2023 Reading Goals Giveaway

This is the second year I’ve made concrete reading goals and I’m getting a crazy kick out of keeping tabs on what I’m reading. So, I thought I would share my progress now that we’ve reached the half-year mark. (Gasp! Where does the time go?!) I’ll share my progress below and you can chime in about your reading goals in the comments. Don’t worry — a goal can be as simple as ‘read a book’ which I know you all are doing, but, if you have more specific goals it would e fun to hear about them too.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY: just share anything goal related in the comments. Then, in the same comment, list a book that will help you reach your goal. So it looks like this:

“I want to catch up on some suspense series. Night Prey by Susan Sleeman.”

****NOTE: BOOKS MUST BE CHRISTIAN FICTION****

You can enter up to three times in three separate comments — and you can use the same goal for a different one each time.

Books can be published any time through September 2023. Currently published books will be ordered right away, otherwise you’ll get an IOU for a later title.

See? Easy Peasy. But, if you’re still not clear, don’t be shy about asking questions.

Here’s how I’m doing on my goals so far this year:

  • 269 (ish) books read to date, 148 for this 2nd quarter— I’ve added on that ish ’cause I’m going by my Good Reads # but I read ahead for the blog so the count is a wee bit higher. And here’s some fun stats:
  • 56 Audible
  • 88 Audible Plus
  • 19 Chirp
  • 10 for Review
  • 76 from the library (print and audio)
  • 25 print purchased by me

And broken down by genre (because I’m that much of a book nerd these days.)

  • 31 Historical
  • 13 Regency
  • 4 WWI
  • 5 WWII
  • 26 Contemporary
  • 7 Amish
  • 32 Romantic Suspense
  • 3 Suspense
  • 5 Mystery
  • 136 Cozy Mysteries (yikes!)
  • 24 Historical Mysteries
  • 2 Dual Time lines
  • 10 Novella set
  • 8 Middle Grade
  • 1 Fairy Tale Retelling

Now for my goals:

#1 READ MORE INDIE BOOKS

29 books — not great given the number of books I’ve read overall so I’ll try to improve next quarter.

#2 READ MORE DEBUT BOOKS

9 books — not bad, it’s hard to source out debuts, I tend to stumble onto them.

#3 READ MORE NEW TO ME AUTHORS

47 authors — and have found some new faves too, which is going to make my reading life that much more complicated. 🙂

#4 DIVERSIFY MY READING

74 books — largely due to setting (thank you Regencies!) so I’m going to try harder to branch out next quarter.

Diverse Settings:

  • 34 books set in England
  • 45books set in Canada
  • 4 books set in Ireland
  • 3 books set in Germany
  • 2 books set in Africa
  • 3 books set in France
  • 2 books set in Asia
  • 1 book set in Denmark
  • 1 book set in Greece
  • 1 book set in Austria
  • 3 book set in Wales
  • 3 book set in Scotland

Diverse author by nationality:

  • 7 Canadian
  • 7 British
  • 1 Irish
  • 2 Australian
  • 1 New Zealand
  • 8 ethnically diverse authors
  • 15 books with at least one ethnically diverse MC
  • 5 books with disabled or chronically ill characters

#5 PLAY AUTHOR CATCH-UP

Last year I put way too many authors on this list one of which was Christy Barritt (what was I thinking?!) so I failed dismally. This year I’m going to concentrate on one or two each quarter. This time round it was:

Sally Britton (surprised?) — I’ve read 11 out of 19 books (still have some work to do!) and Susan Sleeman — just have 6 books to go (8 if you count her May release) out of…a bazillion books! I’m getting closer!

#6 GIVE UNLOVED TROPES A SECOND CHANCE

5 books read. Sigh — I really don’t like to move out of my comfort zone and I don’t think that’s likely to change any time soon. I enjoyed the books I read for the most part, but I’m not going out of my way to find these tropes. 🙂

#7 STORY CHATS RECOMMENDS

Story Chats is a Booktube video (podcast?) hosted by three indie authors — Valerie Comer, Elizabeth Maddrey and Narelle Atkins. It’s a weekly show where they highlight contemporary Christian Romance (CCR) using various themes/tropes, as well as host guest authors. My goal is to read at least one book recommend a month and, yay, I’m 6 for 6!

