in the cliffhanger (the last sentences if you've read it!), was predictable! Anyone else think so?

+/-0.5 | Characters. I liked the sisters well enough, but some of the other main characters not so much. Also so many new characters were introduced I definitely lost track, and because of that I couldn't exactly relate to anyone.

Also I really want to see some character development in the next one!

+/-0.5  | World and building. The world is so interesting so more of it should have been explained!

How did the whole competitions start? What's with the temple? The island's culture?

(Instead of all the romance, which I'll get to at -1 down below)

-1  | Romance. It's not that all the romance was bad - but there was so much of it! I wanted more of the relationships to the sisters and different interests. Also I get that all the sisters are courted by the same guys, but enough with the traingles!

><><><

Overall rounding everything up, the book was disappointing but I did enjoy it.

Read on lovelies,

Sally