Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

What, if anything, do you want to do differently in your 2024 reading? Finish more books, decide not to finish books you aren't enjoying, read more widely, read more on a certain subject, etc.?

I'm planning on rereading more books as usually focus on reading books I haven't read before.

I want to try a reading challenge. I am hoping that it will bring me to books that I wouldn't have otherwise picked up.

This is the first time I am doing a challenge with prompts. I had a fabulous time putting my plan together. So far so good. I like reading widely and will continue to do so. But, I am interested in reading more on post-colonialism and see a plan evolving for that. I find it so interesting to track my reading and to see the way times and tastes change.

Samantha wrote: "I want to try a reading challenge. I am hoping that it will bring me to books that I wouldn't have otherwise picked up."

There is no shortage of them! Besides our ATY challenge, you can search GR for groups or just google Reading Challenge and find dozens.

I want to focus on one main challenge. I did two big challenges last year at the same time. I think I ended up spreading myself too thin. I was trying to read too much and as a result it felt like I was not even taking in half the books I was reading. I plan to be more relaxed with my reading this year.

I don't have anything I'd change really, but my nonfiction reading was a little low in 2023, so I'd like to find more NF for the next year.

I am increasing my planned books to read from 75 to 80. The ATY book will be my primary challenge but if I can fit other challenges in that meet the ATY prompts so much the better.

This year I want to read roughly in order, like at least within the month. I also want to continue reading more new releases.

John wrote: "I am increasing my planned books to read from 75 to 80. The ATY book will be my primary challenge but if I can fit other challenges in that meet the ATY prompts so much the better."

Nice. Last year was the first time I read more than 80 books, not sure if I can do it again.

I want to take it easy on myself since I'm having another baby this year!

I am trying reading challenges for the first time this year! But my priority is making progress on clearing my existing lists - physical books, Kindle books, & an ever growing “Books to Look For” list that I started in 2009 (I think).

Really great to see some new faces. Reading challenges can be addictive!

The only thing I want to do differently this year is to get through more audiobooks. I have a huge backlog of Audible credits and I need to start working through them so I can at least downgrade my subscription at renewal time!

I hope to reduce my TBR list!

I am focusing on pre-planning my monthly TBRs based on the challenges I have chosen to complete. As a mood reader I usually just read what I want and then assign it to a challenge prompt, but this year I am really going to try and tackle the prompts for all challenges in their listed order and plan in advance!

I would like to read more big books (more than 800 pages). I like to avoid them because I often have too much respect for them.

I want to DNF more. I only DNF'd one book in 2023, but I gave at least two books just 1 star.

I also want to actually read what I get from book subscriptions. Because I'm real bad at that.

I read 80 books last year - a first! - but it took a lot to get there, so I went back to 75 (the opposite of John!). Last year’s books were pretty great and mostly 5-⭐️ - hoping for the same this year. I’d like to read more non-fiction, if possible.

I’m hoping to read more books this year. Last year was a definite reading slump for me. I’m also planning to buy less books as I have so many on my Kindle that I haven’t read. I tend to buy so many through those monthly and daily deals so trying to ignore them.

I read 175 books last year, the most ever. However, I spent almost the entire year chair-bound recovering from two surgeries. I want to get out and do more real-world activities this year, and not worry about my book numbers. I'm competitive with myself and have had higher reading numbers every year. This needs to be the year I let myself slack off a bit.

I'm reading a mystery/thriller a month because I have way too many on my TBR list.

I would like to be better about reading outside my mystery/thriller comfort zone. I think I find better books when I do it’s just difficult to know what is going to work and what will be tedious.

Ellie wrote: "Really great to see some new faces. Reading challenges can be addictive!

The only thing I want to do differently this year is to get through more audiobooks. I have a huge backlog of Audible credi..."

I need to use my credits too, I kind of feel like it is a jail of my own making. I don’t want to lose my credits but want to change my plan…. I wish you luck in your quest!

Avoiding buying more books and just read what I have and use the library more for books chosen for my book clubs. I have been spending too much money on book club books that I often didn't even like that much. I'm off to a good start...I have 4 book clubs this month, 2 of the books I already owned and the other 2 I got at the library. I also dropped a book club that was not fun anymore so i can focus on my own book choices.

