2025 Goals

02 Jan 2025 6 Comments

by Amy in Rambles Tags: ,

January always bring a rush of things to do. Suddenly everything is happening and it’s a mixture of wrapping up the previous year and setting the wheels in motion for the one that’s just begun.

I have all the usual posts planned for January but I am starting off with my goals this time. I like to set my goals, not for any real reason, but I like to have some kind of plan for the year, even if it doesn’t quite come to fruition. Which is why the past few years with all the *gestures at everything* I have made them simpler targets, but also little things to make me feel like I’ve achieved some things and improved my reading, or even my blogging, in some way.

 

Bump up my #AussieYAChallenge involvement

First things first, I am still so proud of myself for starting the Aussie YA Challenge, but as creator I didn’t give the attention it deserved. I planted it, attended it for a while, then promptly neglected it. Unintentionally of course. This is why so many of my gardening ventures failed, I forget to keep watering the plants, even though I kept thinking about them or seeing them in the garden.

To rectify this, I am implementing the approach I had when the AWW was up and running. I made draft posts and scheduled them into when I wanted my check in points to be so I had them ready as a reminder, I wasn’t at the whim of memory and time to make something.

In the same vein I am going to try and be more prompt with my reviews on what I do read. Promoting the challenge is one thing, but having little updates and reminders as I post the reviews for what I’ve read will help too.

I am also going to make more deliberate and active choices to pick up physical books as the year goes on because honestly 95% of Aussie YA are physical/ebooks only so it’s going to have to happen. I have to stop myself being distracted by shiny audiobooks from overseas just because it’s easier. I need to read these books I have longed to read for ages, even if it’s hard. The want is there and I have to make myself read them if I ever want to catch up on the amazing books we have coming out of this country.

 

Read physical books/from my own shelf

It’s not only for Aussie YA I need to read physical books, any physical books would be great. I want to read at least 12 physical books this year, I will force this habit to return because I can’t rely on audio forever. I have three bookcases with books I need to read at home so in addition to physical books I am also going to try and read more from my own shelves too because to be honest that’s where a lot of those 95% Aussie YA books are as well.

 

Reading Challenges

I have three reading challenges to complete this year. My own #AussieYAChallenge, my Book Bingo, and the Read 25 YA books in 2025 over on StoryGraph. A lot of these should overlap so it shouldn’t be too overwhelming. While I was investigating challenges though I also found an ongoing #LoveOzYA Queer Reads Challenge which I might dip my toe into as well and find some of our great diverse reads.

 

Share Reviews more

Comparatively to earlier years, I have been a lot better and consistent in posting reviews on my blog, and I have a schedule that works for me. But when I post here I am not as diligent as putting up a written review on StoryGraph as I used to be on Goodreads. I need to dedicate some time and upload all the reviews I’ve done since moving to StoryGraph and putting them up for people to read. I’ll sit down on afternoon, pop on a book to keep me company and spend a couple hours filling up those empty review spots. Another habit I need to get back into.

 

So that’s my plan. Looking back over this it doesn’t look as simple as I initially thought but I am happy. A little active reading won’t hurt and a chance to share the great things I’m reading can’t be a bad thing either. I am hoping a little patience with myself is going to help, and as with most things I think starting will be the hardest part. But I am also going to try and make myself be consistent. My tendency to lose momentum mid-year and never start again has a strong track record so we can only go in with faith and good intentions right?

Books I Can’t Stop Thinking About

04 Jul 2024 Leave a comment

by Amy in Rambles Tags: , , , , , , ,

This might be better than my top five lists because there is a huge difference between books that have a lasting impact and those that I gave five stars. No, I can’t explain why.

Having reviewed so many books, and read so many books, it’s always fascinating to see which ones won’t leave me. While I can simply adore some books at the time, it doesn’t mean I will think about them long after.

