Reading Challenge 2021
Posted on: December 31, 2021
- In: Books | reviews
- 80 Comments
One of my goals for 2021 was to read more and to read a variety of books. I set my goal with the Goodreads reading challenge at 40 books. I am pleased to see I have read 46. And what a variety. From classics to contemporary, humorous to serious, books for children, middle grade and young adult, cosy mysteries, romance, historical, fantasy, poetry and short story collections, I covered a lot of ground. It’s good to expand your reading interests.
Check out all 46 books I read in 2021. I wanted to list my favourites but it would be too difficult as they were all good. I have left a review for each of them on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/25837732
80 Responses to "Reading Challenge 2021"
December 31, 2021 at 5:14 am
That’s a LOT of books, Darlene. I always wished I could read faster but am grateful to be able to read at all. Thank goodness for Kindle so I can make print huge. I do the same thing here. I love to read but I’m slow. Reading one now another blogger has written. Light and easy for night reading. I like to read from different genres as well but there are some I absolutely have to stay away from. I want to read more children’s books too. I had stacks on my headboard that went into storage. Maybe I’ll keep better track of them next year. You have inspired me. Happy New Year.
December 31, 2021 at 5:29 am
I’m a fairly slow reader as well but I have made a point of reading every day and it makes a difference. I love being able to make the print bigger on my Kindle reader as well. I can’t read horror or graphically violent books. I love the Goodreads challenge as it inspires me to meet a goal. Happy reading in 2022.
December 31, 2021 at 5:17 am
I have tried to keep a consistent reading pattern this year, mostly non-fiction in the genres of travel, food and film, but a few slices of fiction as well…thanks for sharing these!
December 31, 2021 at 5:32 am
I found making sure I read a little every day helps keep me on track. I was particularly proud of being able to say I completed The Brothers Karamazov. It was part of a readathon I joined. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have been able to do it. Have fun reading in 2022!
December 31, 2021 at 5:35 am
I also use Goodreads to log and record books I have read. I don’t set targets though, but I know that I read a book each week plus listen to 24 Audible books across a year. I see Brothers Karamazov was first on your list, it was a book I read just after university in 1974. But, the more interesting part of my tale is that my wife and I went to a “production” of the story at The Fortune Theatre in London. The weird thing was that there were only 3 actors and one prop, a fur coat. After each scene the actors would change roles, and the only way you could tell who was now playing the role of the father is that he would be wearing the fur coat!
December 31, 2021 at 5:52 am
Oh my. That would have been an awesome performance. I can’t believe I waited this long to read the book, but am so glad I did.
December 31, 2021 at 5:53 am
My poor wife hadn’t read the book and couldn’t follow it at all 🤣🤣
December 31, 2021 at 5:43 am
Hi, Darlene – I love reading challenges. You and I read a similar amount of books this year. I am currently reading Michelle Good’s Five Little Indians. I hope to finish it by midnight on the 31st. Fingers crossed!
Wishing you a wonderful new year ahead!
December 31, 2021 at 5:57 am
Thanks, Donna. I found Five Little Indians riveting but heartbreaking at times. Good luck with completing it before the end of this year. Happy reading in 2022!
December 31, 2021 at 6:00 am
Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
December 31, 2021 at 6:05 am
I will take also you as a role model, Darlene! What an objective, and what a great discipline you had achieving it. Chapeau! Thanks for sharing your interesting and motivating reading list. As we dont meet online before again, i wish you and yours a wonderful beginning of 2022! xx Michael
December 31, 2021 at 6:17 am
Thank you so much, Michael. I also wish you a fabulous start to 2022. May it be a kind year to you.
January 1, 2022 at 2:06 am
:-)) Thank you, Darlene! I am working on it. 😉 xx Michael
December 31, 2021 at 7:28 am
Kudos on meeting your 2021 reading challenge, Darlene!!
December 31, 2021 at 8:03 am
Good that you surpassed your goal, Darlene! I used to do the Goodreads challenge but found that I’d wind up choosing shorter books to keep up with my goal of 50 or 52 a year. In 2021, I decided not to do the challenge, and read whatever appealed to me, and took a bit more time with them. This year a read 43, but which is fine. Some of the books were longer and well worth reading.
December 31, 2021 at 9:10 am
Thanks, Debra. I do better with a goal in mind but don’t pick a book because of its size. I read a variety this year which I’m pleased about. 43 is a good amount.
December 31, 2021 at 8:25 am
Well done Darlene.. I always set the goal of the number of books I will read but halfway through I forget to log them onto good reads.
December 31, 2021 at 10:06 am
You are a reading machine. Congratulations.
Ooh, and that book, “Lava Red Feather Blue” looks intriguing. I’m checking it out on Amazon now.
December 31, 2021 at 6:19 pm
Thanks! I think you would enjoy Lava Red Feather Blue. I know I did.
December 31, 2021 at 12:57 pm
I am so glad that you joined me on the #KaramazovReadalong. What an adventure. Congratulations on all the marvelous books you read in 2021. Happy New Year!
December 31, 2021 at 6:20 pm
And I´m so glad you let me know about the readalong! happy New Year to you and yours as well. xo
December 31, 2021 at 4:26 pm
Congratulations on not only reaching your goal, but surpassing it, Darlene.
Have a wonderful reading-filled 2022!
December 31, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Thanks, Norah. I´m looking forward to more amazing books in 2022.
December 31, 2021 at 5:18 pm
Way to go, Darlene! I also read Eternal Road this year.
December 31, 2021 at 6:40 pm
Awesome job on reading so many books this year.
December 31, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Well done for reading so many books. When I click on your link I am taken to my own ‘Year in Books’ page…
December 31, 2021 at 11:42 pm
Oh dear. That´s not good. Not sure how to fix it but I´ll try. Thanks for letting me know.
