Reading Resolutions 2018

And so we’ve come full circle. A year ago on New Year’s Eve, I posted the first blog on Fictitiously Hilary, titled “Reading Resolutions”. I recapped what I read in 2017 (a whopping 42 books) and I set my reading resolutions for the year. One of these resolutions was to blog about what I’m reading, why I’m reading it and what I think about it. While #Periodically appeared in the spring and took a section of this blog in a very different, very vaginal direction, I like to think I’ve relished this first resolution.

So what about numbers then. My resolution for 2017 was to read 36 books, including 12 books in French. As I mentioned in my earlier blog this week, I am somehow on my 60th book of 2017!  However… I’m really disappointed that I didn’t stay true to the French resolution. While in the last few months I’ve honed in on it, between exams and travelling I really let my French literature habits slip, meaning I have only read 8 books in French this year. Reading Harry Potter in French has really relit that spark, so I hope it’s something I can address in 2018. (Side note: I have been watching Mystère du Lac on All4, does that make up for my shoddy reading efforts?)

2018 Resolutions

The first resolution I have had in my mind for some months now and I’m really determined to put it in motion. While the convenience of Amazon and Waterstones is undeniable, I would really like to support more independent booksellers and to buy second hand where possible. So with that in mind, my first resolution for 2018 is to primarily buy books from independent bookshops, charity shops and book fairs. I only want to use the mainstream booksellers when absolutely necessary (i.e. I have vouchers, or there’s an unavoidable difference in price). Not only is this going to be a great way to support indy businesses and charities, it should get me adventuring a bit more. I’m really excited about this, so I’ll let you know how I get on. I also have a huge TBR pile after Christmas so technically I shouldn’t need to buy any books for a while.

Numbers wise I don’t know what to suggest. Is it realistically possible for me to surpass 60 in 2018? I assume my current uphill reading rate is bound to plateau at some point? I guess there’s only one way to find out, so let’s just aim for 65 and see what happens. I want to keep my French reading goals ambitious but realistic and I’ll admit I’m not entirely sure how to do that. Since I never reached it, I’m going to say 12 again and make a bigger effort to read at least one French book a month. Hold me to this one please, I clearly need inspiration mid-year.

The final resolution is something I touched upon in a recent blog post, Non Fiction Reads 2017; to diversify my non fiction reads in 2018. My fiction has always been a little broader but there’s no harm in expanding what I read there too – open your world to different books and you’ll open your mind to a different world, right?

Happy New Year folks! Thanks for sticking around for so long, especially when many of you are here for books and all I give you is uteruses! I have some writing related news too, so look out for a blog about my writing resolutions soon. In the meantime, I’m trying desperately hard to be welcomed into the Bookstagram universe, so take a look at my Instagram if you enjoy (un)aesthetically pleasing pictures of books and a closer look at my Christmas book haul and 2017 reads. Here’s to a bigger and better second year of book blogging!