Reading Goals for 2017

Do you set reading goals for yourself at the beginning of a new year? Goodreads makes it easy to set a goal for the number annually, but what about types of books to read? There's a few different online challenges one can take part in, such as the Book Riot "Read Harder Challenge," which inspires you to read different types of books. But I like to be more personal. So here are my reading goals for the year ahead (in no particular order).

1. Read more children's books. 
Anytime I pick up a children's chapter book, I am impressed and delighted. The books have become much more sophisticated since I was their target audience, and I find them to be so fulfilling as well. On my list for this year: Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate, a book about a little boy and his imaginary friend, a giant cat, and how Crenshaw helps him through a tough time.

2. Read at least 12 YA books this year. 
I order the YA fiction for our library and it always sounds so good! I used to read a lot of it, but this last year I fell short of my goal of at least 12, so this year, I am making it a priority. Top of the list for these is: Exit, Pursued by Bear by E.K. Johnston, a book about how the community reacts in the wake of a teen's sexual assault at cheerleading camp, loosely based on Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale.

3. Maintain my pace reading audiobooks.
I've spoken here before about my audiobook habits, and I kept up a pretty good pace of at least one a month in 2016, so going forward, that's a continued goal. I already have to be in the car, why not listen to something good at the same time? For this, I'm looking forward to Colson Whitehead's Underground Railroad, which won a bunch of audiobook awards last year. The book is supposed to be a new take on the massive exodus of slaves from their Southern binds.

4. Branch out my nonfiction reads.
I feel like I need to explore more topics in my nonfiction reading habits, so while this isn't a concrete goal, it's something I'm trying to keep in mind. I read the occasional nonfiction for my book clubs, but less for fun. For this, I'm going to start with Sugar Changed the World by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos, a book that discusses the early days of trade, slavery, and the importance of flavor.

5. Get back to reading more comics and graphic novels.
A couple of years ago I was all over this, reading a ton of them, but 2016 was not my best comics year. I really enjoy reading them, and they can be so different from one another. I just need to get back into the habit. Top of the list for this: March by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell. This is a three-part series of graphic novels detailing Congressman Lewis's experiences as a civil rights activist. The books have had a lot of accolades, and it's time I caught up!

6. Read a new-to-me classic. 
Last year, I read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In 2015, I read Persuasion by Jane Austen. I'm hoping I can continue this trend and pick up something new. For 2017, I'm thinking Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, which, believe it or not, I've never read.

7. And finally, my number for the year is 100. 
I've hit this goal in the past, but last year fell a little short. So this year, I'm aiming for it again, in the hope that perhaps I'll surpass it and read over 100 books this year.

What are your reading goals for 2017?

~Cailey