2017 Reading Goals and the setting of Goals

52 BOOKS

I want to attempt to try and read 52 books again this year. I failed last year and the year before but this year I am determined to complete it! I feel this for me is a good number and manageable, plus it's only day 6 of 2016 and I have read 4 books and finished one for last year, so at the moment I am on way... But really even though I am doing so well now, I am binge reading because I have more free time so that when I am busy it doesn't affect my goal as much!

There is a trend on Goodreads where people are setting their goodreads goal to 1 at the moment and I must be an odd one because I don't really understand it.  I know for some it's to get back the enjoyment of reading instead of worrying about the quantity or the pressure to add numbers. For others it seems to be more of a political point against goodreads which to me doesn't make sense as you don't have to make a goal if you don't want to. For me, if i put one book as my goal I don't feel like I would be being true to myself, I would be lying just to make myself feel good that I have reached my goal. When you consider some people don't even a read a book a year that's an achievement, but when you are a book lover who reads tens or hundreds of books a year, you're not really doing yourself any favours. If you find yourself too focussed on reading a certain amount of books a year, reduce your goal or don't make a goal. The challenge is supposed to fun and it's personal as well. If you want to make a reading goal, make it something realistic, think about what you want out of it! Do you want to read more books this year? Do you want to push yourself? What's your life going to be like? (If you have a busy year ahead, take it easier on yourself). You can always challenge yourself to read the same or less. But one, unless that is a realistic goal for you as you don't tend to read, when you are just going to complete it within the first week or two of the year, what's the point in making a goal in the first place? If you don't want to focus on the numbers, you don't have to create a goal.  Some people feel like you are just reading for goodreads, but if goodreads wasn't around would you still like to create a reading goal for the year? I know I would. I love reading but I also love being able to track my reading, I love being able to see what I have read each year, how many books I have read and compare myself against my own goals and feel motivated to read more!

So when choosing your goal this year think about what is attainable for you? What's your focus? Do you want to focus on reading a certain amount of books, to make more time for reading? Or do you want to experiment with your reading? Try new authors, new genres, try non-fiction, poetry, get into audio books? What do you want out of 2017? 

Remember:

• the goodreads challenge is supposed to be fun and if you're putting yours to 1 book for the year because you don't want the pressure, why set a goal anyway. 
• You can lower your goal throughout the year, so if you feel you were over ambitious you can change it. Nothing is set in stone.
• Your goal does not have to be quantifiable.
• You don't have to have any goals at all.
• It is okay to fail! Life happens and it's just about having fun!

I think if people want to set their goal to 1 that's fine, but for me it would feel like I am cheating myself and that I should have just not made a goal in the first place.  But the whole goal setting is about having fun! If you are stressing too much about your goal, you are missing the point! Obviously it is all personal. But let me know what you think?

Other reading goals this year: To have fun! Read what I enjoy and don't feel like I have to read a book because everyone else is, and feel free to read books when I want, not when they are popular. Keep less books. Spend less money on books. Read more. 

What are your reading goals for the year?

2016 in Books

Okay, so we have in 2017 for almost a week now and have only now decided to do a post about my reading in 2016. 2016 was a 'meh' year for my reading this year, I found I was busy doing other things in my life, entering a new profession and training for that, moving house... and oh yeah Netflix! Netflix has become one big reason why I seem to not be reading as much... but also not doing a lot... marathoning TV series continually is fun but takes up a lot of time.

So my goal of 2016 was to read 52 books again, that's one book a week... I failed miserably. I read 44 books, 8 books of my goal... saying it like that it's not too bad. I had times of the year where I would pick up book after book, other times I would read nothing for months, or be reading a book so slowly over months when I had some free time. Although its better than 2015 goal by two books.

My book ratings ranged from 3 to 5 stars, so most of the books I read I enjoyed. I re-read Harry potter for the third time from Azkaban onwards as I re-read the first two books in 2015? And then everything else was new reads.

Favourites... and not all necessarily 5 star reads! ( The beginning of 2016 feels so long ago I didn't realise I read some of these this year!)


Me Before You

Jojo Moyes

• Lou Clark loses her job at the local tea shop and lands one looking after the infamous Will Traynor who is quadriplegic due to a motorcycle accident and is bitter and angry at the world.
• This story was around a lot because of the movie and there has been some criticism of the way less able bodied people have been portrayed.
• Why I liked this book: It was a beautiful tale of love and making the most of your life. The characters were unique and beautifully written. It's heartbreaking and at time frustrating but a wonderful book. 

Fangirl

Rainbow Rowell

• Cath and Wren are twins just starting university/college and the book follows Cath's journey as the two characters draw apart. Cat is a quiet character who loves books and writing a very popular fanfiction.
• This story is about friendship, family, love and fanfiction.
• What I liked: I loved how I could relate to the character of Cath, I loved looking at fanfiction within the realms of fiction and loved how cute and adorable the love story was. Great book!

One
Sarah Crossan

• From twins, to conjoined twins, One is the story of Grace and Tippi who are conjoined twins. the books is written in verse and beautifully done so!
• The Story follows the two girls as they struggle with who they were and growing up. It looks at the different sides to be conjoined twins, from emotionally, physically and the health side.
• What I liked: So unique, it's something you don't hear a lot about, or haven't experienced. It's great to see a different perspective. I loved the writing in verse, it made the tale even more beautiful!

How Not To Disappear and Unbecoming
Clare Furniss and Jenny Downham

• I have placed these two books together because they are both very similar in terms of plot, they both follow the rough plot of a main character who is going through some problems and meets an elderly relative who is suffering from dementia and memory loss. 
• Both books follow the journey between the two characters and how they help each other in different ways. 
• There are differences of course in the two books and they are written in different ways but they both follow the same basic plot.
• What I like about these books: As I read these two books really close together it was difficult to choose which one I liked more, it is unfortunate that two very similar books came out at the same time! Anyway both books are really emotional, about family and self-discovery. the characters go on a journey and you go with them.

Holding up the Universe
Jennifer Niven

• This books focuses on a unique relationship that grows between two very different characters who both have their own problems, Libby was once known as America's Fattest Teen and Jack can't recognise faces.
• The story follows the two characters as they struggle with their individual issues but come together and help each other.
• What I liked: beautiful story with great messages, relatable and emotional.

Chasing the Stars

Malorie Blackman

• A retelling of Othello - now Olivia, in the future, in space! Need I say more!
• What I liked: First of it's Malorie Blackman, what's not to like?! Beautifully written, loved the way she creatively retold a 400 year Shakespearean classic. I couldn't put this book down!!! I don't read a lot of sci-fi but loved this! The story was emotional and frustrating and beautiful all at the same time!
• Was that enough exclamation marks?!!

World Walker Trilogy (Trial by Fire, Firewalker and Witches Pyre)
Josephine Angelini 

• Alternative Universes. Witches, Salem. Inter-dimensional travel. Friendship, Family, Romance. Secrets and lies, adventure, weird totalitarian societies. 
• What I liked: The unique way of looking at the topic of witches, the adventure, the way the book had me gripped and wanting to continue reading.

So these were my top books of the year and I would highly recommend them :) Goodbye to 2016, hello 2017 and  more great books!