I set my Goodreads Reading Goal to 35 books in 2019 and for the first quarter of the year I have read…
Eleven!
I’ll be honest, I’m pretty pleased with that- that’s almost one book a week. Like most readers, I struggle with the endless battle of Finding More Time to Read and I’m so excited to finally see some progress!
I have 2 reading goals for the year, as well: First, to make my way through the Harry Potter series all over again. And second, to study up on Ireland, the destination for my upcoming Honeymoon!
Here is the list of books I have read so far:
- The Celtic Twilight by W.B. Yeats
- The Wicked King by Holly Black
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
- Ireland: In Word and Image by Jay Adlersberg
- The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
- The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
- Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
- True Crime Addict by James Renner
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
I attribute my success to a couple things: First, having a reading buddy is THE WORLD. Not only am I motivated to read more because my friend is reading the same book, but when we finish we meet for yoga followed by tea to discuss! We often find that while we like the same kinds of books, they are often for different reasons and it’s so much fun to chat all about it!
Another method I’ve found to be super helpful is my rekindling relationship with audio books. A good author plus a good narrator make for an amazing audio experience. I thoroughly enjoyed The Red Hunter by Lisa Unger, narrated by Julia Whelan, in December and that really is the book that got me into audio books again.
Since then, I’ve found I primarily enjoy autobiographies on audio. There is something so amazing about listening to an author narrate their own story, from Carrie Fisher to Michelle Obama. I love the thought that they’re sitting at a table right across from me sharing their most inner thoughts, that their desire is to find and share compassion and their excitement with the world.
Finally, I’ve decided not to judge the types of books I’m reading. I used to feel like I had to be very private about my so-called guilty pleasures but I’ve finally realized I don’t feel guilty about reading any books at all. Reading and enjoying a story is the goal of the whole process, so why is any genre or format any better than another? So I’ve decided to count books of all shapes and sizes in my reading goal, from novellas to graphic novels- they all count, they all were grown and loved and cared for until they were released into the world and I’m determined to celebrate the results!
Upcoming Reads:
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
- The Queen’s Resistance by Rebecca Ross
- Irish Fairy and Folk Tales by W.B. Yeats
Leap to Fly 