I haven’t participated in the weekly book chat since SEPTEMBER and I miss it. If you’d like to join, the link up is on Jessica’s blog Sweet Green Tangerine!
Today’s question: What are your reading resolutions for 2013?
I touched on these yesterday in my New Year’s goals post, but I figured this would be a great day to talk about them a little bit more and maybe even expand on them… I mean, what is this blog if not a space for more goals?!
1. Read 50 books
This is less than a book each week, which I think is very reasonable considering my reading speed, and the fact that I love reading every day. When I actually DO read every day, I can read 1-2 books a week (including my day-to-day living) so I think this is pretty reasonable. I’ve somehow never hit 50 books in a year, life always seems to get in the way, but I’m going to give it a shot again in 2013!
2. Read 5 non-fiction books
I don’t think this is very much at all considering I’m including all biographies, well-being, business and/or lifestyle books, which I’ve really gotten into reading in the last couple years anyway. I love reading biographies, and I have a couple other books in mind for this particular challenge so I don’t think it’ll be too difficult at all. That being said, I like having this goal written down anyway as a REMINDER to always branch out in my reading and never get too comfortable in one particular style. I think that’s very important!
3. Re-read 2 all-time favorites
As a self-proclaimed book lover, I have a LOT of all-time favorite books, but I rarely take the time to re-read them because I always like reading NEW books (there are just so many!). One of my goals on my Life List is to re-read 10 all time favorites, which I don’t think is very difficult at all. Choosing 10 all-time favorites? That’s a goal in itself. In 2012, I re-read all 7 Harry Potter novels for the first time since I was a teenager, and I had the BEST time doing it, but I didn’t include those in my Life List goal because I wrote it afterwards, realizing how much I enjoyed re-reading. This year, I want to choose two from my bookshelf to re-visit.
4. Write 10 books reviews, including 2 outside sources
In 2012, I said in one of my resolutions that I wanted to ‘blog more about books’ which I did really well at (I’m looking at you, Book Chat!) This year, I wanted to make my goal more concrete in terms of writing & books, and I think 10 books reviews is extremely do-able. There’s nothing I love more than sharing book recommendations, and I want to remember to do it at least 10 times on this blog. As for the 2 outside sources, I’ve been a part of NetGalley for almost 2 years now and have yet to write a single review for them. I read a book I received from them this summer that I ADORED, so I’d like to start getting back into that website a little bit. I want this blog to always have something book-related going on, and I thought these reviews were a good starting point.
5. Read every day, if only for 15 minutes
At the end of last year, my reading really tapered off… I hated it, but I just got so involved in other parts of my life that I was always too tired to pick up a book. I was also losing my sanity. This goal is a reminder to always make time for one of the things I love most in this world. Even when I have a lot of homework, or a lot of other stuff going on in my life; 15 minutes a day is NOT a lot, and it’ll be a little break from all the work and stress of life!
Alright, I think I’m done talking about goals around here for a little while! What are some of your reading resolutions for the year? Any books recommendations for my 50 reads, particularly non-fiction that I should be checking out?
I LOVE that The Book Chat has helped you blog more about books because that was exactly what I intended. I love all of your goals. I enjoy your reviews and recommendations so I’m glad that you plan on doing more of that. And don’t beat yourself up for taking a break sometimes. I think we all have that period of time when we have trouble picking up a book. As long as it goes away, it’s okay to take a break.
I want to re-read my favorites too. I don’t do it because I assume that it would be boring, but I definitely plan on reading Catching Fire this year before the movie comes out because I don’t remember ANY of it. lol
Glad to have you back!!! Thanks for linking up.
It really has, and I love the book chat even more for it
I’m glad you enjoy reading all of the book stuff, because I love writing it (and reading yours too, as you know!)
I re-read Catching Fire a couple years ago and loved it even more the second time around. It was like a whole new story because I just didn’t remember ANY of it either!
I have a resolution to read 100 books this year… and I’d also like to get better at writing book reviews. They can be so hard, sometimes. Not sure why. They just are.
I gave myself a goal to read 1 nonfiction book a month because I noticed I didn’t read nonfiction like I should be. And I discovered how much I genuinely like nonfiction – especially memoirs and self-help. They’re just fun to read.
And setting aside 15 minutes a day to read is a great goal! I always found, when I was in school, it was the break I needed from all the homework and studying so I always tried to leave time right before bed to settle in and read a chapter or two before going to sleep.
I am all goal-ed out, too, with all my posts this week. WHEW.
