5 Books for Gryffindors

*This is a Top 5 Tuesday post.  Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Bionic Book Worm on Wordpress.



This list would have been much, much easier to compile if it had been, instead, a list of books Hermione would like.  I can think of title after title for that.  But she is a specific type of Gryffindor - and I wanted to be a little more general in my selections, books that might be good picks for Gryffindors as a whole, or at least a larger swath of them than just the Hermione types.

Another problem I faced was how recent or relevant to make the list.  Do I want to stick to more recent, popular books people would have heard of?  Or should I really dig deep and get a perfect Gryffindor book, even if it's obscure?  And should I stick with books I've read, or any book that fits even if it isn't one I've personally had experience with?  As you might have guessed from my wonderings, I'm not really a Gryffindor (whatever Pottermore might say !!! They're wrong, I tell you) - I'm more of a Ravenclaw, so my list might reflect those sensibilities a bit.

So what makes a Gryffindor?  They're brave, bold, courageous.  And they can be idealistic - they see the world as it should be, rather than how it is.  They're warm and can be people oriented, but many Gryffindors are also very independent.  They have to do what they think is right, regardless of rules or what other people might think.  They're passionate and fierce, especially about their interests and things they care about.  They can be stubborn, even competitive.  But they can also be playful and funny.  Because of all this, I mainly chose adventure stories.  Many of these are for children, as well, not because a Gryffindor is childish, but because that's the age when things can seem the most exciting, when you're discovering new things and exploring the world.  That's also a time when idealism can be at its strongest, before cynicism gets beaten into you.  It's also a time when we're discovering who we are - and the literature often reflects this, telling stories of young people finding themselves and affirming their identity.  Gryffindors can be very in your face about "This is who I am!" so I think those stories of identity will resonate.

1. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

 L'Engle's Time Quintet is one of my favorite series (though I haven't read the last book, An Acceptable Time), and it was incredibly important to me growing up.  A Wrinkle in Time is the first book, and it's probably tied with A Swiftly Tilting Planet for my favorite in the series (though, to be fair, Planet may edge it out just a little).  This book follows Meg Murray, her brother Charles Wallace, and her classmate Calvin as they travel through time and space to rescue Mr. Murray, Meg and Charles Wallace's father, who's been missing.  It's fantastical and science-y and inventive and full of heart and I absolutely recommend it.

Synopsis: 


It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.
"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."
A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.
A Wrinkle in Time is the winner of the 1963 Newbery Medal.
Gryffindors Might Enjoy Because: 

The adventure!  This is such an imaginative story, following the kids to all these other exciting worlds.

2. Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Okay, so do I think Gryffindors will like this?  Yes.  Do I also have a vested interest in recommending this because it was a much beloved staple of my childhood?  ALSO YES.  Calvin and Hobbes is such a wonderful, wonderful series that really you should stop reading what I'm saying and go pick up a book and discover it for yourself.

Synopsis: 
(This comes specifically from this collectionCalvin and Hobbes is unquestionably one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The imaginative world of a boy and his real-only-to-him tiger was first syndicated in 1985 and appeared in more than 2,400 newspapers when Bill Watterson retired on January 1, 1996. The entire body of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons published in a truly noteworthy tribute to this singular cartoon in The Complete Calvin and Hobbes.
Gryffindors Might Enjoy Because:

You could make an argument that Calvin is a Gryffindor, for one thing.  He's rambunctious, bold, adventurous, and he interacts with the world on his own terms.  He sees the world on his own terms, in his own way.  And the comic is genuinely smart and very funny.  It offers readers some philosophy without being preachy, and there are unique perspectives: from Calvin, Hobbes, Calvin's father.  It captures the magic of childhood so well.  I think you can love this comic as a child, definitely, but my recommendation for the ~ideal~ time to read (and please keep in mind this is a very subjective suggestion) is as a teenager, right when you're on the line between childhood and adulthood.  You're still a kid, but you're starting to feel more and more like an adult.  That way, you can still remember and feel the magic associated with childhood, while still appreciating the light philosophy and more "adult" themes.  Don't get me wrong, you can definitely appreciate it as a grown-up, especially relating to Calvin's dad.  But when I read the series now, I feel a nostalgia for how much I loved it when I was younger.  More than nostalgia, I feel an ache - almost a physical ache - and a longing to have some of that magic back.  Okay, this series is good for all houses and for just everyone in general - I'm not crying it's just raining on my face.

