2017 Reading Goals

 

These are twelve reading goals I really want to accomplish this year. The overall theme of this year is for me to try my absolute hardest not to get so caught up in how many books I have completed so I don't get caught up in a reading slump and lose interest in reading for months at a time (which happened in 2016 twice). I am hoping to feel satisfied at the end of the year with most of the books I have stacked waiting for me already read and it will feel a bit like spring cleaning.

1. Read as many of the books on my kindle as I possibly can.

I have been downloading so many books on my kindle over the years. I get a few "kindle deal" emails a day and if there's a book I've been interested in or have wanted for a while I'll download it. And then forget about it. So I am focused to get as many of those books read as I possibly can. I am actually really excited about this because I have so many books waiting for me on my kindle.

2. Participate in more TBR Take-downs and Read-a-tons. 

However, I need to limit myself to how many I participate in because sometimes read-a-tons make me feel burned out and I get stuck in reading slumps afterwards. My plan is to participate in a handful that are a bit spread out, and I need to not take the challenges so seriously. I have a habit of pulling a Hermione Granger and overachieve when I should focus on making it a fun experience. I do love the excitement and sense of community read-a-tons provide. Plus it gets books read so much faster and gives you an excuse to read those small books you've been putting off because you feel obligated to read the ginormous monster books calling to you from your shelves.

3. Don't put off books I'm excited to read.

I have a habit of getting books and then making myself wait to read it until I'm done with other books. But now I need to focus on just reading whatever I want to when I want to. I am hoping 2017 is the year without a reading slump. I feel like the last three years I've been put in a month long slump each year and it is such a bummer. I think it's really easy to get caught up in the numbers of how many books you've read, the books being read by Book-Tubers you admire, and how many challenges in your yearly goal you have to finish that it feels more like an obligation than a hobby of bettering yourself as a reader. I want to get back to reading solely to learn and fall into good stories.

4. Read at least 80 books.

Normally my yearly Goodreads challenge is 100 books but I'm bumping it down to 80 because a lot of the books I have been putting off are so huge that I've been too intimidated to read. This takes a little of the pressure off. Like I said early, I am focusing less on the number of books I've read and focusing on reading more quality books. The amount of books I read does matter to me but I am not making it a sole priority. 

5. Write longer more detailed reviews.

I enjoy writing book reviews but sometimes I tend to just do a paragraph and call it good. This year I want to have a structured review set up that I do each review. I want to be able to look back on my reviews and remember exactly what I liked or disliked.

6. Keep up on Books Amino more.

I really enjoy the sense of bookish community this app has provided. I posted a lot when I first signed up but then stopped for so long that I kind of just fell out of it. I'm hoping to maybe post at least once a week. I enjoy talking about books, why not do it with more people?

7. Start a book blog & keep up with it.

Well, obviously I have accomplished the first half of this, but now I need to focus on keeping up with the blog. I plan on posting all my book reviews, doing book tags, and posting other bookish related blog posts. Thanks to my awesome best friend Erica over at Erica Robyn Reads I am slowly learning how to figure all this stuff out. I am so excited to have a documented little space of my reading adventures. 

 

8. Read more diverse books.

Whether it be about people of color characters, LGBTQ+ characters, books with and about different cultures, etc. I want to read more stories that showcase marginalized people. I want to be a better ally and advocate for people who need a voice. Plus I just want to know more about other cultures. That's one of the greatest things about reading. You get to be someone else for a moment. I also plan on participating in #OwnVoices which is hashtag that blew up on twitter about reading more books about marginalized people that are written by marginalized people. I want to not only read about marginalized stories but I also want to support those authors.

9. Read books that teach me something new.

I want to read a handful of non-fiction books or just books about specific topics. I want to not only read for escape but also read to be more knowledgeable. If I can learn just one new thing and put it to my everyday life I'll be happy.

10. Re-read without feeling any guilt.

This is a hard one. I love re-reading books. Especially my favorites. But it's hard to allow myself to re-read when I have a stack of unread books calling my name. This goes back to #3. I don't want to put off books I'm feeling in the moment. If I want to read it, I should just read it. I shouldn't feel guilty for reading whatever I want to.

11. Keep a reading journal & stick with it.

I have a pretty journal I was going to use for NaNoWriMo (which was a huge fail this year) that is basically unused. I am excited to start filling it up with all bookish things. Reviews, quotes, ideas for posts on here and on Books Amino, etc. I'd like to be able to flip through the book and have a whole journal dedicated to my reading in 2017. I love the visual look of a journal but I rarely can keep up with one if I don't have a focus, so I am excited for this to be my focus. It will be nice to have a personal reading journal and a public reading blog online.

12. I want to try to read at least 5 books that are not in my comfort zone.

Whether it be non-fiction, Sci-Fi, historical fiction, etc. I want to branch out more. I am hoping since I downloaded some kindle books that are books I wouldn't normally buy (I can't resist it when they're free or cheap) that alone will help me branch out.

Thank you for reading! 

Do you have any reading goals for this year? Or even non-reading goals? What are you focusing on in the new year? Whatever they may be I wish you luck!