Historical Fictionistas discussion

Do you have any reading goals for 2014?
- Hit a certain number of books
- Hit a certain number of pages
- Read a certain number of books in a specific genres
- Finish reading a certain series
- Tackling the oldest books on your TBR
- Reading only books with authors whose names start with a vowel.

Whatever your goals are, share them here......we can inspire each other :-)

I can start although I haven't planned it out completely. Each year I do a pyramid style set of goals. Here's an example of what I did last year.......I generally allow myself 5 books that can count in more than one category. The way it works is you read 13 of the 13 category, 12 of the 12, etc

13. 21st Century Reads - books published in 21st century
12. Plug into a good book - book associated with TV shows
11. Tried and true - classics
10. Back in the day - historical fiction
9. Calgon --- take me away - fantasy
8. Youth is wasted on the young - young adult
7. Tag - you're it! - PBT group
6. A year in Austen - Jane Austen works or retellings or inspired by
5. Chunky monkeys - books over 750 pages
4. A Day in the life - memoirs or biographies
3. Did you hear that? - audio books
2. Food for Thought - non-fiction
1. Just another face in the crowd - group read

My personal goal is to read 100 books.

1. Challenge myself and read one book a week.
2. Finish my To-Read pile (which, fortunately or unfortunately, grows by the fortnight)
3. Keep reading historical fiction and nonfiction -- mystery/suspense, thriller, horror, magical realism, detective/crime, Gothic
4. Latter half of the year, quietly and slowly move into another genre, like YA or romance since those are not my type of books to read.
5. Religiously write reviews on the books I read on my blog. :)

Not as *fun* as others but I'm okay with them!

JoLene wrote: "I can start although I haven't planned it out completely. Each year I do a pyramid style set of goals. Here's an example of what I did last year.......I generally allow myself 5 books that can co..."

This is a good idea.

Make sure I do my reviews right after I finish the book.

My goal is to read 100 books a year. I almost completed this task three years ago with 92 books. This past year I did 48 books. Way below where I wanted to be.

Goal is 50 books. So far 3 down!

I read 50 books in 2013 so I'm going to try for 60 in 2014.

I have several challenges planned - 12 books with 4 alternate titles, one with books over 400 pages- another one with books over 500 pages that share a connection- a millionaire challenge of pages read, an A to Z title challenge and an A- Z author Challenge and finally an owned books challenge and a personal goal of reading over 100 books.

I'm trying to keep it simple this year and focus more on quality reads. I set my challenge to 85, which I can easily reach without any pressure. I also set up my yearly TBR challenge, which consists of reading 1 book I own a month. I'm trying to stay away from joining any other challenges so I don't feel pressured to read with pacing in mind. That said I might do the HFU challenge this year because I do want to get more HF in.

I'm just setting my goal at 45 this year, but will be looking for quality - maybe some of the old classics again. I'd like to read more, but life keeps getting in the way!

I decided not to do the GR yearly challenge this year (unless they change it back to how it was when it was good and useful!), so this year my goals are not really number based (though I would have set it at 100), but are more about what and how I read.

I want to make some progress on a lot of the "open" series that I've got going on, and get to some that I've been meaning to start.

I want to read more HF this year (which you'd think wouldn't be an issue, considering I mod this group, but I barely read any HF last year. FOR SHAME!).

I want to read at least 2 books that I own and haven't read each month to try to whittle down my Owned TBR.

And I want to participate in more group reads this year.

And that's about it.

JoLene, great ideas for personal challenges!

I sent my GR challenge at 200 - the same as 2012 and originally the same for 2013, although I upped it during the Road Rally to 225 (and missed by one!).

I'm always overwhelmed by not only the wonderful books discussed in Historical Fictionistas, but the selection at the branch library where I work. This groups challenges help me to focus on my selections, but I also want to go back to reading at least one "literary" book a month.

Not really any definite reading goals. Just trying to whittle down the tbr pile like everyone else but its like that saying "I'm always taking one step forward but end up two steps back" except its in books. You read a book and your all excited. One off the list! Oh, I just added five...lol.

I do love your titles for fantasy and books over 750 pages, JoLene :D

Listen to and finish one novel and one self-improvement book every month.

i read almost 40 books last year, so kicked that goal to 75 this year. however, i want to read a number of cross-category books. looking at the 2013 list, realized i'd read several last year i'd classify as non-fiction/self-help. and always, historical fiction--now--where is the line drawn for "historical"--pre-WWII? if i read the guidelines somewhere, i've already forgotten. AND that's why i also need to post rates and reviews right after i've finished a book!

