Reading Profile

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Hi there! My name is Darla and I may have a slight book addiction. My goal for 2021 is to read 100 books by the end of the year. I did complete 150 books in 2020, but I am keeping my goal at 100 and treating everything after that as a bonus. I suppose you could say my official goal is 100 but my secret, very hopeful goal is 151. My favorite genres are essentially all fantasy related. I adore high, epic, coming-of-age, afrofuturism, and gritty fantasies (bonus points if they include romance). However, I also enjoy murder mysteries, contemporary fiction, science fiction, graphic novels, as well as young adult novels. I am pretty much down to read almost anything, but my least favorite genre would have to be non-fiction. I like to read books to escape reality and I find that I really cannot do that with the non-fiction titles that I have tried out. If you have any recommendations for me, let me know! I would love to use this as an opportunity to further expand my horizons. 

I am also an avid audiobook user. I very much so relate to Saricks (2005) when they say, "for many readers, listening to audiobooks provides the same satisfactions as holding a book in hand and turning the pages" (p. 10). I am what Saricks calls a "traveler" as I drive quite a ways to work and love listening to books during my drive. If you have never tried an audiobook before and are waiting for a sign, here it is! Try it, you might become just as obsessed as I am. I typically juggle two books at a time and am currently listening to Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse and am reading We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. 


*Here are my top 5 books of 2020:

1. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

3. House of Earth and Blood: Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas

4. Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

5. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo


*Here are 5 books I am looking forward to reading in 2021:

1. The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

3. The Year of the Witchling by Alexis Henderson

4. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

5. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas


References

Saricks, J. G. (2005). Readers' advisory service in the public library. American Library Association. Pp. 1-13.

Comments

  1. Abigail SmithJanuary 25, 2021 at 12:29 PM

    Hi Darla,

    I'm also down to read pretty much anything! I do think non-fiction is the most difficult genre for me to find what I want but its such a treat when it happens. I like collections of essays that cover a variety of non-fiction topics, essays are maybe just more accessible than a book-length treatment. Joan Didion's the White Album is a long-time favorite. I think biographies of an individual you are already kind of interested in could also be a good non-fiction starter.

    I also read Ninth House this year and found it a real page-turner! It was my first introduction into the idea of the "New Adult" genre.

    And I have had a Rebeccas Roanhorse on hold from the library FOREVER, someone must have stolen it! I was excited to check her out, I will have to see if I can get the audiobook instead!

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    Replies
    1. Storytime ScribeJanuary 26, 2021 at 7:01 PM

      Abigail,
      I think I will have to try biographies and essay collections out! That honestly sounds much more appealing to me. I didn't put this in my profile, but I have also recently discovered the "New Adult" genre, and I believe some of my top books from 2020, including Ninth House, technically fall into that category. Also, the Black Sun audiobook by Roanhorse has different perspectives with different narrators so it really brings you into the world. I've been thoroughly enjoying it!

      Delete
  2. JulianaJanuary 26, 2021 at 5:24 AM

    Hi Darla!

    I just started listening to audiobooks last year! I started a new job recently and I'm in the car two hours every day. Listening to audiobooks has been a great way to tackle some reading during my commute. I'm looking forward to reading your annotations this semester, especially if you'll be reading any murder mysteries or science fiction--two genres I'd like to explore.

    I'd like to read more nonfiction, too, but I haven't found too many I enjoy. I think memoirs are my favorite because they are autobiographical yet still tell interesting stories. I would recommend The Color of Water by James McBride, Educated by Tara Westover, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, or anything by David Sedaris, who writes mostly humor essays, but they still have autobiographical elements.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Storytime ScribeJanuary 26, 2021 at 7:05 PM

      Juliana,
      I think I will be doing a mystery annotation (murder is an essential factor into title choice), but I haven't quite made up my mind. I think I am agonizing over the choices far too much, but I really just need to make a decision. Also, Educated has been on the NYT bestsellers list for literally forever, so I might just have to give that one a chance! Thanks for the recommendation!

      Delete
  3. Jennifer MillerJanuary 26, 2021 at 3:51 PM

    Hi Darla,
    Wow, 150 books in 2020! Good for you! I didn't reach my goal in 2020 but it was a difficult year, and I'm still happy with my book total- 67!
    I've seen quite a few people list Ninth House on their top books of 2020. It's definitely on my 2021 TBR!

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    Replies
    1. Storytime ScribeJanuary 26, 2021 at 7:10 PM

      Jennifer,
      67 is fantastic and I am so happy for you!!! 2020 was literally hellfire and any accomplishments made during that time are an incredible feat. Ninth House was one of the first books I read in 2020 and it set me up nicely to discover the "New Adult" genre which I really started to explore. I highly recommend it and hope to hear your thoughts about it!

      Delete
  4. MeganJanuary 28, 2021 at 8:02 AM

    Hi Darla!

    I, too, have a *slight* addiction to reading. I have had Mexican Gothic on hold for sometime and am almost at my breaking point of just purchasing it. I also struggle with non-fiction. The few times that I have read non-fic is when reading true crime but that just got too depressing for me. Good luck with your reading goal, I also hope you reach 151!

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    Replies
    1. Storytime ScribeJanuary 31, 2021 at 5:39 PM

      Megan,
      I just started Mexican Gothic and so far it is so worth it. I don't want to be that person that pushes you over the edge but.... might be worth the purchase!

      Delete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2021 at 2:08 PM

    Hi Darla,

    I haven’t really listened to audiobooks, but I want to give them another try. I have tried listening in the car, but I found that I couldn’t really concentrate. It might be better, and I might be able to focus more, if I listen at home while doing the dishes or cleaning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Storytime ScribeJanuary 31, 2021 at 5:41 PM

      Kim,
      I do that all the time with those types of mindless tasks, definitely makes them more appealing to do!

      Delete
  6. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2021 at 9:46 AM

    Hello Darla,

    I love to listen audiobooks as well! Whenever I am in the car, working at the library, or cleaning around the house, I am listening to an audiobook. It took me awhile to get used to listening and some narrators can put me to sleep, but mostly I love it. You stated that non-fiction is probably your least favorite genre (mine as well), but I wonder if autobiographies and biographies fall into that "non-fiction" genre? That's actually how I got started in audiobooks -- if you would like to try, I suggest finding an audiobook autobiography where the author reads their own words. I went through the whole Parks and Recreation crew's available memoirs and biographies and it was a good time!

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    Replies
    1. Storytime ScribeFebruary 11, 2021 at 6:10 PM

      Leah,
      You are speaking to my soul! I love Parks and Rec! I will definitely need to check those out.

      Delete
  7. Erin CataldiFebruary 11, 2021 at 5:52 AM

    Great reading profile! I feel like I know you better already! Fantastic reading goal for the year! I too LOVED Ninth House and am a huge audiobook user. Thank you for sharing - full points!

    ReplyDelete

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