My reading books 2023

There's a moment at New Year which every bookworm with a reading app adores ... setting your reading goal! It’s the little things in life which brings me the most pleasure and setting 'this' annual target is one such moment. As I look at my bookcase of ‘to-be-read’ books - yes, I'll admit to having an overflowing bookcase awaiting my attention - I spy the books which have been patiently waiting for many years. I think of it as a wine cellar in book form! 

I'm a ‘normal’ reader, by which I mean my annual reading goal is a moderate target of 25. I read for pleasure, just as I did as a tiny child. I religiously spend part of each day within the pages of a book, as a way to escape from this world and its troubles. I'm certainly not a professional reader who can skim read a book in three hours and manage 364 books a year! Instead, I savour the language, the descriptions, the characters' dialogue and lose myself within the plot.
 
One habit I wish to break this coming year is my tendency to have multiple reading books on the go. I have a poetry book on my desk, a reading book in the lounge and another beside my bed. I always have a non-fiction study book too. I’ll continue with the poetry book and study book being near my desk, as I’m usually early for daily on-line meetings. My reading book simply needs to travel around the house with me. I doubt the annual number of books read will alter but my overall enjoyment might.
 
This year, my intention is to revert back to my ‘Classic’ reads with the odd smattering of modern books and autobiographies, alongside my treasured Agatha Christie novels. 
 
I also listen to audio books whilst walking, cooking or gardening though I don’t count these in my annual reading book tally.

During 2023, I succumb to several ‘best seller – must reads’ only to be left deflated and utterly baffled by their popularity. Another problem is my insistence that I always finish a reading book – it has to be pretty dire for me to ‘not finish’. I don’t always review a book if I didn’t like it but I do always analyse the contents trying to figure out what the fuss was about? Maybe this issue needs addressing too! Mmmm, one issue at a time my thinks.

 
P.S. - if you know me in real-life, you probably laughed on seeing the number of pages read! I certainly did!   

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