2018 Challenges and Goals Update

So reflecting on what I wanted to achieve this year with my reading I think I did OK... not amazing, but it's been a pretty busy year and I'm proud I managed to achieve what I did. So venture forth to see and I'll be posting shortly my goals for 2019.

Goodreads

What I wrote in January: I’m going to push myself a little bit further than last year and try for 58 books in the Goodreads challenge. Last year I managed 45 and just made it, but I felt that I spent a lot of time wasted doing unimportant things like surfing facebook.

What I actually accomplished: So I ended up reducing my goodreads book challenge to just 40 books in December because there was no way I was going to reach 58. Ah how hopeful and naive I was back in January...

A-Z

What I wrote in January: I’m also keen to participate again in an A-Z challenge. This year I’ve chosen to do the challenge hosted by Ginger Mom and The Kindle Quest. Last year I managed 15 out of 26 (not my best haha) hopefully I can get all 26 this year

What I actually accomplished: I ended up doing exactly 15 books in this challenge again this year... at least if i'm not doing better, I'm maintaining my mediocrity haha

TBR Pile

What I wrote in January: I’m keen to tackle some of my ever-growing TBR pile, so I’ve joined the #Beatthebacklist challenge hosted by a Novelknight. My goal is to read 25 books on my TBR pile pre- 2018. 

What I actually accomplished: I really should have thought ahead with this one... the problem was that if I had the first book on my TBR usually the next books in the series weren't (incase I didn't end up pursing the series) so I didn't count any of the subsequent books in this challenge since I technically added them in 2018. So in the end my count was only at 11. 

Finishing Series

What I wrote in January:So one of my main faults as a reader is my complete inability to finish a series. I either take a break half way through and never go back or I get sick of waiting for the next instalment and by the time it’s released I’ve forgotten what had happened previously. So this year I’ve joined the 2018 Finishing the Series Reading Challenege hosted by Celebrity Readers. I’m hoping to finish between 5-8 series this year.

What I actually accomplished: I am super proud of myself with this challenge. I ended up reading/finishing 7 series this year which is huge for me because its one of the things I am absolutely the worst at! This was by far my biggest achievement this year :)

What was your biggest achievement this year?

2018 Goals and Challenges

I love going through everyone’s pots about resolutions and goals at this time of the year, its neat to see what everyones up to and looking to the year ahead. So I’ve been inspired to make my own goals list.

Goodreads

I’m going to push myself a little bit further than last year and try for 58 books in the Goodreads challenge. Last year I managed 45 and just made it, but I felt that I spent a lot of time wasted doing unimportant things like surfing facebook.

A-Z

I’m also keen to participate again in an A-Z challenge. This year I’ve chosen to do the challenge hosted by Ginger Mom and The Kindle Quest. Last year I managed 15 out of 26 (not my best haha) hopefully I can get all 26 this year

TBR Pile

I’m keen to tackle some of my ever-growing TBR pile, so I’ve joined the #Beatthebacklist challenge hosted by a Novelknight. My goal is to read 25 books on my TBR pile pre- 2018. 

Finishing Series

So one of my main faults as a reader is my complete inability to finish a series. I either take a break half way through and never go back or I get sick of waiting for the next instalment and by the time it’s released I’ve forgotten what had happened previously. So this year I’ve joined the 2018 Finishing the Series Reading Challenege hosted by Celebrity Readers. I’m hoping to finish between 5-8 series this year.

What are your reading goals this year?

November Wrap Up

Finished 

   

  

This latest episode of Paper Girls was kind of weird, I definitely was left with more questions than answers again, and I'm intrigued how its all going to come together as some stage (or if it ever does?)

Of course because its coming to the end of the year, I decide its a good time to start another series with Incarnate (instead of finishing the piling list I have). It's got some interesting ideas about reincarnation which are pretty unique and the story was pretty good if a little lagging sometimes. Holes, was my favorite book of the month. It got me out of my reading slump as it always does. One of my favorite childhood books. 

What to Say Next was also a great read this month, about an unlikely friendship between a popular girl whose recently lost her father and the 'odd' boy at school who has Aspergers. Very sweet and funny, but also addressing the cruelty of others for being 'different'. 

Up Next In December

I have high hopes for my reading in December. I'm taking annual leave in a few weeks till early January so I'm hoping to dedicate some of my time to finishing my Goodreads challenge, amongst all the Chrsitmas prep and holiday madness. So far on my list I have. 

        

 

Other Updates 

I really enjoyed using my bullet journal this year to document all my crazy lists and notes. I was good at updating these things throughout the year, but I was quite bad at setting up each month for everyday life tracking and planning. 

Unfortunately that also means I'm left with a whole bunch of empty pages in my bullet journal which seems like a waste. I think next year I am going to revert back to a planner for everyday use for my tasks, and use a smaller moleskine journal for my fun list making and goalsetting etc. 

For those of you who used bullet journals, how did you find them? Any adjustments for next year?

2017 Challenges

This one is just a quickie, with an update on what reading challenges I've decided to take on this year. 

With my new bullet-journaling craze, tracking my progress for my 2017 reading challenges is even more fun. Below are a few of the challenges I'll be participating in this year.

My goodreads goal is set to 60 books which I think will be achievable. My other goals including reading more classic horror novels... think Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray and the works of Edgar Allen Poe. Therefore I will be participating in the Classic Horror Challenge (which can be found here). I've also created my own book bingo with ideas amalgamated from various places, which I had lots of fun creating and I'm sure I'll have lots of fun filling in. 

Overall I'm pretty happy with my challenges this year, and hope to keep you guys updated with pictures from my bullet journal :)