SERIOUS ABOUT SERIES: 

And then there’s this whole other beast called a SAS list, that stand for Serious About Series. I might have been overly ambitious when I made up these lists…they fill an entire book after all, but here it is in a nutshell:

TRILIGOIES IN PROGRESS

10 completed (or up to date) out of 28

TRILIGOIES TO START:

7 started and completed; 4 started but not completed out of 28

SERIES I’M CURRENT WITH

33 out of 38 (a few new releases slipped passed me!)

SERIES IN PROGRESS:

Have been randomly reading through 31 out of 31! Close to catching up on a few of them..

SERIES TO START

38 started, 8 up to date out of 106!!!!!

126 thoughts on “2023 Reading Goals Giveaway”

  1. Wow. You make some in-depth reading goals!!!

    My Goodreads reading goal is 52 book in 2023. So far, Goodreads has down that I’ve read 33. I don’t think that’s accurate, but…

    One book that would help me finish my yearly goal would be Fairest in the Heart by Karen Witemeyer.

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  2. I set a goal of 600 books, and am 341 books into that goal. I read a lot…live alone, work 4 10 hour days so I have 3 days off a week, and don’t have a social life😎
    Plus I go to work early to get a decent parking place and read in the car.
    And at work on weekends when it’s slow. (Information desk at a hospital. Very slow on weekends)
    Today I am working as the ER greeter, and will read on the computer if it’s slow.😎
    No in depth reading goals.
    Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills is a book that would help me towards my reading goal

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    1. Of course you have a social life — with all those characters you met up with daily! Wow, 600 books — amazing! And you’re more than half way there! You’re like me, read at every opportunity. Good luck, Mark!

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      1. Haha can I steal the social life comment? 😉 Some students asked me in June (for a survey) how many parties I attended throughout the year (0). And I said, “What do you expect? I’m a librarian.” But this social life comment is perfect haha

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  3. I want to keep up with favorite authors. Kristi Ann Hunter is one of them!

    Kristi Ann Hunter’s Pixels and Paint

    kathrynlvossATgmailDOTcom

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  6. 2. Get back to reading an author whose books I have always loved, but it’s been way too long since I’ve had the opportunity to read one of their books.
    “Shadow of Deceit” by Susan Sleeman
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  7. 3. Continue reading a series I love in order. Loved the first book in this series and my love of photography also makes this an excellent book for me.
    “Finding Us” by Tracie Peterson
    Release date – July 24, 2023
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  9. My goal is 100 books this year. I’ve completed 49. I’m slightly behind schedule, but 26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse could help me catch up! 😉 manderley23 at gmail dot com

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  10. My goal is 100 books this year. I’ve completed 49. I’m slightly behind schedule, but Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson could help me catch up! 😉 manderley23 at gmail dot com

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  11. My goal is 100 books this year. I’ve completed 49. I’m slightly behind schedule, but Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R Patch could help me catch up! 😉 manderley23 at gmail dot com

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  13. Whew Kav, you are my reading Super Hero! I have started using my text-to-voice feature on my kindle and that has really upped my reading numbers but you@269 and Mark@341 are book supersoakers! My mind can’t absorb that fast, best I can do is listen at 1.5 speed.
    I had to go back to the last quarter Goals page to see what I had said, haha.
    1) Goodreads yearly goal 150 books-111 read through June
    2) Read new to me author every month-9 for 6 months
    3) For every new release read, read a backlist book- new 56/55 backlist

    I didn’t have this goal on my last list, but it was a given:
    4) Keep up with favorite authors new releases-read 42 of 70 books (28 unreleased)

    So, there you have it. I do have a teeny-tiny bit of book number nerdiness in me 🙂
    And the genre breakdown, 62 contem-27 historical-18 suspense-4 dual timeline

    1) Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette 8/15
    goal 4- keep up with favorite authors new releases

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    1. Wow — you’re acing those goals! I’m not sure if I could handle the text-to-voice audio after being spoiled by the professional performers who narrate most audible books. I’d like to give it a try though ’cause it could expand my reading opportunities even more. Love your book number neediness…I am not alone! Good luck, Tracey!

