Update on the 2020 Reading Plans- How Badly did I do?
Hello, darlings!
Once again, this post is very late, but time is just an illusion anyway. I am doing a quick overview of how I did with my original reading goals for 2020. This is quite a sad situation I will present to you. While I tried to follow through on this list, I have concluded that I need to be more realistic about the challenges I set for myself. In hindsight, this was a lot that tried to read. Don’t get me wrong I did read a lot but only sticking to the list would have put me in an endless reading slump. Lesson learned. I will set more realistic goals for the New Year.
This is not to say I am aiming to read any less, I am aiming to make a more realistic list I can manage to get through in a year without feeling like I am going to be crushed by the books that I said I would read but have not read yet.
The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson- so confession time. I have read the first book in the trilogy twice already, but I haven't progressed with the rest of the series. It is time to go past the wall I have in my head. For those of you who don't know the Mistborn trilogy focuses on a world where the hero of prophecy is lost, and what happened after that. There is a cool metal-based magic system, and wonderful characters. I don't want to say anything else but here is a link to the first book on Goodreads
Update: Yeah, no. Looking back I laugh as I realize I have not even touched this series. Definite failure.
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte- oh this book. I have started it three times now. I liked it every time, yet I never finished it. Why not? Yeah, I don't know either. This is the time. I read multiple retellings of this story and now it’s time to read the original.
Update: Okay I got one! Yay me! I have a full review up for this!
3. The Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown- once again I have read the first book in this series and loved it. And once again I have not followed through. I own all the five books currently out in this series and haven't touched them. This Sci-Fi series is all about political revolution other fun things like that. Our main character is a mine worker on Mars until he loses the one person, he would have done anything for. And then we’re off. While I didn't appreciate the way, our hero came into his revenge plan, I still loved that book. So, let's get down to business.
Update: I read the first book again. I loved it again. I did not finish the series. What is wrong with me? Does this count? Well partially?
4. The Nevernight Trilogy by Jay Kristoff- a series I had on my radar for a while. I love assassin school and murder and all that fun stuff. Now that the whole trilogy is out it’s time to dive in. This year I’m not allowing myself to not finish the things I’ve started. So hopefully you will see reviews of these books up here soon.
Update: Do you hear me laughing? That hysterical crackling sound you hear is me. I did not read this.
5. A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab- I have a theme going. I read the first book already and loved it. Then never picked up the rest of the trilogy even though it has all the things I love. London? Check. Multiple dimensions? Check. Magic? Complicated characters? Unexplained mysteries? Check. Check. Check. So, it's time to do it. Read the series.
Update: Once again, I have read the first book. Again. Why do I keep doing this? Am I scared of things?
6. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas- oh this book, it’s over a thousand pages and people either hate it or love it. I tried reading it once. I read ten pages and put it down for no reason I can think of. Possibly I was intimidated. Maybe, but I’m not admitting to anything. Leave me alone
Update: Once again I have failed. I don’t want to talk about it.
7. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor- I think everyone is sensing a theme here but I have read the first book in this trilogy twice now, and never picked up the rest of the series. It is nearly impossible to describe this series and I don't even know where to start. There’s Prague, monstrous creatures, hidden doors, forbidden love. In other words, all the things that make life worth living. And yet I refuse to give myself the joy of reading the whole trilogy.
Update: I had to check my Goodreads to see if I read the first book or not. I have not. Failure all around.
8. Strange the Dreamer Duology by Laini Taylor- this I am not allowed to pick up until I finish the original trilogy. I don't even know a whole lot about this book except that there is a magical library and our main character loves stories. If that doesn't sound like a perfect book for a bookworm, I don't know what does.
Update: Someone please get me a shirt that says “She tried. She failed”
9. Gone with the Wind by Margret Mitchell- I have been promising myself that I’ll read this book every year for six years. People I know and whose book opinion I trust told me it’s amazing. They loved it. Yet I didn't read it. This is the year. I will read it. Especially since I love the story of how the publication of this book came about. If you don't know do yourself a favor and look it up or ask me. I’ll tell you.
Update: Finally, a success! I slew this reading task. I also have a full review up for this one. It is long. I would apologize but long is on-brand for me.
