Tea Party (Q&A 19: Our 2022 Reading Goals and Favorites)

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Hello there! We’re wrapping up the year by checking in on how we did with our goals for 2022 and by making new goals for 2023. Settle in with your beverage of choice and join the fun!

Did you set any goals for reading this year? Did you accomplish those goals?

Pineapple:

I set the goal I usually do, which is just a generalized “read more.” I… have no meter for knowing if I accomplished this or not, which I think is the problem with the goal I set. I didn’t read much the first half of the year, but I think I really did pick up more books the second half. I finished Shakespeare’s Twelfth  Night, which I had been reading for a very long time, and that felt like a huge accomplishment for me! I still have about three books open on my phone that I haven’t started, and I started other books without finishing. But I did get some books this year that I started and finished, so those didn’t get added to the “TBR shelf” in my room and that feels really nice.

Raspberry:

I set and then changed goals this year haha. My goal started off as reading 25 books this year. I didn’t want to push myself too much since I was working full time and going to school and writing. But then I got Libby (free app that connects to your local library) and that changed EVERYTHING. I read through a bunch of books, and then I realized I passed 25 books. Then 50 books. So I challenged myself to 100 books read this year, and literally just finished my 100th book a couple days ago.

Apple:

 My mom has been super supportive of my writing, so I’ve been wanting to write something I think she would really like as a fun way to say thank you. With that in mind, my reading goal for this year was pretty much to read more of her favorite genres and understand what she enjoys about them. I ended up reading a lot of great stories that I probably wouldn’t have picked up on my own, so I’d say this goal was a success and a good time.

Any bookish goals for next year?

Pineapple:

I’d really like to keep track of my reading next year. I actually have a book journal that I was planning to use for library check outs, since I wouldn’t own those books but I haven’t used it yet. Checking out books from the library, whether digitally or physically, is another goal. So the two of those should hopefully go together really nicely lol

I’d kind of like to read more popular books. A lot of what I read has been kind of classic literature or something nobody else in my circle has read. There are so many books that are super popular these days and I would love to feel more like part of the “bookish” community by reading more mainstream novels.

Raspberry:

I think next year I might try to keep better track of my books in my bullet journal. I just started bullet journaling, and I’d love to have pages dedicated to the books I read and my thoughts on them.

Apple:

I do a lot of reading for work, so I try to keep my personal reading goals relatively lighthearted and easy. There are two books on my shelf I haven’t read yet and two from college I want to reread because I rushed through them. I think I’ll make those my goal for 2023 (mostly because I keep forgetting about them and now everyone can hold me accountable).

Did you find any new favorites while reading this year?

Pineapple:

I have! I’ve discovered that I really like reading poetry before I go to sleep, so I’ve been reading a lot more poetry lately and I LOVE it. It’s so fun going out and looking at books and discovering new poetry collections.

Also, non-fiction. My mom recommended a biography to me about chronic illness, since I am chronically ill, and it was… emotional. In a good way. It’s nice to learn about new experiences this way. The poetry book I’m currently reading also has some non-fiction in it, so I’ve been learning a lot lately and it feels so good to stretch my brain like this!

Raspberry:

OH MY GOSH. I have a top ten, and a list of honorable mentions, but honestly I read so many good books this year. I loved discovering more YA fantasy and fiction that showed diversity. I really wish I had those books growing up, especially with Asian and LGBTQ+ leads. Also romance books that focused more on personal growth than getting the love interest? Sign me UP. I don’t know if I should drop my top ten list here, but I might make a collage for instagram if I have time/actually remember.

Apple:

 I did find some new favorites! In fact, one of the apps I use pointed out that fantasy jumped up to second place on my “Top Three Most Read Genres” list this year. I think I was more surprised that it didn’t make my top three last year, but thankfully this year the balance has been restored. And I can’t mention my favorites without talking about Raspberry and Pineapple’s writing. Raspberry wrapped up two stories this year and started a third, and I love all of them! The Halloween Bash currently has me in my feelings, and I miss her other characters so much. Pineapple’s new story also lives rent free. She actually messaged the group chat once to ask Raspberry and I about our How Journeys End ships, and I sent her a literal essay. I am so excited to read more of their work next year!

Thanks for stopping by!

We’d love to hear about your reading goals too. If you’re like Apple and need the extra accountability, feel free to leave your goals in the comments so we can have each others’ backs!