3. The Martian by Andy Weir

Synopsis: 
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. 
Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. 
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. 
But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
Gryffindors Might Enjoy Because:

This is a tale of science, smarts, and ingenuity - and it has a "happy" ending.  In my own personal headcanon, I think Gryffindors especially might want a happy ending, though one that has been earned.  And this definitely fits the bill - Mark Watney has to work hard to survive.  But he never gives up and he fights against all the perils of Mars tooth and tail to keep himself alive.  It's a pretty riveting read, exciting enough to keep you interested, but it's got a lot of really interesting science, too.  Just seeing what Watney had to do to stay alive is interesting, and you really start to admire him for how hard he works and how well he deals with setback after setback.  Definitely will speak to the fierce, fighting spirit of Gryffindor as well as the sense of excitement and exploration.

4. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

So I definitely think fantasy is a Gryffindor genre, but while LoTR is definitely a staple, I don't think it would appeal to everyone.  The Hobbit gives a taste of that world, while also being more accessible.  It's written for children, yes, but it's not condescending at all.

Synopsis:
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
Gryffindors Might Enjoy Because:

This is a classic.  If you haven't read it and you enjoy fantasy type stories, go read it.  Go!  It's a gateway to other Tolkien, yes, but it's also a great story in its own right.  Bilbo is extremely reluctant and it's quite entertaining to see him bombarded by dwarves and then forced to go on an adventure.  It's pretty episodic, too, with bigger, memorable scenes.  I still remember my dad reading this to me - seeing the trolls, the spiders of Murkwood, the riddle contest, the dragon Smaug!  It's an easy, fun read full of adventure.

5. To Be or Not To Be by Ryan North

My other picks were pretty safe, so I'm going more out on a limb for this one.  This is: Choose Your Own Adventure Hamlet.

Synopsis:
When Shakespeare wrote Hamlet he gave the world just one possible storyline, drawn from a constellation of billions of alternate narratives.  And now you can correct that horrible mistake! Play as Hamlet and avenge your father's death—with ruthless efficiency this time. Play as Ophelia and change the world with your scientific brilliance. Play as Hamlet's father and die on the first page, then investigate your own murder… as a ghost! Featuring over 100 different endings, each illustrated by today's greatest artists, incredible side quests, fun puzzles, and a book-within-a-book instead of a play-within-a-play, To Be or Not To Be offers up new surprises and secrets every time you read it.
You decide this all sounds extremely excellent, and that you will definitely purchase this book right away.  Because as the Bard said: “to be or not to be… that is the adventure.”
...You're almost certain that's how it goes.
Gryffindors Might Enjoy Because:

So if you're like Hermione - but a muggle - then of course you've read Shakespeare.  But if you're like Fred and George, you may have resented having to read Shakespeare.  Well here we have something for both types of people - a chance to reimagine Hamlet on your own terms.  You control your own destiny!  Following a familiar story through to the conclusion (which you could do, actually) is a thing of the past!  Let's blaze new trails.  This is a really fun, entertaining take on Hamlet.  It's funny, and gives you options to take the story in some interesting directions.


Review: A Study in Scarlet Women


So today I'm grumpy because while I try to be objective, there's just no way I can when it comes to the most recent book I finished.  I have no idea if it's good or bad (I mean, it's not terrible, not at all) because I just enjoyed it so much.  And I have books like that sometimes - books that very much hit things that I personally love where I want to recommend them, but I'm not sure how blinded I am by getting so many of my tastes all at once.  And that was definitely the case for this book, which I believe is either the third or fourth book I finished this year.


A Study in Scarlet Women | Sherry Thomas

Berkely
2016
336 Pages

Rating: 5 Stars
Book 4/50 of 2019

Synopsis:
With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London. 
 
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.

But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

Beat the Backlist 2019



So today I'm grumpy because I have discovered so many books in my house that I haven't read yet.  (Several are library books, to be fair.)  Since I'm already doing two reading challenges, I decided: what's one more?!  So I will also be participating in the 2019 Beat the Backlist, hosted by NovelKnight!  I think later I might try to sync up all the books I plan to read for this with the other challenges I'm doing, but for now, here's my list!



