Last year, I jokingly told one of my friends about my reading ambitions: “I like to start off the year with a bunch of reading goals. Then I’ll spend the rest of the year avoiding those goals.”
While
not entirely true, sometimes it feels like that. Each year, I like to challenge
myself, but I also like my goals achievable. This year, I’m changing it up a
bit. Instead of a certain number of books types, I’m just doing book types. We
shall see how many of each I’ll read.
Goal Type: 700+ pages
One
year, I said I’d read a book 1,000 or more pages, and only made it to 700 pages.
Every year since then, I set my goal to 700 and I’ve made it past 1,000. I make
no sense.
On my list:
- The Priory of the Orange Tree (still) by Samantha Shannon
Goal Type: Published in 2023
New
releases! Aside from Brandon Sanderson’s secret projects, I’m not really sure
what’s coming out this year…
On my list:
- The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
- The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller
- Secret Project #1 by Brandon Sanderson
Goal Type: Recommended by a Friend
A lot of
times, I seek out the same types of stories, and sometimes they can get
tedious. I don’t want to get stuck in a reading rut. At the end of last year, I
asked some of my friends for their recommendations, and here are a couple I
got!
On my list:
- Emma by Jane Austen, recommended by Sarah
- A Coal Miner’s Bride by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, recommended by Karina
- Cats of the Louvre by Taiyo Matsumoto, recommended by Faith
Goal Type: Classics
I
enjoyed so many last year without even meaning to! Now that I’m not in school don’t
have to read them, reading classics is more enjoyable.
On my list:
- Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Goal: Historical Fiction
Especially middle grade novels. I want to discover more gems to share with my students. I’m sure there will be more than we can read in the classroom, but that’s all right. I’ve already amassed a big list. Here are a few:
- A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
- Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins
- Under the Broken Sky by Mariko Nagai
- Blue Birds by Caroline Starr Rose
- The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Goal Type: English Translations
Mostly
contemporary. I’ll put the classics in the above category. Also, I’m not
counting Manga here. If I happen across a good series, I’ll be sure to list it
in the notable mentions at the end of the year.
On my list:
- The Beast Warrior by Nahoko Uehashi
Goal Type: Poetry
Novels
in verse, poetry collections, you name it!
On my list:
- The Selected Poems of Tu Fu
- In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
Goal Type: Indie Published
Last
year, I happened upon a book convention and got to meet some indie authors.
It’s about time I read the books I bought!
On my list:
- Blade of Ash by C.F.E Black
- The Case of the Dragon-Bone Engine by Galadriel Coffeen
Goal Type: Books with Movie Adaptations
There’re
actually a couple movies I have yet to see because I haven’t read the book yet.
Not that I can remember many of them… I want to watch all the Studio Ghibli
movies, but I haven’t read A Wizard of Earthsea yet.
On my list:
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Goal Type: Alphabet Challenge with a Friend
I’ve seen this challenge on Likewise, one of the book apps I use for reading recommendations. I mentioned the challenge to my friend Faith, and we decided to read some together so we can talk about them! We probably won’t get through all 26 letters this year, but it will be a fun start. The following books may change depending on what we decide on together:
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
- Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett
- Forestborn by Elayne Audrey Becker
10 Total Book Types
Shall I
read them all? It remains to be seen…
Let’s
chat! What kind of books are on your list this year? Do you make reading goals?
Similar posts: 2022 Books in Review, 2022 Reading Resolutions, 7 More of my Go-To Authors
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