2023 Reading Stats Journal Pages

[Trillian (is trying to use up her stash)]

Last year was my year for reading and I had such a fun time I was determined to do it again.

I made my 100 book reading goal by the skin of my teeth, but I’ll admit it took me nearly a full month to compile all of my stats and get my pages finalized.

I was trying a more muted color palette, and apparently if I can’t use obnoxious plum and yellow and green combos my enthusiasm wanes. Note for next year: do not try to fool yourself into thinking you can be tasteful and sophisticated. Embrace the clown colors!

It’s not entirely 100% but I’m ready to stick a fork in it, so here’s the “finished” pages:

Top: A cover page that will never get the date stamped on it.
Bottom: My shelfie. I wait until the end of the year to draw so I know the number of books I’ll need

Top: Trackers! I worked on these all year long.
Bottom: Alphabet Challenge & Buzzword Reading Challenge

Both: Beat the Backlist Challenge

Top: The Master List of all the books I read
Bottom: Finishing the list, plus a Book Bracket. The general principle is that you choose the best book from each month and pit them against each other to choose your favorite of the year. As you can see I kind of failed to get just one.

Top: All the Statistics
Bottom: Sources (library, owned, etc.)

Top & Bottom: Book covers grouped by rating. I was perhaps overly generous with the 4-star ratings, but that’s kind of my default.

Top: My best book/series for the year, plus sewing stats
Bottom: Movies! The rule for choosing the top 4 was that I had to see it for the first time in 2023, not necessarily a 2023 release (hence It Happened One Night making the cut).

These pages are just a continuation of the same journal I used last year and there’s plenty more room for the coming year(s) as well. It’s just a Michaels Artist Loft dot grid notebook with 120 gsm paper but I really like it. The markers are tombows from the Cottage variety pack, and most of the stickers are from past Stickii Club packs with a few stash items thrown in.

[wittychild (Jen 🇨🇦)]

As a fellow bibliophile, I’m drooling over this. I love the bits of Russian at the edges… where did you source that?

[TheMistressT (Tara - she/her)]

This is just so dang cool! I love these kinds of data “displays” even though I don’t think I could even keep track of them myself. I would pour over this if I came upon it somewhere where it wasn’t snooping!

[Trillian (is trying to use up her stash)]

Thanks! The russian is from a book a coworker was discarding. No idea what it’s about - hopefully nothing too strange.

[gozer (Becca)]

Amazing. I love to (compulsively) chart and make lists and this makes my heart happy.

[Trillian (is trying to use up her stash)]

@TheMistressT I mean, I did post it publicly so feel free to snoop. I have no dignity left to loose.

@gozer Thanks! My goal for this year is to keep better track of my tallies as I go so it isn’t quite so overwhelming at the end of the year. I had everything in a spreadsheet but transcribing it all onto paper took more brainpower than I care to admit.

[Immaculata]

Wow, you must really love making lists! The pages are gorgeous and your handwriting is so neat. You must have spent so many ours on this.

[megwell (Megan (she/her))]

This is awesome. I’d enjoy having one of these, but I probably wouldn’t enjoy doing one of these, so I admire your follow-through.

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

Wow, this is epic "book"keeping. See what I did there?

[Abbeeroad (Abbie - she/her)]

Love, love, love!! Your “shelfie” especially is just the coolest. I love all your stats. I also tend to be a little generous in my 4-star ratings.

Also adding The Library Book to my to-read list! Thanks for sharing.

[Trillian (is trying to use up her stash)]

@Immaculata I do love a good list! Some people get motivated crossing things off but I’m a fan of watching lists grow. And sorting, lots of sorting.

@megwell Thanks! Mostly I just track in a copy of the CAWPILE spreadsheet plus a few notes & lists in my planner. These pages are kind of a way of closing out the last year.

@Lynx Love it! That’s what I’m going to call my stats in my head from now on.

@Abbeeroad Thanks! As someone who can’t draw but isn’t bad at drafting the shelfie is so satisfying to make. And definitely read The Library Book! It’s a great mix of crime writing, history of the LA public library, and a loving deep dive into the role public libraries play in their communities. A fellow librarian recommended it to me at a statewide meeting in the summer and she wasn’t wrong.

[thanate (Ann needs more tea)]

@Trillian

The general principle is that you choose the best book from each month and pit them against each other to choose your favorite of the year. As you can see I kind of failed to get just one.

Most years having to narrow down to one favorite is kind of a bad sign-- if you don’t really like a bunch of these books, why are you bothering to read them all?

The amount of statistical analysis you’ve put in here is fascinating, & it looks lovely all drawn out like that.

[endymion (Pam 🇺🇸 (she/her))]

Such a cool way to track your reading (and sewing, and movies…) Very inspiring! Some lovely page layouts.

[Trillian (is trying to use up her stash)]

@thanate - The book bracket was definitely caving to peer pressure, since I saw it in so many people’s reading journal set-ups. Mostly I’d just go by the 5 and 4.5 star ratings to get the best of the year, although I’m tempted to try a priority matrix next year.

@endymion - Thank you! Any excuse to play with washi tape, stickers, and rulers.

[TheMistressT (Tara - she/her)]

Well, lookie here! Your cool craft is one of this week’s Featured Projects! Congratulations!

[Tee]

I’m so jealous. As a youngin’ I loved loved reading that let my imagination run wild. I lived in my own book created worlds.
Now, I’m NOT a youngin’ and I can’t stay awake past page 2-3. I was addicted to audio tapes for many years. I just can’t afford them anymore. (my husband is glad cuz I drift toward murder stories, lol)

[Trillian (is trying to use up her stash)]

Ask your local library if they have an app like Libby or Hoopla. I got almost all of my audiobooks from the library last year and it seems like most have a good selection in the mystery genre.

[Edel]

This is just fab, it’s a work of art

[Tee]

Great idea. We were in a sub-city for 26 years. I listened to all the audio tapes of interest they had. I had forgotten about Libby. (smacks own forehead, ouch) I’m in a larger city now. I’ll have to get hubs to take me to their library to get a card. I would love to get back to Sue Grafton’s Alpha crimes. That character just cracks me up. Also, Patricia Cornwell and all her gori-ness. Can hardly wait. THANKS AGAIN, whoo-hoo.

[LindyBlues (Mariana [she/hers] 🇨🇦)]

Wow; those are some impressive and beautiful pages you’ve created! Truly inspiring journal.

It’s hard to pick a favourite page, but I do love the one of all the books with their titles on the spine, and I think the colours look great