Happy new year, everyone! The time does fly, and now 2017 is here, and it is time to set some new reading goals. Here we go!
2017 Goodreads Challenge
Last year I read a whopping 150 books, averaging around 300 pages each. This is a personal best since I started tracking my reading in 2012. While I am somewhat tempted to go for it and set the metre to 151 for 2017 for another personal best, I decided to moderate that urge. After all, 2017 might turn out to be a busy year in other respects. So I am setting it for 130 again this year. Reading is about more than just quantity, and I know that in the long run I will be kicking myself for pushing too hard just for the sake of a number.
Read Diverse 2017
Reading more diverse books was my big reading goal for 2015, and it was such a great experience that I kept an eye on it again in 2016 in a less official capacity. This year, I am bringing diversity back to the forefront with Read Diverse Books’ Read Diverse 2017 Challenge. I focused mostly on racial diversity in 2015, so I am excited for this challenge that expands my focus to include more LGBTQ+ literature as well as disability/neurodiversity. I think this is going to be an amazing challenge and group of people, so I hope you will join us!
#ReadMyOwnDamnBooks
One of the problems/blessings of working in a library is that you are face to face with all of the many amazing reading possibilities every day. And because library books have due dates, they have a way of pushing themselves to the front of the queue, ahead of the books that you own and can theoretically read any time. So this year I am resolving to read more of my own damn books, and track how many I get through. The low-pressure challenge Andi is hosting at Estella’s Revenge should be just the right amount of accountability to keep me on track! And since I have no problem getting rid of books I didn’t love, this challenge might even have the added bonus of helping me clean up my house.
Read Canadian Literature
This carry-over challenge from 2016 should tie in nicely with #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks, as I am staring down a stack of eleven Canadian reads, and there are probably at least a few more around here somewhere. I’m also planning to do Canada Reads Along again this year, in conjunction with Canada Reads 2017. The longlist is up now, and the shortlist and panelists will be announced January 31. The event itself runs March 27-30. 2017 will mark five years living in the USA, and reading is one more way for me to feel connected to home.
What reading challenges have you signed up for in 2017? Anything awesome that I am missing out on?
Required Reading 
I usually try to predict which books the panelists will choose for Canada Reads, but this year I have no idea. There are quite a few books on the list that I don’t know enough about!
I have all of the same goals! Already I’m working on my second Canadian book of the year. I realized last year that I wasn’t reading diversely at all and plan to focus more this year on that. And I love your initial goal of 151 books. lol
I’ve also dialed back my Goodreads challenge a bit – my TBR has a bunch of long books I couldn’t bring myself to read for fear of falling behind. I’ll be going for number of pages instead, so chunksters here I come!
I love you goals, especially Read Your Own Damn Books! Ha. I am doing something similar myself because I find myself trying to get galleys or arcs or going to the library. Like all the time!! Good luck with your resolutions this year 🙂
Yay congrats on your excellent reading year! Challenges are always so tempting, but I always forget about the year long ones halfway through🙈 Good luck with yours, I’m doing Naz’s challenge of course which is so important and also all my reviews count anyway😁 Love your focus in different aspects of diversity!
Good luck on all your challenges! I hope your reading year is off to a great start!
So many great challenges! I’m glad to hear you’re on board with mine. I’ll try to remind you to link up qualifying reviews if you miss any. ;D
Wow, 150 books! I’ve not read that many since I started tracking my reading five years ago. I love how focused your goals are too! I always struggle to keep my list short.
I love the idea of planning out what you read! I’ve never tried to make an official reading goals list. I hope it goes well. 300 pages a day wow! I really regret not tracking my reading (via goodreads) until recently.