2022 reading goals (+ 2021 recap)

hi! hello! happy new year! it’s been a while, hasn’t it? i could give you the spiel about graduating undergrad/breakups/moving/starting grad school/grief/pandemic stress/etc but i won’t, so let’s just go for it.

i’m not a huge believer in setting massive resolutions for january 1st, mainly because they aren’t realistic and change can be made at any time you like. but, i do love planning, and i love setting goals — even if i don’t reach them. this year, i’m not only beginning my second semester of my master’s in library science (my chosen class for the spring is “children’s literature and related materials” — tell me that’s not the best way to spend the next 16 weeks), but i’ll be a part-time intern at a local public library in the youth services department for the entirety of 2022. (i’ve known about this for months and i still scream about it.) book clubs have been joined, reading challenges have been set, and my goodreads tbr shelf sits at a whopping 140 books as i write this. these goals are mostly to encourage me to be consistently reading, as well as diversifying the kinds of stories i read, the people that i read about, and the formats in which the stories are told. so let’s get into the details:

2022 reading challenge goal: 70 books

currently, the only books i have finished this year are a picture book and two contemporary romances, so i’m sitting comfortably at 3/70. 🙂 last year, my original goal was 50, and i managed to get up to 98, which i’m pretty proud of. i feel like 70 is realistic since i’ll be reading plenty of picture books, graphic novels and shorter chapter books during my spring class and my internship, but will still have plenty of space to read more adult fiction (i normally read mostly middle grade/graphic novels/YA/contemporary fiction, but i have a feeling i’m going to want some more in-depth/adult stories).

diversity goal: to read at least 1 novel, graphic novel, and picture book every month with a diverse main character

my class this semester is very focused on diversity, and i’m so excited to learn about new authors and expand my worldview through children’s books. however, i also want to make sure i’m creating space in my reading for adult stories.

reading nonfiction even though i normally get bored: read 1 nonfiction book every 2 months (bonus if it’s about the climate crisis or mindfulness/mindset)

most anticipated reads for the first half of the year: when you get the chance by emma lord (01/04), daughter of the moon goddess by sue lynn tan (01/11), aru shah and the nectar of immortality by roshani chokshi (04/05), memphis by tara m. stringfellow (04/05), i kissed shara wheeler by casey mcquiston (05/03), remarkably bright creatures by shelby van pelt (05/03), a show for two by tashie bhuiyan (05/10), something wilder by christina lauren (05/17)

blogging goals: honestly, it’s been so long since i’ve been consistently active on the blog, but i’m hoping that by keeping up with it a biiiit more, i’ll be able to have more of an archive of my reading and thoughts throughout the year. this has never been about reaching a large audience, but more about having an outlet for my creativity that’s more my own and is fun. i have a few ideas, but for now, i have a huge stack of library loans to read and cupcakes to make. 🙂