It’s that time of year when you look back at the books you’ve picked up and reflect on what you’ve read. I also like to think about the all the reading habits; good, bad and ugly that I’ve developed through the year. There are definitely some things I want to continue to do more of and a few things that are in dire need of curtailing. And now seems like the perfect time to shrug off all that has happened before and start a fresh in the new year. So, after a lot of thought here are the bookish resolutions I intend to stick to in 2019:
Bookish Resolution One: Read some of the mountains of unread books I physically have on my bookshelf.
I have a bit of a bad habit of buying paperbacks, putting them on my shelf and then never reading them. Some of them I have had for years. In fact, I am pretty sure that I’ll need to wear some kind of face mask to protect my lungs from the vast amounts of dust I’m about to unleash. The problem is, is that I love a physical book as much as the next bibliophile, but it’s more about the aesthetic. They look beautiful on my shelf. My preferred reading method is my kindle. I can highlight passages without desecrating the book. I don’t fall prey to my bad habit of dog earring pages. It’s lighter to carry round and you always have a back up with you.
I know all this…does it stop me from buying books, especially those with gorgeous covers, no it does not. That means if I can’t curtail my habit of buying physical books, I need to at least read them. I am going to aim for one a month for the 2019. It won’t mean I’ve read them all, but I am making a start!
Bookish Resolution Two: Don’t be so judgmental about young adult and new adult books; give them a chance.
I’m such a book bigot sometimes. Especially with the new adult books, as soon as I know a book is part of the genre, I immediately lose interest. But I need to give them another chance. I have had the unfortunate experience of not reading any new adult books I like. However, I have only read a tiny amount of it, in fact when I look at my new adult shelf on Goodreads, it only contains 27 books – some of which I haven’t read! To put that in context my paranormal romance shelf 407 books and my historical romance shelf has 447. So, this year I am going to give new adult a second chance!
As for young adult, I am a little a head of the game! I’ve been experimenting with what I do and don’t like and discovered a love for young adult fantasy with minimal romance. I love the adventure and imagination of some of the young adult books I’ve read, and I find I like them much more when the romance is only a small part of the book. It’s one of my resolutions to keep exploring in the genre.
Bookish Resolution Three: Complete a darn reading challenge.
I suck at reading challenges. My blog, Under the Covers has being doing the Romance Roundabout challenge for (I think) 3 years; I have yet to complete it. Which is crazy when you consider that I created it! This year, we are bidding adieu to the Romance Roundabout and instead have created Romanceopoly, our new fun annual challenge. I can feel it, 2019 is going to be my year and I will finally complete a yearly challenge.
To make sure I am a finisher I have even planned all the book I am going to read. This has two advantages: One, it means that I have a better chance at completing Romanceopoly. Two, whilst planning I have purposefully incorporated Bookish Resolution One and Two. So, I’m prepared, I’m ready…what could possibly go wrong!?
To check out and join Romanceopoly please come to our gorgeous new website dedicated to the challenge:Â Click Here
Bookish Resolution Four: Take my time and make some time
Time is such an issue for me. I seem to have so little of it! I’m dashing about for work, for the blog, for university…it’s insane. This year I am making what may sound like a really strange bookish resolution: read less books.
In 2018 I read about 250 books, nearly all of which was full length – I didn’t read many novellas. It’s a lot of books. Were all of them 4 stars or above? No, they weren’t, in fact a majority were 3 stars or less. So, this year I am making myself some time and doing a bit of a cull. Any series I kinda like but don’t love, I will consider not continuing. Any book I start to read but am not connecting with, I will stop reading.
For me, it’s about quality and not quantity of books. If I read 150 books rated 4 and 5 stars, I will consider it a very successful year. It seems harsh, but a gals gotta sleep!
These are my bookish resolutions for 2019. I will be concentrating on reading more of what I love and more of what I already have. I can’t wait to get started!
