2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

In 2018, I read 134 books which is the most I've ever read in one year! I don't know if it was just a freakishly good year, so I'm going to stick to my usual target of around 100 and see how we go.

Other goals:
- Long books: 15% (2018: 13.4%)
- Books by non-white authors: 35% minimum (2018: 33.6%)
- Books I owned before 2019: 60% minimum (2018: 46.3%)
- Books by international authors (not UK or US): 30% minimum (2018: 20.4%)
- More LGBTQ+ & Disability books: I'm not putting a number against this because it's not something I've tracked before and I need to sit down and think about how best to do so (e.g. it could be an LGTBQ author, or just have really good representation etc., particularly as the sexuality/disability of an author isn't always open information)

2019 Reading Statistics

127/100

New Reads: 116
Re-Reads: 11

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 10
Children's: 8
Classics: 7
Essays: 1
Fantasy: 14
Feminism: 5
General Fiction: 25
General Non-Fiction: 13
Graphic Novel: 5
Historical Fiction: 14
Humour: 1
Mental Health: 1
Mystery: 4
Plays: 1
Poetry: 1
Politics: 0
Psychology: 0
Religion: 0
Science: 1
Sci-fi: 1
Short Stories: 7
Thriller: 3
YA: 5

Total Fiction: 91
Total Non Fiction: 36

Length
Short (<250 pages): 41
Medium (250-450 pages): 72
Long (451+): 14

Author
Male: 30
Female: 94
Non Binary: 2
Unknown: 1

White: 89
Non-White: 37
Unknown: 1

UK/US: 93
Rest of the world: 34

New: 85
Not New: 42

Ratings
★★★★★: 30
★★★★: 57
★★★: 32
★★: 7
★: 1

Books by month
January: 10
February: 13
March: 6
April: 13
May: 9
June: 8
July: 9
August: 14
September: 11
October: 11
November: 10
December: 13

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 70
Gifts: 3
Library: 6
Borrowed: 1
Free: 14
Purchased in 2019: 29

Total owned pre-2019: 70
Total free in 2019: 25
Total paid in 2019: 29

January

New Reads: 10
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Classics: 1
Feminism: 1
General Fiction: 2
General Non-Fiction: 1
Graphic Novel: 1
Mystery: 1
Sci-fi: 1
Short Stories: 1
YA: 1

Total Fiction: 7
Total Non Fiction: 3

Length
Short (<250 pages): 2
Medium (250-450 pages): 6
Long (451+): 2

Author
Male: 0
Female: 10
Non Binary: 0

White: 6
Non-White: 4

UK/US: 6
Rest of the world: 4

New: 8
Not New: 2

Ratings
★★★★★: 1
★★★★: 6
★★★: 2
★★: 1
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 9
Free: 1
Purchased in 2019: 0

Total owned pre-2019: 9
Total free in 2019: 1
Total paid in 2019: 0

The books
Period. by Natalie Byrne
Owned, General Non-Fiction, New Book, New Author, 256 pages
Read: 01/01/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
Owned, Mystery, New Book, 656 pages
Read: 06/01/19 - 09/01/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Owned, Classics, New Book, New Author, 336 pages
Read: 09/01/19 - 11/01/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Owned, General Fiction, New Book, New Author, 150 pages
Read: 12/01/19 - 14/01/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Deeds Not Words: The Story of Women's Rights - Then and Now by Helen Pankhurst
Owned, Feminism, New Book, New Author, 384 pages
Read: 23/12/18 - 15/01/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Vox by Christina Dalcher
Owned, Sci-fi, New Book, New Author, 384 pages
Read: 15/01/19 - 16/01/19
Rating: 2 stars -> Review

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Owned, General Fiction, New Book, New Author, 264 pages
Read: 18/01/19 - 23/01/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Frida Kahlo: The Story of Her Life by Vanna Vinci
Owned, Graphic Novel, New Book, New Author, 160 pages
Read: 18/01/19 - 27/01/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Proud by Juno Dawson
Free, Short Stories, New Book, 352 pages
Read: 15/01/19 - 27/01/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Owned, YA, New Book, New Author, 459 pages
Read: 28/01/19 - 31/01/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

This looks so organized. Wishing you the best of luck this year.