The Cactus by Sarah Haywood
The Glitch
A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas - 01/27/19 READ
A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas
Space Opera by Catherynne Valente
Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink
Dune by Frank Herbert
White is For Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
Snuff by Terry Pratchett
Frogkisser by Garth Nix
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone
How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe by Charles Yu
By Book or By Crook by Eva Gates
The Hollow Fear by Sherry Thomas


Reading Challenges



So today I'm grumpy because there are so many books to read and yet so little time!  I imagine this is a common complaint among readers - yes, myself included - but it's relevant to what I want to talk about today.  How do I pick books when there are so many to choose from?  And how do I keep myself from going back over the same well-worn path of cozy mysteries I normally stick to?  Well, this year I'm going to try reading challenges.

For 2019, I have decided to make an attempt (because I'm already certain I won't complete them) to do two challenges.

First, the BookRiot Read Harder challenge.  There are 24 tasks for the challenge, and the goal is to push yourself to read things you might not read otherwise.  As I said in my reading goals post, I would like to stretch my boundaries a little and branch out to other genres (I specifically mention non-fiction because I read almost no non-fiction at all) so this is kind of an ideal challenge for me this year.  Do I think I'll complete it?  No.  No way.  But my goal is 12 of the 24 tasks, and I think that's very manageable.

Second, the POPSUGAR reading challenge.  There are 40 tasks - as well as an additional 10 advanced tasks.  Looking through these, some of theses tasks seem like I'll be able to tackle them no problem with pretty minimum deviation from my normal reading habits.  There are a couple that I'm really not sure about, so call me defeatist but I'm already certain I won't complete this challenge either.  And that's fine!  My goal is to complete 20 of the tasks, which I feel confident (kind of?  don't quote me on that) that I can do without too much difficulty.

So, assuming I read a unique book for each task of the challenges (which I will not, by the way, I am absolutely going to double up whenever able), that's 12 for the first, 20 for the second, plus the 11 I have to read for book club at work - and then 7 books to choose freely!  And then I'll have met my 50 book goal for the year.  My goal is always 50 books and I never have much trouble meeting it, which makes me feel accomplished, even if it's only in a small sort of way.

Anyone else doing any reading challenges?  I joined the GoodReads groups for both, but I haven't really looked at them because I got super anxious about it.  I will keep a list here of what I'm reading for each as I read it, so we'll see how I do!

Happy reading!

Top 5 Tuesday: Why I Love Reading

*This is a Top 5 Tuesday post.  Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Bionic Book Worm on Wordpress.

1. "Stories are the most important things in the world."


This quote, attributed to Philip Pullman, pretty much epitomizes why I love to read so much and why it's been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember.  Stories.  I love stories.  I love getting to meet new people and visit new places.  I love to discover epic battles, or star-crossed romances, or watch a killer get brought to justice.  I just love stories.  I love hearing them, telling them, getting caught up in them - a good story is like a spider's web, I once read.  As you, like the spider, sit in the middle, even the smallest vibration can be felt.  So the smallest word or character or scene - whatever! - can reverberate through the whole thing.

I spent four years in undergrad getting a degree in literature, chiefly because I love books so much.  And I'm one of those people who likes to examine media I consume with a critical eye.  Understanding something or analyzing something doesn't make me like it less, it makes me appreciate it more.  It doesn't take any of the magic away from the story - it enhances it.  It makes me see things with fresh eyes, appreciate connections I didn't before.

So yes, I love stories.  To end with another quote, this one from Doctor Who, "We're all stories in the end."

2. Escapism


Books, so the saying goes, can take you anywhere.  Just take a look!  It's in a book!  I mean, anything that lets me go twice as high as a butterfly is what I'm all about.

Okay, joking aside.  I am a giant stress ball most of the time.  I have very very bad anxiety and just going about my daily life is occasionally very difficult.  When I need a break, or I need to forget all of that stress so I can cope, then I turn to a book.  Even if it's just for a brief while, it takes me out of my life and lets me see the world - or multiple worlds!  I get to go to fantastical places, meet amazing new people, see unbelievable things, all from the safety and comfort of my blanket nest on my couch.  I don't have the means to travel right now, so this acts as a proxy for that, as well.

3. Words, Words, Words


Sometimes I like to read just for the sheer joy of seeing words strung together so beautifully.  Like pearls on a string.  Some of the best books in my opinion, the ones that linger, that leave of piece of the book with you long after you've read it, are the ones that are just exquisitely written.

