January 16: Bookish Goals for 2024
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
That Artsy Reader Girl
I always struggle with this theme.
1
Read at least one Romance novel this year.
In my End of Year Book Survey I used a “scifi” book Light From Uncommon Stars for my atypical read, which is Romance, because it was ultimately about love. This year I already have three legit Romances on my TBR:
Bride by Ali Hazelwood – Expected publication February 6, 2024 – 416 pages, Kindle Edition – Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Werewolves
Happily Never After by Lynn Painter – Expected publication March 12, 2024 – 304 pages, Kindle Edition – Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit
Hurt for Me by Heather Levy – Expected publication February 1, 2024 – 347 pages, Kindle Edition – Romantic Suspense, Thriller, Crime
2
More posting to my blog.
In 2023 I managed to post on a fairly regular basis. In 2024, I hope to do more than once a week posts. I have a list of twelve Top 100 (I hope!) lists planned, plus one book review a month.
Just putting the above out in public is causing me anxiety. 🙄I can annoy myself so much sometimes.
3
I set a lower reading goal this year: 52 compared to 62 the last few years. I am doing my best to enjoy reading and blogging instead of stressing over them.
I lie, I’m already stressed.
4
Share one audiobook with my sweetheart every month.
January’s selection is 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works – A True Story by Dan Harris
5
DNF more – I am again finding this difficult to do.
A couple of years ago I had no issues with DNFing, now I’m back to “well, let’s see how this turns out.”
6
Read at least one classic.
This year’s possibility is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. First published January 1, 1958.
7
The books I’m super excited about, as soon as I can get a copy, I’m reading them before anything else!
So far, I know Baby X and Annie Bot will fit this category. Both are expected to be published in March.
8
READ FROM MY BACK LIST!
**sigh** I am the worst. Once the New Year starts it is off to the races!
Here’s two I can start with:
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn – First published October 1, 2001 – 226 pages, Kindle Edition – Fantasy, Humor, Dystopia
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica – First published November 29, 2017 – 224 pages, Kindle Edition – Horror, Dystopia, Thriller
9
Christmas 2023 – Hurry up and read the three books I received as Christmas presents:
Beholder by Ryan La Sala – Horror, YA, Fantasy
Nestlings by Nat Cassidy – Horror, Vampires, Thriller
Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian – Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
10
Keep up my reading spreadsheet.
For the last several years, I have made a spreadsheet to make sure I don’t forget all the books I said I was going to read at the beginning of the year. I do a great job in January; a so-so job in Febrary; think about it in March; pretend it doesn’t exist in April; then forget about it May through December.
This year is going to be different! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thoughts
Top 100 Books 
A great list. I came up with 9 goals, but my main concern is cutting down my TBR. I have only DNF one book because the ending might turn the whole thing around. I DNF a collection of short stories by Shirley Jackson because I didn’t understand why the stories suddenly ended. I got so fed up I didn’t start any more of them.
Have a great week! And good luck with your goals!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
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Thank you!
What is a Blog Tour?
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Basically it is where you get given a date to review a book by. You are one of a group of people.
Specifically I have signed up to Random Things Tours and I get emailed details of books to read and review. If I like the look of the book I email back and see if I am lucky enough to get a date on the tour. Before the review date that I am given I get emailed media to go with my review. My Blog Tour reviews on this blog are headed Random Things Tours – Book Review 😊
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thank you!
I was envisioning a tour of blog conventions – lol
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😊. Oh no 🤣 all done from the comfort of my own home!
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Blog Tours are excellent fun. I get sucked in!!
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Good for you for trying to be more comfortable with DNFing.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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Thank you!
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I like that goals 2 and 3 invoked stress and goal 4 has a book with an answers — I hope it works for you!
I love the idea of reading books that your excited about as soon as you get them!
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I did not realize what I did with goals 2,3, then 4 – lol
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I think I’ve done better with DNF-ing over the years, but could still improve. There’s too many amazing books we will enjoy for us to keep reading one that isn’t keeping our attention. Also, yay for more posting on your website (I love seeing that on goal lists) and Lynn Painter’s book. It looks SO cute. 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting my website today!
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and Thank you! for visiting mine 😁
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I stress too much about blogging also. I don’t stress so much about reading. I just wish I made more time to read.
I have a hard time DNFing also… I always suspect the book will get better. But I do stay open to that option better now.
Things Fall Apart is on two of my lists: Global reading and Classics. Maybe I will get to it this year.
I wish I kept stats. Two years I made an effort but did not keep up with it.
TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery
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I hope we both read Things Fall Apart this year!
Thank you for visiting
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I love that you have actual books listed to help you achieve your goals! Mine are so insubstantial and I feel like I need to make them more concrete. Good luck! I’m sure you’ll do well with your goals!
Haze @ The Book Haze
https://thebookhaze.com/
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thank you!
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Good luck with all your goals! I am really looking forward to reading Bride – I also use a spreadsheet and I find it really helpful as well, not just for keeping track of what I’ve read but it gives me all sorts of fun stats that I probably wouldn’t even think about otherwise. It makes for a fun wrap up post at the end of the year.
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I hope to stay on top of my spreadsheet this year. – Thank you for visiting
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I love that your goal is to share audiobooks with your sweetheart. So fun! My husband and I listened to one together this year over a few road trips (it was super long) and we both read (I listened to it, he read it) another one separately. It was lots of fun to discuss the books together since, usually, we read really different kinds of books. Good luck with all your goals!
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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These are great goals! I really want to read Happily Never After too. I keep seeing Bridge by Ali Hazelwood everywhere but I’m even sure what it’s about. I should probably look it up. I do like paranormal romance. I really want to get to a classic that’s been on my TBR shelf too long. I think I have Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe on my shelf. Another one to consider! Your #7 and #8 are my doom. I try so hard to find a balance between old and new, but sometimes it’s really hard. I wish you the best of luck with your goals this year! I know you can do it!
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