2019 Reading Updates – Start Up

2019 is here and you know what that means: it’s time to set myself some impossibly high goals that I will fail to meet for the rest of the year! Also known as: these are my 2019 reading updates, and this is the start up!

Reading goals

This is a yearly thing by now, but still: I would like to read at least 100 books this year. That’s actually proven the easiest bit of the goals I give myself, so let’s start with a winner.

Here’s the change from the last couple of years: last year, I already moved away from just doing reading challenges. Because, you know… They don’t actually seem to work all that well for me? So, naturally – because, again, let’s set myself some goals I will never be able to get – I figured I’d give myself some mini-challenges:

• Read at least 5 books in French
• Read at least 5 books in Dutch
• Read at least 1 book in a language other than English, French, or Dutch
• Read at least 5 non-fiction books
• Read and finish at least one series

Now, naturally I have some candidates in mind for each of these “challenges” already – I might get back to that at a later date. But why these challenges, you might ask? Well, as for French: I just need to read more French, to keep up with it. I listen to and speak French quite (very?) often, but actually reading it? It just doesn’t happen. And, stupid though it may sound, the same can actually be said for Dutch. I mean, it’s my first language – yet here I am, not having read any Dutch books in *probably* months.

As for the other three: that’s more a matter of challenging myself: to understand a language sufficiently that I can read in it, to keep learning, and of course: to get through my series. I have at least 5 just standing there on my shelves, not being read. That needs to change, basically!

Reading challenges

Yes, I’m aware that I only just said that reading challenges don’t really work for me. And yet, here I am, listing the reading challenges I want to participate in. Again: it’s more about maybe pushing myself a little bit. To read something that’s a bit (a lot?) out of my comfort zone. And, well… Even though I’ve gone for the same ones as just about each year? Out of my comfort zone I will go, apparently!

Modern Mrs Darcy:

PopSugar:

And of course, I’m still – slowly, very slowly – making my way through the Rory Gilmore Challenge. I said this last year as well: that’ll be one for life.

Anyways, what are your reading challenges for this year? What books are you most looking forward to reading? Have you put yourself any specific goals? Be sure to let me know below!

-Saar