Recapping 2020 and looking ahead to 2021
Feel free to join us!
Reading
out with the OLD: 2020
Well 2020 started out super strong for me. I was listening to audiobooks on my way to and from work. I was reading in the evenings. I was still not doing a great job with reviews, but I was enjoying my reading. And then March came and brought with it COVID, quarantine, working from home while watching a 5 month old at that time. Reading changed drastically for me and my goal to read 150 books eventually dropped to 100. And I think I’m actually going to make that goal. Here’s where i stand for my challenge this year:
All things considered it’s not too bad and I’m just glad that this year didn’t rob me of my love of reading. It has continued to be my happy place.
in with the NEW: 2021
I know I’m not alone when I say I’m more than ready to say goodbye to 2020. But let’s be real for just a second… January 1, 2021 is not some magical moment that erases COVID and all the difficulties of 2020. I do have true hope that 2021 is going to see improvements – we have two vaccines (and I’ve already gotten my first shot!), Trump leaving the White House, hopefully a blue Senate (we’ll see very soon) and a blue House. Those are my hopes. But even if all those changes come true, the road to life pre-COVID is going to be a slow one. And for that reason, I’m not setting a high reading goal this year. In fact, I’m coming down from last year’s goal, as last year had the benefit of 2 solid months good reading.
In 2021, my goal will be to read and review 50 books.
Did you catch the kicker there? Yes, I’ve halved the number of books I’m trying to read, but I’m going to review all of them. I have this massive pile of books I’ve read and not reviewed. I feel like as a book blogger, I’ve lost sight of one of my primary purposes, reviewing the books I read. So I’m going to trade out some of my reading time for some quality reviewing time in 2021. Before I start a new book, I’m going to stop and review my current read, like I used to when I started blogging. We’ll see how it goes.
And I own a ton of free/nearly free (COYER approved) books. So every month, I want to resume joining in to Michelle’s My TBR List, with 3 free/nearly free books I own as the choices. Ideally, that means I will read 12 free/nearly free books at least this year. A good dent! We’ll see!
What are your reading goals for 2021?
Those sound like great goals! I definitely need to work on getting my review notes done more timely. I’d really love to just do away with the notes and get the review scheduled entirely…..hmmmmm. You just may have started something! 😂
Good luck with your goals I know if you want to, you will achieve them!
OH… I like that you are creating a goal to make sure you review all the books. Nice!
Like you, I had lofty goals for reading this year – I finished so many books last year. I had planned on 120, and I think I’ll hit 100. I didn’t change my goal on Goodreads, but I knew months ago there was no way. I think I’ll make the goal 100 books next year, with 60 as audiobooks.
It’s certainly been a year. And I’m with you about 2021. I will cautiously approach it, not expecting much to change for awhile. But also a bit more hopeful. I am close to a 100 and may pull it off before the end of the year, but a lot of that I have my daughter to thank for that. I didn’t even come close to my average if I were to exclude the books she and I read together. Two of those books will be on my top ten list for the year–so I have no regrets. I wish you the best in the New Year as well as good health. Here’s to a great reading year ahead.
Sounds like a good plan and who knows you might get pretty efficient with those reviews and be able to up your reading count. I’ve done a few series in one reviews so I could read more- review less. 🙂 I like your freebie and TBR pile goal, too. I’m not making a huge GoodReads goal for next year, either.
You need to know what you want to do to make it easier to do. Good choices!
Constant adjustments help me get to where I want to be. I’m doing all the COYER and hosting Library Love again. I also have my Read-along. Last year, I tried to read at least 3 books I own each month and I want to continue that, at least 3, hopefully more.
My goal for 2021 is to read 100 books, participate in 2021 Nonfiction Reader Challenge, 2021 New Release Challenge and Nonfiction November. 😀