Thank you!

February

New Reads: 13
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 2
Children's: 2
Fantasy: 1
Feminism: 1
General Fiction: 2
General Non-Fiction: 2
Historical Fiction: 1
YA: 2

Total Fiction: 8
Total Non Fiction: 5

Length
Short (<250 pages): 3
Medium (250-450 pages): 9
Long (451+): 1

Author
Male: 3
Female: 10
Non Binary:

White: 8
Non-White: 5

UK/US: 10
Rest of the world: 3

New: 8
Not New: 5

Ratings
★★★★★: 3
★★★★: 7
★★★: 2
★★: 1
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 8
Free: 0
Purchased in 2019: 5

Total owned pre-2019: 8
Total free in 2019: 0
Total paid in 2019: 5

The books
My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
Owned, YA, New Book, New Author, 325 pages
Read: 03/02/19 - 04/02/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders by Kate Pankhurst
Purchased, Feminism, New Book, 32 pages
Read: 04/02/19
Rating: 5 stars

Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family by Garrard Conley
Purchased, Memoir, New Book, New Author, 338 pages
Read: 04/02/19 - 09/02/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Owned, General Fiction, New Book, 486 pages
Read: 09/02/19 - 10/02/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Women in Sport: Fifty Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win by Rachel Ignotofsky
Owned, Biography, New Book, New Author, 128 pages
Read: 05/02/19 - 13/02/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Purchased, YA, New Book, 435 pages
Read: 12/02/19 - 16/02/19
Rating: 4 stars

Eat Sweat Play: How Sport Can Change Our Lives by Anna Kessel
Owned, General Non-Fiction, New Book, New Author, 264 pages
Read: 12/02/19 - 17/02/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Book, New Author, 304 pages
Read: 17/02/19 - 19/02/19
Rating: 5 stars

The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket
Owned, Children's, New Book, 264 pages
Read: 22/02/19
Rating: 4 stars

La Bastarda: A Novel by Trifonia Melibea Obono
Owned, General Fiction, New Book, New Author, 100 pages
Read: 22/02/19 - 23/02/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard
Purchased, Fantasy, New Book, New Author, 352 pages
Read: 23/02/2019 - 25/02/2019
Rating: 2 stars -> Review

Turning the Tide on Plastic: How Humanity (And You) Can Make Our Globe Clean Again by Lucy Siegle
Purchased, General Non-Fiction, New Book, New Author, 272 pages
Read: 20/02/19 - 25/02/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket
Owned, Children's, New Book, 266 pages
Read: 26/02/19 - 28/02/19
Rating: 4 stars

Awesome job so far. I love your stats. I will have to add On the Come up to my reading list.

Thank you! It’s not quite as amazing as THUG, but it’s still very good, definitely do read it!

March

New Reads: 3
Re-Reads: 3

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 1
General Fiction: 3
General Non-Fiction: 1
Young Adult: 1

Total Fiction: 4
Total Non Fiction: 2

Length
Short (<250 pages): 1
Medium (250-450 pages): 3
Long (451+): 2

Author
Male: 2
Female: 4
Non Binary: 0

White: 5
Non-White: 1

UK/US: 3
Rest of the world: 3

New: 3
Not New: 3

Ratings
★★★★★: 5
★★★★: 1
★★★: 0
★★: 0
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 5
Free: 1
Purchased in 2019: 0

Total owned pre-2019: 5
Total free in 2019: 1
Total paid in 2019: 0

The books
Columbine by Dave Cullen
Free, General Non-Fiction, New Book, New Read, 464 pages
Read: 26/02/19 - 02/03/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

The Way Things Look to Me by Roopa Farooki
Owned, General Fiction, Reread, 340 pages
Read: 03/03/19 - 06/03/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes With Death by Maggie O'Farrell
Owned, Memoir, New Book, New Author, 304 pages
Read: 08/03/19 - 10/03/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Owned, YA, New Book, New Author, 236 pages
Read: 15/03/19 - 17/03/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
Owned, General Fiction, Reread, 312 pages
Read: 17/03/19 - 22/03/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Ownder, General Fiction, Reread, 518 pages
Read: 23/03/19 - 29/03/19
Rating: 5 stars

