#HappyNewFears: My Bookish New Years Resolutions

Happy Boxing Day, Nerds! And for everyone in the U.S., hey suckers! Sorry, you all had to go back to work today while we get a second stat holiday!

But truly, I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season, no matter what you celebrate.

I’m probably still in my PJs, hopefully playing a new game I got as a gift from my husband after dropping heavy hints since my birthday about what I wanted next. *cough Hellblade cough*

My in-laws are probably about to hit the road to get home to NY, taking my stepkid with them so he can reluctantly spend some time with his mom who makes him feel, quote “trapped.” Aw yes, the pitfalls of having a shitty parent who you still have forced visitation with. The true meaning of Christmas… wait…

On a happier note, come Friday I will have officially started my three weeks of vacation that I’ve been saving all year. And Omigod, I need this break so bad. I’m going to be reading and reading and playing games and reading and rotating a nearly endless supply of jogging pants for the next 19 days.

You can expect a lot of scheduled posts that I wrote the week before Christmas. To be honest, using the “post schedule” feature is probably what I should have been doing since starting this blog. Maybe then you’d have more of my salty AF reviews and ranty writings to read. I’ll try hard for the new year.

With that in mind, this post is dedicated to all my bookish resolutions for 2019.

The New Year is literally just around the corner and with that comes a lot of “new year, new me” bullshit posts about health and diet and being a better person. But not this one. Nope, not me. It’s going to be “new year, same me” for real. I just want to make a few tweaks to the bookish side of my life, but I promise to stay the same girl you grew to love know in 2018.

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🔪Resolution #1

Increase my NetGalley rating by 25%

Your girl is sitting at an impressive 35% feedback rating at the moment. I know, I know, but if you could keep your jealousy to a minimum I’m trying to blog around here.

When I first joined NetGalley, I went a little crazy with the request button because everything was so new and exciting… but now my tablet is full of books I actually don’t really want to read. I wish I could delete them and start over, but it is what it is.

So, I’m focused on owning up to my requesting mistakes and blowing through those review copies in record time.

🔪Resolution #2

Start DNFing books

I feel like this really ties into my first resolution because I think one of the reasons I’ve been putting off reading most of these older review copies on my NetGalley shelf, is that I don’t want to be stuck reading books I know I’m not really going to like.

And the solution to that is so painfully obvious – stop reading things if they suck.

But I seriously have such a hard time doing that.

I was recently complaining about not being able to DNF things to a fellow book buddy. I said I can’t bring myself to do it because I need to know how a story ends. It’s a compulsion, verging on neurosis. She said to me, “when you decide to DNF the book, read the last few pages so you know how it ends.”

And really I’ve never felt more stupid in my entire life. WHY HAVE I NEVER THOUGHT TO DO THIS?

Why have I persisted in reading terrible things just to get to a terrible ending? I might as well skip to the ending. This solves all my problems! So I foresee a few DNF reviews in my blog’s future. Hold onto your butts!

🔪Resolution #3

Dedicate time every night to reading

I’m trying to get out of my reading slump, which I’ve been in for most of November and all of December.

It’s really been ever since it “rained” in my basement. I’ve been irritated by that disaster, by the slowness of getting it fixed, by the extra money I didn’t want to spend and then frazzled by being so behind in Christmas preparations that I barely read anything at all for the last part of 2018.

I’m really disappointed by that because it means less engagement on my blog and Instagram, which are my self-care spaces. But without much input to add it can be a little boring. And it means I have been slacking on taking care of myself, just in general.

I think the only way to get out of this slump and to put the focus back onto the things that make me happiest, is to stop mindless watching TV and scrolling on my phone, and instead use that time to read. To power through the slump.

So for 2019, I want to make sure I do less mindless staring at a screen and more engaged staring at the page.

🔪Resolution #4

Be more organized in my book-life

I’m a fairly organized person in my regular day-to-day life. Everything is scheduled, planned out and anticipated – aside from life’s unpredictable curveballs.

But when it comes to this blog, my #bookstagram and my posting habits, I’m a little bit all over the place. I could definitely stand to create posts ahead of time, stick to a TBR list, set aside a day to take all my pictures for the month and get reviews published in a timely manner.

I’ve always said I don’t want this part of my life to feel like work, and the minute it does I’ll stop doing it, but while being organized might sound like “work” to other people, I find being organized satisfying and very comforting. Being organized around here could only stand to make this a more enjoyable, less stressful, hobby for me.

🔪Resolution #5

Do not read any James Patterson

I had this resolution last year and I broke it a couple times over. And what was even the point of breaking it? It’s not like I got a good reading experience out of the deal.

So, once again I am committing myself to not reading anything by James Patterson. Yes, his shit are fast fast that quickly kick up my reading goal. And yes, I’ve been reading the Women’s Murder Club series for almost two decades, so I’m still invested even if it’s terrible.

But also, his books give me mild rage and intense fits of eye-rolling that risks straining an optic muscle. So is it really worth it?

If any of you see me “currently reading” a James Patterson book I want you to punch me in the fucking throat.

Patterson is my arch nemesis, whether he knows it or not.

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Those are my bookish resolutions for 2019! What are yours? Feel free to post your NetGalley rating in the comments to make me feel better/worse about myself.

Stay safe. Be Kind. But, take no shit.

Later, Booknerds ✌️🔪