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  15. 3) Christmas Bells and Wedding Vows: A Marriage of Convenience Anthology
    Jody Hedlund, Lacy Williams, Misty Beller 9/26

    New release goal and favorite author release
    Thanks for the fun giveaways, today and all week!
    tracey14567 at gmail dot com

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    1. That Death by a Food Truck intrigues me too — I wonder how the cozies deliver in a novella length story. I’ve read some cozy novellas but they have all come mid-series so the characters and setting have already been established. Easier to just focus on the mystery. Good luck, Lori!

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  18. No matter how many books I read Goodreads keeps me at 300ish books. Anyone who knows me knows that in 13 years I have read more than 300 books. Oh well…. What an amazing list, Kav! My head was swimming after I read it! I have really put forth more effort to read more diversity…people & places. The Thing About Home was one such book & I just bought Toni Shiloh’s last book & will return to Africa. Am in England now with Sarah Ladd.
    Also am trying to read new to me authors so my 1st pick:

    Refuge for the Archaeologist by Danielle Grandinetti

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    1. Do you add in the finished date when you write a review? That’s how Gr keeps count of what you’ve read when. Sometimes I forget and when I go to my challenge it will show books and “Did you read this book this year?” kind of thing. You can just click on yes and it will add that book to your count.

      I really need to expand my diversity reading. I’m surprised at how low the numbers are, other than for England and maybe that’s the problem — I do love a British Historical Romance! lol Good luck, Diane!

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      1. Yep, I put the finish date. But double thinking this, I don’t put every book I read on Goodreads. Books I just read for fun & no review I don’t always put on there. However, I do put books that I don’t feel like reviewing & I rate them. So I should have more than what they say.

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  20. I would like to read at least 50 books this year: I have already read 23: Colorado Cowgirls: by Jody Hedlund; Committing to the Cowgirl: Book 1: will help me reach this goal

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    1. You’re definitely in line with your goal, Lori. I’m excited about this series as well. I just picked up the last book in the Colorado Cowboys series from the library yesterday. Might start that one today so I’ll be all ready for the spin-off series. Good luck, Lori!

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    1. Oooh, that’s a good goal. I might have steal that for next year. Oh, and with a “Where are they now?” spin to it as well because sometimes I look on my shelves and see books by an author I loved but they stopped writing for a time and now I’m unaware if they’ve picked up again. Good luck, Diane!

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      1. Yes! Where ARE they now? I loved Varina Denman’s series & I think she wrote a stand alone book after that and that’s all I’ve seen from her.

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  23. Here’s another author I left by the wayside and I used to read all of her books. Plus I believe this will also meet my diversity goal.

    The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson

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      1. It does sound good!!!!!! There’s more series I haven’t finished than have, I’m afraid. I’ll never catch up with Susan Sleeman or Christy Barritt, as much as I would like to. I did catch up with that one of Susan’s with the Byrd Bros, I think it was. How could I not?

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  24. Kav, Your reading goals challenge me in so many ways!

    My reading goal is to keep up with one of my favorite authors, Ronie Kendig. Shadow of Honor would help me reach this goal.

    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

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  25. Second goal is to catch up backlist reading by another favorite author. The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sara Ladd.

    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

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      1. Ronie Kendig is in a class all her own! Enjoy your reading adventure through her backlist!

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  27. I have a series to complete. I hate being behind!!! Jen Turano’s To Write a Wrong is the missing title!

    dianemestrella at gmail dto com

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  28. Echoing the others, wow!! That is a ton of books read, already. It’s fun to see your breakdown, too!

    My reading goals are usually “read and review the review copies requested,” so I am making up/tailoring a “goal” to books I’m interested in.