April

New Reads: 13
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 2
Children's: 1
Fantasy: 1
Feminism: 2
General Fiction: 1
General Non-Fiction: 2
Graphic Novel: 1
Historical Fiction: 1
Mystery: 1
Short Stories: 1

Total Fiction: 7
Total Non Fiction: 6

Length
Short (<250 pages): 6
Medium (250-450 pages): 7
Long (451+): 0

Author
Male: 4
Female: 9
Non Binary: 0

White: 8
Non-White: 5

UK/US: 11
Rest of the world: 2

New: 10
Not New: 3

Ratings
★★★★★: 1
★★★★: 5
★★★: 4
★★: 3
★:

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 8
Free: 1
Library: 2
Purchased in 2019: 2

Total owned pre-2019: 8
Total free in 2019: 3
Total paid in 2019: 2

The books
Parkland: Birth of a Movement by Dave Cullen
Free, General Non-Fiction, New Read, 385 pages
Read: 30/03/19 - 04/04/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

How's the Pain? by Pascal Garnier
Purchased, Mystery, New Read, New Author, 157 pages
Read: 04/04/19 - 05/04/19
Rating: 2 stars

Bizarre Romance by Audrey Niffenegger
Purchased, Graphic Novel, New Read, 158 pages
Read: 03/04/19 - 06/03/19
Rating: 2 stars

The Hundred Wells of Salaga by Ayesha Harruna Attah
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 234 pages
Read: 06/04/19 - 07/04/19
Rating: 4 stars

Becoming by Michelle Obama
Owned, Memoir, New Read, New Author, 426 pages
Read: 10/03/19 - 09/04/19
Rating: 3 stars

Circe by Madeline Miller
Library, Fantasy, New Read, New Author, 335 pages
Read: 07/04/19 - 11/04/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
Library, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 152 pages
Read: 11/04/19 - 13/04/19
Rating: 2 stars -> Review

The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write by Sabrina Mahfouz
Owned, Short Stories, New Read, New Author, 256 pages
Read: 06/04/19 - 18/04/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Brave by Rose McGowan
Owned, Memoir, New Read, New Author, 272 pages
Read: 24/04/2019 - 25/04/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Do It Like a Woman... and Change the World by Caroline Criado-Pérez
Owned, Feminism, New Read, New Author, 336 pages
Read: 25/04/2019 - 27/04/2019
Rating: 4 stars

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
Owned, Children's New Read, 207 pages
Read: 27/04/2019 - 28/04/2019
Rating: 3 stars

Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
Owned, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 352 pages
Read: 15/04/2019 - 29/04/2019
Rating: 4 stars

You Have the Right to Remain Fat: A Manifesto by Virgie Tovar
Owned, Feminism, New Read, New Author, 128 pages
Read: 29/04/2019 - 30/04/2019
Rating: 4 stars

Happy April you are doing awesome. Do you have a book you would recommend?

Thanks Blagica! Haha just the one? Hmm. Depends what you like but I’d say:
Non-fiction - Columbine or I Am I Am I Am
General fiction - The Time Traveler’s Wife, Britt-Marie Was Here, Stay With Me or Home Fire
Young Adult - We Are Okay

I love all your choices thank you! I will be back for more next month.

May

New Reads: 9
Re-Reads:

Genre:
General Fiction: 5
Graphic Novel: 1
Historical Fiction: 1
Mystery: 1
Short Stories: 1

Total Fiction: 8
Total Non Fiction: 1

Length
Short (<250 pages): 4
Medium (250-450 pages): 4
Long (451+): 1

Author
Male: 1
Female: 7
Non Binary: 1

White: 3
Non-White: 6

UK/US: 5
Rest of the world: 4

New: 8
Not New: 1

Ratings
★★★★★: 2
★★★★: 5
★★★: 2
★★:
★:

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 3
Library: 1
Free: 1
Purchased in 2019: 4

Total owned pre-2019: 3
Total free in 2019: 2
Total paid in 2019: 4

The books
Milkman by Anna Burns
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 348 pages
Read: 29/04/19 - 03/05/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Freshwaterby Akwaeke Emezi
Library, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 240 pages
Read: 01/05/19 - 04/05/19
Rating: 4 stars

