Monday, January 4, 2016

A New Year's Reboot + Bookish Goals

I always find the start of a new year an inspiring time for goals and projects. And of course you know my favorite sort of goals and projects are book-related! So while I continue finalizing my 2016 reading challenge entries, I thought I would also revisit a few long-term projects I started back in 2013: The Classics Club and 1001 Children's Books. I've shared some new thoughts on those projects in addition to completely overhauling my Classics Club list and tweaking how I keep track of the children's books. If you'd like to see the changes I've made, click the links above. (You can always find links to those projects beneath my blog header as well.)

And while we're at it, a few additional bookish goals for the New Year:
  1. Choose a library story-time to attend and start taking my son regularly.
  2. Continue adding to my book quotes journal as I read.
  3. Get serious about reading from my shelves AND actually read any new books I buy.
  4. Support my local independent/used bookstores when I do shop.
  5. Find a better balance between reading library books and books I already own.
  6. Participate in at least one short-term, intensive read-a-thon (like Dewey's or 24 in 48)
  7. Complete my year-long reading challenges (more info on those soon!)
  8. Review more on the blog. This doesn't mean every book I read, but I want to figure out how to get excited about reviewing again, whatever shape or form that might take.
  9. Read all the remaining unread children's books on my son's shelves at least once.
  10. Re-read at least 5 books -- with all the excitement of new stories, I sometimes forget to make time to re-read. Harry Potter illustrated edition, I've got my eye on you!
My book quotes journal

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year everyone!
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Update (1/5/16) : As it turns out, resolutions are this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic over on The Broke and the Bookish, so I'll be linking this post up there :)

17 comments:

  1. I love all of these goals, Christine.

    We go to a regular story time at the library - well, it's story and crafts, so we read a book and then make a craft based off the book we read - but both me and the little one love it. It feels good to have it as a part of our routine.

    I hope you're able to find a love of reviewing books once more. Book blogs don't need reviews, but they are one of my favourite kinds of posts, and I always found interesting new to me books through your blog.

    I like that you want to reread more this year. I didn't make that a goal of mine because I do reread often but I do hope to make more of an effort to reread this year because I don't think I reread more than 2 books last year which is unusual for me.

    Also, lastly, sorry long comment, I love your book quote journal - I need to get myself a nice looking journal like that!

    Happy New Year + Happy Reading!

    Reading With Jade

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    1. Thanks Jade! I'm going to re-think how I do reviews because when I read over 300 books in a year (including picture books, etc.) that doesn't translate well to a traditional review per book! I'll figure out something though, I'm sure :)

      I do love that journal -- especially since it looks like a book! I received it as a gift and had kind of forgot about it until I was riffling through my stationary "stuff" looking for something to use as a journal and it was just perfect :)

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  2. Ha, I'm trying to be alllll about #3. And #5. I've got so many books I've practically got my own library. Ridiculous that I spend so much time at the real library. Wishing you a fantastic new year!

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    1. Thanks Bonnie! I wish you luck -- it shouldn't be so hard, but it just is. I love my library too :)

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  3. I love book quotes! :) I recently found an app that allows me read ePubs (my preference since I started out with a Nook) and when you highlight a quote it saves them and then you can create en ePub of all your notes and quotes when you are done! You can even tag the quotes like you do on GoodReads.

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    1. How cool! I am a stubborn holdout for e-reading (with a few occasional exceptions), but stuff like that almost makes me wish I did it more :)

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  4. Going to library reading time with your son is such a great goal! It's moments like those that'll make a lifetime booklover! Good luck with all of your goals for 2016. :)

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    1. Thanks Lisa! Reading with a little one is just the best -- time to expand that beyond our home though :)

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  5. Good luck with all of your goals. That's awesome you want to take your son to story time. I love library events for little ones! I need to keep a book quote journal - that's a great idea! I have so many nice journals I need to use and I like quotes; I just forget to write things down.

    -Lauren

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    1. Thanks Lauren! We went to a Halloween parade at the library last year and it was so fun.

      I had the same issue -- I realized that I had a whole bunch of unused journals and it was kind of silly that they were just sitting there! I've been trying to come up with realistic uses for them and it's been fun :)

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  6. Ooh, and there's a picture of your quotes journal! Just as perfect as you described!

    That whole balance between library books and owned books...yeah, that's my downfall too. The library books are just so new and shiny!

    Good luck with all of your goals!

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    1. Thanks Julie!

      Yes they are new and shiny! And those due dates are sometimes more motivating than anything else -- for better or worse!

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  7. Good luck completing all your 2016 goals!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/01/05/top-ten-tuesday-38/

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  8. Have fun reading all the unread children's books on your sons bookshelves.

    Here's a link to my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-resolutions-i.html

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    1. Thanks! We've already made a good start and it has been fun :)

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  9. The story times are a big hit at my library! The kids seem to love them and so do the adults. :) Perhaps I should probably buy a journal for my favorite book quotes. I always say I am going to and never do. Good luck with your challenges this year! I would love to participate in the Dewey read-a-thon this year. I may just have to take off work to do so. We shall see.

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    1. I am looking forward to seeing which books the librarians recommend for sure! There are just so many out there.

      I definitely recommend a pretty journal that makes you want to write those quotes down. I tried doing it digitally once, but I really like pen and paper for this kind of thing.

      Working the weekends really does but a monkey wrench in read-a-thon plans :( I am definitely doing the next 24in48 because I like that it is still intensive, but spread over two days instead of one :)

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I'd love to hear what you think :)