I’ve loved taking part in #SixforSunday hosted by Steph at A Little But a Lot during 2019 – even if I didn’t always manage to complete the prompt! I’ve also loved reading others’ responses. Steph’s prompts for Jan-March can be found here.
The theme for January is Getting to Know you and today’s prompt is Bookish Resolutions. I normally don’t make New Year Resolutions, as I’m never able to stick to them, but then I started to think about bookish resolutions – and realised there is lots I want to achieve this year! Maybe, just maybe, writing them down will help me achieve them!
Read more historical middle-grade
I cannot deny that my absolute go-to genre is fantasy, be that middle-grade, young adult or adult books. However, I have started buying and reading some more historical middle-grade which I’ve really enjoyed. Looking at my TBR, I have a pile that I definitely want to read this year – and Emma Carroll features quite heavily!
Finish/continue books in series
I have been getting better at this as I only chose books in series for #Believathon earlier this year; however, I still have lots in series I need to continue or finish. I’m aiming to read at least one book in a series which I’ve already started each month this year. That way I should be prepared when new books are published. I really, really want to read Shadowsea BUT I have to read the rest of the series first! And, I’m determined to be ready for Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by reading Wundersmith before August!
Read more classic fiction
I used to read a lot of classics as part of my A Levels and English Literature degree: Hardy, Dickens, Austen, the Brontes, Shakespeare, Chaucer. Reflecting on this, I’ve realised that I haven’t actually read a lot of classic children’s fiction. The Secret Garden and The Chronicles of Narnia are the only ones I remember reading as a child which seems strange to me as I read a lot – clearly not the classics! I would really like to include more classics this year: definitely Charlotte’s Web, Anne of Green Gables and a re-read of The Secret Garden. I’d love any other suggestions!
Reviewing more quickly!
I make notes for the books I review and, to be honest, whilst I absolutely couldn’t not make notes, I’m not sure if it sometimes stops me writing up reviews more quickly so I have a back log of reviews to write. I do love reviewing books BUT I am so incredibly slow to write each one that it sometimes makes it hard to start. Often 3-4 hours for a 350-400 word review! I REALLY need to do something about the time it takes me to review this year. Any tips greatly appreciated!
NetGalley Badges
I joined NetGalley shortly after starting my blog, and have been lucky enough to be approved for lots of of the books I’ve requested. I feel it is such a privilege to get to read books before they are published, and using NetGalley has given me this opportunity. I do still buy the majority of the books for my Class Library when they are published and love that I can recommend them to children straightaway as I’ve already read them.
I’ve already got some badges on NetGalley: 80% Feedback Ratio, Top Reviewer and 10 Reviews. This year I’d like to achieve two more badges: 25 Reviews (almost there!) and 50 Reviews.
Start listening to audiobooks
I don’t ever listen to audiobooks unless I listen with my husband on long drives: I find them really hard to remain focussed on when I don’t have ‘control’ of the reading. However, Skeleton Keys: The Unimaginary Friend, a book which I loved, has been released as an audiobook with Guy Bass, the author, reading it. I heard him read a little from this for the Authorfy Club I run – and he was amazing! He’s the reason I now want to listen to audiobooks. I’ve also recently discovered BorrowBox through my library and it is brilliant! I’ve borrowed a book and have reserved a couple. Of all my resolutions, I think this is the one I will find most difficult!
Have you made any bookish resolutions this year?
Book Craic 
Great resolutions and some fabulous books! I love how there’s the room for discussions in these tags not just book listing.
I think we can all be guilty of spending too long on a review. Mine are often longer than that but are largely perfected in notes before I transfer to WordPress (because I work 100% on my phone)
I think if you are finding it difficult to form the reviews you could try my tip? I use this structure when I’m not sure how to word an review or what to tease out when I haven’t quite recalled my thoughts freeform but you could build it into your note taking-
Focus on Theme/Message, Character & feelings in your notes. (Even divide the page if necessary which will give you a spare box for other topics such as inclusion/action points/magic etc) that way when you come to write up you already have the makings of 3 or more paragraphs that will speak lots about the book. I may try this myself in note taking!
I hope we both find ways to make our reviewing more efficient!!
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Thank you so much – I’m going to try your suggestion when I’m reviewing my next book. I really appreciate how helpful and supportive you are! 💚
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I honestly hope it helps, blogging is a labour of love but it doesn’t mean we can’t try to be smart about it 💜
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I really think it will! Here’s to smart blogging! 💚
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Greta reading resolutions! I take forever writing reviews, then rereading and perfecting…and then I struggle to publish them if I still don’t feel that they’re good enough so I have hundreds (no exaggeration) just saved in my WordPress drafts folder… Finishing series will be another one for me because I have commitment issues with finishing trilogies, lol.
Hope that writing down your resolutions helps you stick to them!
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Thank you! Oh goodness – I hope you feel you can publish lots more of your reviews – I’ll read them! I think seeing more books in a series being released that I want to get is giving me the push I need to catch up on series! I hope I can stick to them too!
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Good luck with sticking to it! I liked Wundersmith even more than Nevermoor!
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Ooh, I might try that audiobook! I’ve got Skeleton Keys still sat here from October!
Good luck with all your challenges! I said last year I wanted to read (and/or re-read) more kid’s classics but didn’t do very well with it, maybe you’ll inspire me to get to some more this year instead!
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Thank you! I definitely think Guy Bass reading Skeleton Keys will be the book that gets me into audiobooks! He was genuinely brilliant in the extract I heard him read! I can’t believe how many classics I haven’t read – or I’ve forgotten! Think I might start with Charlotte’s Web.
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Oh that’s made me want to re read Charlotte’s Web too now – I loved that growing up!
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I can’t believe I haven’t read it!
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Oh you’re in for a treat!
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Good luck with all your resolutions! 🙂 🙂 I love historical fiction and fantasy and therefore historical fantasy too, lol 🙂 I’ve read The Goose Road and definitely would recommend it but I’m terrible as I just haven’t seen those other books in your tbr. You’ve made me want to read them though 🙂
Wow, that’s a long time to write reviews. A lot of people struggle with review writing so don’t worry, making notes definitely helps. I’d also ask how long after reading a book do you write a review? Because for me I try to write reviews as soon as possible after reading a book so I keep the book that I just read fresh in my mind. It probably hinders me a bit though as I struggle to then read another book until I’m able to sit down and write a review 😮
Good luck and I hope you achieve all you goals for 2020! 🙂
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Thank you – I’m hoping they’ll keep me focussed! I’ll read The Goose Road after Skylark’s War – thanks for the recommendation. It’s always hard to choose which to read next! I know – I take a ridiculously long time! I try to get my reviews written with a couple of weeks – I think because I make lots of notes, I feel I can leave it a bit longer which isn’t really a good thing! I really should make sure I write a review before reading the next book – good advice. I just need to take it and resist the urge to pick up the next book!
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” I just need to take it and resist the urge to pick up the next book” – always easier said then done, when there’s so many amazing books just waiting to be read ,lol! 😉 🙂
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You are so right! 😃
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These are fabulous resolutions and I love this tag. I’m going to have to start doing it!
Also happy to see you’ve got Moonlocket there, I adored that book.
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Thank you – hopefully writing them down will help me keep them! This was one of the first tags I took part in when I started my blog – it is fun! Would love to see your responses. I loved Cogheart so I’m hoping to get the rest of the series read soon.
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