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Purchased, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 306 pages
Read: 04/05/19 - 07/05/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Guantánamo Kid: The True Story of Mohammed El-Gharani by Jérôme Tubiana
Purchased, Graphic Novel, New Read, New Author, 168 pages
Read: 09/05/19 - 10/05/19
Rating: 5 stars

Ordinary People by Diana Evans
Owned, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 328 pages
Read: 11/05/19 - 17/05/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Purchased, Mystery, New Read, New Author, 226 pages
Read: 17/05/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Living the Dream by Emma Franieczek
Free, Short Stories, New Read, New Author, 146 pages
Read: 18/05/19 - 24/05/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Bitter Chocolate by Lesley Lokko
Owned, General Fiction, New Read, 577 pages
Read: 18/05/19 - 25/05/19
Rating: 4 stars

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Purchased, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 400 pages
Read: 26/05/19 - 29/05/19
Rating: 4 stars

Doing great keep up the great reading!

June

New Reads: 8
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Childrens: 1
General Non-Fiction: 1
Fantasy: 1
Historical Fiction: 1
Mystery: 1
Short Stories: 1
Thriller: 1
YA: 1

Total Fiction: 7
Total Non Fiction: 1

Length
Short (<250 pages): 2
Medium (250-450 pages): 6
Long (451+):

Author
Male: 3
Female: 5
Non Binary: 0

White: 5
Non-White: 1

UK/US: 6
Rest of the world: 2

New: 5
Not New: 3

Ratings
★★★★★: 2
★★★★: 3
★★★: 3
★★: 0
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 6
Library: 1
Purchased in 2019: 1

Total owned pre-2019: 6
Total free in 2019: 1
Total paid in 2019: 1

The books
The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket
Owned, Children's, New Read, 272 pages
Read: 30/05/19 - 01/06/19
Rating: 4 stars

The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg
Owned, Mystery, New Author, New Read, 419 pages
Read: 01/06/19 - 08/06/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Eve Was Framed: Women and British Justice by Helena Kennedy
Library, General Non-Fiction, New Author, New Read, 320 pages
Read: 24/05/19 - 10/06/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Tin Man by Sarah Winman
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Read, 196 pages
Read: 15/06/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson
Purchased, Thriller, New Read, 320 pages
Read: 13/06/19 - 19/06/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Queer Africa: Selected stories by Karen Martin (ed.)
Owned, Short Stories, New Read, New Author, 263 pages
Read: 12/06/19 - 23/06/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Owned, YA, New Read, 345 pages
Read: 22/06/19 - 26/06/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 248 pages
Read: 26/06/19 - 30/06/19
Rating: 5 stars

July

New Reads: 4
Re-Reads: 5

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 1
Children's: 1
Classics: 1
Fantasy: 5
General Fiction: 1

Total Fiction: 8
Total Non Fiction: 1

Length
Short (<250 pages): 1
Medium (250-450 pages): 4
Long (451+): 4

Author
Male: 2
Female: 7
Non Binary: 0

White: 7
Non-White: 1

UK/US: 7
Rest of the world: 1

New: 2
Not New: 7

Ratings
★★★★★: 5
★★★★: 2
★★★: 1
★★: 1
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 8
Free: 1
Purchased in 2019: 0

Total owned pre-2019: 8
Total free in 2019: 1
Total paid in 2019: 0

The books
This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay
Owned, Memoir, New Read, New Author, 254 pages
Read: 02/07/19 - 04/07/19
Rating: 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsby J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 259 pages
Read: 01/07/19 - 07/07/19
Rating: 4 stars

The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket
Owned, Children's, New Read, 289 pages
Read: 07/07/19 - 08/07/19
Rating: 4 stars

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 462 pages
Read: 08/07/19 - 12/07/19
Rating: 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 671 pages
Read: 12/07/19 - 16/07/10
Rating: 5 stars

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Owned, Classic, New Read, 184 pages
Read: 15/07/19 - 20/07/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 800 pages
Read: 15/07/19 - 22/07/19
Rating: 5 stars

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
Free, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 345 pages
Read: 22/07/19 - 26/07/19
Rating: 2 stars

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 542 pages
Read: 28/07/19 - 31/07/19
Rating: 5 stars

Keep up the great work! If you don't mind, I might have to borrow this list for next year (although I wouldn't post anything on it, just a personal little challenge for myself) because of how neatly you've prepared everything and how fun it honestly seems! I might add a few categories of my own though. I can't wait to see what your new additions are!

