Hello readers! Today I am starting something new. I know, I’ve been starting a lot of new things this month. Hopefully I have not over committed! This is another weekly meme involing opinions on certain topics, sort of like Book Blogger Hop.
Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme that was created by Eternity Books and is currently hosted by Book Nook Bits. They also created the thumbnail I used. Every Friday, bloggers write posts discussing the topic of the week.
Prompts: We’re two months into 2023 – how are you feeling about your reading this year? Do you have a yearly reading goal? Do you think that those kinds of goals help you to feel motivated to read more books, or just causes stress? If you set yearly reading goals, when and why did you start setting them? Would you consider reading without aiming for a number? If you don’t set reading goals, why not?
How I’m Feeling About My Goals
My goals are going good so far. I am having an amazing reading year and I think that has helped. I am worried about my goal to finish series. I have been reading a lot of books IN series, but not the LAST book in any series. However, I still have 10 months to go.
Are Reading Goals Stressful?
I do have a reading goal every year. I do not find having any goals stressful. I find it very motivating to check off a box once a goal is complete! As far as the Goodreads goal goes, I don’t take it so serious. My goal this year is 150 books, but if I hit September and I’ve only read 50, I’ll just change my goal. I think we all know that dreaded feeling you get when Goodreads says your 1 or more books behind for the year. If goals get stressful, they are no longer fun!
When & Why I Started Setting Goals
For my Goodreads goal, I started doing that in 2012. I just love analytics and goals. Goals make me want to do something I love even more. I have a hard time balancing all my interests and regular life things.
As far as non-numerical goals, I started those in 2019. I just decided one day that I wasn’t happy with how my reading was going. 2019 was the first year I had close to unlimited access to books. I discovered Libby and lived VERY close to a Half Price Books. AND, I started using an online tracker that year to see what I was reading, versus what I wanted to read more and less of. Before 2019, I had finished 12 series in my whole life, and I was 25!
Would I Read Without a Number?
Of course, I would. However, I don’t think I would read as often. In 2016-2018, I read 18-23 books a year. I was reading, but I wasn’t at the same time. For some, reading 20 books in a year might be fine for them. For me, I like reading A LOT. I love consuming stories in any format, but books is my favorite.
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Alli the Book Giraffe 
My numerical book goal is completely unimportant and doesn’t affect the number of books that I read at all. My other goals are useful though and have helped me to expand the range of books that I read.
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I have started setting my GR goal at about 25 books. Mostly, after I had my son and now with my second on the way… I know I will struggle to read a lot after. I do like having an attainable goal to hit just in case. I think that the challenges, like Popsugar and such are the most stressful, but I enjoy them because I read so many things I wouldn’t normally.
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