May goal:
For May, I’ll set a goal of 4 books.
What I read: (Link to my Goodreads 2019 Reading Challenge)
Once Upon a River
Diane Setterfield
3.5* (May 19)
Review
If Cats Disappeared from the World
Genki Kawamura
3.5* (May 27)
Review
The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
Angela Carter
3* (May 30)
Review
Odd Child Out
Gilly Macmillan
3* (May 30)
Review
Excuse(s) for Not Reading More: Eh, I did ok.
Diversity? A Japanese translation, two novels, and a short story collection. 75% not-male writers.
Star Ratings: I base this on the flat stars Goodreads displays in list-view, not the quarter-star system I assign in my reviews.
- 5 stars: 5 books
- 4 stars: 5 books
- 3 stars: 8 books
- 2 stars: 0 books
- 1 star: 0 books
- 0 stars: 0 books
- Abandoned: 2 books
- Not rated: 0 books
Pages Read: (does not include abandoned books or Coffin Bell)
- January – 993
- February – 1232
- March – 454 (ouch)
- April – 1615
- May – 1248
Coffin Bell Submissions: I used to include these because they took up so much of my time. I resigned my position as their short story editor in March so I could prioritize other projects.
- January
- 20 short stories
- February
- 14 short stories
- 1 CNF (creative nonfiction)
- March
- 15 short stories
Reading Goals:
1. Read 40 books – I’m 4 books ahead with 20 books.
2. Decrease my TBR –
- Jan 1 – 73 physical / 21 Kindle
- Feb 1 – 71 / 22
- Mar 4 – 71/22 (huh)
- Apr 3 – 73/23 (it was my birthday month)
- May 1 – 73/23 (how?!?!)
- Jun 1 – 72/22 (it was a good month for reading books I already own)
3. Read 6 short story/essay/poetry collections – I’d really like to read double that number and I’m on track right now.
- Jan – 1 (short story: The Sadness of Beautiful Things – Simon Van Booy)
- Feb – 1 (poetry: No Matter the Wreckage -Sarah Kay & Sophia Janowitz)
- Mar – 1 (essays: Well-Read Black Girl – Glory Edim)
- Apr – 1 (short story: Get in Trouble – Kelly Link)
- May – 1 (short story: The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories – Angela Carter)
A nice on-target month! Considering I started a new full-time job May 6, I’m quite pleased with myself.
For June, I’ll set another goal of 4 books. I’m traveling for a few days, plus I’m trying to launch a couple of small creative projects, but I think it’s an achievable goal as long as I’m strategic about it.
