I was originally going to do the Mid Year Freak Out Tag, but I decided I wanted to do something a little more personal and unique: a stats update!
See, I’m a nerd when it comes to statistics. I love keeping up with data and making little charts and all kinds of goodies like that, and I make it easy on myself by keeping up with a huge spreadsheet of every single book I read and/or haul. To make this post a little lighter on graphics, though, I’ll be presenting some of the stats as lists. 🙂
BOOKS READ:
Total books read: 134
(Last year: 210 — I’m on track to beat last year’s number!)
Pages read: 41,844
(Last year: 56,765 — I’m on track to beat this, too, by a LOT! I read a lot of graphic novels last year, I guess…)
Rereads: 10
(Last year: 6 — my goal was to reread more books this year, and it’s working!)
Average rating: 4.2
(Last year: 3.8 — I’m reading better books this year, I guess?)
BOOKS HAULED:
Total number of hauled books: 268
ARCs/review copies: 58
Trades: 31
Gifts/prizes: 20
Purchases: 159
(aaaand this is why I’m on a book ban… but in my defense, most of these were kindle sales and BookOutlet hauls! I’m not comfortable stating the amount spent, but trust me when I say it’s probably less than you think it is)
READING BREAKDOWN (CHARTS!):
Genre:
As you can see, I’ve read more fantasy than anything at 38.5%, but contemporary is a close second at 27.4%! I expect these numbers to shift as I read more horror and thrillers later in the year.
Format:
I’m actually surprised by how high the percentage is for ARCs (that’s “uncorrected proof” on the chart); I knew I read a lot of them, but didn’t think it was 1/3 of my overall reading! I’m also surprised my ebook percentage is so low, but I guess that’s just because my eARCs are combined with my physical ARCs in the chart.
Length:
Mostly novels (which is what I mark anything above 250pg), but this will change a bit; I have 4-5 anthology ARCs on my TBR, as well as a couple of horror anthologies I’d like to reread for Halloween!
Author Genders:
That liiiiittle bitty purple sliver doesn’t have a label, but it’s for nonbinary authors! As you can see, I have almost exclusively read books written by women this year. It’s not intentional, but I’m not mad about it!
Protagonist Genders:
I actually didn’t think “ensemble” would be 1/4 of the chart, but it makes sense when I consider how many anthologies I read, or books with POVs from characters of multiple genders.
Age Ranges:
I don’t have 2017’s charts anymore, but I remember that 2017 was waaaay heavier on YA than this year has been so far, which tells me I’m succeeding at branching out a little this year!
Star Ratings:
Wow. I had NO IDEA I’d read so many 5-star books over the last 6 months! This totally blew my mind – I honestly thought I’d read more 4-star reads than anything else. (The 0s are for books I DNFed too soon to rate.)
Year Published:
I’ve read more 2018 releases than anything else, which makes sense, given how many ARCs I’ve read this year! I have a ton of backlist titles I want to read before the end of the year, so I hope to raise the 2010-2017 bar pretty drastically by December.
Acquired From:
This is one of those things that I keep up with solely because I’m a chart geek. I did not think my library percent would be that high! I think most of those are from my summer class reading – thanks, grad school! 😛
Those are all of the charts I have that are even remotely interesting, but I think it’s going to be cool to look back on this at the end of the year and compare my mid-year and end-of-year statistics.
Do you keep up with your statistics? If so, what do you use? Just your Goodreads “year in books”, or a spreadsheet, or maybe a reading journal? Let me know in a comment (and tell me whether or not you like this type of post)!
{TWITTER . BOOKSTAGRAM . FACEBOOK . GOODREADS}
Rochelle @wanderinglectiophile
June 28, 2018These charts are awesome!
How did you go about creating them? Plug into Excel or something else? (My nerdy accounting brain really likes this idea and kinda wants to do it for the whole year.)
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thanks, Rochelle! Yes, they’re all just from Excel spreadsheets. 🙂 I looooove spreadsheets, ha.
Rochelle @wanderinglectiophile
June 29, 2018Niiice! I looove Excel! (I’m an accountant so it’s kinda expected.)
Rochelle @wanderinglectiophile
June 29, 2018But I definitely already said that. ??♀️?
I’ve slept since posting my first comment. Oops. ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018Haha, no shame! I’m the worst about bringing something back up in a comment conversation if I’ve forgotten what my last comment said lol!