I planned to put this out in my ten year celebrations but with this that and whatever now we’re here. This is the list of books that I still find myself thinking about years after. The ones I felt moved by, were beautifully written, had an amazing story or concept, or were unique and intriguing and I’m incredibly glad I was able to read them and surprised they are still floating around in my mind.

Tears of the River by Gordon Rottman

This is a great YA book that is full of action and adventure, a great main character and wonderfully written. Rottman captures imagery very well and I remember feeling tense and anxious as I read some of the action scenes in this book. Karen is a great character and she handles the adventure and stress more than I think I would.

Yellow by Megan Jacobson

This book broke my heart obviously, and I love it dearly all these years later. It is sweet, full of heart, but also about self discovery. The emotional impact it had on me at the time was profound and I resonated with Kirra’s story a lot so it holds a special place in my heart.

Freak of Nature by Julia Crane

The idea of Kaitlyn is always in my head when thinking about sentient robots and cybernetics and things like that. I always want her abilities to regulate her body and her emotions. It’s an ideal skill to have. The reality Crane created is fascinating and Kaitlyn is a great character to explore it with. Being cybernetic and robotic while also being emotionally human is a great idea to explore.

Lightning Tracks by A. A. Kinsela

I always wanted to go back to this world but I have been unable to see evidence they continued with the series. Fantasy set in Australia with culture and history combined it was beautiful and I long for more.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

What can I say? It’s Alaska for goodness sake. It will never be TFiOS because in my opinion people obsessed over the wrong book. Alaska is my TFiOS and no one will ever take her from me. This book, ugh, my god.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

When I find a great retelling or alternate history story I long to be part of that world. I would love a reality where vampires and werewolves were real and simply living in society, helping out the Victorians with security and other services while still having the traditional elements of their mythology. Not to mention the joys of a fully steampunk Victorian era with all that entails.

See You Yesterday by Rachel  Lynn Solomon

The creativity of Solomon’s story stays with me always. I find myself thinking about plot points and how unique this time loop story has been told. I love the characters and I love the ending. The characters are wonderful and I am always keen to return to their lives and watch them escape their fates.

Royals by Tegan Bennett Daylight

Another one that has been cemented in my mind for the creativity of the plot as well as a phenomenal execution. It’s mystical, it’s forced proximity, I love that everyone grows and bonds, but at the same time also hate each other a little. It’s the kind of story that draws you in with questions and Bennett Daylight leaves you wanting more.

 

There’s definitely more I could list, specific books in series that were magnificent or other books that I always go on about. But that is a different kind of great. These ones really stuck with me and that I find myself thinking about surprisingly often. If there are any books that have stayed with you long after you’ve read them, not necessarily five star ones, but those that had interesting characters or concepts that resonated feel free to let me know in the comments.

1200th Post

11 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

by Amy in Rambles Tags: , ,

A few days ago, as I was looking up old posts to reference for another blog post, I came across one where I was celebrating my 600th post. It was a wild flashback to 2017 and at the end of the post I pondered where I would be in another 600. I thought to myself, obviously I immediately forgot about that once I posted it and have probably passed that new milestone now, what with the more regular schedule I had been on in past years than those early ones. I checked and what do you know, I was on 1198. You couldn’t have planned this better.

I checked my schedule and I had 5 posts planned, the second one being my 1200th. I didn’t want it to be the 1200th so a swift change was in order. Technically my 1200th post is now about being the 1200th post but I am still counting it. I will not wax lyrical, I always find myself carrying on which I’m reigning back. But this time I will stop to say that 1200 is an impressive feat. Unsurprising given I have been here 12 years, but at the same time that feels like waaaay too many posts.

Looking at the numbers I actually must have posted more in the first 600 than after. Roughly in four years I did 600, whereas it took about seven to do the same amount. In that first time I did do four (I think), month long celebrations where I posted every single day. I also briefly posted on Sundays so despite often not posting for months on end, it all worked out? I dunno, numbers are weird and it’s best not to think about them.

Somehow 600 and 1200 became pinnacle moments instead of 500 or 1000, probably because I did miss the 500th and aimed for the next one. I don’t want to say where the 1800th post is going to land me but I think anything from here on end is some kind of achievement.

To those who have been here since post one I am eternally grateful, for those who came in at 100, 500, 1000, or 1195 I am also incredibly grateful you have chosen to come on this bookish journey with me.

2024 Goals

18 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

by Amy in Rambles Tags: , , ,

2024 is here and well underway by this point. No one is wishing Happy New Years anymore, February is practically here and then we’ll forget we even had a break to begin with. I didn’t plan for my first of the year to be so late but here we are. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, got plenty of reading done, and have already added plenty of books to your TBR pile for 2024.

I have been looking at what I want my goals for this year to be and I am keeping it simple and relatively easy to strive for. I think my evergreen goal is trying to read a lot more Aussie YA. It was the first 2024 goal I made at the end of last year and already have failed because there are so many nice and shiny books from overseas. Of the eight books I have read so far this year, one is from the #LoveOzYA group, even the two I am half way through are both overseas stories. But I have plenty of time. The problem is I wish it was easier to search for them. The #LoveOzYA team fought hard to get the term recognised, I just need bookshops and libraries to have it as a category I can look up. There’s some great lists on Goodreads, I don’t think StoryGraph does lists the same way, if it does I’ve yet to discover it. Right now I am being guided by the #LoveOzYA website, their blog, lists and tags people put on social media, and looking up authors I already know that fit into that category. Of course I also need to read the back catalogue on my own shelves which is also part of my goal. So many potentially great Aussie YA books sitting unread on my shelf.

The problem is those overseas books are so tempting, so I am not making it a sole goal. But one I hope if I put some effort in to I shall achieve. The rise of audiobooks must be a help, but I fear it will be a wait before any back catalogues get converted. I’m doing it partly because I want to find more local authors, but I also need less USA high school books. Or at least if it’s going to be overseas YA it can’t be in a high school. Somehow the UK and Australians can make YA that isn’t set so heavily in the halls of a high school, I like those ones. But that is a me problem, I think I need a break from cheerleaders and football and not quite ready to jump further into the US fantasy quite yet. Years ago they had a great Book Bingo Challenge which I loved. I might make up my own one to aid me. What I need is a #LoveOzYA Challenge like the old Australian Women Writers where there’s goals to aim for. Oh, I may have given myself an idea of a challenge I definitely don’t have time to make but do kinda desperately want to make…I’ll keep you posted.

Away from that I have set my goal at 80 books again, hopefully we can be a bit less dramatic come December when I need to have finished. I am also creating my Book Bingo so that will go up soon as well. My plan was to less intense in January in terms of posting, but that has slackened further now it being the end of January and all with nothing posted yet, but I’ll get there. Keeping it fun and casual I tell myself. Fighting against my organisational instincts and keeping it casual like I promised myself last year.

Next week is my blogiversary, the one post I can’t skip. I have my Top Five up for grabs as well as a few other books I’ve loved. It’s times like this I wish I’d reviewed more because it’s hard to push books you love when there aren’t many reviews to read up on to tell you why I loved it. I will get the reviews up as soon as possible though because I need to tell you about these amazing books.

Other than that I am gearing up for a more relaxed year, reviews when I can, trying not to hold myself too accountable so I am not guilt ridden, but also balancing it so I don’t go full on neglect either.

Shouldn’t be too hard, right?

Another Year Gone.

31 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

by Amy in Rambles Tags:

I don’t know why I feel such a sense of guilt writing this end of year wrap or, or any wrap up really. I think it’s because I put a lot of pressure on myself so if I don’t achieve the goal I feel I have failed. Even getting time to write this has been a challenge and certainly not my usual end of year schedule where it’s spaced out beautifully.

The weird thing is I felt little guilt over my neglect through the year, not so much because I didn’t post, but because I actually forgot a lot of the time so I wasn’t remembering to post. I think this also played into the fact I don’t feel I read a lot this year. I know I fell behind on my goal and I’m not quite game to check but I am almost certain I didn’t hit my target.

In other news I finished writing a book, have almost finished writing another. I’d like to think that played a role too but I know I am only grasping at excuses. I was incredibly busy with life and I think the combo of time, and not having a lot of books to think about, I didn’t feel the overwhelming crush of pressure and guilt about not posting reviews. Which I should be relieved about, but alas has actually made me feel guiltier on reflection.

It’s definitely a combination of the fact I have been doing this for so long, this was my tenth year, it was supposed to be better. But work and family commitments take up time. Life takes up time. In the past I’ve slipped because of illness, burnt out, holidays, plus a range of other things. But I know I can be better. Which I think is worse. I think my end of year tradition has become me lamenting about not doing things and neglecting this blog. I must stop doing that too (she says as she continues to do it).

Going into my eleventh year I am trying to be kinder to myself. Which, I know, I have said a lot in the past too. I make plan to change things up, change schedules, try and make it more manageable. But I think I am at a loss with plans. I think you can’t plan once you hit a certain point. I need to read more certainly, but also don’t be reliant on a schedule to keep.

If I read a book I will post about it. If I have a solid run for a while then I don’t I will try my absolute hardest to not feel weird about it. The blog will be here patiently waiting for my return.

I got to participate in a book release recently for an author who I have been reading since my very first year doing this. They were an author I picked up when I had opened my review requests (god how I miss those!) and I have been invested ever since. It took me back to those hectic but simpler earlier days. To be honest I think life and the general world was simpler then so it probably doesn’t count. But it has given me something to think about going into year eleven of this endeavour.

I honestly still love it. I love doing it. So why haven’t I been able to? I don’t think I will get an easy answer on that. I do think the lack of reading hasn’t helped. When a book speaks to you, and you love it, being able to sing its praises is easier. I think getting out of the habit made it hard. As hard as it is to make a habit, getting back to one I think is just as challenging.

I see the regular faces who like my posts when I do post and I want to thank you for sticking with me all this time. Through my weird schedules, my absence, through social media upheaval when nothing is seen, nothing connects anymore, and for still reading my words when you all no doubt have the exact same distractions going on in your own lives.

I am not ready to quit this. I do not want to give up on it. I only ask the world slow down a little and give me a chance to rediscover my deep love for this blog because it’s there below the surface, buried beneath a little dirt and mud but I have bought a shovel and I am willing to dig down deep to uncover it again.

Looking back I once again thrived in the first part of the year. I already have reviews lined up for next year so not doubt this will happen again. I read some wonderful books this year, not exceeding my goal or anything, I think it will be a tight finish if I meet it at all. Maybe with some last minute cheat shorty books but I think that’s ok. It’s definitely indicative of how I haven’t read a lot, couldn’t read a lot. But this is why I have thrown myself into audiobooks because you can listen anywhere, anytime. I’m 90% sure this is how I’ve gotten to read anything at all these past few years.

I’ve still got a few hours to go so reading will still be happening. I have added up my Book Bingo and matched the appropriate books to their places. I’ll do a separate post for those, but it isn’t as dire as I thought. One good things about reading so many books, and knowing my own tastes is I can get quite lucky by chance filling in those squares when I fall behind.

I reread last years wrap up, and it’s made me feel a bit better about everything. I definitely think I’m in an ok place going into 2024. I was always doing this for fun and my own enjoyment. If it ever stops being that I will worry, but for now, neglect and guilt aside, I am going into next year with this blog in tow, even if it’s a little battered and bruised and covered in a thin layer of dust.

But enough of that. For now I wish you all a happy new year and may 2024 bring you wonders and joy! I will be watching the fireworks with awe as per usual, and will step blindly into the new year with whatever may come.

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