Of course please do! And feel free to post it if you do want to. I actually borrowed this format from someone else a couple of years ago so I can’t take any credit :)

Hoping you are having a good year with books and in life.

August

New Reads: 13
Re-Reads: 1

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 1
Children: 1
Classics: 3
Fantasy: 2
General Fiction: 2
General Non-Fiction: 1
Graphic Novel: 1
Poetry: 1
Science: 1
Thriller: 1

Total Fiction: 10
Total Non Fiction: 4

Length
Short (<250 pages): 4
Medium (250-450 pages): 9
Long (451+): 1

Author
Male: 5
Female: 8
Non Binary: 1

White: 11
Non-White: 3

UK/US: 10
Rest of the world: 4

New: 10
Not New: 4

Ratings
★★★★★: 2
★★★★: 7
★★★: 5
★★: 0
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 7
Gift: 1
Free: 1
Library: 1
Purchased in 2019: 4

Total owned pre-2019: 7
Total free in 2019: 3
Total paid in 2019: 4

The books
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Owned, Fantasy, Reread, 620 pages
Read: 01/08/19 - 04/08/19
Rating: 5 stars

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
Purchased, Graphic Novel, New Read, New Author, 288 pages
Read: 04/08/19
Rating: 4 stars

Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin
Owned, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 261 pages
Read: 05/08/19 - 10/08/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

From Prejudice to Pride: A History of the LGBTQ+ Movement by Amy Lamé
Purchased, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 112 pages
Read: 10/08/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
Gift, General Fiction, New Read, 76 pages
Read: 10/08/2019
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Owned, Classics, New Read, New Author, 248 pages
Read: 10/08/2019 - 11/08/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Useless Magic: Lyrics and Poetry by Florence Welch
Owned, Poetry, New Read, New Author, 288 pages
Read: 11/08/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Owned, Thriller, New Read, New Author, 338 pages
Read: 19/08/2019
Rating: 3 stars

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Owned, Classic, New Read, New Author, 256 pages
Read: 20/08/2019 - 22/08/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
Purchased, Science, New Read, New Author, 360 pages
Read: 22/07/2019 - 26/08/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

I'll Never Be Young Again by Daphne du Maurier
Library, Classics, New Read, 304 pages
Read: 12/08/2019 - 27/08/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Legends of Old Cracow by Ewa Basiura
Owned, Fantasy, New Read, New Author, 92 pages
Read: 12/08/2019 - 27/08/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Unicorn: The Memoir of a Muslim Drag Queen by Amrou Al-Kadhi
Free, Memoir, New Read, New Author, 285 pages
Read: 27/08/2019 - 29/08/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket
Purchased, Childrens, New Read, 340 pages
Read: 30/08/2019 - 31/08/2019
Rating: 4 stars

September

New Reads: 11
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 1
Essays: 1
General Fiction: 1
General Non-Fiction: 1
Historical Fiction: 5
Mental Health: 1
Short Stories: 1

Total Fiction: 7
Total Non Fiction: 4

Length
Short (<250 pages): 4
Medium (250-450 pages): 7
Long (451+): 0

Author
Male: 1
Female: 10
Non Binary: 0

White: 7
Non-White: 4

UK/US: 9
Rest of the world: 2

New: 8
Not New: 3

Ratings
★★★★★: 1
★★★★: 6
★★★: 4
★★: 0
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 4
Free: 3
Purchased in 2019: 4

