frankie

Hello people... Thought I would resurrect this thread as it's the New Year soon and I would imagine a few of us are thinking about their eating habits and exercise again, what with possibly having spent the holidays (over?)indulging... I lost around 10kg in 2014 and was going to lose more kgs in 2015 but never managed. It was a stressful year what with finishing studies and having to move twice and there being other stressful stuff. I'm hoping 2016 will be a better year for me. Wishing you all a healthy year!

It's an all too familiar feeling to many of us... Anyhow, in Finland we have this saying: Poke a stick in the eye of a person who keeps thinking about the past (regrets). Meaning, upwards and onwards! Here's hoping for a great reading year in 2016!

That's funny :lol:

Is anyone tempted so start today already?

Ah, okay. I wonder if it has to do with the movie being old...? Maybe we should watch it together at some point (As if we didn't have many things to watch together already... Which reminds me, I've STILL not started Dexter! I don't know what's wrong with me! I hope you've not gone too far ahead, although I think you've been working and so I don't think you've watched too many eps...? I'll have to take the DVD back 4.1. so I'll have to binge-watch it before then. Should be able to manage, though. ) Sonovab..., that's a fabulous idea!!! I mean, that's only like one of the most interesting piece of stats one could do with the ones I've kept. How come I didn't think of that?!? I'm totally going to do the calc now Thanks!!! I wonder what it is. Well it's in the 70s, your favorite decade with the 60s?

Apparently I'm not ready yet Thanks Jänet, and the very same to you! Yeah I've noticed that your reviews are shorter these days and I've been wondering about that. You saved me the trouble of asking you about it, thanks! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading other people's reviews and I love how accomplished they are, but at the moment I don't personally feel like putting any real effort in my reviews. This is what I noticed when writing this year's wrap-up post: all the reading years are very different from each other, and one year you'll do fine in this challenge/goal and another year you'll do worse, but there's another challenge/goal you'll do better in. It's fun to see what sucked and what totally unsucked each year Last year was about round numbers in challenges, this year was about staying on top of reviews, even if they were half-assed :lol: It's still a great victory!

I hope you have a great reading year in 2016, and that you enjoy keeping a reading log! I love how eclectic your TBR pile is I loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon, I hope you will enjoy it, too! And I'm soo jealous you've got a copy of The Sociopath Next Door Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it when you get to it!

I'll cheer you on, as we have the very same goal That reason alone is enough to keep one's Book Box Nah, seriously, you've been having a lot of fun with it and I look forward to hearing what the BB produces next This, very much THIS!! I know exactly what you mean and I know exactly how you feel. It seems rude, but in my defence, the people who send me books as presents know me so very well that they know exactly what type of books I like and want, and this might sound weird to some, but it's like with candy: I'm one of those people who likes to eat the not-so-great-ones first, in order to save the best for last. With books: for years now I've thought that I'd like to read the ones I own that I might like, yes, but not as much as to want to hold on to the copy. Books I've bought from secondhand bookshops or library removed books sales. This is also to make my bookshelves look nicer. This is all planned in order to have the most precious books for last, and these include the ones that I've been gifted with. And sure, by now I've realized that I'll keep on buying other books in the meantime and this way I will never get to the books I've been most looking forward to reading. It's sooo stoopid! So in one of my posts, I organized my TBR according to different genres I'd like to read throughout the year and one of the 'genres' or themes, I should say, were gift books. I know you highlighted yours. Great minds think alike These are all really great in their different ways! I really hope you enjoy them I won't say anything, I'm just doing a happy little dance! I just discovered this author this year, and I want to read all her books that I haven't yet read, WAF being one of them. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it when you get to it! There were quite a few other titles too on your TBR that are on my TBR or wishlist and so I'll be keeping a close eye on your book log! Edit: Forgot to say earlier that I love alcoves! I'm so jealous If it's not too much trouble, could you please post before-pics as well as after-pics?

