reading goals – The Book Date

Month in Review

October Reading Look Back

November 2, 2021 Kathryn

Total books read this month:16

The month just seemed to stretch and I got lots of books read – for me.

New to me authors:

Patience Griffin

Top Book for October

I am picking this one because it just had that point of difference and the magic of story.

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A Book that Surprised me.

It took me a little while to worm myself inside this book and family, but once there I was in there rooting for this immigrant family. And while it was about immigrant experience it was really universal and applicable to us all.

book cover

Looking forward to reading in November

This one just arrived and no doubt I’ll find space somewhere to read it in November.

Archangel's Light

Review of Reading Goals September

I wanted to concentrate on actual books on my bookshelf and I picked five that I highlighted in a post and I read them all. As well as a few others. Nine of the sixteen I read came off my actual shelf. I was especially happy to finally pick up and read the first two Sue Barton books and I hope to read more at some point. I have about six of them.

I also worked out how to remember where I picked up a book recommendation by noting it on Goodreads. I know not everyone uses Goodreads but I prefer it to noting something in a notebook and while it is a little clumsy the way you note on Goodreads where you picked up the recommendation it works and its how I’ll go from now on.

Goodreads records So as I write this post I am reading Cottage by the Sea and I know I picked up on this book from the podcast Currently Reading and it was Meredith who mentioned it. And… I am really enjoying it.

Main Reading Goals for November

*Books on Kindle – This month I want to focus on Kindle books, pick five I want to read and maybe a few more as well.

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

Book Connections

Reasons I Am Not Reading So Much

July 30, 2021 Kathryn

Recently I have noticed I am not reading as much, sometimes it even seems like a chore. I want to see what might be happening…

I spend quite a bit of time quilting – it is my new hobby since I retired a few years ago. I love doing it, making quilts and giving them to people. I also love scrolling through fabric stores online, looking at colours and pretty designs. I ~~sometimes~~ even buy some. It’s a bit like books – there are designers and they have new lines come out every so often. So tempting!
I spend way to much time online – scrolling through places like Facebook and Instagram. Plus watching videos on You Tube. Mostly “how to” videos about quilting! Or sometimes other interests.
I am walking every day which is great – early mornings are so fresh and mostly without any deterring wind. But… I’ve given up listening to audiobooks while I walk, I am preferring to just “be” and enjoy my surroundings and the peace and quiet… or noise of the traffic! So fewer audiobooks, plus listening time goes into podcasts, so many good ones.
At night I find myself more tired thanI used to be,so when I pick up a book I can’t concentrate. Sometimes in the early afternoonI am too heavy headed to read. So a little siesta is needed. I do get up at 6am every morning which works well, but it has some downsides.
And then … too many books which creates unneeded self pressure to read them. I want to read all those books from the library and while I do keep review books to a limited number, I look at all my own books and I feel swamped. Plus I am always picking up recommendations from bloggers and authors.

So it’s only a problem if its a problem to me, and it just natters away a bit at me. I am going to try a few things in the next weeks – August and see if it helps. Some things I don’t want to change but I may find other ways to get my reading mojo back.

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Book Connections

My 2021 Reading Intentions

January 8, 2021 Kathryn

I think now is the time for me to focus on 2021 and what I want in my reading life for the coming year. These may be refined as I go along as I’ll check myself out at the end of each month.

Read 100 books via the Goodreads Challenge. This is doable for me and I prefer quality reading ( as I enjoyed that book) over reading tons of books.
Read what I truly enjoy, sometimes I stray into the “should”. I should read this book or I should like that book because…. I want to truly own my own reading taste. My taste veers towards what some call “fluff”, which to be honest I find somewhat objectionable. I like books that end satisfactorily, I like good writing but not flowery literary writing. I like a good engaging plot and characters who grow and that I can enjoy. Within those parameters I read fairly widely I think. I always welcome a good theme with a something to say about life and I like it when an author has a distinctive voice.
Track where I pick up the recommendation for reading a book. It’s not necessary but I still want to do it. Why because if I like the book then I am more likely to pick up another recommendation from the source.
Read or pass on a good swag of the books sitting on my shelves and Kindle. Some of these are ones possibly that I thought I “should” read and like, so I’ll just pass them on or delete if on my Kindle.
Use the library where I can rather than buy books, although there will always be some authors I choose to auto buy or ones I want for other reasons. But …. softly, softly! I did use the library really well in 2020 and I want to continue that … but I really need to be sure I when buying that its a book I really want to keep.