January | 2018 | Lost in a Good Book

Goals and the Year Ahead

Considering I am not sure I achieved all my set goals from last year, I’m not sure about the wisdom of making new ones, but it wouldn’t be a new blogging year if I didn’t try to make some reading goals. Secretly I’ll also employ last year’s goals as well because they were actually very useful.

AWW Challenge

I plan to meet and exceed my goal of 25 Aussie Women books. I want to make a large chunk of my reading this year from Aussie women, but I think this is a great starting point.

More focus on Aussie writers

This is tied into the AWW Challenge, but it also applies to the men as well. I want to explore more local talent. We have a whole Australian Author section at work and while I have certainly read a lot more over the past few years, there are so many more books to discover.

Top Ten Tuesday

I love doing TTT but I always forget about it. I may need to plan ahead, and even if I don’t do them all it is a great challenge. Some of the topics really make you think and it’s great to challenge yourself to try to meet the criteria.

Book Bingo

While I normally love creating a new bingo card each year, this year I am reusing last year’s card. The main reason is I loved the categories and would love to explore them all again. Since I’m limiting myself to two challenges this year in the hope I can focus on them and give them proper attention, I want to try and fill the whole card, not just get one line. I have been quite close before so it will be exciting to see how long it takes.

5th Blogiversary

The thing about starting a blog in January is that the anniversaries come around very quickly when the new year begins. I’m not sure what I’m going to do just yet but I’m sure I will think of something a bit special. Maybe reflective, who knows. The whole thing seems sort of surreal really, where has the time gone.

So those are the goals, what I wish to achieve with my blogging this year. There are other, less concrete goals as well that I want to work on, but I think this is a great starting point. When I look at it in list form it doesn’t seem like a lot but at the same time seems very busy. But I’m hoping it won’t be. I also want to bring back some features I’ve used in the past but they are less regimented and just as I remember to do them. Things like showing off good things I find at book sales and from the library. It’s an occupational hazard working in a library, you keep bringing home books even when you have 15 already sitting on your shelves you got the day before. It does, however, stop me buying books. In theory.

What I am hoping for is that this year shouldn’t be nearly as chaotic as the last couple of years. No moving, no loss of internet, no uni, no dramas that get in the way and make things incredibly complicated. There is a holiday later in the year, but I’m hoping I will be on top of all my reading goals to have it interrupted for a little while. But that seems a very long way away right now as I sit safely in January. I will save any real worry for November.

Top Five of 2017

There were some books that immediately made their way on this list and some that I had to think about whether they made the cut. The problem is if it’s months later the emotional experience lessons and I’m not sure how I felt about a book. This is why reviews are very handy when I actually write them! It also helps to create a list through the year, which normally I am very good at, but while three books stuck out as clear winners, it was hard finding the other two books to add to the list. I think I have chosen well though, there is a mixture of non-fiction, YA, and different genres. It’s a nice little diverse list actually which was a surprise.

La Belle Sauvage (Book of Dust #1) by Philip Pullman

I HAVE to include this because this has been on my TBR pile for about 5 years while I waited for it to even be written and I am so excited that I have had a chance to read it finally! Not that I wouldn’t include it otherwise this book was 100% worth the wait of the last few years, it was beautiful, important, magical and all the things that make HDM brilliant 20 years before. If you are going to read it, I suggest you have read the original three first. The surprises in HDM aren’t surprises in this book and it will ruin your experience.

The Martian by Andy Weir

I have been planning on reading this book ever since it came out, I had a feeling I would love it and I was totally right. Ever since I read it I find myself thinking about it all the time. I could easily reread it and I would love it all over again. I want to give it to people and make them read it. Also, while the book is super hilarious and amazing, the movie is actually very close, but not nearly as funny.

Fight Like A Girl by Clementine Ford

I don’t normally read a lot of non-fiction but this is a book we all need to read: women, men, all genders and all ages. There are so many moments in this book where you realise the same thing has happened in your life or someone you know, or even just when Ford opens your eyes to things you already knew but now have confirmation. It’s an amazing read as a female and it is important to read for men.

Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

I was so surprised by this book. It draws you in, it’s fascinating, engaging, then Watson turns it on its head and throws another twist at you. I implore that if you love thrillers, and love to be surprised and enthralled, that you should read this book. This also has a movie adaptation, which is very good, but the book is still a better experience in my opinion.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

I have been reading Maureen Johnson’s books for a few years and I have to say this one might be my favourite. This series anyway. It is a mystery and a ghost story wrapped up together and it has you not only enthralled by these characters and Johnson’s writing, but it will have you on the edge of your seat, frantically turning pages and immediately making you pick up the second book upon completion.