Goodreads. (www.goodreads.com)

LOVE IT.

Over the last couple of years I have found myself using Goodreads for many of my literary needs (academic, scholastic, or just general curiosity).  I still use my local library of course, but more and more I find myself checking out e-books because its easier. (The closest library branch is a 40 minute drive). Of course, nothing beats browsing a bookstore on a rainy Saturday, especially if that bookstore also has a café, but I have to plan around those trips. If I step foot in an actual bookstore, 2 or 3 hours disappear and suddenly my hope of accomplishing all those pesky little household chores rationalize into next week’s problem.

Goodreads has a lot of positives for me.  I’m a list person for starters. I have running lists for day-to-day tasks, groceries, monthly goals, gym schedules, social calendars…. (I’ll just stop there).  They float around my purse, planner, and home like teeny tiny paper ghosts of plans that never solidify.  Goodreads keeps my reading list manageable, organized, and most importantly, in ONE place. I research pieces of interest and add it to the ever growing list on my profile.  The OCD portion of my life is a little more content with my decision making skills, and I don’t constantly lose the list amongst the forgotten ghosts.

I find it easier to branch out using Goodreads.  Attempt new genres and authors. Fall down the rabbit hole of new fandoms. While I browse through bookstores, out of habit I always find myself spending the majority of my time in the same sections. I’m not sure why it is easier for me in a virtual format, but it works.

I also 100% adore the fact that they have literary quotes for days.  Every year I choose a month where I do nothing but quotes in my Facebook status. It breaks up the monotony of cooking, fandom, and hamster-related posts that make up the day-to-day.

And the dragon… the dragon has a hoard –never, ever empty and full of such interesting potential.

For the last 2 years, I’ve also been participating in the “Reading Challenge.” Picking an arbitrary number, I make a personal and mostly silent commitment to reading for the year.  I love it. There’s a level of accountability to the challenge that resonates for me.  I absolutely detest when the meter states “you are 1 book behind schedule.” Last year I decided on 52 books. I made it to 50. I was completing my Masters at the same time, and when that ended in October 2016, I refused to pick up another book for the rest of the year. My brain was beyond fried…

The magic number for this year is 70. I had a rocky start the first couple of months.  I was sick for what felt like the entire month of March though, and the lack of energy to do anything requiring movement led to a marvelous little book binge. I’m 13 books ahead of schedule, which translates into about 2 months of my yearly reading goal.  I do know that 70 may have been a bit much in the long run, life intrudes on the goal a lot. However, I’ll have to cross that bridge when I decide to pick another number next year.