I'm really glad I'm not the only one It's a bit frustrating though because it's the same conversation every time I go home and visit the library with my folks. I should perhaps write my reasons for borrowing many books simultaneously on a piece of paper, then laminate it, and then just give it to the next person who asks me about borrowing so many books This way I would save the time that would otherwise be spent in the conversation, for something else. Like looking for more books

It's the time of the year when I like to take a look at what I've been reading this year, and see what's been up book-wise. - 2014 was a great year in that I read 100 books, got to 1,000 read books on Goodreads, and got to 100 read books on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die -challenge. I still think about it with great fondness and exhilaration I also said at the end of 2014 that that year can't be beaten, and I was right 2015 has not been as wonderful a year statistics-wise, but what the heck, it's been fun anyways - As always, I challenged myself to try and read 100 books but didn't manage to do that in 2015. I read 75, which I still think is great because it's been a rollercoaster of a year for me. - I did manage to acquire fewer books than last year, and as you can see the number of acquired books has been in decline every year since the maddest of book buying years: 2008: 116 2009: 160 2010: 321 2011: 309 2012: 99 2013: 66 2014: 41 2015: 37 So I seem to have some self-constraint these days. What's more, I nowadays tend to rather acquire books that I've read and loved and know that I want to re-read again in the future, than random books that I could just as easily borrow from the library and read – for free. - However, I was still so wrapped up with all the glory of the libraries of the Helsinki Metropolitan area this year, reading more library books than TBR books, that I didn't make any sort of dent to the TBR pile I read only seven (7!) books off the TBR pile, the rest were library books I'm still going to borrow books from the library and read them but I need to curb my enthusiasm about it a bit. - As for reading challenges, I only read one book off the Rory Gilmore reading list, and even that one was by coincidence It was a Wally Lamb book. That was a mighty fine read, though. I didn't read any books off the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die -list, but I'm not bothered about that. Sometimes you feel like going for challenge reads, and sometimes you don't. - I did, however, read 32 books off my wishlist, and in that respect it was a very successful year. Not saying that it made a huge dent on the wishlist, though, because I manage to add so many books to my wishlist every year, every month, every week I blame you guys for that! - One thing I'm very happy about this year is that for once, I stayed on top of my reviews. I'm usually one to just carry on reading books and then realize that I have maybe 10-20 reviews to write, but this year something just clicked and I managed to scribble down my thoughts on the books I read pretty much as soon as I'd finished them. My thinking was, I'd rather focus on reading books and writing very short and basic thoughts on the books, than think that I should hold on till I could write something a bit more meatier and better. And it's been very liberating! I'm not a book critic by profession and therefore I can write as little as I like on the books. I dare say I used the word 'readable' and 'interesting' in probably at least half of my reviews but who cares I don't! I really want to continue in this line in 2016 and not get behind on writing the reviews. - I read 21 debuts this year and I hadn't really expected such a high number. To me, that's very INTERESTING No, honestly, in all seriousness, I do find it interesting. Reading a debut means one's reading a completely new, unfamiliar author's book and to me it says that one's taking risks. Edit: I counted the average rating for the 21 debuts I read and got 3,71, and then I counted the average rating for the non-debuts and got 3,5. Thanks Kylie for the question! - I can't remember what the ratio was last year, but this year it was in favor of female authors: I read 41 books by female authors and 'only' 34 by men. I remember discussing this with a few members on here a few years ago and I think all the others said that they tend to read more books by men than women. - I read 32 books in Finnish and 43 books in English. As I only read 6 books by Finnish authors, that means that I read quite a few English books in Finnish. I think this is mainly due to the fact that I read so many library books: had I been reading more books off my TBR, I would've read more books in their original language, as I prefer to read books in their original language (if it's English, that is) and therefore I prefer to acquire the books in English. No books read in Swedish, sigh! - According to Goodreads, the average rating for the books I read this year is 3,6. If I calculated correctly, I got 3,56 myself, and so I guess they just rounded it up. Last year my average rating was 3,74, and the year before that it was 3,66. I'm pretty sure my lower ratings this year were due to me borrowing more books from the library and going for random reads. If I'd stuck to my TBR and wishlist only, I think the rating average would be higher. My average rating on Goodreads for all the books I've read and recorded is 3,46, so this year was still slightly better than my 'average reading career' - As for the actual read books and the ratings. Last year I didn't give a single book 1/5, which was astounding. I wasn't as lucky this year. Ratings: 1/5: 2 2/5: 11 3/5: 22 4/5: 23 5/5: 17 Next I'll do the thing... What was it so cleverly called? Faming and shaming? Naming and shaming? Anyhow, I'll list the worst of the worst and the best of the best. The duds of the year are the following (1/5): - Chasing the Dead by Tim Weaver - His Other Life by Beth Thomas They can't have been toooo bad, though, because I don't remember anything about them, and so I can't even remember why they were so bad. I'm sure it would come to me if I went and read the reviews, but I don't want to. If they were the worst books I've ever read, I'd remember why they were so bad and I'd probably go on another rant about them Nonetheless, they weren't good! I won't name all the 2/5 books, just the ones that were more disappointing than the others: - Cemetery Girl by David Bell (I remember this book having something that happened which would never ever really happen in life and thus it was disappointing. So bad! I wonder why I gave it 2/5 instead if 1/5) - The Cardturner by Louis Sachar (a Louis Sachar book that I didn't like? That was quite shocking. Too much about bridge. Should possibly be advertised as bridge-fan-fiction.) - The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters (I've read Fingersmith by the same author and it was amazing, and so I had very high expectations for this one. And it didn't deliver! And it was boring at times. Oh dear.) - Mr. Monk and the New Lieutenant by Hy Conrad (I really enjoy the Monk books, and to read a not so good one was frustrating. And disappointing.) Moving onto the better reads! First the 4/5 highlights: - The Altogether Unexpected Disappearance of Atticus Craftsman by Mamen Sánchez (This was such a delight to read! I loved the characters and wished to read more about them. Everyone had something to tell. Adorable read!) - The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (I have to say I can't remember much about the plot without going back to read the review and/or the blurb, but I remember not being able to put the book down. It was a tricky time in my life, too, and I remember how awesome it felt that the book was keeping my mojo happy and I could just forget myself in the book.) - The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent (This was a great find! Am wondering why I didn't give it 5/5. A short book, but somehow a heavy weight, in a good way.) - The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell (Heavy reading, heavy subject. But very, very good.) And the best books of the year (5/5): She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary by Rae Earl My Madder Fatter Diary by Rae Earl A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar Holes by Louis Sachar The Man Who Watched Women by Michael Hjorth & Hans Rosenfeldt Disclaimer by Renee Knight Britt-Marie kävi täällä by Fredrik Backman The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn Left of the Bang by Claire Lowdon Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty My favourite read of the year? This is way too tricky this year... I had so many great reads but no book stands out all that clearly. I loved the 5/5 books that I read, but none of them blew my mind completely, in a way that is everlasting, like some 5/5 reads in the previous years. I guess I'll say She Came Undone by Wally Lamb or The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion. The new authors I discovered and whom I want to read more by are Wally Lamb, Louis Sachar, and Liane Moriarty. So that's a wrap for 2015! Bring on 2015!

