21st Century Literature discussion

How, if at all, does the end of the calendar year affect your reading? Are you trying to finish books before the year ends? Do you like to start the new year off with new reads? Does it impact your reading or reading plans in any way (e.g., you re-read certain books to end or start the year, you have certain reading rituals/traditions tied in to the end of the year, etc.)?

Thankfully, not much, which is good since I still have books in double figures to read from this year. I usually mark my year more like a fiscal year continuing with last year's books through prize season which I consider runs through March. I will add the occasional 2024 book to what I am reading during the early months of 2024 but mainly it's a time to clean up holds and previous purchases from 2023.

I've gotten into the habit of making year-end favorite lists to share with friends. Around this time, I usually prioritize promising recent books (and movies) on my to-read and watch lists, that might go on the year-end lists.

In the next few weeks, I do hope to get to Henry Hoke's Open Throat, Anya DeNiro's OKPsyche, and Babak Lakghomi's South.

It doesn't really affect me at all. The thing that affects me most are monthly group reads - I will often be pushing mid-month to read and join discussions while they're still active, but I don't set yearly goals or anything. There are some seasonal books that I often read in late-year holidays, like A Christmas Carol in December - that's pretty much the only difference year-wise.

I used to try to cram in some short books to get my annual read numbers up, but I gave that up and started focusing on the quality of my reads instead, and that has made me much happier. I do post some End of the Year summaries and some predictive looks ahead at the next year around the holidays.

Apart from trying not to have an unread book in progress, not at all. I quite often don't decide what to read next until I finish a book, so I don't have deadlines other than book club, discussion and prize dates.

I plan to read one or two books that were among my most anticipated new releases but that I didn't get to (this year it will probably be two French novels, V13 by Carrere and Perspectives by Binet).

...and then I am childish enough to start the new year with 5 super short reads to make sure I am ahead of schedule - suggestions welcome :)

Hugh wrote: "Apart from trying not to have an unread book in progress, not at all. "

There is kind of something nice (symbolically/psychologically?) about not having anything in progress as you go into the new year. I rarely plan for, much less, achieve this, but I will frequently finish what I have going before allowing myself to start anything new in a new year. I frequently think it would be nice to write some type of summary/review of my reading year, but I rarely get around to that.

The two biggest things that impact the timing of my reading (including year end) are group reads and/or if I have a library book either due back or up for availability after being put on hold.

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "I used to try to cram in some short books to get my annual read numbers up, but I gave that up and started focusing on the quality of my reads instead, and that has made me much happier. I do post ..."

This is the year I finally resisted the tyranny of meeting my GR reading goal. Well, I didn't give up tallying number of books read, but I reduced my goals from 100 to 80 and suddenly my progress improved dramatically. If I ever reach 'maturity', I'll know because I've set my yearly reading goal to 1 book, and then let nature take its course :)

Nadine in California wrote: "This is the year I finally resisted the tyranny of meeting my GR reading goal...."

Feels great, doesn't it? ;-)

Admittedly, I'm trying to push myself to finish the books I'm currently reading as the year winds down. I set the bar pretty low on my challenge so usually I have already accomplished that by then. I also try to find books that might fit that time of the year/ season.

I've customarily done my best to make a tidy break between the current year and the next, but dealing with public library due dates for the first time in a long while may change that. Otherwise, I like to see the stats for my reading year, especially in terms of what percentage was long overdue TBR (ex: added 2013 and prior) that I finally got to.