Crunching Numbers for 2025

You may have already seen my first post which summarizes the best books of 2025. But, if you're one of those folks who needs some more quantitative data, this is the post for you!

Totals

This year, I read or listened to a total of 138, an increase over last year of 34 books! Even though the increase in books was smaller this year (only 34 additional ones, as opposed to a jump of 41 in 2024), I am still floored by the number of books I worked through.

Already, I'm analyzing the language that I use. Books I worked through? Not books I enjoyed? I did enjoy many of the books I read, and so many audiobooks kept me company through the continuous round of household chores. I must admit, however, that finishing this many books a year does sometimes feel like something to accomplish than something to just sit and enjoy. There are so many books I want to read! And many I've neglected by failing to reread them already! It brings to the fore the question: why do I read? Is it to give honor and glory to God, to know Him better, to rejuvenate my spirit so I can better love the people in my life? Or is it simply a means to achieve a sense of accomplishment? A good question to ponder going into the next year.

In any case, the chart here shows that I read more books every month in 2025 than I did in 2024, with the exceptions of July (tie) and October. As ever, June and July are my highest-grossing months, but it also looks like February bagged a big number as well this year.

Again, I'm still trying to comprehend the number 138. I know I've continued to refine my audiobook-finding abilities (scrounging around Audible and my local library's e-library), but it helped to discover that I could also access my state's e-library, which I did for the first time in February. Maybe that explains the big numbers that month. Or, maybe it was the unusual number of snow days we had early in the year.

Due to the increase in books read or listened to, I did listen to more audiobooks than ever before, I believe. However, I read comparatively more ebooks, which slightly decreased the proportion of books I read physically or listened to. The numbers stay fairly consistent from year to year, but I'm glad to see that I read 2% more this year than I listened to. I think I remember wanting to read more physical books, and I'm glad to see that it happened, even if it was only by a hair.

Another Note About Audible

Last year, I explained how I got the most out of Audible. I have to give an update. This year, in December, I'd waited the seemingly typical month, and then tried to get another 3 months for $3 total, and discovered I was not eligible for that deal. I have not tried it since then, so I'm not sure if Audible has gotten wise to my schemes or not.

In any case, I'm actually not too upset about it. During this last year, I found myself listening to books that weren't on my to-read list. This in itself is not a problem, but I realized I was consuming more books that I didn't really enjoy. The one that comes to mind first is a mediocre work about world history from the perspective of sheepherding. I'd really hoped it would be better, but I slogged through the whole thing because I wanted to get my money's worth, which now seems silly, considering I was paying just a dollar a month. I have reflected this year upon my unhealthy attachment to entertaining myself, and realize that it's not the worst thing in the world to not be wasting time scrolling through Audible to hunt for free listens that aren't really worth my time.

At the same time, I have finally discovered that you actually can listen to many classic works of fiction for free, even without an Audible subscription of any type. I have three or four added to my library that either sounded interesting or have been waiting on my to-read list for ages. I might try to see if I can get a three-month deal again sometime soon, but I'm trying to take my time and work through the audiobooks I have checked out from other places first.

Other Facts to Consider

I started and put down a good many books this year - 34, to be exact. It's an increase of 10 books over last year's 24, and it means I completed only three out of every four books I started, but I'm glad that I discontinued them. Even with culling titles from my to-read list, there's still far too many to reasonably hope to read any time soon, and putting books down early allows me to cross off titles and give more time to works that I actually do enjoy.

Books carried over from 2025 to 2026: 3

Books I completed that were on my to-read list: 53 (that's 38% of the books I read or listened to this year!) An additional 7 books on the to-read list were started, but put down.

Books I completed that I already owned: 24 (not included on the to-read list, another 17%; this means that over half the books I read this year were not picked up on a whim)

Books I did a "deep dive" blog post on: 5 (an increase of 2 from 2024)

Summer reading challenges attempted: 4 (which is too many)

Books reread: 7

I am once again saddened to see my habit of rereading books is on a downward trend - a measly 5% of the books I read this year were rereads. I have a plan that will hopefully help me reread a few more books, although there's no guarantee that will happen.  I think that, when it comes to physical books, I'm going to curb my impulse check-out habits and make a rule that goes something like this: for every one physical book I check out from the library, I have to read three books that are on my shelves right now. Most of those books will be new to me, but there are several that I've been meaning to revisit. I am also embarking on a project of reading through the Chronicles of Narnia series with a group of relatives this year, so that will also hopefully help these rereading stats.

Genre Data

I have somewhat diversified the genres of books I read this year, which pleases me. It may not be by much, but philosophy has made a return to the graph, and poetry and plays have found a place here, as well.

Fiction has the biggest percentage of the pie, as usual, but it holds 1% less. I have the ridiculous number of summer reading challenges I attempted to thank for the increased diversity of genres, at least in part.

Spiritual Works

I didn't read any spiritual works about conversion or apologetics this year, but I left in the heading. There was definitely an increase in the number of books I read about Mary, witnesses to the faith (like lives of the saints), and Catholic living/marriage. There was a big decrease in the number of books I read about prayer, but several of those books about Catholic living are connected to prayer or include material for meditation (such as Introduction to the Devout Life).

Fiction

There were so many titles in this genre that I felt justified in breaking it down even more than I did last year. Newly designated genres for 2025 include mystery, science fiction, and breaking apart "historical" fiction from "realistic/modern" fiction.

I find religious fiction continues to be a niche category, but it's shown up for at least a third year. The only book in the "other" category was Queen of the Sea; it's a graphic novel, but also alternative history, so I really wasn't sure what to do with that one.

Putting realistic/modern fiction in a category separate from historical fiction meant that the very wide genre of fantasy had the highest percentage of fiction books that I read this year. I'm pretty tickled to have found some children's mystery books that I have enjoyed, and I look forward to possibly tracking down some more in the next year. Most of these fiction books, in fact, were written for middle-grade readers, but that does not detract from my enjoyment of them in the least. I also read just the tiniest bit more of the classics, but I don't necessarily feel like I have to keep trying to increase my reading of them each year.

Final Thoughts

It was a good year for reading and listening. I'm continually grateful to my husband, who encourages me to relax by reading, but also by writing. I've started the practice of journaling about my day on a nearly-daily basis, and I'm so appreciative of my man encouraging my creative efforts. I want to keep reading, but I also have a strong desire to work on a writing project - which is hard to do when I have so many reading goals. I'm excited to see what this next year brings, as far as reading and writing go. I wish you all a happy year of reading in 2026!