With the onset of a new year, our minds naturally seem to turn to thoughts of clean slates, fresh starts, and new beginnings. We contemplate what we want to accomplish in the next 365 days and what mini steps we need to follow to get us there. Not surprisingly, today's prompt for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl) is along these same lines: Top Ten Bookish Goals for 2025. 

Although I love to make ambitious goals and resolutions every year, I've actually made very few bookish ones for 2025. I'm pretty happy with how I'm reading and blogging right now, so I mostly want to keep doing what I'm doing. I couldn't come up with ten goals, but I did think of a few.

1. Read at least 215 books. I've read 200+ books for the past several years and in 2024, I read 230, so I upped my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal from my usual 200 to 215. Shouldn't be too hard to reach.

2. Review more books on my blog. Since I've only posted a handful of reviews here at BBB over the past couple years, this one won't be difficult to improve! Ha ha. I do review every book I read on Goodreads as soon as I finish it, but I also want to post longer, more in-depth reviews on my blog like I used to. 

3. Read more of the physical books I already own. I have hundreds of physical books and my bookshelves are already double and triple-stacked. I need to read more of my own books and slow down on buying more. Easier said than done.

4. Enjoy my reading challenges and finish them if I can. I've taken on a bunch of reading challenges for 2025. Although I never take them too seriously, I do enjoy the feeling of accomplishment I get when I complete them. We'll see how I do this year. So far, so good.

5. Try to read more clean, uplifting books. I tend to be drawn to darker books, but so much heaviness in my reading has started to feel weighty on my mood and soul. I'm not going to give up my murder mysteries, but I would like to focus more this year on the genre's lighter side—cozy mysteries, historical mysteries, classic mysteries, light-hearted mysteries, etc. I'll also be on the lookout for reads that are lighter and less depressing than my usual fare. Any recommendations?

That's about all I can come up with for this list. How about you? What are your bookish goals for the new year? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Somehow, it's October already and we're in the last quarter of the year. Say what? At this point, I always focus on finishing reading challenges. This week's TTT prompt: Top Ten Reading Goals I Still Want to Accomplish Before the End of the Year dovetails perfectly with that aim. I took on 13 reading challenges this year. I've completed my goal for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, abandoned the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge since I won't be traveling to Utah before the year ends, and am super confused about the Book Bingo Reading Challenge, which seems to have disappeared. Odd. I'm giving myself encouraging pats on the back because I am super close to finishing all the rest of them. Good job, me!

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Click on over to her blog and give her some love. If you want to join in the TTT fun, you can find all the deets on her blog.

1. Read 200 books—I've read 155 books so far this year, so I should have no trouble meeting this goal by December 31. 

2. Set up my Little Free Library—Last year, I bought myself a Little Free Library for Christmas. I had big plans of getting it set up right away and...it's still in boxes in my hallway. After remodeling our whole house in 2022, we took a little break, but we've been planning to redo our front yard/landscaping as part of the whole home makeover process. We're still doing the HOA tango over a few details, but they did approve my LFL. Yay! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get it all sorted and get the whole front yard project finished by the end of 2023. We'll see.

3. Finish the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge—I'm close on this one!

Books Required: 51 (one for each U.S. state, plus Washington, D.C.)

Books Read: 45

Books to Go: 6

4. Finish the Bookish Books Reading Challenge—2023 was the inaugural year for this laidback reading challenge that I'm hosting. It's been a fun ride, but I need to ramp up my reading if I'm going to complete my goal. It would be embarrassing if I didn't finish my own challenge!

Books Required: 30 (personal goal)

Books Read: 24

Books to Go: 6

5. Finish the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge—I've never actually completed this challenge before, so I'm thrilled to be THIS close to completion. 

Books Required: 50 (includes the 10 "Advanced" prompts)

Books Read: 48

Books to Go: 2

6. Finish the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge—SO close to finishing!

Books Required: 52

Books Read: 51

Books to Go: 1

7. Finish the 52 Club's Reading Challenge—Only a handful more to go!

Books Required: 52

Books Read: 46

Books to Go: 6

8. Finish the Build Your Library Reading Challenge—This annual challenge has a different focus every year. This go around, it's nature, which has been a toughie for me. I don't read many science/nature type books typically, so this challenge has really been a...challenge! It's opened up new genres and authors to me, though, and that's one of the reasons I enjoy taking on reading challenges.

Books Required: 40

Books Read: 35

Books to Go: 5

9. Finish the Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge—I've been dragging my feet a little bit on this one; I need to pick up the pace in order to finish on time.

Books Required: 25 (personal goal)

Books Read: 15

Books to Go: 10

10. Finish the Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge—I'm an overachiever, so I'm aiming for blackout on this challenge. With 109 total prompts, it's not easy to do!

Books Required: 109 (for blackout)

Books Read: 92

Books to Go: 17

If my math tracks, I have 53 books left to read in order to finish all of my challenges. Since some of the titles I'm planning to read will work for more than one prompt, it's not *quite* as daunting as it seems. Even though no one cares if I finish but me, I enjoy conquering these reading challenges. Wish me luck!

What 2023 reading goals are you planning to crush in the next three months? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments left here (although I'm a week behind at the moment).