Happy New Year!
I did have a book review scheduled for today (still trying to catch up on a backlog of books read near the end of 2013) but as most other bloggers are posting about their plans and resolutions for 2014 today, I decided to do the same and keep my scheduled post for tomorrow instead. And this will probably be the easiest post I write all year, because I don’t actually have a lot of reading or blogging plans for the year ahead! I have signed up for two reading challenges – the Historical Fiction challenge, which is never a difficult one for me as I read so much historical fiction anyway, and the What’s in a Name? challenge, for which I already have my five choices in mind and will be starting the first one soon. Other than that, I have avoided the temptation to commit myself to any more year-long challenges or projects. One thing I’ve learned during my four years of blogging is that I’m happiest when I can choose to read exactly what I want to read and when I want to read it – and that’s what I would like to do in 2014.
However, one reading event that does fit in with my plans for this month is the first of the Classics Club’s Twelve Months of Classic Literature. Each month, the club will be hosting a month of themed reading based on a different literary period or movement. The theme for January is William Shakespeare and his contemporaries, which is perfect for me as I’m starting a FutureLearn course on Hamlet later this month. I’ll be re-reading Hamlet in January, then, but beyond that I’ll be looking forward to seeing what other Classics Club members are reading for the event.
I do have one other goal for 2014, in terms of blogging: I will be trying to write about every book I read within two or three days of finishing it. I hate being behind with my reviews and would like to avoid any more situations like this, where I’m starting a new month with five books from the previous month still to write about!
Do you have any exciting reading or blogging plans for 2014?
She Reads Novels 
I’m taking part in two reading challenges – reading the entire sequence of Dance to the Music of time and The Great War theme read – which a few people over on the LT virago group are doing. I’ve even added a page to my blog to keep myself organised with it. Other than that although I am not doing the Classic Club twelve months challenge I will continue with my usual Classic club reading and I and some other friends will be finishing off our Hardy reading challenge. Happy reading for 2014.
Good luck with Dance to the Music of Time and your Great War reads. They both sound like great projects for 2014.
Ooh, that Hamlet course looks really interesting – I studied Hamlet for my A-Level and it would be nice to revisit. I’m tempted to sign up!
I have read Hamlet but never actually had the chance to study it, so I’m really looking forward to the course!
I’ve found that if I don’t write a post within a couple of days of finishing a book, I never get around to writing it – it’s like I just lose the focus. I don’t sign up for a lot of challenges either, because I can’t read to a plan (even my own plan). Happy reading in 2014!
I try to write about every book I finish but it definitely gets harder the longer I leave it.
Best of luck with all your reading and blogging! 🙂
Thanks Elena! 🙂
We have the same reading habits, I read exactly what I feel like reading, when I want to read it. Sometimes read-a-longs, challenges or other book events just don’t interest me. Good luck with your reading and blog.
I used to participate in a lot of readalongs and challenges but then I started to find them too overwhelming and restrictive. I prefer having more freedom in my reading choices. Good luck with your reading in 2014 too!
Helen like you I’m keeping things simple for 2014 just going to keep working on my Classics Club list 🙂
Good luck with your Classics Club list in 2014, Jessica!
Same here, reading what I want when I want. It’s so much more motivating. Reviewing asap is a great idea, you know the topic better then and it’s an unburdening of sorts to get it finished so soon.
A lot of us seem to be taking a more relaxed approach to our reading this year! I’m looking forward to your What’s in a Name challenge, though.
I’m signed up for the same ‘Hamlet’ course so we shall have to swap views. I only hope it is better than the FutureLearn ‘England of Richard III’ with which I have been very disappointed.
I’ve been disappointed with the Richard III course too. It’s not really what I had expected at all, though I’m still continuing with it as I love that period of history. It will be interesting to see how the Hamlet course compares.
Happy New Year Helen! My biggest book-related resolution is to get back to blogging as close to possible to pre-baby levels. 2014 will probably be the year I finally finish the two last Niccolo’s and King Hereafter. And then what will I do with my life?! Re-read?
Oh, you still have lots of great moments to come in Caprice and Rondo and Gemini! King Hereafter is wonderful too. And yes, I’m sure we’ll both be reading and re-reading Dunnett now for the rest of our lives. 🙂
Happy New Year: I hope you have a wonderful reading year! This year I would like to read a bit more locally and use my uni library more. We’ll see…
Thanks…I hope you discover lots of great books in 2014 too. 🙂