Total owned pre-2019: 4
Total free in 2019: 3
Total paid in 2019: 4

The books
Expectation by Anna Hope
Free, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 336 pages
Read: 01/09/19 - 02/09/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
Purchased, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 68 pages
Read: 07/09/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 336 pages
Read: 06/09/19 - 09/09/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Cheer Up, Love: Adventures in Depression with the Crab of Hate by Susan Calman
Owned, Mental Health, New Read, New Author, 272 pages
Read: 02/09/19 - 13/09/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Read, 292 pages
Read: 14/09/19 - 16/09/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Free, Historical Fiction, New Read, 434 pages
Read: 10/09/2019 - 18/09/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
Purchased, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 328 pages
Read: 19/09/2019 - 27/09/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay
Free, Memoir, New Read, 110 pages
Read: 27/09/2019 - 28/09/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Owned, Short Stories, New Read, New Author, 198 pages
Read: 28/09/2019 - 30/09/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
Purchased, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 273 pages
Read: 28/09/2019 - 30/09/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race by Jesmyn Ward
Owned, Essays, New Read, New Author, 240 pages
Read: 28/09/2019 - 30/09/2019
Rating: 3 stars

October

New Reads: 11
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Children's: 1
Classics: 1
Fantasy: 4
General Fiction: 1
Historical Fiction: 2
Short Stories: 1
Thriller: 1

Total Fiction: 11
Total Non Fiction: 0

Length
Short (<250 pages): 3
Medium (250-450 pages): 6
Long (451+): 2

Author
Male: 1
Female: 9
Non Binary: 0
Unknown: 1

White: 9
Non-White: 1
Unknown: 1

UK/US: 9
Rest of the world: 2

New: 6
Not New: 5

Ratings
★★★★★: 1
★★★★: 5
★★★: 5
★★: 0
★: 0

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 2
Free: 3
Library: 1
Purchased in 2019: 5

Total owned pre-2019: 2
Total free in 2019: 4
Total paid in 2019: 5

The books
Blackberry and Wild Rose by Sonia Velton
Free, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 416 pages
Read: 01/10/19 - 03/10/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Owned, Fantasy, New Read, New Author, 419 pages
Read: 03/09/2019 - 05/09/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Purchased, Fantasy, New Read, 626 pages
Read: 05/09/2019 - 07/09/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Purchased, Fantasy, New Read, 707 pages
Read: 07/09/2019 - 11/09/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Purchased, Fantasy, New Read, 229 pages
Read: 11/09/19 - 12/09/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon by Jen Campbell
Purchased, Children's, New Read, 32 pages
Read: 14/10/19
Rating: 5 stars

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins
Purchased, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 384 pages
Read: 18/10/19 - 20/10/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Seven Days by Alex Lake
Free, Thriller, New Read, New Author, 416 pages
Read: 22/10/19 - 22/10/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Julius by Daphne du Maurier
Library, Classics, New Read, 308 pages
Read: 13/10/19 - 26/10/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen
Owned, Short Stories; New Read, New Author, 55 pages
Read: 26/10/19 - 27/10/19
Rating: 3 stars

A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan
Free, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 368 pages
Read: 27/10/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Awesome progress Martha!

Blagica wrote: "Awesome progress Martha!"

Thank you :)

November

New Reads: 10
Re-Reads: 0

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 1
Feminism: 1
Graphic Novel: 1
General Fiction: 5
Historical Fiction: 1
Play: 1

Total Fiction: 8
Total Non Fiction: 2

Length
Short (<250 pages): 4
Medium (250-450 pages): 6
Long (451+): 0

Author
Male: 3
Female: 7
Non Binary: 0
Unknown: 0

White: 7
Non-White: 3
Unknown: 0

UK/US: 7
Rest of the world: 3

New: 10
Not New: 0

Ratings
★★★★★: 5
★★★★: 4
★★★: 1
★★:
★:

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 5
Borrowed: 1
Free: 1
Purchased in 2019: 3

Total owned pre-2019: 5
Total free in 2019: 2
Total paid in 2019: 3

The books
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Purchased, Graphic Novel, New Read, New Author, 266 pages
Read: 02/11/19
Rating: 5 stars

The Lido by Libby Page
Owned, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 383 pages
Read: 26/10/19 - 04/11/19
Rating: 4 stars

