2014 Reading Goals

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is Top Ten Bookish Goals/Resolutions for 2014.

I (Lesley Anne) am going to be honest here. I don't know if it's the rebellious spirit in me or what, but I HATE making (or even thinking about) goals in January. It might have to do with the fact that I think January is the worst month of the year. The cold and dreary weather does nothing for my motivation -- in fact, most of the time you can find it curled up on the couch under a nice, warm, cozy blanket. BUT, I think the first step in getting out of this inevitable rut is recognizing that I could seriously use a change of attitude. There's nothing wrong with planning ahead, and hey -- maybe it's even a good thing! So today I'm forcing myself listing out five of my reading goals for this year, followed by Jenny's five reading goals (which are seriously really good!). We are going to do a mid-year check-in to see how we are doing in July, and then revisit these again in December to see how we did overall.

Lesley Anne's 2014 Reading Goals

1. Read at least 40 books. Last year I read 30 books, which I know is not much at all in the grand scheme of things, but for me it was the most I have ever read in one year. I only hope to increase that number in 2014, and I know I can read at least 10 more since I have quite a few audiobooks lined up already to listen to in the car!

2. Read a book of the Bible every month. For Christmas I got a beautiful new ESV Study Bible, and I absolutely love it. The notes, the introductions, the illustrations, the historical commentary at the beginning - it really is like experiencing the Bible in a whole new way. Instead of resolving to read the entire thing in one year, I want to take the time to really study it and chew on it book-by-book, which is something the husband is planning on doing with me too!

3. Read all of Jane Austen's novels. I know this might sound like a strange (and really specific) reading goal, but it's something I've been meaning to do for a long time now and just never really got around to. I've experienced these stories countless times through the movie adaptations, but it's high time I experience them through the lens of Jane Austen's own wit and prose.  

4. Read more of my eBooks. Hannah and I were just discussing the other day how we desperately need to read more of our eBooks. I have a TON of unread books on my Nook that I downloaded either because they were free or less than $3. The sales get me every time! It's time I finally tackle that ever-growing Nook TBR this year.

5. Keep a quote journal. One thing I've always loved to do is put pen to paper and write my thoughts down in a journal. I think it would be neat to have a separate journal where I can write down quotes that really speak to me or stand out to me in the books I read, and then have a place where I can go back and re-experience all those wonderful moments again and again -- in a pretty journal, no less!    

Jenny's 2014 Reading Goals

1. Read more nonfiction. Some of my favorite books I read this year were nonfiction. I tend to reach for fiction first, simply because I like to be entertained. The older I get, however, the more I am finding that nonfiction nourishes my soul in a way that (most) fiction cannot. Plus, I am having to read more nonfiction as the papers I write get more techical. So, really, it is in my best interest to achieve this goal as soon as possible.

2. Stop finishing books I hate. I have a terrible habit of not being able to put a book down, even if I loathe everything about it. I really hate this about myself and am determined to change it this year. Some books just aren't meant to be finished. I don't want those characters sharing my headspace.

3. To have more self-control regarding reading (i.e.- stop putting off tasks that need to be done just so I can finish a book). I think this one is a bit self-explanatory. My ability to read anywhere at anytime can be a blessing- I can read in the car or in a noisy environment. It can also be a huge hinderance. I lose all track of time when I'm reading, leading me to spend way more time reading than I should. I need to be more disciplined about this area of my life.

4. Trust others' book recommendations. People are all the time recommending books to me because I am a "reader". I am, to my shame, a bit of a snob when it comes to books. Rather than only making time to read books I am drawn to, I want to make more of an effort to include other books that my friends (bloggers included) and family recommend.

5. Check out more books from the library. I have a library a stone's throw away from my house and there is a beautiful new one just down the road from Lesley Anne. Libraries are wonderful places that need all the support they can get. I consider it my civic duty as a reader to be a member. Ha, just kidding about that last part. But seriously. Libraries are great ways to read books that I don't really want to buy but do want to read.