I won't lie, at the start of 2017 when the internet was brimming with posts about new year resolutions and 'new year, new me' memes, I refused to contribute for the simple reason that I knew it would be pointless. Resolutions made on the whim when you feel pressured to start improving yourself like the rest of the world, are sure to never work out.
That's why I let those thoughts sit and simmer for a while. Now we're halfway through the first month of the year, and several thoughts and ideas have been swimming around in my head as to what I would like to accomplish in regard to reading and the bookish community. While lots of people have made these lists already, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every one of them, mine will perhaps be shorter, as to keep it real and acknowledge the fact that I will probably fail miserably if I set myself on a road too high.
Therefore, here comes my reasonable and humble list of bookish resolutions, and things I want to incorporate into my reading habits ! :)
POETRY
Although I've definitely always been affected by poetry since I encountered my first poem in primary school by Seamus Heaney, and despite my fascination by how deeply thought out poetry is, and the fact that every single word is a statement, I never really ventured into poetry outside of school material.
But guess what? That's definitely going to be changing this year! I was gifted a copy of Rupi Kaur's "Milk and Honey" during the holiday season, and boy do I adore it! It's touching and beautiful, and I am eternally grateful to the person who gifted me this masterpiece that made me cry on several occasions, in less than 100 words at times. Crazy right?! Some books are 400 pages in length and they don't touch my soul as much as some of these poems have!
Having done my research reading, I've put several poetry books onto my ever growing TBR. The following are some that I am hoping I will get to this year!
PRIORITIZING LIBRARY USE
We all have 'buy less books this years' on our lists, lets be freaking honest here, it's on our lists every year!
While I feel like I definitely squashed my impulsive, terrible, bank-breaking book buying habits in 2016, I want to take it one step further in 2017.
While I love owning books, and I love looking at them sit beautifully on my shelf, I'm being ruthless and honest when I say that 50-60% of those books I will never pick up to read again because I'm just not interested anymore. I find it to be a waste of money, and shelf space to have these books sitting around. So recently I've been looking around, giving some of these books to relatives and friends who wanted them, and I'm probably going to donate the rest in the course of this year.
To prevent similar books from crowding up my shelves again this year, I am prioritizing library use this year. I've got my library card sorted, there's an amazing library service in place where I live, and I am excited to give all my love to the local library.
In short, I am planning on reading my books from the library, with the exception of when they do not stock new releases or rarer books that I want to get my hands on.
If I end up loving what I read, I will probably make sure to own a copy of that book immediately!
This way, my shelves will be filled with books that I love, and they will never go dusty again from me literally never even looking in their direction!
Super excited to get the plan into action!
READING LIT FIC AND GETTING EDUCATED?
As somebody who's very interested in literary fiction, and will be hopefully studying English Literature in College in two short years, I read a shockingly low amount of this genre. It's honestly appalling and disgusting, and if I actually want to get into my course, I better get going right about now...
But there's nothing a new year's resolution can't fix right?! RIGHT?!?!
This year I am all about lit fic, sophistication and getting educated af. When i said no high roads....this is not what I had in mind, oh boy...
So while I'll definitely still be showing love to my YA and Fantasy babies, I'm hoping to incorporate a grown up, serious lit fic adult into my TBR each months, and actually be able to say that I know what English Literature is when I go to university, ha :0.
I'M DROWNING MYSELF IN DIVERSITY
2017 is looking to be a year of diversity, diversity and MORE DIVERSITY. And I am 125% here for it. Heading towards the end of 2016, I made an effort to read more diversily, and while I did do so in a way, I wish I had been more successful. So again, new year's resolution gonna help me out here.
I want to read books from diverse authors, diverse stories and diverse characters....race, sexuality, gender, mental illness...EVERYTHING, just no more straight skinny pretty white girl falls for the straight handsome white guys pls. NO MORE 2017!!
My TBR has been once again significantly enlarged by all the upcoming , and already existing diverse reads that a whole separate post will be needed to include them all, therefore here's just few that I am keeling over with excitement to read!
As I said, I'm humbly keeping it to those four, in hopes that I'll actually stick to them and become a better person, like honestly....someone will have to give me an award if I actually accomplish all of the above this year.
What about you...anybody else hoping to delve into poetry and lit fic? How excited are you for the diversity of 2017? Any recommendations for my adventure with poetry and lit fic? I would appreciate it much! Let me know in the comments below!
All the love,
Samanta.
