2021 Reading Challenge Review
Were you happy with the number of books?
Yes, we felt like this was very manageable around work and university reading. It was probably helped by lockdown at the beginning of the year. Also being more active on our blog, booktagram and booktok has made us feel much more committed to reading.
How did you get on with the continental challenge?
Whilst we both managed to read a book from each continent, it didn’t really have the effect we wanted it to. Despite reading books from a variety of cultures, we didn’t really do anything to learn about other customs which was what we were hoping the challenge would prompt.
How many rereads did you read?
C: I’ve been a little better this year and only reread nine books.
M: Somehow I have managed to read zero re-reads in 2021.
Would you do the mini-challenge prompts again?
In general, I think we would use the prompts again as they were a varied mix of difficulties. However, each year we like to choose a new set of 5 prompts to use.
Did you read outside your comfort zone?
For as long as we’ve been doing reading challenges we’ve been very much set in our ways, but this year we’ve definitely read a lot of things we wouldn’t normally pick up.
How many books in your favourite genre did you read?
C: I’ve read a lot less than last year, however, there are several books that are kind of cross-genres, as I’ve been exploring different age groups and genres.
M: The first half of my reading year was very heavy with books from my preferred genre. However, in the second half, I have definitely branched out more and read much more variety. Overall, roughly half the books I have read this year are within my favourite genre.
Did your reading habits change this year?
C: I’ve definitely had ups and downs this year, but I’ve found a time to read nearly every day and have definitely read more than just paperbacks. I’ve also started to use my local library a lot more which has given me much more motivation to finish books and read a wider range of books.
M: In 2021 I have definitely focused on reading a more varied amount of formats. I have loved getting more into audiobooks and have tried to make a dent in the extensive Kindle library I have.