I like to picture myself sitting on a beach, and a wave just crashes over me, flooding my senses, completely washing over me.  I can't think of a less morbid verb than "drown" but yes, essentially I want my normal mundane senses to drown in the beautiful, beautiful language.  I'm doing a terrible job describing how it makes me feel, but good writing is like fine silk and I just want to wrap myself up in it.  Yes, as I said, I love nothing better than a good story.  But sometimes I don't need a story to enjoy a book.  Slap some symbolism on some pretty sentences and I'll have a field day with that, too.  Sometimes I read for nothing more than the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the words.

4. Learning


One benefit from reading that I often forget to seek out intentionally is that there's a good chance you'll learn something from the book you're reading.  This tends to often be the point when it comes to nonfiction, of course, but I don't read a great deal of nonfiction.  (I do want to read more though.)  But I don't want to sell fiction short, because it can teach us a lot, too.  Sometimes just reading about someone who's different than you are can be a learning experience.  Books set in different places, or about different cultures, or even set in a different career field can really teach us a lot.  Not only do I encounter new information when I'm reading, but a lot of times reading will spark enough interest in a topic that I'm compelled to go out and do research on my own.  (I love research, to be totally honest.)

5. Helps My Writing


I've always loved writing as my own way to tell stories, and I believe reading is a great way to get better.  Next to, you know, actually writing it's probably the best way.  Reading a lot is important for a writer in my opinion because it lets you see others at the top of their game and can be a great source of inspiration.  And I don't just mean a style or a plot or something that you like - I mean that, at least for me, reading a great book energizes me and inspires me and makes me want to go write a great book.  I want to make people feel the things all my favorite books make me feel.

That's not to say that you can't get great ideas from books, as well.  Of course you want to be original in your work, but I think that taking inspiration from something can be a great start to that.  Use a seed of an idea from a work you love and let it grow into something new that's all your own.  I do that all the time.  Something will spark interest, and I'll think about it, and write, and I'll play with the idea in my head.  What if I changed this?  What if I tweaked this a little?  What if I incorporated this idea, too?  And maybe the original idea will still be there, but it will have gone through so many iterations that the final product is often unrecognizable.  Learning by doing is important, and actually writing as much as you can is what's going to build up your strengths, but taking a look at other writers, those who've been published, who have this finished product after who knows how long at work on it, that can be really instructive, as well.  So I love to read not only for reading's sake on its own, but also because I feel like it makes me a stronger writer.  I would love to actually publish a book one day, but that...  is a very, very, very far off dream.

---

What are your reasons for loving to read?  I feel like mine are pretty generic, but they're also very sincere, so I've got that going for me.  Reading is so important to me, and I just love books so much.  I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.  There, sorry for my little outburst.  I'm all done.  Let me know what you think!

Review: An Unwanted Guest

An Unwanted Guest | Shari LapenaPamela Dornan Books
2018
304 Pages


Rating: 3 Stars
Book 3/50 of 2019

Synopsis: 
It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing--maybe even romantic--weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity--and all contact with the outside world--the guests settle in and try to make the best of it.
Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead--it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic. 
Within the snowed-in paradise, something--or someone--is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm--and one another.



Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker

The Prince and the Dressmaker | Jen Wang

First Second
2018
288 Pages

Rating: 4 Stars
Book 2/50 of 2019

Synopsis:
Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:
Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!
Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

2019 Reading and Blogging Goals

So today I'm grumpy because here we are, in 2019, and I barely noticed when the old year passed.  Normally I'm excited about the new year - a fresh start, new chance, all of that.  It's a pretty arbitrary distinction really, but it's an arbitrary distinction of which I happily take advantage.  Normally.

This year, I barely gave it a thought.  Not intentionally.  I'd meant to plan, and make goals, maybe a resolution, take stock of things that had worked for me the past year and what in my life could use improvement...  And I did none of that.  I kept putting it off, and putting it off, and then the 31st rolled around and I hadn't thought about the new year at all.  I didn't go out and watch the fireworks and after midnight passed it didn't really occur to me to even think about the new year.  Which was strange!  It's a little thing, yeah, and completely insignificant, but I always hate when I lose a little bit of joy over things that previously excited me, even if they're small.  I don't want to lose my sense of wonder yet.

