52 Book Goodreads Challenge

2016 was the first year that I set and attempted a Goodreads challenge and it changed my reading life. I don't know why I hadn't attempted it earlier since my type-A-ness loves a good goal and check list.You can set your Goodreads challenge to however many books you want to read in a year and then track the books you are currently reading and have completed to see how you are progressing towards that goal.

I love it because you get to define what a successful reading year means to you. Wanna shoot for 200 books read this year? Awesome. Only have time for 10? that's great too, and you can adjust your reading goal as you go. Ultimately it's more a tool for you to keep track of what you read than a competition.

Enjoying a hot latte and on a cold winter day at Joe's Coffee

Having a complete record of what I read this year was really enlightening. It confirmed some of the reading habits I thought I had (I read a TON of mysteries) and surprised me in other ways (I read more non-fiction than I thought I had). Having the hard data in front of me allowed me to reflect on my habits as a reader and set goals in a more informed way.

This year a friend has proposed a new Goodreads challenge for 2017: 52 books (or about 1 per week) with the criteria that the books must be over 200 pages and must not include graphic novels or poetry. I say challenge accepted! I'll be keeping my track of my progress both on my Goodreads page and on this blog:

Book #1: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Book #2: Pendulum by Andy Hamdy
Book #3: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Book #4: The Mark and the Void by Paul Murray
Book #5: Through the Grind by Cleo Coyle
Book #6: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Book #7: The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking

 

Do you have any reading goals for 2017?