I'm not usually a fan of pulpy, but I really like this one. I usually prefer puppy to pulpy I didn't know it was a book either, till I saw the book at the library! How do you figure it's an underrated movie? I think at least here, at least in my circle of friends and acquaintances, it was well liked and popular

I think I've come up with my sole reading challenge for the year: read more books off the TBR than you acquire! I don't think I've done this not once since I joined the forum. Yes, this will be the one thing that I'm going to try and succeed in.

Oh, I've now thought of titles. The last two Harry Potter books! And The Shadow of the Wind. That book had me in tears!

True that!

Ah, I now know what you mean. I didn't make the connection before because personally I like that color very much Thanks for teaching me the word 'teal', I never knew the term. I'm very bad at the names of different shades of different colors, even in Finnish.

Yep, it looks very pulp fictionish And hey, what do you know? They had copies available at the library yesterday Don't know how quickly I'll get into it what with maybe 15 library books on the shelf.... Yikes! I was reading the blurb again yesterday at the library, it made me think of Shining and Firestarter. Although I haven't read the latter. I hope you comment didn't make you feel bad about it, that was certainly not my intention! The main thing's to have fun with it, and not slave at it and feel miserable about it! Here's hoping! Oh, and re: Gilbert Grape the movie... The 'cougar' in that movie? Like I said before, it's been ages since I watched it, and it's also been a few years since I watched Dirty Dancing. But all these years, all the way until yesterday, I thought that the actor who played the 'cougar' in GG was the same who had all those dancing lessons with Patrick Swayze in DD. Oh hey, funny abbreviations, the same letter. Oh and those made me think of

Thanks Athena, and the very same to you! Let's hope for an amazing reading year!