Gender and Disability: Women's Experiences in the Middle East by Lina Abu-Habib
Owned, Feminism, New Read, New Author, 97 pages
Read: 26/10/19 - 08/11/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Purchased, Fiction, New Read, New Author, 208 pages
Read: 05/11/19 - 10/11/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
Free, Fiction, New Read, New Author, 394 pages
Read: 12/11/19 - 13/11/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Normal People by Sally Rooney
Purchased, Fiction, New Read, New Author, 266 pages
Read: 17/11/19 - 20/11/19
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two by John Tiffany
Owned, Play, New Read, New Author, 330 pages
Read: 23/11/19
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
Owned, Fiction, New Read, New Author, 114 pages
Read: 23/11/19 - 24/11/19
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Breaking and Mending: A memoir of burnout, recovery and the journey to become a doctor by Joanna Cannon
Borrowed, Memoir, New Read, New Author, 160 pages
Read: 23/11/2019 - 25/11/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Owned, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 404 pages
Read: 23/11/2019 - 27/11/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

This way cool and so organized! I've made some notes and will work on my own version for the upcoming year.

December

New Reads: 13
Re-Reads: 1

Genre:
Biography/Memoir: 1
Children's: 1
Classics: 1
General Fiction: 2
General Non-Fiction: 4
Historical Fiction: 2
Humour: 1
Short Stories: 1

Total Fiction: 8
Total Non Fiction: 5

Length
Short (<250 pages): 7
Medium (250-450 pages): 5
Long (451+): 1

Author
Male: 5
Female: 8
Non Binary: 0
Unknown: 0

White: 9
Non-White: 4
Unknown: 0

UK/US: 9
Rest of the world: 4

New: 9
Not New: 4

Ratings
★★★★★: 3
★★★★: 5
★★★: 3
★★: 1
★: 1

Source
Owned (pre-2019): 6
Free: 2
Gift: 3
Purchased in 2019: 2

Total owned pre-2019: 6
Total free in 2019: 5
Total paid in 2019: 2

The books
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
Free, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 320 pages
Read: 28/11/2019 - 01/12/2019
Rating: 5 stars -> Review

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Free, Historical Fiction, New Read, New Author, 351 pages
Read: 01/12/2019 - 02/12/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
Owned, Children's, New Read, New Author, 240 pages
Read: 02/12/2019
Rating: 4 stars

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Purchased, Historical Fiction, New Read, 224 pages
Read: 03/12/2019 - 09/12/2019
Rating: 4 stars

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
Gift, General Fiction, New Read, 65 pages
Read: 15/12/2019
Rating: 5 stars

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
Owned, Classics, Reread, 268 pages
Read: 09/12/2019 - 18/12/2019
Rating: 3 stars

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Owned, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 466 pages
Read: 13/10/2019 - 20/12/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

The Politics of Black Women's Hair by Althea Prince
Owned, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 160 pages
Read: 15/12/2019 - 21/12/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic by Doogie Horner
Gift, Humour, New Read, New Author, 32 pages
Read: 25/12/2019
Rating: 5 stars

Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days by Jeanette Winterson
Purchased, Short Stories, New Read, 306 pages
Read: 24/12/2019 - 28/12/2019
Rating: 4 stars -> Review

A Short History of Falling: Everything I Observed About Love Whilst Dying by Joe Hammond
Gift, Memoir, New Read, New Author, 256 pages
Read: 26/12/2019 - 29/12/2019
Rating: 3 stars -> Review

Women's Suffrage: A Short History of a Great Movement by Millicent Garrett Fawcett
Owned, General Non-Fiction, New Read, New Author, 70 pages
Rating: 2 stars -> Review

The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza
Owned, General Fiction, New Read, New Author, 138 pages
Rating: 1 star -> Review

2019 round-up:

Hit my overall target though missed pretty much all of the sub-targets which isn't ideal! What I did manage is to significantly increase the number of books featuring LGBTQ+ content or by LGBTQ+ authors and featuring disability content, so happy with that and hope to build on that in 2019.

On reflection, it was a LOT of targets and it's not always going to be possible to up all of those things at once. I also noticed that where I started receiving more ARCs from publishers (which I am really grateful for), the choices became less diverse.

In 2020, I want to take the pressure off a little bit so will try to set fewer concrete targets but keep tracking to keep an eye on what I'm reading.