10. The Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare- okay listen, I read everything else by this author, but I haven't read this trilogy. Not because I don't want to. From everything else I’ve heard it’s amazing. The problem is that I... I guess I’m scared to read it because I'm too invested in Cassie’s books. But if I wait any longer, I’ll just fall further behind. I just don't want another crying jag as that caused by Clockwork Princess.
Update: Series has been read. I read all of Cassandra Clare from the beginning. I regret nothing. Not even tears.
11. The Winds of War by Herman Wouk- this one is a friend request. It’s genius but historical fiction scares me a little bit. This is clearly why I’m putting this on the list. I need to get over my fear of WWII fiction. I have no more idea of what this is about. We’re doing it. I say and hide behind my blanket.
Update: I started it. I got about 150 pages in and stopped. It was a struggle. I do plan to try this again, but it will have to be during summertime when I am not so prone to being depressed. I can’t do war in the winter.
12. The Diviners Quartet by Libba Bray- Once again my pattern emerges, I have read the first book and I loved it. But the series wasn't over, so I put off reading it. Now that we have a release date for the fourth and final book it’s time to marathon it. These books are about magical people and terrifying ghosts in 1920s New York. I couldn't ask for more in all honesty.
Update: I read the first two books out of four. They were amazing. I was a hot mess of emotions after reading them. Having said that, they do take me a while to process.
13. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy- another book that scares me. Not only can it double as a weapon it’s also very dense. I have read excerpts of it for various classes but never read the whole thing. As I want to challenge myself this year I feel it’s the time to read it. Besides I love tragedy and drama and Russia has plenty of that to offer. Someone hold my hand though, please.
Update: Nope. Not a page was read. Not even the front cover lifted.
14. Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas- confession time, I didn't finish this series either. This one is worse though! I read the first four books and the prequel novella bind up already! Then I never picked up book five. Because I am a terrible person and should be ashamed of myself. If you don't know what this series is about, I will just say it’s a high fantasy series and the characters are wonderful, and the world is complicated, and the plot is more complicated than you expect it to be. Read it if you haven't.
Update: I read some of the series. I did not finish. I go cry in the corner now.
15. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jankins Reid- so everyone seems to love this book, and I want to love this book too! I want to know what the hype is all about! I want to know the secrets. I do know it’s about the life of an Old Hollywood era movie star who is ensuring her life story is told the way she wants it to be told. Sounds fun. I hope I love it as much as everyone else does.
Update: Another book I have read. I have a full review for this one too. I’m proud of myself for following through on some of these books.
16. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough- this is another recommendation from a friend who has good book taste. From the description, it sounds a little bit like 100 years of Solitude, which was a book I loved so I have high hopes for it. The family saga should be fun.
Update: Was not read. I have many regrets.
17. The Overstory by Richard Powers- this one is here because my friends like to torture me. All I know is that this book is a “sweeping book of activism” which automatically worries me. I don't like when the agenda takes over a story. I want a story first. And there are trees? Yeah, this could go very badly.
Update: I didn’t even attempt this one. Has this year not been depressing enough? I can’t take some things.
18. The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty- Once again I have read the first book and loved it. The third and final book in the trilogy comes out this year so it’s the perfect time to read it. This one I feel confident about and brings me back to my favorite things. Like magic and Jinn and murder. All the things that make a reader’s life worth living.
Update: Hi my name is Anna and I deprive myself of joy and good books. Did not read.
19. The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm by the Brothers Grimm- this one I’m looking forward to quite a bit. I love fairytales and figuring out where so many stories I love come from and this is one of the sources. I have the book, and I plan to read it in chunks across the year because it sounds more fun this way.
Update: I read one fairytale. I do not consider that success on any level. No levels have been reached. We are in the basement.
20. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo- I was so excited about this book, I bought it on the day it came out, and then I didn't read it. Now it stares accusingly at me from my bookshelf. I want to read it and I better this year. This takes place at Yale and is about secret societies and dark magic and stuff. Plus it has one of my favorite covers of 2019.
Update: Well, another success. Who would have thought? I am not scoring this because I don’t like getting Fs and this list would result in an F.
Well after this humiliating experience I am off to watch reality tv to feel better. Some who watching drama or sadness just improves my outlook on life. I think I have been saying this but I am trying to come up with some more realistic expectations for myself. Granted I have never been good at that.
I will see you all next time. I have many plans.
Anna