100 BOOKS HOLY SMOKES WOMAN
I love your 1 nonfiction book a month goal. I loved it all year while you did it, and I’d love to say that I could accomplish that one too, but it’s a little ambitious what with my inability to even hit my reading goals as is LOL. I’m going to slowly catch up to you though
Woohoo! Yay for bookish resolutions! These are wonderful goals
Yay, thanks! I’m pretty excited to get back to reading and finding more books to fall in love with. and YOU, favorite YA reader of mine, need to send me some of your recent favorites! I’ve read a few recently that I really disliked and it cut my ‘want’ to read by a lot. Luckily Daughter of Smoke and Bone has been helping lots today
I love non-fiction books! I’ll definitely have to incorporate a few into my reading list this year.
Great to see your resolutions, thanks for sharing!
Non-fiction has REALLY grown on me in the last couple years, and I can’t wait to read a few more! I don’t read nearly as much of it as I’d like to- I just tend to get carried away in my favorites like teen and fiction, but as long as I’ve always got a few on hand, I’m happy
I love the idea of reading 15 minutes a day! I may just join you. The trick is going to be putting the book down!
You totally should! If you read more than 15 mins a day, it’s totally a win
But I think the whole ‘AT LEAST 15 a day is a good way for me to ensure that I always have a book handy and that I never forget about reading through everything else in life. 2013 is going to be a reading year!
Great goals! I also never re-read books because there are so many other good ones out there I want to read. I even put re-read a book in my winter book challenge this time to encourage me to do it, but I still don’t think it’s going to happen! lol Good luck meeting all your goals.
Haha you should TOTALLY re-read one! It seems like it’s pointless until you do it and realize how great your favorite books are over and over again
I want to read 5 nonfiction books, 5 short story collections, 5 books of poetry, and 5 books of essays. I also wouldn’t mind reading several novellas and writing books that give you writing prompts to record in journals, either. My overall goal is 52 books, one per week. Hopefully that will work out. Good luck with your reading goals! I wouldn’t mind reading some old favorites this year, myself!
Your reading goals are crazy awesome. Good luck darling! I think you totally have it in you this year to accomplish them all. When it comes to reading goals, we really just need to set them time aside for it. It seems difficult sometimes but it shouldn’t be, if we love it so much! Right?!
PS: re-reading old favorites for you should no longer include Harry Potter… I bet you could recite those by heart at this point!
Haha! Okay, so I actually want to read Harry Potter again this year, anyway, but I meant more than that series as old favorites. I was thinking of some I haven’t read in a long time such as A Northern Light or Jane Eyre or Love Walked In, lol.
Ha, I knew you’d be re-reading Harry Potter again this year so I was just teasing you
I love re-reading favorites though and HP is no different. I may skip out this year (I’m not as dedicated as you!) but will definitely re-read them in the near future and not wait another 10 years like I did in 2012!
Ahhh I LOVE memoirs. I got obsessed with them a couple years back and could not stop. Orange is the new black, Mennonite in a little black dress, identical strangers and the girls from Ames were all great…if you need recommendations
I love the 15 minutes of reading per day because it’s so achievable and I waste time doing so many other less enjoyable things!
You mentioned a bunch of memoirs that had crossed my mind to read in the past but I completely forgot about. I need to remember to look them up again! I’m glad to hear you gave them good reviews, so at least I know they’re worth it!
My reading goal for 2013 is to read 52 books. I read 58 books last year so I think I should be able to hit this goal. Good luck with your goal! It is tough to balance school and reading. I can relate during the CFA study season! I still try to read for 30-60 minutes before I go to bed as it helps me decompress after reading the intense study materials! Besides reading 52 books, I want to read a couple of classics. Right now I am reading Little Women and in April I am planning to read Emma with another blogger. And then I might try to read 2 more, so 1 per quarter!
You are totally my inspiration for reading. If you can make time for it EVEN WITH YOUR CFA STUDYING… I have zero excuse. I’ve found myself enjoying a 30 minute pre-bedtime reading so far this year, I guess it really depends on the book I’m reading too!
I’ve never been a big fan of classics, and that makes me feel like a terrible reader. I may *try* some this year. We’ll see
Good luck with your reading goal!
I love re-reading books. It’s interesting to see how they strike you in different phases of your life. Catcher of the Rye is one that has been significant to me, but in different ways, in the last 10 years.
Thanks! I actually read Catcher in the Rye for the first time this summer, but I totally understand how you feel about books over time. I now some of the ones I’ve read in the last 3-5 years will stick with me for a long time too!
I set a goal of reading 52 books in 2012 and managed 55. I am not trying to be overly ambitious in 2013, so I’d be happy with reading 52 again. I am not a big re-reader, but I may give it more of a chance this year. I’d like to re-read The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia.