Mission Accomplished

Happy New Year! I’m happy to report that I accomplished my goal of reading 50 books in 2013. Here’s what I read this year:

It wasn’t steadily paced at all–the Hunger Games trilogy put me ahead, 1Q84 put me way behind, and I spent the last six weeks of the year picking books based on length. But I finished. And I am proud. My favorite book of the year was The Interestings, by Meg Wolitzer.

I was right about a few of the assumptions I made when I set the goal. Making it public did keep me on track, and I definitely watched fewer sitcom reruns. But I was wrong in thinking that 50 (rather than 52) would give me enough wiggle room to comfortably catch up when I got behind or read more than a few really long books, which I’ve always loved.

Before this year, I’d always been a bit of a book snob, turning my nose up at the latest bestselling phenomenon and most YA. No more. I read chick-lit, National Book Award finalists, YA, memoir, and more, and I benefitted from dipping into all of those categories.

Will I do it again? Probably, but not this year. I’m taking a break from measuring my reading experience with completed titles. I’m looking forward to relaxing into something long without worrying it’ll set me behind, and instead letting the magic of a fantastic story swallow me whole.