2019 Reading Challenge Review

Last year around this time of year, I wrote a post called “2019 Reading Challenge” where I wrote about my 2019 reading goals.

To learn why I set myself a reading challenge and reading goals, just read that post because I explain everything!

My original 2019 goals

So at the start of 2019 I set some goals, so I’ll explain them in detail: why I set them and how it went.

Read 52 books total (1 for every week)
I wanted to read more and 52 books seemed like a good goal: 1 for every week.
Finished on July 25

Read books that fit all 50 promps of the Popsugar Reading Challenge
I wanted to do the Popsugar Reading Challenge because it diversifies my reading and makes it easier to pick which book I want to read next.
Finished on July 25

Read 25 books that were on my “to read” list before 2019
I am always adding so many new books to my TBR list, so I should also start reading some from this list! I did quite well with this goal, always keeping in mind that about half of my books should be from my TBR (to be read) list.
Finished on July 28

Read 10 non-fiction books
I thought I normally don’t read non-fiction, which is why I included this goal. But I actually finished this goal first of all goals!
Finished on April 3

Read 10 books by Dutch authors
I’m Dutch, but there are plenty of years where I don’t touch any Dutch books… So I included this goal, because there are lots of good Dutch writers, I just didn’t really read their books before 😛
Finished on July 25

Read 10 “own voices” books
These are books that have a main character who is part of marginalized group, where the writer is part of the same marginalized group. It’s a good goal to include to diversify your reading challenge I think.
Finished on July 23

So as you can see (read?) I actually finished all of these goal really early! That’s why I set some extra goals, because I work well if I set goals 😛

Extra reading goals

Read a book with 1000+ pages
In the first half of the year, I tried to get to my 52 books, so often I kept putting off reading long books. To make up for this, I wanted to read a book with 1000+ pages, also because I’d never done so before.
I read The Count Of Monte Cristo and finished it on December 31st, so just on time! The book was 1276 pages.

Read at least 5 books from the Goodreads Best Books of 2018
Again, to diversify my reading!
Nailed it again! I read The Hate U Give (Best of the Best), Circe (Fantasy), Educated (Memoir), the witch doesn’t burn in this one (Poetry) and Leah on the Offbeat (Young Adult Fiction), so lots of different genres.

Read or remove all books that have been on my TBR list for more than 5 years
If I haven’t read it while planning to do so for 5 years, do I even like the book/am I gonna miss it if I just remove it? So I either need to read it this year, or just accept the book is not for me and remove it from the list.
Did it! I read some books, but removed most of them. I believe I originally had about 10 books from 2014 and earlier on this list, but I read 3 and removed the rest.

At least half of the books should be from my TBR list
Again, I should read books, not just research which books I should read…
Also accomplished this one: 53% of the books I read were on my TBR list before 2019

Read 20k pages total
Again, just want to read more!
At the end of the year, I got to 24k pages, so totally got this goal!