Ainslee, Jest and Hearts
June 28, 2018I like this post, it looks like it was a lot of work to put together! I don’t really keep track of my books except for using Goodreads. However, I recently made some spread sheets for my TBR and ARCs I just have to remember to use them
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thank you! It’s mostly just a lot of upkeep – I pull up my spreadsheet and update it at least once a day. 🙂 It took me a little while to get used to using spreadsheets, but I started using one for my ARCs last spring and I don’t know what I would do without it now!
(Danielle) Books, Vertigo and Tea
June 28, 2018I love this so much! I am a.sucker for charts and graphs. My pc is full of spreadsheets for my reading and tons of real life haha. I had never thought to included hauled books though. Love that ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thank you! Bahaha yessss, it’s so fun! I love keeping up with data like that. 🙂
Laura Beth
June 28, 2018I love these posts! So cool!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thank you! 😀
thebookprophet
June 28, 2018These charts are so satisfying to look at haha. I’m a visual person so charts are my favorite thing 😀
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Haha same! 😀 Thank you!
CJR The Brit
June 28, 2018I love this!!!! I thought my bank account hated me but 159 books, your bank account must have passed out!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thankfully, most of those came from BookOutlet for a couple of bucks each, or from kindle sales, but yeah… it’s definitely the #1 reason I’m on a book ban, lol!
CJR The Brit
June 30, 2018I need to put myself on a ban as I really need to read my tbr but when I say that it’s like a red rag to a bull and I spend, spend, spend!!!!!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018I relate waaaay too hard to this lol!
CJR The Brit
July 3, 2018??
Dezzy @ The Thoughtful Voice
June 28, 2018Great post! I loved looking at all these charts; they were so fun & interesting to look at. ? I can’t wait to see your end-of-year statistics and compare them to now; that will be fun to see as well, hehe. 🙂
I mainly use Goodreads and a simple google spreadsheet (it’s not very comprehensive, haha) to track my reading.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thank you! 😀 Yeah, now I’m really excited to compare at the end of the year!
justonemorepaige
June 28, 2018I love reading stats like this! Giant book nerd right here.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Yaaaaay! I’m glad you enjoyed the post 😀
Jasmine's Reading Blog
June 28, 2018Omfg I love your pie charts LOLOLOL.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Bahaha thank you Jasmine! ♥
bluereadergal
June 28, 2018Love the graphics!! 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thank you so much! 😀
Charlotte
June 28, 2018It’s really interesting to see all of your stats! Looks like your on track with your goals, good job 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 29, 2018Thank you, Charlotte! 🙂 I didn’t expect to be on track so well, so I’m really pleased by that!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
June 29, 2018I love everything about this post, I am a sucker for stats and charts!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018Haha thank you Kaleena! I am too, so it was a lot of fun to make!
Annemieke
June 29, 2018I love seeing other people’s stats. I stopped showing mine mid-year though haha. #lazy I keep track of mine in a little booklet. I am so not counting how many books i hauled this year right now. Too confronting haha. I love that you read so many by female’s. I’m about 50/50 on that.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018Bahaha I don’t blame you, it can get to be a little much, right? And yeah! I think I just get drawn to female authors subconsciously for some reason! But I want to get into more adult fantasy and grimdark later this year so my ratios might even out a little since most of the popular authors there are men.
Kelly | Another Book in the Wall
June 29, 2018These charts make me happy, and wow! I’m in such awe that you’ve read so many books! Teach me your ways! ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018Bahaha I’m so glad you had fun seeing them, Kelly! And I seriously don’t even know – I guess just don’t have a life and stay indoors all day like me. ???
Cindy
June 29, 2018Love the charts ah. You’re having such a great reading year. Good luck for the rest!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018Thank you so much, Cindy! Happy reading!
bookishinbed
July 1, 2018Okay but teach me how to read 134 books by this time because damn that is impressive. I’ve read 49 books this year. My goal is 100. I also love all the charts. It’s so fun seeing the statistics of it.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 2, 2018Dude I don’t even know, honestly, but I think part of it is because some of them are children’s books for my class? Beyond that, I think it’s just because I never sleep and never leave my house LMAO. I have no life and it’s kinda sad but books are like… literally the only thing I ever really do? (Except lately, I’m watching a little more TV) But I think your goal is awesome and you’re already on track so way to freaking go! ♥ And thank you!