How has the first part of the year moved by so quickly? It seems like it was just January. One of the goals that I set for myself at the beginning of the year was to read 100 books.
I admitted the goal was widely ambitious for me. So how has it been going?
Well, if you follow my instagram, it looks like I have read 12 books so far during the first 3 months of 2019. In reality, I've read 17 so far. My goodreads stays more updated than my instagram (even though I'm trying to catch it back up) because taking pictures of books in decent lighting conditions during the winter takes planning. I'd rather use that time for reading. Also, I haven't figured out how to make e-books look cute on instagram, and I read a lot of e-books. Suggestions in the comments, please!
In order to read 100 books in a year. I should be reading 25 books a quarter (breaking goals down into quarters supposedly helps you complete them). However, I intentionally set a challenging goal for myself. At the moment, I haven't reached the numbers that I need to complete that goal at my current rate, and I'm ok with that. Were there moments during the first quarter of the year when I mindlessly wasted away time on social media? Absolutely. I started off strong with my reading in January, and then I slowly started making that time less of a priority. Still, reading 17 books in 3 months is a big deal, and it's worth celebrating. As an added bonus, spending this time reflecting on my goal and why I picked it in the first place means that I will probably return to my January habits for reading throughout the month of April.
Is attempting to read 100 books in a year a worthwhile goal?
Maybe. It has been for me so far. I realize that it may not be worth the time for everyone, and that is perfectly fine. I've read some great books, some good books, and some ok books over the past 3 month. I no longer feel bad about abandoning books if I'm not enjoying them, so I didn't finish any terrible books. For me, I want to enjoy this goal, not just push myself through as many books as I possibly can manage.
What are the best books from this first quarter?
Long Way Gone - Charles Martin
Christian fiction is not my go-to genre. I've read one Christian romance before, maybe two, since I would argue that A Walk to Remember is pretty close to Christian fiction even though it was not marketed this way and Goodreads says that it's just fiction, romance, and young adult. But, the combination of faith, music and love is perfectly balanced in Long Way Gone. If the rest of Charles Martin's books are as good as this one, I may have a new name to add to my list of favorite authors.
For the Love - Jen Hatmaker
Speaking of favorite authors...this book was a reread for me. I am currently in desperate need of a reminder that choosing love is the best way to live life. I recommended the book once already here. I have no hesitations about recommending it again.
Sorcery & Cecelia - Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
I can't even begin to describe how much I love this book. If you're in the mood for a heavy, thought-provoking read, then maybe skip this one for the moment. On the other hand, if you want a delightful, fantasy escape with a Jane Austen-esque feeling, then please proceed to add this series to your list. Did I add myself to the library wait-list for the second book approximately 12 seconds after finishing the first one? Obviously, yes, I did.
What am I planning to read next?
More books than I can possibly get to. There are 71 books on my Goodreads to Read List, 6 books that I've bought sitting next to my bed, and 5 books that I am on the wait-list to get from the library. Only one of these overlaps and one of these is a book that I didn't like and abandoned which means that I need to remove it from my list (Keira Cass, I loved The Selection, I wanted to love The Siren). This means that in total I have 80 books that I want to read. I feel like that will cover things for a while, but I am always open to book suggestions.
I should probably take this time to go now and read for the remainder of spring break.
In the comments, let me know - What books do you suggest? How has your wildly ambitious goal been going? Is it time to reset or start a new one in the second quarter of the year?
Full disclosure, links to books are affiliate links. If you purchase a product using my links, I may receive a very tiny compensation from the company.
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