2019 Bookish Goals: Mid Year Check In

Hi all!

I honestly can’t believe it’s already halfway through the year. How? Why?

Anyway, its that time to check in and see how I’m going with the reading and blogging goals I’ve set for myself this year, along with checking in on my massive 2019 TBR shelf and see how many of those books I’ve read.

I’ve read 115 reads books so far this year which … whoa. That’s a massive amount of books, but not surprising as I’ve finished uni and I’m only working part-time for the moment.

So let’s see how my goals have been going!

Reading goals:

GOAL 1: READ AT LEAST ONE CLASSIC BOOK A MONTH

Ohhhhhhh. I sucked at time. I’ve only read three classics books this year and so far there have been six months of the year. So, not good.

I’ve read:

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

GOAL 2: READ THE BOOK CHOSEN FOR MY PERSONAL BOOKCLUB

I’ve definitely stuck to this (except for June, but I will still read it soon 😅)! For a reminder, here are the books I need to read for my personal bookclub with a friend of mine!

I’ve read all the books so far except for June!

GOAL 3: CUT DOWN ON ARCS — FOCUS MORE ON MY BACKLIST

Hahahahhaha. Nope. I … have not stuck to this at all. Do you want to know how many ARCs I’ve received this year? 44. I’ve received 44 ARCs this year alone so, no, I have not stuck to my ARC pledge, which is to stop requesting ARCs. But I can’t help it there’s too many good books coming out!

However, I haven’t read all of these ARCs. The one’s I have are:

• Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
• Criminal Intentions: Cult of Personality by Cole McCade
• Any Old Diamonds by KJ Charles
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• Rend by Roan Parrish
• The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum
• Criminal Intentions: Collateral Damage by Cole McCade
• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
• Criminal Intentions: A Single Bright Candle’s Flame by Cole McCade
• Proper English by KJ Charles
• Criminal Intentions: Backdraft by Cole McCade
• Team Phison Forever by Chace Verity
• I Knew Him by Abigail Niverville
• Criminal Intentions: Crescendo by Cole McCade
• Criminal Intentions: The Hatter’s Game Part 1 by Cole McCade
• Criminal Intentions: The Hatter’s Game Part 2 by Cole McCade
• Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
• Super Sexy Fun Times by Meredith McClaren
• Aphrodite Made Me Do It by Trista Mateer
• Raze by Roan Parrish

GOAL 4: READ AT LEAST 5 BOOKS FROM A GENRE I WOULDN’T NORMALLY READ

I’ve completed this goal! 🙌🏼 So happy that I’ve completed at least one goal!

The books I’ve read are:

• Saga Land by Richard Fidler and Kari Gislason (non-fiction)
• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (sci-fi)
• The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (sci-fi)
• The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (sci-fi)
• Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (classic)

GOAL 5: READ AT LEAST 6 NON-FICTION BOOKS

I’m slowly getting through this goal! I haven’t read much yet but I still have six months left of the year. Here are the books I’ve read:

• Saga Land by Richard Fidler and Kari Gislason
• Women & Power by Mary Beard

GOAL 6: REREAD AT LEAST 10 BOOKS — FAVOURITES/NON-FAVOURITES ALIKE

Oh yep I’ve definitely completed this goal! I love rereading books and now that I have an Audible account, it’s even easier! Here are the books I’ve read:

• The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
• A Destiny of Dragons by TJ Klune
• The Consumption of Magic by TJ Klune
• A Wish Upon the Stars by TJ Klune
• Wolfsong by TJ Klune
• Ravensong by TJ Klune
• If Not, Winter by Sappho and Anne Carson
• The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune
• A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles
• The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
• Leo Loves Aries by Anyta Sunday
• Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
• Prince’s Gambit by C.S. Pacat
• Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat
• The Summer Palace and Other Stories by C.S. Pacat
• Team Phison by Chace Verity
• The Gentleman’s Position by KJ Charles
• A Fashionable Indulgence by KJ Charles

GOAL 7: READ AT LEAST 100 BOOKS IN 2019

YESSSSSSSS!! Another goal completed 🎉

GOAL 1: REVIEW AT LEAST ONE BOOK A WEEK

I was originally doing really well at this goal, but I’ve dropped off quite a bit. I haven’t actually posted a review since May 😭. Which is so bad on my part. After all, this is a book review site. But I have plans to write a whole bunch of reviews soon and schedule them over the next couple of months so I don’t forget them 😅.

So the books I’ve reviewed are:

• Any Old Diamonds by Kj Charles
• Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum
• The Fever King by Victoria Lee
• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
• The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
• Proper English by KJ Charles
• Team Phison Forever by Chace Verity

However, since my last check-in in April, I’ve only reviewed another three books. That’s so crappy.

GOAL 2: POST ON MY BLOG AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK 

I was doing really well at this goal up until May, and then I started to get tired so I took a mini hiatus without actually telling anyone. I’ve been so stressed about job hunting that I just don’t have the energy to write something. Hopefully this June I’ll rectify that and start thinking of some more original, exciting content for my blog.

GOAL 3: WRITE MORE DISCUSSION POSTS

I’ve definitely been writing some discussion posts which I’m enjoying! I have plans to write some more, but in the meantime, these are the ones I’ve written so far:

• How to Get Out of a Reading Slump
• Thank U, Next: Books I Hate That Everyone Else Seems To Love
• A Small Guide for Audiobook Newbies
• Gone with the Wind Discussion One
• Gone with the Wind Discussion Two
• Gone with the Wind Discussion Three
• Gone with the Wind Discussion Four
• Game of Thrones season 8 theories
• Weirdly Specific Things I Love in Books

GOAL 4: WRITE MORE RECOMMENDATION POSTS

I need to write some more recommendation posts, but I’m slowly getting there! I’ve only written two since my last check-in, and I have plans for more!

• Birthday special: My Favourite Characters
• Valentine’s Day Special: Books With No Romance
• A Reading List for International Women’s Day
• 12 F/F Books You Need On Your TBR
• Pride Month Special: Lesser Known Queer Reads

GOAL 5: INTERACT MORE WITH THE BOOKISH COMMUNITY

I haven’t done as well with interacting with the bookish community in the past two months. Earlier in the year, I was going great! I was reading a lot of blog posts and commenting on them, but again when I hit my mini hiatus in June, I slacked off.

I will definitely be interacting more with people starting this month again! Hopefully I can do better.

AND THAT’S MY MID-YEAR CHECK-IN FOR MY GOALS! HOPEFULLY I CAN DO better next time, but I’m still glad that I’ve completed some goals!

DO YOU HAVE ANY BLOGGING AND READING GOALS? WHAT ARE THEY? LET ME KNOW!