1. I tried 52 last year and failed horribly. The I-pad distraction and work got in the way. I have more modest goal of 25 or so.
2. I need to read more books in general especially History and HF.
3. I believe I need to find more books to read for the future.
4. Finish Dresden Files series, luckily they are short books only 400 or less pages.

I`m going to try for 2 books a month, so 24 in total this year. I have a full time job 10~6:40pm so setting myself a reasonable goal is best ~ although I`d love to do more. I am not going to be genre specific but it`s almost granted they`ll be mostly HF. I also have to force myself to study the Korean language more, I live in South Korea but because of my work as an English teacher my studying has seriously dropped - and my future in laws don`t speak any English so it`s quite importaint. This will take away from leisure reading as well. 24 books seems a nice goal but hopefully I`ll be able to do more :)!

I try to do two books a month, including both fiction and non fiction.

I read in three categories. The first is for research on my second historical novel. The second is for a book group I belong to. For March I'm reading Jane Eyre and Villette by Cgharlotte Bronte. The third is whatever strikes my interest, last week it was SeedFolks by Paul Fleischman.

I'm looking fwd to downsize my tbr pile at home by 30 books by the end of the year (I did 22 last year. So, hoping for the best) . within that list, I need to finish my GOT series and Murakami's 1Q84 :)

My goal, as ever, it just to cut down my to-read list by reading the books I already have instead of buying new ones. It's been my goal for the past few years and I've not succeeded yet.

Right now I'm reading Jane Eyre for my Tuesday Morning Book Talk group. Some consider it historical fiction, it depends on your definition. I find the themes and social criticism interesting, however, to be truthful I struggle with the writing.

My goal for this year is 50 books. It's the most I've ever attempted. Looking forward to the challenge.

I've never counted how many books I've read in period of time. But I've set my challenge to 25 books, and have read 8 so far. :) I think it's going well.
Hope it does for everyone else too!

I wish I could come through on my weight loss challenge just as well though...

My overallgoal is just to read more. I have joined couple of challenges to motivate me. I don't see them as pressure just motivation.

I've finished Jane Eyre and picked up the next book for my Tuesday morning book talk group. It's not historical fiction but a memoir. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. Generally I'm not a fan of memoir but this book captured me immediately.

My goal for this year, as it is every year, is 100 books. Last year I managed somehow to read 154 books and I did sleep too. LOL

set my goal at 75 books and across genres. i tend to glean a lot of super books from bookbub, will try to keep up with the BOTM (finished The Winter Palace), and exchange books with other authors at book signing events. may have set the goal too high as the time tends to take away from marketing and editing new works.

I want to read more nonfiction, YA, and middle grade books.

Rex wrote: "I've finished Jane Eyre and picked up the next book for my Tuesday morning book talk group. It's not historical fiction but a memoir. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. Generally I..."

Rex, I just finished The End of Your Life Book Club. Although quite an emotional read I really enjoyed it and it opened up a lot more books to me by authors I may not have considered otherwise. Hope you enjoy it too.

I have a long list of pioneer memoirs to read. I love them, and because I'm researching my own novel about pioneer life, I am completely immersed in the period. They also have a way of making my own problems seem petty -- I don't have to wash my clothes in a tin tub.

You don't have to put your shoes on to go to the bathroom. :) Indoor plumbing is a beautiful thing.

My goal is to read one non-fiction book per month. I forgot about it for March, though, so just picked up the audiobook for Night by Elie Wiesel.

Aloha all:
My goal: Discover one book in 2014 that I will still remember with excitement 20 years from now.
Cheers,
Michael

I am nearing the half-way point of reading through the entire list of the "36 best historical novels set in ancient greece ", as compiled here: http://www.historicalnovels.info/Anci.... I am currently on number 15, entitled, Antigone's Wake (I don't think I can italicize on my phone), by Nicholas Nicastro. Seeing as many of the thickest books are yet to come, I expect to be at this list for as much as 6 more months. The website above also offers a list of what it calls the 50 best hisnovs on ancient Rome. I am not sure whether or not I will attempt that list as I am the Greeks one. I like that the list is arranged in order of chronological period covered. It's a fun and hugely rewarding undertaking!