Reading Retrospective | Jan-June 2024

Find me on Goodreads - / readxbecca

[@PlanetShannonTV]

Woohoo, reflection time! I love reflections, but was so surprized to hear my name there. lol! I am so glad my video inspired you to take a look back. Noticing the trends and what is and isn't serving you is so helpful. I'm glad it served you well! It's so cool that you've enjoyed books with elder protagonists, that's something we don't hear enough about and is a wonderful thing. Sounds like it's been a pretty good reading year so far, here's to more of that in the future!

[@ReadBecca]

Thank you for the inspiration! Being self aware or just taking the pause to look back is SO helpful in refocusing, especially with how much tastes change over the years, I really needed it. Elder protagonists is absolutely the top winning element for me this year I think, I am just having a fantastic time with all the books fitting that element of so many different types and styles. Here's to more self awareness toward better reading 😁

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

Terrific reflection, Becca. I like the variation in your reading: classics, nature, biography and memoir, lighter reads. It seems very balanced to me. I do love biography and memoir! 😊

[@ReadBecca]

Thank you! Do you have any absolute standouts in Bio/Memoir that you really love to recommend? Since I'm diving in increasingly I'm on the lookout for more.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

@@ReadBecca I’ve talked a few times about Gail Caldwell’s Let’s Take the Long Way Home about her friendship with the writer, Caroline Knapp-and the loss of Caroline. I also love Caroline Knapp’s memoir, Drinking: A Love Story. Kathryn Schultz’s Lost & Found is a favorite. Maggie O’Farrell’s I Am, I Am, I Am is very powerful-about her many brushes with death. I love all of Mary Karr’s: The Liar’s Club, Cherry, Lit. All really good. Just this year, I discovered Nuala O’Faolain’s memoirs, Are You Somebody? and also Almost There. Diana Goetsch’s This Body I Wore is a memoir of a trans woman who made the decision to transition relatively late in her life. Also very moving. I also really liked Ada Calhoun’s Also a Poet. I would call all of these stand-outs. 😊

[@Djcooksandbooks]

I’m also looking back on my half year of reading and I see very few 5 stars, but I’m hopeful for the second half of the year! I love reading about food too! It is always such a nice surprise when I encounter descriptions of food in fiction!

[@ReadBecca]

Hopefully 2nd half will have some big wins in the 5-star area for us both! It feels like starting the year is always a little slower to get momentum, though for me last year was absolute hits right out the gate constantly, so maybe just comparison that is unfair last year vs this year. It feels like you can really tell a prose writer when they describe food or nature, so those are often books that have a strong connection for me as well.

[@ThatsSoPoe]

Excellent review of your reading trends! Such a cool video. I totally get what you mean about mediocre reads that still are exactly what you wanted. I think it reminds me of those TV shows where you like to just watch and lose yourself a bit in them, but it's not like they're amazing shows - they just help you relax and wind down. Fluffy romance can be like that for me too - just what I needed, even if only 3.5 stars.

[@ReadBecca]

Exactly that! It's not a big mental or emotional investment, just an enjoyable or entertaining break.

[@awebofstories]

I really like this reflection. I'm not sure if I'll do a video on my own (because I might not have anything of note to say), but I'm definitely going to take a look.

[@ReadBecca]

Thanks! Not at all surprised to hear you thinking of taking on reflection as well, you seem to like the analytical self check in on a lot of areas too 😁 I am a huge self-reflecter, always tweaking and thinking about what I'm doing, how and why.

[@toweringtbr]

Did your 5-star books have anything in common? I've found myself reaching for fantasy a lot lately. It's strange how our book tastes evolve over time.

[@ReadBecca]

Fantasy can definitely be a comfort to turn to, though I don't feel like you read all that much of the basic sort, seems like you go for more complex and different! Maybe that freshness of genre blends is what is pulling you? My 5 stars are absolutely all over the map so far. Pretty even fiction/nonfiction split, but otherwise basically every book is a different genre or style for the most part, so I have no clue other than being an omnivore, I'm not mad at it.

[@HeyYallListenUp]

Interesting that you're not reading as much sci-fi and fantasy. Regardless, I'm happy you're having a good reading year.

[@ReadBecca]

I said that, then immediately realized I want to try to focus on reading some sequels coming up, which is basically always SFF 🤣 Thank you, though you aren't sharing it with us as much, I hope your reading has continued on well this year too!