StoryGraph has become my latest bookish addiction if you haven’t noticed. I didn’t join it until MUCH later in the year, but I can’t get over how amazing this application is! Mind you, I’m hoping the search engines are updated to be more user friendly, finding friends becomes easier, and a way to write messages to people comes out eventually. However, I can’t handle how amazing the graphics are for your reading stats! I’ve always wanted to post fun graphs and such for yearly overviews … but I’m WAY too lazy. StoryGraph, however, does it for me!
I found inspiration to do this post from Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books own post on her 2020 reading stats! Make sure you visit her post and website as well!
Oh! If you HAVE StoryGraph, please add me AND let me know your username in the comments below so I can add you! My username is bookmarkyourthoughts (one word, I believe).
The moods graph’s definitely interesting, and I’m not at all surprised by the outcome of this chart. With 2020 being a rather TENSE year, I leaned more towards lighthearted novels. Emotional novels are my kryptonite … I can’t help it! I love a good character growth story, especially with characters overcoming a hardship of some sort. I felt like I read more hopeful books than what’s depicted in the chart, but that could be how others rated booked I read.
Like Kristin, I’m not shocked about the pacing. I find medium pace novels allow for more time to get to know the characters and the story more. Slow pace CAN be good, but I find most of the time I tend to lose interested. Whereas with fast pace, I find there’s TYPICALLY not enough time to get to know the story and characters.
Now, page numbers are something I’m actually shocked by. I honestly thought my highest would be <300 pages; I used to think the larger the book the better, but I find that MOST books that hit over the 500+ pages are just too daunting or overloaded for me. So I’m pleasantly surprised that most of my book at least fell in the 300 to 499 pages bracket! I have a few for 2021 that are close to the 500 mark, so I’m excited to compare my pages section between 2020 and 2021!
This is SLIGHTLY off since one book I read isn’t being categorized as nonfiction for some reason. But overall, I’m not shocked. The only nonfiction I tend to read is poetry. That’s why I’m participating in Zuky the BookBums reading challenge this year: 12 Months, 12 Nonfictions! There’s nothing wrong with not reading nonfiction, but I really want to expose myself to it more. I have a large number of nonfiction books I’ve been meaning to get to but put aside. So if I read one a month, that’s a pretty good outcome by the end of the year!
Another section that I’m NOT shocked by WHATSOEVER! When I first joined this community, I MAINLY read fantasy books, so it’s so strange to see romance as my highest read genre. But I’ve been loving it! I adore the stories and mushiness so much! I’m also not shocked about contemporary since that’s another go-to genre for me. I’d like to read more fantasy and LGBTQIA+ books for 2021, which I’ve already got my eyes on a few!
I have to say, I don’t like how young adult and childrens are mentioned here since they aren’t genres — they’re categories of fiction! As a librarian, it kind of ticks me off seeing that. I’d rather have a section that sections off age groups readers tend to read more of *vent over*.
Now … I’m super excited to play around with the rating system in StoryGraph this year! I actually had no idea (until reading Kristin’s post) that StoryGraph not only has HALF ratings … IT HAS QUARTER RATINGS! I’ve been NEEDING THIS IN MY LIFE! There are so many instances where I rate books the same, but I feel more strongly towards one than another. Half ratings are a need in my rating life! And since Goodreads won’t give it to me, I’m excited to try it out with StoryGraph this year!
Discussion time!
Well, there you have it, folks! I’m already loving this application so much! As mentioned before, there are some tweaks that need to be fixed (in my personal opinion), but I think Goodreads might have some competition!
The Story Graph is amazing!! (You’re right about suggesting they should improve some community-related features.) I followed you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awe thank you!!! Is your name the same as your blog name? That way I can follow you too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it is! Honestly, it’d be amazing if The StoryGraph became the reference for the bookish community.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Following you back!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Storygrapch sounds amazing. I might have to try it out for myself.
Loved the post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!! It’s an amazing app. I think it’s going to grow even more this year
LikeLike
I always love seeing reading stats! Great post!
(www.evelynreads.com)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!!! This app makes it SO MUCH EASIER!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Might have to look into storygraph now… great post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!! I hope you end up enjoying it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post, Jenna! 😊 I am SO with you about the young adult and children fiction “genre”. When I saw it in my reading stats I was like, but that’s not a genre. Maybe they’ll take it out in the future. I’m still getting used to the StoryGraph – I did add you, or follow you! I thought there would be more of a notification for friends, but there isn’t.
Happy reading in 2021! 📚❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I’ve followed you as well!! And yea, I hope they update some of those features soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These graphs are so cool! Thank you for sharing, it looks like you had a great reading year 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this. Signed up for TheStoryGraph and my username is lanibearprincess
Thanks for introducing us to this Goodreads alternative.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome!! Adding you now!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
The graphs look so interesting! I particularly loved the mood one. I had no idea it allowed half stars, but now that you’ve mentioned it I’ve finally been convinced to sign up to Storygraph. Will be adding you there asap!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome!!! I’m so glad you’re joining! Let me know your username so I can add you too 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same one, kozy words 😅 i have no creativity to think up a new one
LikeLiked by 1 person
i gave that platform a chance but I just don’t have any time right now to use both that one and Goodreads!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Totally get that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This looks interesting. Can i get this on wordpress?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think so. It’s its own separate app ! 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not gonna lie I’ve never heard of story graph until now and I can see it being such an addictive tool.
I get so annoyed every time I see young adult and children categorised as genres. I tried explaining this to my colleagues cause they’re categorises used as marketing tools to engage with that demographic not a genre. I could rant about this forever!!
I love how story graph looks at the mood reading too. I think that’s awesome. I’ll have to look into this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s really cool! If you get it let me know so I can add you! And ugh … yes. It drives me nutty. I did it for a bit when I first started here because everyone else did that … but then the librarian in me got flustered and change my way of cataloguing things haha! I hope they change it eventually.
LikeLike
I love this post Jenna!! I absolutely agree with you on pace, medium is always preferable for me 😅 and according to Storygraph, I also tend to read books with a page count of between 300-499!! I’ll have to check out your 12 Months, 12 Nonfictions post after this, I want to push myself to read more nonfiction and poetry this year too 😀 (Also I’m new to your blog but I’m already loving the aesthetic and happy mood here 😊) I hope the reading is going well for you!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s amazing! I hope you enjoy the challenge! I really love poetry but i want to expand my nonfiction reading ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this post! I actually read that the creator of Storygraph didn’t want it to become another social media site where we track followers etc, she wanted it to solely be all about the books, that’s why you can’t message or see your followers! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhhhhhh! Makes sense. Kind of wish there was a messaging system. I don’t get why they added that function then if they didn’t want it to go that route 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel ya, but I think it’s more to find new books from like minded readers? Idk 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true too. Didn’t think of it that way 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved the mood stats on The Storygraph, I think it’s so fun to see how people’s reading tastes line up with the mood categories
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’re definitely one of my favourite elements!
LikeLike