Happy New Year!
As we start a new year, I thought this would be a perfect time to set a few goals and make plans for the year.
This Blog
I started my blog in December of 2013 so I have been at this for just over 3 years. I have made some changes over the years but overall, I am really happy about where my blog is at this point. I would like to do more at times but I do what I can fit into my life.
In 2016, I started joining in on a couple of weekly memes from time to time and I plan to continue that into the new year. I also scaled back the number of blog tours that I participate in this past year and I plan to continue at the same pace as I ended the year.
One thing that I hope to do better at in 2017 is spending more time visiting other blogs. I did really good at times in 2016 and horrible at other times. I am going to work at being more consistent.
Books
I am going to try to reduce the amount of stress tied to reading in 2017. Last year, I barely met my Goodreads goal and it stressed me out. I am setting my goal low at 100 books this year. I have read at least 100 books every year since I started participating in the challenges in 2012 so this should be a problem.
Last year I had hoped to catch up with all of the old ARCs that I behind on. I started the year with a 72% ratio on NetGalley and ended the year at exactly the same place with even more books that need to be reviewed. Right now I have 103 books to read from NetGalley, 12 books from Edelweiss, 1 book from Blogging for Books, 3 directly from publishers, 5 books from LibraryThing Early Reviewers, and 10 from Goodreads giveaways. That is 134 books for those keeping track.
I decided to join the Bloggers Shame Challenge hosted by Herding Cats and Burning Soup and make a real effort to get caught up.
Books that I am looking forward to in 2017
My Life
I am really pretty happy with where my life is in general and don’t want any big changes. Of course, I wish I had more free time and a winning lottery ticket would be welcome but I am all in all really happy with where I am in my life. I do want to try to be a little healthier in 2017. I have a weakness when it comes to baked goods and I do need to learn to put down the cupcake and eat a piece of fruit instead. I do take the dogs for a daily walk but I really need to find a way to be more active. A new community center is opening in my town in a few months and I am hoping that the fitness center there might be a good option for me.
Happy New Year! I know what you mean about needing a winning lottery ticket…I need a bigger house for my books! I'm having to risk the stress of an increased reading goal to force myself to read during the day and deal with more tbrs. I hope it doesn't backfire. I also need to lose weight and look after my health. I'm tired of being tired! Lets hope for good health, reduced stress and more books this year!
Good solid plan there and great that you're sitting pretty for the most part. Ha, yes, a winning lottery number wouldn't go amiss.
Mm, I'm looking forward to a couple of those books, too.
Happy New Year, Carole!
Good luck with your goals! I need to do better with eating healthy, too. I set my Goodreads goal at 100 books, which might be high for me, but I can always change it if I start failing.
Aj @ Read All The Things!
I lowered my reading goal last year for the same reason and it was so much better! It gave the freedom to tackle some chunksters that I had been afraid to read because I might not meet my goal. I'm in a similar place personal life too and it's nice to be content though I'd be okay with that lottery ticket too! Happy New Year!
I am sort of in the same boat with NetGalley. I've gotten so behind with ARCs. My percentage is at 75% and it drives me nuts. I've never actually won any of the giveaways on Goodreads. I've entered a bunch but never won. lol! I just reviewed a Blogging for Books book a week or so ago and I'd had it for months. Horrible. I still have 200 books as my goal tho….I must be a glutton for punishment. I am going to try to get more read from my TBR list this year tho..and read more of a variety. Last year I read mostly romances. I want to mix it up this year
The Blogger Shame Challenge would be ideal for me if I were doing challenges this year. I wish you luck with the challenge! I set my Goodreads goal this year ridiculously low–at 13 books for the year. I tend to always set it low because I don't like to read for numbers, and then I always go over. This past year it was 52 and I read 65. I hope you have a very Happy New Year, Carole!
I am also pretty much keeping my yearly goal of 150. I could do more but I overtime I increase my target, I fail to reach the goal time and again. Isn't it funny how that works? Anyway, I didn't sign up for any challenges this year but like you, I'm making a concerted effort to make sure all the review copies gets read and reviewed first.
Happy New Year, Carole!
I lowered my goal too. I just hate having stress. I hope you make a dent in those review titles!! I am at 80% but one book away from losing it lol. I want to be healthier too. Good luck wth all your goals. Happy New Year!
I think your goals sound great! I set my Goodreads goal lower last year and hit it in September. I was happy with that and definitely felt less pressure and happy to bypass it by a good number by end of year. I'm doing the same this year 😀
Good luck with all of your goals and reading, too!
Happy New Year, Carole! I hope 2017 will be fantastic in every way 🙂
I didn't lower my Goodreads Goal, even if I barely made mine last year. I hope I'll have more time, but really, I just might reconsider in June and lower it – I don't want my reading to be stressful.
You have a lot of ARCs!! I am not very good at staying away from Edelweiss and NetGalley, but I really aim to get less of the ARCs this year, not more…
Have a wonderful week and happy reading.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
Happy New Year Carole!
You have me intrigued with Devil in Spring, I'm adding it onto my TBR! 🙂
Miranda @ Miranda's Book Blog
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