At any rate, the month's not over yet, so maybe I can recapture that feeling in February.  I do, however, want to make a few goals for myself here, so hopefully this small step can help me feel back on track.  Not caring about the new year has, maybe counter intuitively, made me feel very off-kilter.

NUMBER OF BOOKS I PLAN TO READ (GOODREADS GOAL): 50

I always do 50 books a year because it's a reasonable goal and I can always manage to meet it.  I have thought about upping it to 52 (a book a week), but 50 is nice and round.  Also, if you divide 50 into 5 sections of 10 books, and 365 into 5 sections of 73 days, then I only need to read 10 books every 73 days.  Which is... not as neat, but I like having benchmarks.  In my little bullet journal, I have every 73 days marked off so I can measure my progress and see how close I am to meeting my goal.

And, if you've read my TBR post then you might be asking why I would even want a goal.  On the surface, it might look like it's reading just for the sake of having a number.  But I get busy sometimes, and sometimes I'd rather be lazy than pick up a book, which is usually bad for my mental health, because except for one or two books that I really disliked, reading has always made me feel much better, and it's something that I genuinely want to commit to doing for my enjoyment as well as my health.  So I always like to set a manageable goal and stick to it, and it has been extremely beneficial for me.

OTHER READING GOALS

-Read more nonfiction, especially politics and philosophy (but any nonfiction, really, I don't read a lot)
-Read more diverse books (I think the bulk of what I read is cozy mysteries, which are all very same-y)
-Read more critically and thoughtfully
-Review more books I read

BLOGGING GOALS

I am especially excited about this, because as I've written a bit more here over that last few months of 2018, I've really enjoyed it.  And I'd like to continue that!  So my goals kind of reflect a new commitment to the blog.

1. Write MORE
One of my biggest issues is that often I feel silly writing, or I find myself unsure what to talk about.  I worry that what I write sounds inauthentic, or it's silly, or it's bland and uninteresting.  The most immediate way to solve this, I think, is just to practice.  As a teenager I wrote all the time - not constantly, but I carried around a notebook everywhere I went (yes, especially school, ahem) and any time I had an interesting idea for a story, or something that happened in my life I wanted to dissect, I wrote it down.  Because of that my voice grew stronger and I got more confident.  For... a lot of reasons, that's not the case anymore, so what I really need to do is just build those muscles up again.  Write.  Keep writing.  Write some more.

2. Write more thoughtful, critical reviews
I doubt my own opinions.  Often, thought not always.  I know whether I enjoyed something or not, but sometimes when it comes to why, I can become unsure.  And because of that it's often hard to articulate my opinions.  How can I make an argument for something that I'm only half sure about anyway?  So as I am reading and analyzing books, I'd like to try to talk about them more thoughtfully, and review books with more confidence.  I don't need to be the most eloquent and maybe my opinion will be very run-of-the-mill, or shared by hundreds of other people who've expressed it better.  I still want to hone my skill in expressing my opinion, and I want to do it in a thoughtful way.  I got a degree in english literature, I might as well use it, right?

3. Connect with other bloggers
So one of the reasons books was what I chose to blog about was because it's one of my biggest passions, and I want to share it with others.  I want to try to get past my anxiety and maybe make a friend.  Or at least an acquaintance.  Or at least have a conversation with someone.  That's basically what this goal boils down to: have at least one substantive conversation with someone I don't already know IRL.

4. Write more about libraries
While this is primarily a book blog, I want to also write about my field - from a professional standpoint, as a librarian, but maybe outside of the professional setting.

5. Have ten followers
I actually don't know how many people follow this blog, because I haven't checked (and I'm not going to, at least not for a little while), but I'm going to assume it's zero.  Ahem.  So, especially to help meet goal 3, I'm going to try to make my blog interesting and appealing and hopefully it might attract somebody interested in reading it!  If not, that's okay, too, I'll keep writing anyway.

So those are my goals for 2019!  I'm going to bookmark this post to help keep myself on track, and hopefully I'll actually make some progress towards these goals.

What are your reading goals for this year?  Do you only set a number of books goal or do you like to try and set the types of books, too?  Help me meet goal 3 early by letting me know!  Also, I'm genuinely interested in what other people are reading and how they're reading.