A Look Back at my 2022 Reading Goals

My Year-End Progress Report.

At the beginning of the year, I wrote this post on my now-defunct blog. I am oh-so-happy with Substack and feel re-invigorated by this newsletter platform! I thought it would be fun to do a year-end progress report to let you know how I did on my 2022 reading goals.

2022 Reading Priorities

1. Catch up on backlist titles — This means actually tackling my book cart and previous year’s TBR piles… on my Kindle too!
   
   I did not even make a dent. I blame @DailyEBookDeals
   

2. Read through all the books I’ve won in giveaways — I owe it to the authors and publishers who were so generous to host giveaways to actually read through their books and post my reviews.
   
   I tried my best. I read a few giveaway books but still have a lot on my TBR. Psst… If you didn’t know, I enter Goodreads Giveaways all the time and have actually won books! It’s part of my morning routine.
   

3. Read at least one parenting book each month — Parenting is a journey and one aspect of my life I’m always looking to improve upon so parenting books are an absolute must. I’ve already picked out my 12 titles.
   
   Epic fail. I only read 4 parenting books.
   

4. Focus on genres I really enjoy — Last year I rediscovered my love for fantasy and mystery novels. I definitely want to make time for books that are FUN to read.
   
   I give myself 5/10 on this one. I switched up my genres more than usual but still probably leaned too far on the romance spectrum than I should have.
   

5. Utilize the library for new releases — No more buying books. I’m committing to reading through my shelves and using the library for any new releases that are absolute must-reads in 2022. I set this goal every year and never succeed. I mean it this year, though. I have enough and I’m embracing that abundance mindset to save some money at home.
   
   I only really used the library for backlist titles so this could use some improvement. I did finally cancel my Book of the Month subscription, though!

My 2022 TBR List

Backlist Giveaways

1. Hungry: Avocado Toast, Instagram Influencers, and Our Search for Connection and Meaning by Eve Turow-Paul

2. The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan

3. The Last Great Road Bum by Hector Tobar

4. Little Wishes by Michelle Adams

5. Make Up, Break Up by Lily Menon

6. Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance by Erica Dhawan

7. Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams

I only read two books from this list: Make Up, Break Up by Lily Menon and The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan. I wouldn’t really recommend either but am happy to offer similar suggestions if they sound interesting to you.

Parenting

1. How to Raise an Intuitive Eater: Raising the Next Generation with Food and Body Confidence by Sumner Brooks

2. There Are No Grown-ups: A Midlife Coming-of-Age Story by Pamela Druckerman

3. The ABCs of Being Mom: A Guide to the Early Years, Birth Through Kindergarten by Karen Bongiorno

4. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

5. The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them by Elaine Aron

6. The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie

7. Mommy Burnout: How to Reclaim Your Life and Raise Healthier Children in the Process by Sheryl Ziegler

8. Happy With Baby: Essential Relationship Advice When Partners Become Parents by Catherine O'Brien

9. All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership by Darcy Lockman

10. To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, and the Modern Dilemma by Molly Millwood

11. Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff

12. There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge) by Linda Åkeson McGurk

Again, only two books from this list. All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership by Darcy Lockman and Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff.

Seasonal Reads

1. Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

2. The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams

3. These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

4. Christmas in Vermont by Anita Hughes

5. Melt by Kayla Parent

6. Baby It’s Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

I read These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling and liked it so much I followed up with the sequel, This Coven Won’t Break. I also started Christmas in Vermont but put it aside for next year.

I think a lot of the books on this list (especially the Parenting books) are going to end up on my 2023 TBR. I’ve cleaned out my physical books some and donated books I don’t think I’ll ever get around to reading to some of our local Little Free Libraries. I’m such a mood reader that I find it hard to stick to a strict list. How about you?