Once again I'm going to try to get a year where I have at least a 3.5 average star rating for the year. This means I have to read fewer books I don't like for challenges!

2024 my primary goal is to NOT plan too heavily.

I moved to a larger library - the biggest one in the OKC Community Libraries system even though it's considered a middle sized library for the county - and so I'm seeing a much bigger volume of books come across my desk, both checking in and checking out.

I'm easily distracted, and I would prefer to read something that catches my eye at the moment that is also going to fit the current prompt, which I'm committed to completing in order.

In addition - since I can usually read more than one book in a week, I plan to trim my TBR shelf by reading a second book from it each week. I've sorted it oldest to newest, and I plan to scroll down and select the first one that fits each week.

I'm hoping that my life doesn't blow up like it did in May of 2023. I live on the edge just enough - so MANY irons in my fire - that when the smallest catastrophe happens, my reading list is the first thing that gets jettisoned and I never seem to recover until around Christmas time.

So, I'm going to slow down and just take each week as it comes, give myself a lot of room to wiggle, embrace the journey, and remember why I love books.

I'm going to do a closet cleanout of my TBR after this year - probably going to just delete the oldest half of it since I've got more books on it than I will ever read, even if I do nothing but read for the rest of my life. So I plan to do a Gentle Swedish Death Cleanse of my TBR and maybe I can let go of some of the guilt that I have about all those books that I just can't seem to get around to reading.

I was going to suggest this prompt so I was happy to see it! This year I plan to do more focused reading especially including some really long classics, books I own, and Canadian authors. What I’ve done differently for 2024 is to create a quarterly reading list, within my ATY52 plan, to list group reads and book club reads so as to prioritize my reading. Previous years’ reading was VERY random. I feel like I know what I want to read this year. Also, I’m going to list my books read in a quarterly summary post but not assign them to a prompt immediately, especially for Q1 and Q2. I wind up moving books around too much. In the first half, most of my books fit multiple prompts so it’s hard to decide where to put them.

This is my first time doing a real reading challenge, other than just setting a certain number of books to read and not taking it seriously. I think my main reason for taking on this challenge is to motivate myself to read more and to read a wider variety of books. However I’m also taking it easy on myself by choosing to fill some of the prompts with children’s books that way it is much more manageable for me to complete. Last year I wanted to read 50 books but chose more complicated and advanced books for the most part and only read 23. So this year I want to be gentle with myself and even if I can’t finish the challenge, I’ll be happy just having read more than last year, and enjoying myself in the process!

I want to clean up my TBR list to a more useful length. Right now there's so many on there that it's not really helpful. Also, I want to listen to more audiobooks this year.

Eli wrote: "This is my first time doing a real reading challenge, other than just setting a certain number of books to read and not taking it seriously. I think my main reason for taking on this challenge is t..."

Children's books are definitely an option and there are so many good ones!

I’m doing the ATY challenge in order this year. I’d also like to focus on reading more books that I already own.

I want to reduce my TBR list, and also (apart from presents/loans) to read books from the local library.

I am in 5 groups here on GR. All have challenges. Each is different in its focus and my participation level. And, although I am thinking of leaving one or two, still I enjoy those groups and am having difficulty pulling the plug.

It did dawn on me that I could just be inactive and still a member, but I am not sure I could emotionally do that. I would be too tempted to plan the books for the challenges and then dismayed not to do the challenge.

I read 250 books last year (retired). In past years I have tried to up my goal; but last year my goal was 200, and I left it there. This year I am not sure I will even make the 200.

You see, my bucket list dream of making a trip to Scotland has suddenly turned from a couple of weeks to about 6 weeks! I am excited, and I am dismayed.

I could manage to suspend most reading for a couple of weeks but two months! Yikes!

So, I will do the best with the reading time I have...and, yes, I will take my Kindle with me.

And, one of my desires is to visit a bookstore in Edinburgh that I have heard of. Maybe get lost there!

BTW, I love the idea of a monthly rather than weekly question. Thanks for this innovation.