    First goal: Read another Melanie Dickerson title, and I’m requesting “Cloak of Scarlet.”

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    1. I bet it can be challenging to juggle review books and other books you’d like to read. I don’t get as many opportunities to review books — I’m in Canada and I don’t read ebooks — I get maybe four books every two months or so. Lots of space to fill in my mood reads. 🙂 Good luck, Stephanie!

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  31. My goal for this year is 155 books. I am at 85.
    Goal: finish a series by a favorite author:
    Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green
    paulamarys49ATgmailDOTcom

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  34. Your detail is fascinating! I also greatly enjoy reading comments from other blog participants. I read 53 books this past quarter and had a few books I did not finish. I have done a little catching up on some clean authors, such as Debbie Macomber, during this quarter. Since I recently finished Fairest of Heart by one of my favorite regional authors, Karen Witemeyer, I would like to add more of her books to my keeper shelf.

    There are two of her stand-alone books I am missing, the first being A Taylor Made Bride.

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  36. Wowers that a heap of reading! I just don’t have the time to read that much. I wish I did!
    Read more new releases
    A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna White

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  39. I just last week purchased another of Jen Turano’s books, as I so enjoy her uplifting humor. I would enjoy having After a Fashion to add to my keeper shelf. Thanks!

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  40. Catch up on a series that I bought out of order. (I’m really bad about this thinking that I’ll pick up the rest of the series later.). So, I need A Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden to complete thr Hope & Glory series. I have books 1 and 3🤷🏼‍♀️. Go figure!

    I am incredibly impressed with the sheer quantity of books you read as well as meeting some goals. I spy some Chirp books on your list.😊

    Perrianne Askew
    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

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  41. Catch up on the last of a series. So I need Free Fall by Nancy Mehl to complete the Quantico Files series. I have books 1 and 2. That’s a lot better than buying them out of order!

    Perrianne Askew
    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

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  42. Support my home state: A Louisiana Christmas to Remember by Morgan Tarpley Smith, Betsy St. Amant, and Lenora Worth. I love Christmas books anyway.

    Perrianne Askew
    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

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    1. Yes! Thank you for cluing me in about Chirp when they opened up to Canadians. Which reminds me, I need to catch up on a few of their emails and see what I might be interested in obtaining. Oh dear, you’ve created a monster. Good luck, Perrianne!

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  43. Wow, you are doing great on your goals! I love the way you have them broken down. One of my goals this year was to catch up on 10 series. I am doing okay. A book that will help me to reach that goal is Nicole: strong Girls Don’t Fall for Their Enemy by Sarah Monzon…I really want to finish her Sewing in SoCal series! cilydav at hotmail dot com

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    1. Oooh, thanks for reminding me. I haven’t read the 2nd or 3rd book in Pepper’s Mitchell’s Crossing series. Moving them up on my list. I like the idea of actually finishing a series instead of constantly starting new ones, which is my weakness. 🙂 Good luck, Cindy. Oh — and I love the SolCal series by Sarah Monzon…but…pssstt….I much prefer the old covers and titles to the new ones. Glad I got mine early in the game.

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      1. I also prefer the older covers, but I have the first two in the newer ones because of when they were bought/gifted, sigh, so, of course I want them to match, LOL! I have the 2nd book in Pepper’s series, but I haven’t read it yet, but it’s soon!

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  45. One of my goals it to support my authors by doing more pre-orders. I’ve been eyeing, In the Shelter of Hollythorne House by Sarah Ladd. Love your updates Kav – you are a reading machine. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway.

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    2. I didn’t realize how important preorders are to authors until quite recently. That’s a noble goal…hmmm, maybe next year I should add that to my list…maybe one preorder a month. Good luck, Loraine!

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  46. And, even though I have other book goals, I like trying to finish series, so the third book is The Fire in our Hearth by Rae Walsh. I have read and enjoyed the first two books…just need to read this one 🙂

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    1. This is a new-to-me author and it does sound like a good read. I’ll have to check out the series…ack…just what I need another series to add to my list! Good luck, Cindy!

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