Happy reading in 2016, Athena! I'm very much a mood reader, too When I visit my parents in my hometown and go to the library and borrow a handful of books, my Dad or Mom will always ask if I have to borrow so many ('Do you really think you can read and finish all those books in the few days you're staying?' 'No...' 'Then why do you borrow so many of them??' 'Well because I won't know what I'm in the mood for until I pick the books up one by one and start reading one and stick with it...' ). Do you have the same thing happen for you sometimes? Your book log is very, very organized! I love it that you've incorporated pictures of your bookcases. It'll be easy that way to come back and look at your bookcases after a few years and see all the possible changes

Oh, the Harry Potters are always a delight and will stand the trial of time. I think they are one (I mean seven) of those books that you can just read time and a time again, and will always love them And at least you are reading them as new editions for the first time

Glad you're doing better with The Last Bookaneer this time!

Ah yes! For some reason I always forget that Mitchell has also written THAoJdZ. I should give that one a go, thanks for reminding me

Happy reading in 2016, Laura! I went through your TBR pile, and was wondering: will you be reading the Harry Potter books for the very first time? If so, you're in for such a great treat!!

I don't think I'd even heard of Joyland before that. See, peacefield, this is exactly why you should never have stopped updating your previous reading log I went and amazoned the book. I know what you mean bobbly, about the cover, about it looking tacky, but quite oddly I love the look of it Sounds like a good read, and hey, if it comes with a recommendation, I'm going to add it to my wishlist! It would be mighty cool to read a whole new SK novel that's as good as the older ones... I hope you will like it, although I'm not sure if it's the kind of book you'd normally read. And yeah, we don't seem to be reading a lot of the same books, usually... Bring on Joyland Do you know, that's exactly what I'm hoping to get from the book. I bought it thinking it can't be totally amazing because I've never really heard anyone sing its praises or tell me they've read it, so the film must be superior, but at the same time, like you said, it might be a more detailed account of the Grape characters and lives. I read the first few pages when I was at the library, contemplating whether to buy the book or not, and it seemed interesting enough I think it's been a long long time since I've seen the movie, although I've seen it at least half a dozen of times. I'm pretty sure the last time I watched it, it was on a VHS cassette I'm hoping EoE isn't as depressing as TGoW TGoW was good, but boy did it bring me down! Edit: Bobbly, maybe you should make some DIY covers for your copy of Joyland

Me either! It's a difficult profession

Okay that's it, the reading log is now ready for 2016! I wish you all a merry reading year in 2016! Read-a-thon statistics in 2016: January - 197 pages Friday: ... 77 pages of A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig Saturday: 84 pages of A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig, thus finishing the novel ............... 36 pages of Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch February - 339 pages Friday: .....30 pages of How To Look for a Lost Dog by Ann M. Martin Saturday:. 52 pages of How To Look for a Lost Dog by Ann M. Martin (finishing the novel) ................181 pages of Christmas on Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand Sunday:.....76 pages of Christmas on Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand (finishing the novel) March - 22 pages Friday: .... 18 pages of I'm With the Band - Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela des Barres Saturday:... 4 pages of I'm With the Band - Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela des Barres April - 106 pages Friday: ......32 pages of The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine Saturday:.. 44 pages of The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine Sunday:.....30 pages of The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine June - 438 pages Thursday:. 83 pages of This Is Life by Dan Rhodes Friday: .......90 pages of This Is Life by Dan Rhodes (finishing the novel) ...................45 pages of A Mother's Reckoning - Living in the Aftermath of the Columbine Tragedy by Sue Klebold Saturday:... 86 pages of A Mother's Reckoning - Living in the Aftermath of the Columbine Tragedy by Sue Klebold Sunday:.....134 pages of A Mother's Reckoning - Living in the Aftermath of the Columbine Tragedy by Sue Klebold June - 350 pages Saturday: ..197 pages of The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty Sunday: ....143 pages of The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty (thus finishing the novel) ... 10 pages of The Vintage Springtime Club by Beatrice Meier August - 504 pages Thursday: . 166 pages of The Blackbird sings at Dusk by Linda Olsson Friday: .........60 pages of The Blackbird sings at Dusk by Linda Olsson Saturday: .....94 pages of The Blackbird sings at Dusk by Linda Olsson ...................124 pages of The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell Sunday: .......60 pages of The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell November - 347 pages Saturday:..... 279 pages of The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen (finishing the novel) .......................68 pages of Kellari by Maaria Päivinen Total: 2,303 pages