J.D. Robb discussion

It's that time again! New year! New beginnings! New goals! What's your reading goal for 2023? A certain number of books? More or less of a genre? More off your tbr list? Share your 2023 reading goals here.

Last year my goal was 65 and I'm going to go over by just a few books.

I think I will set it for 70 this year.

I'm finishing up this year with 140, I think. My goal was 125 which is where I plan on leaving it. I'd like to read fewer arcs and more from my tbr list in 2023. I love receiving arcs, but there are months where it leaves me little time to choose previously released books to read. So many books & series I would like to read.

My goal for next year 360 books

I always start the year with a goal of 250 books (officially, as part of the Goodread's reading challenge), but start nudging it up maybe around October. So, so far this year I'm at 376, but I'll be conservative again and say that I'll aim for 250 in 2023.

I read a combination of tbr and new buys. I'm one of those crazy readers who can't resist buying Kindle and audible books all year. I've considered joining Netgalley (sp?) several times but my tbr is so full and happy and wants reading that I've resisted so far.

Meg wrote: "I always start the year with a goal of 250 books (officially, as part of the Goodread's reading challenge), but start nudging it up maybe around October. So, so far this year I'm at 376, but I'll b..."

Wow, Meg! 376 is impressive!

This year was the first in awhile that I really didn't worry about the official goodreads reading goal. I had a friend that had 1 book and that was because she didn't want stress about it. So I think I'm lowballing mine for 2023 by saying 24 books. 2 books for each month of the year.

Now I'm that crazy person that joins challenge. I love them! It's fun and gets me to read new authors or genres. Or clear out some off my TBR and Freebie shelves. For me it's not about finishing the challenge always, it really is the fun of it all.

I'm sure I'll have some other goals like getting up to date with a few series, Completing others, having a good look at which series I'll never get to( just have to divorce author or series as the author sometimes don't know when to call it quits ). But completing a series can be so difficult to do as some authors picks up after saying done and dusted. Or the trilogy becomes more.

Overall I just want to have fun reading and not stress about numbers etc.

I am in a very acute reading slump. I completed 50 books this year, but will start the 2023 challenge on 12 books. However I will try to read 24 books (or make it 25 in total). My aim is to read mostly nonfiction for the upcoming year. Though I could never read 200 books a year, there was a time when I could complete more than 100. These days, I fear, will never return.

A side project of mine is to improve my reviews or at least not repeat myself for them and keep them varied. This is tough as I have a limited set of vocabulary yet I shy away from using the thesaurus at all. All things said and done, I look to the next year with optimism.

Good luck with the reviews Luffy. I don't think I'd ever have that goal. I alwsy admire those that write honest and true reviews. What's the point of rewriting the blurb? Beside the author, I think, would appreciate it more if you rhinest. Even if it is just one sentence.

Michelle wrote: "Good luck with the reviews Luffy. I don't think I'd ever have that goal. I alwsy admire those that write honest and true reviews. What's the point of rewriting the blurb? Beside the author, I think..."

Thanks for the post, Michelle! Rewriting the blurb in one's own's words is not unacceptable, especially if the person lacks time to write a proper review. But yes, a one sentence review, in one's own's words, is worth it.

Made a conscious decision to put in 15 books as my reading goal, figured it'd be an easy goal since my consumption of books has always been a slow build. But I think I'm set to probably finish the year with 53 books under my belt mostly because I'm currently listening to one right now and I'm waiting for two new Vampire Hunter D audiobooks to come out by the end of the month.

Edit: For the record, the stats I'm talking about are from 2022. Now in terms of 2023, I'm gonna put in another 15 just to be on the safe side.

My goal is to read 200 books and ensure that I keep up to date with my reviews.

Luffy wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Good luck with the reviews Luffy. I don't think I'd ever have that goal. I alwsy admire those that write honest and true reviews. What's the point of rewriting the blurb? Beside th..."

Luffy that is all exceptable. I was speaking about those that don't even do that. I won't say it's word for word but it is just too similar to be overlooked .

Michelle wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Good luck with the reviews Luffy. I don't think I'd ever have that goal. I alwsy admire those that write honest and true reviews. What's the point of rewriting the bl..."

Agreed! :)

Sandra wrote: "Meg wrote: "I always start the year with a goal of 250 books (officially, as part of the Goodread's reading challenge), but start nudging it up maybe around October. So, so far this year I'm at 376..."

Thanks, Sandra! I just looked at my post and realized that I forgot to mention that I retired and am keeping up with my promise to myself that I'd read a book a day (or listen to one, which is mostly the case). I've always had an enormous tbr and work got in the way of reading them. 😂

I'm not sure I'll make my goal for this year. I've already had to lower it twice, so I think I'll be realistic for next year and set my goal at 250.

