And just like that it’s December. But really, how it is December already?! 2018 flew by! Although, I do love this time of year because it means my birthday is coming up 😉
I’ve never been one to make resolutions because I don’t really believe in them to be honest. *shrugs* But I decided for 2019 I’m going to focus on my reading finally. This might sound weird that I’m making this a goal, but life has been chaotic these past few years. As you all know, I graduated in 2016 with my Masters and since then it’s been a crazy couple of years. No one tells you how difficult it is to adjust to the “real world” or that you might need to work any odd job (or two in my case) to pay rent. That’s been my life until about mid 2018. I finally got a better paying job with a normal 9-5 schedule and was finally able to breathe. Once I adjusted to my new schedule I was itching to read again. So, I started devouring book by book and all of a sudden I had read 30 books – the most I’ve ever read in a single year. (I’m now up to 48)
Now that I’ve been reading a lot more and have unlimited time to devote to it, I decided to do my first every yearly resolution, but book related of course. 😉
My Top Five Book Resolutions For 2019
Read more of my own books
This sounds silly, but I’m really bad about reading my own books. I’m constantly checking out a book from the library even if I own the same book. If I own the physical book I might check out the e-book or audiobook of the same title. Why do I do this? I honestly don’t know. I just love libraries so much and want to support them in any way I can, so maybe subconsciously this is my way of doing it. Plus, I look at my books and think “I can read you whenever I want,” but I look at library books like “I only have a limited amount of time with you so I need to ignore everything else and read you this instant.” Yeah, I don’t get it either, but in 2019 it’s time to devote more time to my own library.
Do a clean out
I recently did a count of my personal books – both physical and ebook – and um, I own 750. That might not seem like a lot to some people, but remember I live in a SMALL apartment with another person and a cat. Yes, about 330 of the 750 are ebooks, but that still leaves a little over 400 physical books…in a SMALL APARTMENT. So, I’m hoping by reading more of my own books I will be able to flush out the ones I don’t like or won’t read again – leaving room for me to buy more of course. 🙂
Read more non-fiction
You would think I would love reading non-fiction given what I studied in college and graduate school, but I have a hard time with non-fiction grabbing my attention. However, I so badly want to read more of it. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been collecting non-fiction books either. In fact, it’s one of my biggest areas outside of YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi. I’ve realized with non-fiction I have to be in the mood for it. I’m hoping my other goals of reading more of my own books and ultimately a clean out will help me finally tackle my non-fiction collection.
Re-read Harry Potter
Yes, you read that correctly. I want to re-read Harry Potter in 2019 because I haven’t read the entire series in years. In the past, if I did a re-read I would read my favorites (normally 5-7) and that was it. When I read Sorcerer’s Stone this past fall I realized how much I missed the early books. So in 2019 I’m finally going to sit down and read the entire series from beginning to end.
Finally get to some popular series
So. I have a confession to make. A lot of recent (and not so recent) popular series that have come out I probably have not read them. A Game of Thrones? Nope. Daughter of Smoke and Bone? Nope. An Ember in the Ashes? Nope. Red Queen? Nope. Anything by Victoria/V.E. Schwab? Nope. You get it. I’m really behind on a lot good series, and I have no excuses because I own a lot of these books already. But in 2019 I plan to change all of it and I hope I can come back at the end of next year and say I’ve read them all!
Are you planning any resolutions book related or otherwise? If so, I’d love to hear them!
Until next time!
bibliotales.wordpress.com 
I have the same feelings about library books. What I never see that particular book again!?
Congrats on your new job!
Seriously!? What if I don’t get the book and then try to later and it has a million holds on it..? haha, the life of a bookworm.
And thanks! I’ve been in the new job for about 6 months now and am loving it so much.
I definitley want to read more of my own books as well! My TBR pile needs it and it’s getting tired of my nonsense. Good luck with all your resolutions! 😊
Thanks! I’ve collected a lot of books over the years and I’m finally like, you need to read these books because you’re running out of room. Plus I’ve noticed all of the books I want to read, I already own, ha!
I’m hoping to reread Harry Potter next year as well! Let me know if you want to do any buddy reads!
Oh that would be so much fun! I think maybe I’ll get to reading them in February because I have a lot to catch up in January. I will probably skip Sorcerer’s Stone though since I read that in the fall. But I LOVE buddy reads.
I feel called out! *lol* I have the same problem with my library books, I always read them before I read the books I own and I have so many awesome series like “A Darker Shade of Magic” I still haven’t read. Plus I’m planning a HP reread too! 🙂
HAHAH! It must mean we think alike 😉 Let me know when you would like to re-read HP, and maybe I can try to put together a book club/buddy read. There seems to be a few other people interested!
I’ll let you know when I’m ready. *lol* 😉
haha, okay! Sounds like a plan 🙂
These are great resolutions! Next year I absolutely want to read at least 100 books, because my TBR of only owned books is really making me anxious. I also want to finish some of the series I began, like the Stoneheart trilogy.
I’m thinking I can push close to 100 next year if I read about 25 books in the last four months of the year, but I will probably have a goal of around 50 to start and go from there. I’m going to try to read almost all of my own books unless there’s an audiobook I want to listen to. I’ve stopped counting all of my books I haven’t read yet because it was also making me anxious, ha!
I’m so impressed by everyone already posting up their 2019 goals, I haven’t even begun to think about 2019 as I’ve been so fixated on just surviving December haha.
haha! They’ve been stewing in my head for a while now so I figured I would just put them down so I can get a head start. My December has been nuts too so I understand completely. Hang in there!
I also want to re-read Harry Potter this year. Hopefully with my boyfriend so that he can finally read the series! haha
Ugh, my boyfriend has never read the series either so I feel ya. He’s not a fantasy reader so I guess he’s off the hook for reading them, but I am making him watch all of the movies with me 🙂
Thanks for this great idea….
Here is my some resolution ideas.. Hope u will like it… http://lifeblush.com/2018/12/17/new-year-resolutions-2019
These are really good resolutions. I totally understand not reading your own books because others are comming out, and non-fiction is a genre I haven’t touched (voluntarly) in years! I wish you the best of luck with them
Non-Fiction is tricky for me because I’m so picky and most of Non-Fiction I find really dry. So I’ve been listening to the audio version’s if available and I’ve found that helps a lot.
Ooh I may try the audiobooks then! I just like the possibilities that magic and adventure and scify gives us while I know all the limitations that real life has..
That’s understandable. I usually go for memoirs, or a funny read. I will go for something historical or current event related only if I’m interested in the topic or I can handle it at the time. Sometimes you just need to read to escape.
The escape is my main reason for reading, NGL. But I want to diversify genres so I’ll try with the audios for non fiction 😁