2022 was the year of being perpetually behind! 🙈
It was a busy year, as they always seem to be nowadays. But it felt like my blog was one of the areas in my life that I was the least on top of. I am very grateful for those who come to visit and have been patient with me. I’m still here. I still read all your comments, and most of all…I love your participation. It is what keeps me going. 💗
I’m not typically one to make resolutions – but I think I will make one for finding more/different times for blogging. Can’t do it in the morning – since that is when I read. 📖 And it is getting harder to blog at night since sometimes I feel drained from work my brain is too slow. lol. And weekends are becoming less available because I’m busy with fun and travels.
So I think I need to carve out some other potential times…somewhere. 🗓
Fingers crossed I can make it happen! 🤞🏼
Let’s take a look at this year’s numbers for 2022 on Austenesque Reviews and see how they compare with last year’s. 📊
~ Posts ~
- Total # of Blog Posts for 2022 – 173 (13 less than last year!) 🫢
- Total # of Reviews Posted in 2022 – 65 (2 less than last year. Not bad) 🙌🏼
- Total # of Different Authors Read in 2022 – 58 (9 for the first time! Hello new authors!) 😮
- Total # of Author Features in 2022 – 57 (7 less than last year) 👋🏼
- Interviews – 6
- Guest Posts – 14
- Excerpts – 14
- Cover Reveals – 23
✅ I like the balance between Guest Posts and Excerpts.
🆕 Not too many new authors read this year – been busy keeping up with my favorites!
🤔 I’ve noticed I have fewer Author visits these last 4 months, I wonder if that trend will continue.
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~ Reading ~
I’ve kept this same balance for a few years now and I think it works really well for me.
I’m hoping to read more moderns in 2023 – I’ve really been enjoying them.
This is becoming more and more unbalanced! I need to pay more attention to Jane Austen’s other novels! 46 works inspired by Pride and Prejudice and just 5 inspired by other Jane Austen novels. Last year is was 8.
I like that more than 25% of what I read were releases published more than 2 years ago. That feels like a good balance.
For the second year in a row my average rating went down and the amount of books I gave 5 and 4.5 stars decreased. I feel like the more I read, the higher my standards become. Does anyone else notice that about themselves?
I was really loving my non-Austenesque works this year – my rating for them went up. My rating and variations is a smidge lower.
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Congratulations on another successful year! Thank you for sharing your reviews and stats with us. Fantastic job! I’m looking forward to your content in 2023.
Thank you, Cassandra! It didn’t always feel like a successful year – but hopefully I can find a little better balance in 2023! Thank you for following a long and contributing to the conversations here!
You have had a busy year.
I feel like my reading was a bit more diverse than previously and of late I think I have become a bit more demanding about the stories I read.
Hi Meredith!
Congrats on your reviews and stats in spite of saying you’re behind your goals. I’m always behind my goals LOL and if you find the key to get some extra free time for reading and blogging…please, tell me! I need to know the secret 😉
This year 2022 I think I’ve read more books in english than always and, sometimes, I find myself thinking in english and I fear I can forget the spanish language LOL
Your blog provides me not only wonderful reading choices but a delightful way of improving my english. Who knows, perhaps one day I could make a living translating austenesque novels to spanish LOL
I’m looking forward to hearing your new readings for this 2023.
A big hug, my friend!
Hi Teresa! I’m glad to know I’m not alone! Haha! I think I might juts simply need to manage my time a little better.
That’s really so impressive to me that you can read and think in a second language so well.
I’m honored you choose to visit my blog in you limited free time and that it provides you some extra benefits! Btw – I love that job for you! What fantastic service for the Austenesque community!
Espero que un año con mucho feliz, tiempo, y libros buenos para ti!
Thanks so much for sharing, Elodie! Good for you for having somme diversity in your reads and raising your standards!
Happy New Year, Meredith! I hear you about 2022 being the year behind. It was an extremely busy but exciting year for me. I didn’t get to read as much as I would like either. And yes, I find my standards have gone up. My non-austenesque reads have gone up as well. I definitely appreciate all that you do for us and always look forward to your posts.
Happy New Year, Carole! I’m really happy to hear your year was an exciting one!
Thanks for sharing about the changes you noticed in your own reads this year!
