2018 Year-End Wrap-Up

Here we are, the end of 2018, and it is time to look back on the bookish year I had and see how I failed or succeeded with the goals I set. My original post can be found HERE, if you are really that interested in reading the long version. The rest of you, come with me.

1. 2017/2018 Presidential Reading Goal - You can check out my progress HERE. I was so sure of myself in 2018, thinking I would finish this and be done with it. No such luck. I think I just got incredibly burned out on politics because of the utter shit show we have going on right now. I am putting this post together as we are in the midst of a government shut down that trumplethinskin said he would be proud of (yet of course is actually trying to pass the blame to the Democrats, because he is a giant bag of shit and no one is surprised). A second child has died in US custody, which of course no one will take responsibility for (are we seriously not providing even basic medical treatment, health checks, anything to these refugees?) FFS, the majority of these people are fleeing their homes due to the ravages of war, only to start seeing their babies die in US custody. On Christmas, no less. So yes, it is easy to see why I might be a little put-off anything government-related right now, because I am furious. This goal will get accomplished, but it is no longer a priority to have done in 2019.

2. Goodreads Challenge: 150 Books - Despite my claim that I would do less reading and more writing of my own book this year, I just could not stop at 150. I learned that I truly have some kind of biological stamp on my DNA that requires me to read at least an hour or two per day or I get anxious. Legit, it happened. I don't sleep as well and I am crankier on days I don't get to read. I upped my challenge a few times over the course of the year and finally settled on 275, which I reached around December 20th or so, not sure exactly when. As of Sunday evening (Dec 30th), I am actually at 289 books on the year. So, I am spending the remainder of the year reading (and/or raging at) some cozy mysteries while playing catch-up on all the reviews I STILL HAVE NOT WRITTEN. As I am putting the finishing touches on this post here on December 30th, that number of books needing to be reviewed is going to fluctuate.

3. Give NetGalley Attention! - Thanks to the lovely Evelina at Avalinah's Books, I really got my butt in gear with her State of the ARC meme and these ARCs from NetGalley. Up until three days ago, I had only three ARCs I was reading. That was it! No reviews due, just reading. Then I went on NetGalley because I am auto-approved by Llewellyn and I love checking in to see what paranormal books they have. Then I was also offered another book by Thistle Publishing and now I am at eight ARCs. It's a sickness, I can't help it, and I won't apologize. However, I think eight is far better than the dozens I had to start 2018, so let's call this a win.

4. Write a Damn Book Already - Still working on it. There is so much to tell, but time and again I run into the problem of lacking certain key resources. I have been very lucky in getting log-ins and IDs from friends who let me use them in order to access their university's library system (and my friend in the UK who gave me his library card # so I can log into a source recommended to me by my BFF Dan Jones), but there are some I simply don't have access to. OR, I do, but I can't read Latin. I want so badly to get this work done and published, and this will be the year it is finished. 

5. Buy Less, Read More - Being a poor teacher really puts the kibosh on too many book-buying sprees, but I am also finally accepting the fact that I am an adult (took me until 35 to figure it out, whatever, don't judge). As an adult, with a child, I realized a few months ago that I do not have the luxury of perusing BookBub, the gateway drug to Amazon, for those $.99 cent steals. Because those add up quickly. Too quickly. So, I have been really good about not buying many books at all, physical or digital. Yay me, in the most depressing way possible.

***EXTRA GOAL - Being home for Christmas Break, I stopped in at the library here in town and managed to walk out with 13 books from the New Releases section. Seeing as how Eleanor and I have to leave on the 3rd, it has been a mad dash to get those books read before we go. I don't think I will make it, but it has damn sure been fun.

So, I would say that 2018 was not too shabby. I was completely successful in three of my five goals. I made the least progress for goal #1, but made good progress for goal #4. Not too shabby at all.

What kinds of goals did you set for yourself this year?

Happy Reading!

Sarah