2017 Reading Goals (a.k.a. 2017 MMD Reading Challenge)

Up until this past year, I had never set reading goals. I'd like to say 2016's goal was set with a lot of thought, but it wasn't. I was browsing on goodreads.com one day early in January and was prompted by the site to set a reading goal for the year. I figured, why not? I began by checking how many books I had read in 2015 and then set my goal for one more in 2016. My goal was 61 books! Well, I surpassed my goal. I read 73 books in 2016! I am not sure how I read so many books. (Well, actually, that is a lie. I know how I fit so much reading into my life. If there is interest in how I do so, I may write a post about it in the future.) Anyway, after such a successful reading year, I thought I would set reading goals again this year, but this year I knew I wanted to put more thought into my goals. I thought I would try something a little different than simply aiming for a specific number of books to read. Aiming for a specific number wasn't really motivating for me. In fact, not once this past year did I think about my specific number. I simply read books and then recorded them on goodreads.com. So, what are my goals for this year?
I've decided to participate in 2017's MMD Reading Challenge. MMD stands for Modern Mrs Darcy. Modern Mrs Darcy (a.k.a. Anne Bogel) is an amazing blogger who blogs (mostly) about books. This is my first time participating in one of her reading challenges and I can't wait to dive in. In the past, MMD provided one challenge for the year. This year, she's provided two. Each of the challenges provides twelve categories, a category for each month. You get to choose which challenge you want to do or you can do both! (One challenge will provide twelve books for you to enjoy this year. Both challenges means twenty four books!) I couldn't decide between the two, so I am happily doing both. Here are the two challenges and their respective categories!

READING FOR GROWTH: Stretch yourself in 2017

• a Newberry Award winner or Honor book
• a book in translation
• a book that's more than 600 pages
• a book of poetry, a play, or an essay collection
• a book of any genre that addresses current events
• an immigrant story
• a book published before you were born
• three books by the same author
• a book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks author
• a book with an unreliable narrator or ambiguous ending
• a book nominated for an award in 2017
• a Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award winner

READING FOR FUN: Put the oomph back in your reading life

• a book you chose for the cover
• a book with a reputation for being un-put-down-able
• a book set somewhere you've never been but would like to visit
• a book you've already read
• a juicy memoir
• a book about books or reading
• a book in a genre you usually avoid
• a book you don't want to admit you're dying to read
• a book in the backlist of a new favorite author
• a book recommended by someone with great taste
• a book you were excited to buy or borrow but haven't read yet
• a book about a topic or subject you already love

What do you think? Sounds like fun, right?! I seriously can't wait to dive in.

On the first of each month I will share what I will be reading that month, as well as other strong contenders that didn't make the list. Stay tuned for what I will be reading in January. I can't wait to share with you! If you're participating, I'd love to hear what you will be reading! And if you're not participating, I'd still love to hear what you will be reading! Happy reading!