December 31, 2021 at 10:57 pm
Congratulations, Darlene!😀 A wonderful achievement to read so many books no matter writing reviews for them all! I see some I’ve enjoyed very much and also quite a few I’d love to read as well.
Wishing you a very Happy and Harmonious New Year — filled with lots of reading & writing! xx
December 31, 2021 at 11:43 pm
Thanks, Annika. Were you able to see all of the books I read when you clicked the link?
January 1, 2022 at 12:50 am
The link actually took me to my own page, not sure why? I found the books through your Goodreads page! Wonderful selection!
January 1, 2022 at 2:10 am
Thanks. I changed the link to my page and it works better. Glad you liked the selection of books I managed to read last year. Happy reading in 2022!!
January 2, 2022 at 10:54 pm
That’s perfect, Darlene! Well done on sorting it. Seeing The Mermaid Chair and loving all Sue Monk Kidd’s books I just had to buy this!
January 1, 2022 at 7:47 am
My favorite thing about the Goodread’s Challenge is browsing the covers at the end of the year and remembering the great reads. Congrats on 46 books, Darlene. Here’s to another year of wonderful books. ❤
January 1, 2022 at 8:32 am
Mine too. It’s like revisiting old friends. Thanks for helping me add the covers of all the books I read to this post. Have a fabulous New Year!!
January 2, 2022 at 4:47 am
Hi Darlene, well done on reading 46 books last year. Thank you for reading A Ghost and His Gold 😊🤗
January 2, 2022 at 5:56 am
Thanks, Robbie. For me, 46 was a good number. A Ghost and His Gold was very good.
January 2, 2022 at 8:12 am
That’s quite a feat. Thank you for reading and reviewing THE FAMILY WAY and thank you for being so supportive. 🙂
January 2, 2022 at 9:20 am
You are so welcome. I loved The Family Way and gave a copy to my great-granddaughter, who also enjoyed it.
January 3, 2022 at 5:24 am
Good for you, Darlene. It’s always nice to exceed one’s expectations. I set a goal of 40 books too, I think, but ended up reading 53 (I’d expected to do more writing than I did).
January 3, 2022 at 5:31 am
Good for you. 53 books is a good amount. You can never read too many books.
January 3, 2022 at 9:14 pm
I’ve just seen the review you left on Amazon for ‘His Ladyship’. Thanks Darlene!
January 3, 2022 at 11:23 pm
You are so welcome. I did enjoy it and think the world needs books like this to better understand.
January 4, 2022 at 12:45 am
Congrats on exceeding your reading goal. 46 is an impressive amount of books to read in a year. Are you going to up the challenge for 2022?
[…] Reading Challenge 2021 […]
January 4, 2022 at 10:52 pm
Congratulations Darlene, I read a similar amount. You’ve got through some great reads!
January 5, 2022 at 4:45 am
Congratulations on exceeding your goal of forty books! It looks like you read a lot of wonderful books…:)
January 5, 2022 at 4:46 am
They were all very good. I was pleased I was able to get through that many. Thanks, Linda.
January 12, 2022 at 7:24 am
So many good ones in there. I just finished THe Midnight Library. I really liked it.
January 12, 2022 at 8:16 am
I really liked The Midnight Library too but know of some who didn’t like it at all. Oh well, we all have different reading tastes. And that is as it should be.
January 13, 2022 at 9:45 am
Oh wow, 46 books. I must admit that I do not have time to read books, as I mainly read these blog posts, so hopefully, it will count for something. @esmesalon #seniorsalonpitstop
January 13, 2022 at 6:23 pm
It counts. Reading is reading. Many blogs have short stories as well. Made your Chocolate orange muffins yesterday. A huge hit! If I don´t have a book on the go, something is missing for me.
January 14, 2022 at 5:02 am
I am happy to hear that you tried the muffins. If you have a moment, between your reading, please may I respectfully ask that you drop a rating and review on that post, it will be highly and much appreciated. Thanks for always being part of #seniorsalonpitstop
January 22, 2022 at 1:27 am
Thank you so much for joining us at #WOYBS. We greatly appreciate it!
January 22, 2022 at 6:26 am
What a diverse set of titles! I agree, it’s great to read outside your normal genre. Thanks for linking up with us.
January 24, 2022 at 8:16 am
Lately, I’ve been having fun mixing my reading up a bit. So glad I did.
January 24, 2022 at 7:31 am
Lovely to have you join us in our WOYBS challenge Darlene, I have read some of the same books as you 🙂
January 28, 2022 at 6:50 am
46…good for you. I love to read—and have read all of my life. I’m just a terribly s-l-o-w reader. I’ve got to pick up the pace. I have no idea how many I read last year. I read several at once and rotate them. (Read a chapter of one, skip the next and read a chapter, etc until I get back to the first book and start it all again.) That way, if one book is tedious are dull, i tell myself I just have to get through that chapter to get to the next book. Also, if there is a book I really like, it forces me to burn through the other books/chapters to get back to the great book. It’s a dumb way to do it, but it works for me. Good luck with 2022.
January 28, 2022 at 8:10 am
I get too confused if I read more than one book at a time. Having said that, I am reading War and Peace, one chapter a day this year and always have another book on the go as well. As long as the other books are more contemporary and without a gazillion Russian characters, I should be OK. I’m a slow reader as well but I make sure I read for at least an hour every day. My TBR pile is toppling over and my Kindle is packed.
Darlene Foster's Blog 
December 31, 2021 at 5:09 am
That is terrific. I love it!
December 31, 2021 at 5:26 am
Great! Thanks.