My goal for this year was 120. I reached it in Mid-November. I'm not sure if I'll change it for next year or keep it the same.

For 2022 I originally set my goal to 700, but I ended up increasing it. I should reach my current goal of 880 by the end of this week. So I will probably set my goal at 700 again for 2023 since if I start out at something higher I may end up stressing myself out trying to reach it. I've been able to reach at least 700 for the past 3 years, so I know I can do that goal.

I do wish I was better at writing reviews, but I'm terrible at it. I do rate every book I read, but don't really do much in the way of reviews. I never really know what to say other than whether I liked it or not. It's not always easy for me to put into words why I did or did not like something.

Kristi wrote: "For 2022 I originally set my goal to 700, but I ended up increasing it. I should reach my current goal of 880 by the end of this week. So I will probably set my goal at 700 again for 2023 since if ..."

You seem perfectly capable of expressing yourself! Reviews ought to come easily to you. Maybe you lack confidence only. It's relatively easy to write a short review! Wish you good luck!

Kristi wrote: "For 2022 I originally set my goal to 700, but I ended up increasing it. I should reach my current goal of 880 by the end of this week. So I will probably set my goal at 700 again for 2023 since if ..."

Let me start by saying that I admire that figure. 700 is waaaayy above what I ever could reach. I've been trying to reach 300 the last few years. An unofficial number but so far always get to about 275.

As for reviews? The same with me. I just never know what to say. Or just how to say it.

Luffy wrote: "You seem perfectly capable of expressing yourself! Reviews ought to come easily to you. Maybe you lack confidence only. It's relatively easy to write a short review! Wish you good luck!"

Yeah, it could definitely be a lack of confidence. I'm very introverted and tend to lurk more than post.

Michelle wrote: "Let me start by saying that I admire that figure. 700 is waaaayy above what I ever could reach. I've been trying to reach 300 the last few years. An unofficial number but so far always get to about 275.

As for reviews? The same with me. I just never know what to say. Or just how to say it."

I am pretty much always listening to an audiobook and after years I have trained my brain to be able to listen at 2x normal speed. I can't listen to a book at normal speed anymore cause it seems very slow now. I can finish what for most people is a 10 hour book in about 5 hours. I am able to listen to books while I work for the most part. I just pause it if someone needs something from me, but for the most part I sit in my cubby and play with my numbers while listening to books. Many people don't have that option, so I know I'm very lucky that my boss doesn't mind since I always get my work done without any issues.

My goal for next year 95 books

Kristi wrote: "For 2022 I originally set my goal to 700, but I ended up increasing it. I should reach my current goal of 880 by the end of this week. So I will probably set my goal at 700 again for 2023 since if ..."

I can't wrap my head around reading 700 books a year. Awesome job, Kristi!

Sandra wrote: "Kristi wrote: "For 2022 I originally set my goal to 700, but I ended up increasing it. I should reach my current goal of 880 by the end of this week. So I will probably set my goal at 700 again for..."


700 books!! Wow!!! That is fabulous!!

I'm dropping my goal come 2023. I didn't reach my goal this year.

Namita wrote: "700 books!! Wow!!! That is fabulous!!"
Sandra wrote: "I can't wrap my head around reading 700 books a year. Awesome job, Kristi!"

Thank you both. I really just love to read. Plus I have found that as long as I have a great audiobook going that I can actually get more work done. I think it's because if I'm listening to a good book I won't get up from my desk as often. If I'm not as into the book, then I will get up and take mini breaks from my work. It's easy to lose track of time while listening to an interesting book and I can block everything else out and just do my work. J D Robb's series is one I really love. I tend to relisten to them at least once a year. Those and a few others are books I go to when I'm in a reading slump and cannot seem to find something to really get into.

Namita wrote: "I'm dropping my goal come 2023. I didn't reach my goal this year."

A new year is starting soon so maybe you'll have the chance to reach your goal this year.

Kristi, I can relate. I listen to audiobooks at 1.75 speed. I tried 2x, but that distracted me. I started listening to audios when my commute was 3 hours per day, and then I started listening while I worked because I needed to know what would happen next. My boss worried at first, but I got more done while I listened to stories.

I'm easily distracted by the conversations around me. Like you, if someone needs to speak to me, or vice versa, I pause my book. I'll never get to read two books a day though. My students interrupt me often at the beginning and end of the semester if they have trouble with their financial aid, and my family demands attention when I get home. ☺️

My GR goal will be 160 books again, although I will read 175 to 180.

I enjoy seeing what everyone's reading goals are...and the reasoning behind them. I often get ideas from your goals/experiences that help me as I look for solutions to reading issues.