My 2021 Bookish Review

Well, how to sum up this year’s reading? It’s so strange and a little sad, really to think that we’re rolling into 2022 and still dealing with daily life in a pandemic. ANYWAY, here we are. Thank God for the escapism of books, then! I can honestly say they have been my wonderful windows of distraction from case numbers and the stress of everything.

I have read some brilliant books – discover my favourites here – a mix of new releases and classic reads.

For the first time ever…

Despite definitely have having moments of inability to concentre and not reading for weeks, I really did have excellent reading spells (I do attribute that to my embracing of DNF – it is SO liberating to just stop reading a book the second you feel it’s not working for you – leaving you ample time to crack on with reading books you do enjoy!) and – for the first time ever – I hit 100 reads!

I’ve never read 100 books in a year before, so this feels like a nice little achievement. I do set myself a reading challenge target on Goodreads, but never that high and I don’t put pressure on myself to hit it.

Reading is always primarily for pleasure for me, the 100 happened naturally this year. Well… when I saw I was in the late 90s in early December, I may or may not have selected shorter reads to complete the year and hit my target… but come on, I know you would do the same!

2022 goals

I didn’t set myself any reading goals last year, however I have one or two things I want to concentrate on for 2022, so will write them here and see if I got close in 12 months:

• More classic crime fiction – particularly from the Queens of Crime (who aren’t Agatha – still love her, of course, but want to expand who I read in this genre)
• More memoirs and biographies
• More translated fiction

What do you think? Are you setting any reading targets for next year?

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2022!