The end of 2010 and of the Reading Challenge

My challenge was 75 books in 2010 - I thought it might be easy, but December was marked by small books and reading marathons, just so I could reach that goal. I think I used to read more when I was studying. Not because I had more time to do it, but because of the amount of time I spent on public transports.

The last few days were indeed a rush - I got to the point that I needed to read 3 books in 2 days. These last books were chosen to be read quickly: a book of Scottish Fairy Tales that has been on my bookshelf forever (and provided a good introduction to Seer of Sevenwaters); Seer of Sevenwaters, that a very good friend lent me because my copy is lost in postal limbo; and A Christmas Carol, because this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special made me want to re-read the original.

I'm also very behind on writing reviews. I'll restart writing them, now that the holiday confusion (and hangover) has passed.

I have no challenges planned to 2011, besides trying to reduce my TBR pile. Christmas wasn't as bad as I thought it would be to the amount of books to read: I received (only) 6 books, and 2 of them I've already read. My biggest challenge now is going to be reading in Spanish, so that I can get used to the language that I'll be using in the next 6 months (makes me wish for a Babel fish). I'm starting with The Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones (La Catedral del Mar).


But now for some stats about 2010:

This year I read almost 26 000 pages (almost 27 000 if including graphic novels). It means about 73 pages a day. 53% of the books had 300+ pages; 20% had 500+ pages. The average length of the books was 345 pages.

I averaged 7 books per month. The month I read more was March, the one I read less were February, June and August.

I enjoyed most of the books I've read: 68% were given 4 stars or more out of 5. 7% had 2.5 or less stars. 1 book was given 1 star (I didn't finish that one). 6 books received the maximum score of 5/5.

Top 10 Picks of 2010:

• Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
• Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
• Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
• Misfortune by Wesley Stace
• Perdido Street Station By China Miéville
• Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier (or anything by Juliet Marillier!)
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma

Series that I've finished!

• Catwings Set by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver
• Percheron Series by Fiona McIntosh
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Stone Dance of the Chameleon by Ricardo Pinto

I want more of this series/author!

• China Miéville
• Douglas Adams
• Eoin Colfer - I want to keep on reading the Artemis Fowl series and the last book of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galax
• Holly Black
• Kristin Cashore - anxiously waiting for Bitterblue