Welcome to another TTT! Are you getting back into the swing of things now that we’re into the second week of 2025? I still want to write 2024 all the time, and it’s going to be a fun month trying to get used to this. LOL. Looking ahead, what are you hoping to accomplish in your bookish life this year? I try not to put undue pressure on myself and just come up with some fun hopes and wishes to help guide my reading when I’m in a slump or not sure what to read. I’m excited to lurk on some blogs this week and see what you inspire me to do!
1. Read 52 (or more) books.
Back when I read YA, I was reading 70+ books each year but the books were shorter than the adult novels I read now! One book a week seems like a sustainable goal for me. Last year I read 53 pretty easily, so I’m going to stick with that goal and not push myself to read too quickly. I also want time to do other things!
2. Work on that Netgalley ratio!!
Friends, I am struggling with this. I know I’ve said this before, but back in the olden days this ratio didn’t exist and, as a baby blogger who was excited to review books, I requested everything I thought I might like (not expecting to be approved for them all). But I was. lol. I dug myself into a huge hole that I’ve been spending years trying to climb out of. I’m hoping this is the year I hit the recommended 80% (although, if I’m being realistic maybe 60% would be enough to make me feel better this year).
3. Request and accept fewer books for review.
This kind of goes hand in hand with #2. I don’t want to fill my plate so full that I can’t enjoy my Kindle Unlimited and Audible memberships, my library, and the books I already have on my shelves or receive as gifts. For years, I exclusively read review copies and missed out on a lot of other titles I was super excited about.
4. Read more backlist titles.
Being a slower reader means I don’t get to all the books I want to read the year they come out. And then I get bogged down in all the shiny new books the next year and forget about the ones that I was dying for before their releases.
5. Write more reviews, even if they’re tiny.
I put a lot of pressure on myself to write long, detailed reviews, but sometimes I’m not in the right head space for that! But even just a short paragraph would be worth blogging, right? Would you be happy to read a to-the-point, paragraph-long review or would you skip past it and look for a longer one from someone else?
6. Read more physical books from my shelves.
I’ve got a lot of books on my shelves that get ignored because a Kindle is easier. I want to read my physical books, see if I love them, and donate them if I don’t so I have room for more!
7. Embrace whatever mood I’m in.
This goes for books as well as how I choose to spend my time. If I’m in the mood for a month of thrillers, I need to do it. If I’m reading a book and find I’m not in the mood for it, I need to set it aside or DNF it and find a book I am in the mood for. And if I;m not in the mood to read because I want to binge watch Friends or play a game on my Nintendo Switch, that’s ok too!
8. Re-read more.
I never used to re-read, but I’ve started doing it more lately and I didn’t realize how much I’d still love my favorite books the second time around! I always worried that I’d get tired of them or decide I don’t like them, but so far re-reading has only brought more joy. And I need all the joy.
9. Prioritize the books I’m most excited about no matter when they come/came out.
Being a mood reader means grabbing what I want when I want it. Reading is not my job. It’s not school. I’m in charge and nobody else. If I want to start a book tonight that has a release date in October, I’m starting it tonight anyway! And if I’m super excited to start a book that came out 50 years ago, that’s fine too. I don’t always have to be reading the latest trending books.
10. Be ruthless with the DNF.
I own or have access to more books that I will be able to read in my lifetime. So I need to DNF more and find the very best of the best. Life is too short for books I’m not enjoying!
What are some of your reading goals this year?
How many books are you hoping to read in 2025?
