Curating My 2020 Reading List

Hello Friends and Welcome Back.

One of my favorite traditions at the end of each year is creating a reading list for the next year. I started this four years ago, and it has been really fun. I use Goodreads to organize what I’m planning on reading. I create a reading list for the next year and then I start to review some of my other lists to see what I might want to add. I have lists that were recommended by friends, a book-to-screen list, the 30 Books to Read Before You Turn 30 list (I’ve read 4 on the list at this point in my life), 12 Essential Books Every Woman Should Read, and several other lists.

I belong to two books clubs, so when those lists are released, I will add the books to my reading list for the next year. At that point, I will review all my other lists to see what I might want to read. I try to keep a good mix of fiction and non-fiction in order to keep myself learning and entertained. As the year progresses, my list will usually change. Some books I intended to read might fall off the list as other new books replace them. I belong to Book of the Month and I often trade books with my coworkers. So if someone lends me a book, I will often work it in quickly so that I can finish it and pass it on to the next person.

I keep an eye on books that will be released in the next year to see if there are any that I absolutely want to read that year. I also like to reread old favorites, so I will review my “Read” shelf to see if there is anything I intentionally want to revisit. For 2020, I’ll be rereading the Lord of the Rings series (again). Last year I reread the Harry Potter series and next year I will likely reread The Chronicles of Narnia.

After I’ve gotten my list put together, I will reorganize it by deciding what order to read all of the books in. Then I get super nerdy and make an Excel workbook with a worksheet for each month. I list the title, the page count, the genre so I can make sure I’m keeping my reading list varied, if it is part of any book clubs or list, and if I already own the book or can borrow it through Kindle Unlimited so that I stay within my budget.

Each month’s spreadsheet is only fully filled out the last week of the month prior. At the end of the month, any titles that I didn’t finish will roll forward to the next month, be postponed for a couple months, or be dropped completely off my yearly reading list if I decide that there are way more books I would rather read. My To-Read list is quite long and I will never finish it as it continues to grow.

When I sit down to plan out my next month, I take a look at the page counts for the books I plan to read. I total up the pages and then figure out how many pages I need to read a day to stay on track. Sometimes I realize that with everything going on in my life that the number of pages I want to read is really too much and I will remove a title or two to make more room so that I can enjoy what I’m reading. I also take into account that any nonfiction book will read much slower than a fiction book.

I read very fast, and in previous years I always set my intention to read at least 150 books a year. I love to read, but I would often find myself falling behind schedule and then choosing quick “bubble-gum” books that I could speed through so I could accomplish my reading challenge. For 2019, I am setting the intention that my list will be smaller and much more well-rounded than the lists I created in previous years. I will choose books I want to read or books that will improve my mindset, health, spiritual life, etc.

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2020? What books do you absolutely love and recommend? Let me know because I might just add them to my 2020 Reading List!

Signing off,

Kellie Katrin