Yayyyyyy she’s actually back to write her reading goals again, after two years!!!
Hoping to read 40 books this year. I aimed for 50 last year and happily hit that goal, and although I wanted to aim for that again this year, I decided to switch it up a little bit and go for quality quantity.
Chunky reads
My biggest goal this year is slowing down and picking up some of those heftier reads that have been goals of mine for years and years. For example, I am DEARLY hoping to finally read Anna Karenina (which I claimed I was going to read in 2021 lol). I’d like to revisit and finish The Master & Margarita which I attempted in 2023 and hoped to get back to in 2024 but never touched. If possible, I’d like to read at least one other Russian classic as well.
I am also hopeful that I might actually at least read more of Les Mis this year–haven’t even TRIED in like 5 years, at least. Even if I don’t finish it, I’d like to make a bit of a dent in it. Also, I tried starting Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs last summer because I’d heard that its 1928 silent film adaptation’s titular character was the inspiration for DC’s the Joker. I ended up just firming the non-read and watching the film (which was great, btw!!), and I truly think that might be the helpful kicker in finishing the book this year. Hugo has a tendency to over-describe, and I find that hard to track with when I am unfamiliar with the storyline. When I first started Les Mis, for example, back in 2020, I had already seen the 10th anniversary musical scores of times and so was very familiar with the big names and events. Now that I’ve seen The Man Who Laughs, I am hopeful that tackling the book will actually be much easier since I know where the story is headed. I will always, always advocate for reading the book before the movie, but I think Hugo and Dune might be my exceptions to the rule :’)
Finally, it would be nice to read Middlemarch. I’ve owned that one for a few years now, in a beautiful paperback edition as well, and I would love to finally get round to that.
Classics
I’d like a good 25-50% of my reads to be classics this year, but I will be happy with the minimum of 10 since I plan to read some substantially sized ones that might take up rather a lot of my time. I do want to return to The Lord of the Rings this year as it’s been a couple of years since I’ve reread, and he’s a big boy (although a very familiar big boy that is likely going to be the easiest and quickest to read through of them all).
And, this isn’t necessarily a goal, but I actually might not reread Narnia this year — SHOCK AND HORROR. This isn’t technically going to be true because my reread actually spilled over into this year and I have a few left to read, but I don’t think I’m going to pick them up in my usual way (again, over the Summer, etc). For awhile now, I’ve been toying with the idea of reading through each book, very, very slowly, and writing an accompanying analytical essay of all the incredible theology therein (and posting these over on my Substack; especially since my handle/title over there is directly inspired by a quote from The Last Battle, AND since I’ve wanted to write about the theology of that very quote/line since before I even had the notion to begin a Substack).
Non-fic
Aiming for at least 15-25% historical non-fiction. So, a minimum of 6. I am putting this all by its lonesome as I feel confident this should happen in correlation with my Substack essay writing (as mentioned in my 2025 reading digest). Moreover, I hope to pick up some of those delicious WW2 history books that I’ve purchased/acquired over the last year, or the ones that have been sitting there even longer :’) Some of these are rather chunky too, like Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxas–quality is everything for me this year!!
Theology
Same goal as above, at least 6. I’m wanting to get back into deeper theological study, so although I will likely count something as “basic” as Dane Ortlund’s Psalm devotional, I strongly desire to read some meatier reads, like Calvin’s Institutes (of which I own the second instalment).
Leftovers & Reading Routines
If I count up these aforementioned minimum goals, I’m only at 22 out of 40. In whatever is left, I hope to just read good, first-rate literature, where I can find truth, beauty, and goodness. I’d like to explore some more literary fiction (which I believe Hamnet is, and I am currently almost done with it, and it is majestic). It seem like the modern genre I most enjoy and can actually count on for quality writing and moving stories and satisfying characters. I’m also greatly looking forward to the final book in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series, as well as finally getting around to Intermezzo and Good Material.
I hope to continue reading daily, of course. Restoring reading to my nighttime routine, as the very last thing I do each day, is always the best way to reset my mind and get back to the hobby I loved first and which comes easiest. I’d like to go back to a monthly/bi-monthly routine of sorts, where I cycle through these chunkier reads, non-fic/theology/childhood faves, and lit-fic on a nice, rolling basis that keeps me on track and continually motivated.
Fin
All in all, I just want to be okay with reading slower. Sometimes I think about casting Goodreads aside and going back to when I was a little girl and I just read all the time and without a single thought of tracking a thing. (It’s too fun for me unfortunately, so that will never be the case, but you know).
Good, quality books that are chock-full of the best of writing, incredible characters, and moving Story will take time. And in a world full of instant gratification that is destroying our minds, our connections, and our very ability to think independently, critically, and logically, I want to keep working on the organ that the good Lord has given me to see the world through. Part of that is reading, and reading well. Happy reading to all in 2026!!