Meredith – I always look forward to your charts. I am also looking for more modern adaptations of JAFF. I feel that I have read so many variations that I am more selective with what I read. I have been branching out into other types of literature. Love your blog!
Thank you so much, Eva! I feel exactly the same way. With so many years of reading stories about the same characters that may or may not share similar themes, obstacles, and developments, it feels inevitable that the bar is being raised.
Thanks so much for sharing your own reflections and your sweet words!
As always, I love your blog and I really look forward to your-end-of-year lists and stats. I agree with you regarding becoming more critical about the stories I am reading. My 5 and 4 * readings have increased though and that I believe is because I have been much choosier about what I pick up. This will sound harsh perhaps but I’ll run out of time before I get to read all the books in my TBR, but I want to read what our favorite authors are releasing as soon as possible too. So, I’m not even picking up books that don’t even have at least a 4* rating. That is unless I’ve read a very convincing review somewhere.
I am looking forward to what you bring us in 2023, all the various things you offer us. I’m not sure but I think I may have noticed fewer book blog tours this past year. That may or may not account for the lower number of author visits. I hope that is NOT a trend because I really enjoy that feature. You must do what’s right for you, Meredith. If less is more for you then we will savor what you do bring us. God Bless your New Year with everything good.
Thank you, sweet friend! That’s great that your more selective reading led to more 5 and 4 star ratings! And your reasoning for doing so makes perfect sense. It is nearly impossible to read all the books published – so might as well start at the top!
I agree about blog tours – I enjoy taking part in them and hope they still continue. But I do understand if authors or blog tour coordinators find they do just as well without them.
You are so gracious with me, thank you! I don’t want to do less. I hope to be more present and on top of things though!
Hi Meredith. You’re doing extremely well and I’m sure we all appreciate the site. I for one will be approaching you when I’ve finally given up on my prospects of traditional publishing and have to self-pub my new P&P prequel. At the moment while I wait for the responses from agents/publishers, I’ve got a few people reading the book, so I can get a few comments to go on my paperback back cover. The Austenesque site is absolutely wonderful, very professional and I’m so glad I found it. Your IT skills are superb. Happy New Year.
Thank you so much! I’m very honored by your kind words! I wish you all the best with your publishing endeavors – that is something to look forward to! I love prequels!
I’m still in awe of all you achieve each year. I’m still obsessed with Darcy and Elizabeth stories but am more choosy in which I read. I also do spend much time in rereading my collection. I have so many that I really love.
I look forward to reading your posts in 2023.
You are such a dear, Glynis! Thanks for sharing your own reading trends. I love the idea of rereading favorite stories – I would definitely do that more if I had the time available!
I am so proud of you in reading and sharing your Austenesque reads. To be honest, I totally understand going more into non-Austenesque writings: last year, most of what I read were either non-Austen classic novels or other fiction based on other periods like classical Greece and the French Revolution. My fear at this time is that I have lost my taste for Austen and the Austenesque and instead will be pursuing stories either by French writers or about France. (I go through phases every few years, and I just do not have one that is lifelong.) Best of luck to you this year!
Thank you, Jen! That is so lovely of you to say! I love that you found new areas you are passionate about! They sound like interesting time periods! Having a lot of interests or phases of interests is a good problem to have!
Wishing you a wonderful 2023!
Like you, my standards have changed. I choose to read only those stories with the best reviews as I have not the time to read everything. That is where your reviews come in handy. I can always count on you to steer me to the best tales. So proud that you still blogging about the JAFF stories I love most, though I have tried some of the non-JAFF authors you have recommended and found them excellent. I cannot wait to see what 2023 brings.
That makes a lot of sense, Brenda. And I’m so glad my reviews are helpful to you! And that I persuaded you to try some non-JAFF stories! That’s fantastic!
Wishing you all the best in 2023!
I, too, have certain friend whose reviews I look at and I also look at the overall ratings’ average when I consider a new book. Most of my reads are P&P and some are modern variations. Happy New Year. Thank you for all your hard work putting together these lists and statistics.
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your reading reflections! I hope you enjoy a wonderful 2023!
Love this wrap up and all the visuals! Thanks for all you do to help us share and find great books.
Thank you! I love looking at charts and will find any excuse to make them!