Bea wrote: "And, one of my desires is to visit a bookstore in Edinburgh that I have heard of. Maybe get lost there!..."

If you go to Toppings, they'll give you free tea while you browse!

Aiming to read more of my owned backlog - I managed 50 books last year, and that weeded through a good amount, but I'd really love to cut it down even more.

Ellie wrote: "Bea wrote: "And, one of my desires is to visit a bookstore in Edinburgh that I have heard of. Maybe get lost there!..."

If you go to Toppings, they'll give you free tea while you browse!"

Thanks, Ellie, for the recommend.

I want to finish the series I started in 2023. But I also want to start ALL the series and bit be intimidated by them.
Same goes for science fiction- I want to dive into this genre, which is quite new to me and very intimidating.

I'm going to try to fit a book into the AYT challenge of 2024, but I'm not sure I'll stick to it!

Bea wrote: "I am in 5 groups here on GR. All have challenges. Each is different in its focus and my participation level. And, although I am thinking of leaving one or two, still I enjoy those groups and am hav..."

Yes, the Kindle is a good idea. I prefer a print book, but for traveling, technology is wonderful. Also audiobooks can be downloaded to a phone or tablet ahead of time, whether from a paid service or a library (though the library may take them back after 2 weeks.) Many audiobook services give you a free month trial.

Robin P wrote: "What, if anything, do you want to do differently in your 2024 reading?"

Differently? I'm thinking I won't change what works.

Robin P wrote: "Finish more books"

Always a good idea. I'd also like to work out more.

Robin P wrote: "decide not to finish books you aren't enjoying"

I like the idea of this. But I simply do not ever leave a book unfinished. A series, sure. But not a book. A book has to be extremely bad to get wholly tossed.

Robin P wrote: "read more widely, read more on a certain subject, etc.?"

Naw, I tried that a few years back and found that pushing myself too far out of the comfort zone just made me read less.

I'm going to read a lot (hopefully) of the same.

J wrote: "Robin P wrote: "What, if anything, do you want to do differently in your 2024 reading?"

Differently? I'm thinking I won't change what works.

Robin P wrote: "Finish more books"

Always a good idea..."

I get it about reading widely. By my age, I know pretty much what I like and don't push myself to "get out of my comfort zone". My genres are already quite varied.

I have two main goals. The first one is to finally get around to tackling some of the books that have been on my TBR the longest so my side challenge this year is to read at least 20 books that have been on my TBR for 10 years or more. I’ve picked off some of the low hanging fruit already.

My second goal is to do a better job of quitting a book that I’m not enjoying. I slogged my way through too many two star reads last year even though I could tell pretty early on with a couple of them that they weren’t worth the time. Life is too short for that.

@Elizabeth congratulations

I want to reduce by tbr by 100 books to less that 875

I want to continue reading the series that I am already in without starting up a new one because I keep getting sucked in so bad. I'm also wanting to make sure that I have more diversity in my books

I want to finish the challenge

Hi all!
I mostly just want to read more again. Last year was the worst year in terms of both books and pages by a very big margin, and so I just want to get back to where reading is a natural part of my every day.

To that effect, I have actually set the lowest GR goal ever, and will allow myself to read long books and to read at least 50 unread books from my physical shelves (currently standing at 612 unread!) to try and trick my brain into thinking I don't HAVE to do anything and I can do whatever I want - which is to read and just enjoy.
So I will likely complete most of the prompts using books I have already read rather than the other way around, but I still love challenges like this :)

Tammie wrote: "I want to reduce by tbr by 100 books to less that 875"

Your TBR is longer than my BR.

Just wanting to read a whole lot more! Doing the ATY 2024 Challenge, but not planning it out fully; main goal is to reach 88 books this year (year of the number 8, 88 keys on a piano, etc.!)

I want to have a mini stash of guaranteed amazing books for when I hit a slump. Every year I will be ahead on my pacing and I inevitably hit a big slump where I don’t have the desire to read. (Usually after an amazing book I’m sad to move on from, or after a stretch of books I didn’t love) And then I end up way behind and feel stressed about catching up. I feel like a variety of really good books to choose from will help me get back on track!