2016 Year in Review and 2017 New Year's Resolution

Another year has come and gone.

At the last count, I have reviewed a total of 52 books for the year to date. Sadly, it is a drop of 22 books, 1 book shy of hitting the same number as the year before.

Year 2016 @ 52 (-22 YOY)
Year 2015 @ 74 (-23 YOY)
Year 2014 @ 97


Dismal news aside, I am glad to announce that I have suffered only two "Did Not Finish" reviews this year. But then again, the number is kept at two simply because I cannot be bothered to spend time writing DNF reviews. Oops..

Try as I might, I have only managed to live up to Year 2016's resolution for three consecutively pathetic book posts by giving book ratings without furnishing the posts with book reviews. In truth, it feels kind of awkward to post purely a book rating without elaborating a little bit more. Ultimately, the reviewer in me finds it too challenging to do so and after 3 such posts, I revert to my old ways of penning down my thoughts even if it is just a line or two. I guess once a book critic, always a book critic.

Year 2016 @ 52 works out to be an average of 4.33 books per month. Though significantly lesser than the year before, it is a remarkable accomplishment for me considering the fact that I have spent almost the entire year planning, designing and overseeing a major home renovation project. Though the renovation works commenced on 1 August 2016, planning and designing actually started months prior and took up bulk of my personal time outside office work hours.

No renovation is all smooth sailing, the same goes for mine. Taking into account the remedial works - for my two bathrooms' vanity units & sink cabinets - after I have shifted in on 2 Dec 2016, the first half of December is gone by the time I settle down with a peace of mind. Good news is, with the troubling but necessary rectification works finally completed on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2016, all of us can enjoy the better/later part of December, the festive season, with good cheer and joy. This home renovation project is but an event to indulge in reminiscences only.

Keeping things simple this time, my 2017 New Year's resolution is to continue with writing book reviews and keeping them short and sweet. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Right?

Finally, to all booklovers out there, may the Year 2017 bring along good books, better reads and best of all, discoveries of all things bookish.

Happy New Year
&
Happy Reading


♡♡A dream come true♡♡

...And now, let me share the drawings of my new country home furniture here. While the concept and design are mostly mine, without Mr Lee - a carpenter who not only doubles up as an advisor but readily takes on my countless requests for changes, major or minor - and his meticulous drawings which serve as blueprints for actual production, my country cottage of a dream home will not have materialised.