Doing book tags is a great way for me to let other fellow readers know more about me and my tendency, at least vis-a-vis books and reading. Completing book tags never get old, so here I am, doing yet another book tag. (I hope that my New Year Book Tag is not too late! Haha). I did this one in 2019 but I am doing a 2021 version.
Happy reading! And again, happy new year!
How many books are you planning to read in 2021?
60 Books (initial target). I managed to complete 93 books in 2020, the most I read in a year ever since I started reading. It was a grand and memorable reading year. I originally targeted to read 60 books for the year but I ended reading more than that. This is mostly because of the work-from-home arrangement. For 2021, I am going to stick to 60 books again because I want to be conservative and modest. Should I pick up my pace the same way I did last year, then I think 60 books would be manageable. If 2021 is anything like 2020 then I might actually make 90 books for the year again.
Name five books you didn’t get to read in 2020 that you want to make a priority in 2021
- SHUGGIE BAIN by Douglas Stuart
- REAL LIFE by Brandon Taylor
- THE MAKIOKA SISTERS by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki
- THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES by Roberto Bolaño
- THE BASTARD OF ISTANBUL by Elif Shafak
Name a genre you want to read more of.
Literary and Science Fiction! I wanted to pick magical realism because I am still trying to find my footing in that particular genre despite reading a couple of Rushdies and Murakamis. However, my reach into literary and science fiction isn’t as extensive as my reach is in magical realism. Regardless, I am always up to the challenge to reading books of diverse genre. Well, everything but horror! Haha.
What’s a book you’ve had forever that you still need to read?
Palace of Desire by Naguib Mahfouz. I have a lot of books that I have purchased as far a back as 2015 and it has been my goal for the longest time to read them (I am never successful). In 2019, I featured Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way but I haven’t read it yet despite the passage of two years (LOL). I did manage to buy the rest of the series it belongs to, In Search of Lost Time, but I am still short of one book. Another book that has been gathering dust on my book is Nobel Laureate in Literature Naguib Mahfouz’s Palace of Desire. It was a book I purchased five years ago but I kept pushing it back because I haven’t bought the other books in the trilogy it is part of.
One word you’re hoping 2021 will be?
Fulfilling! I just want my reading year to be fulfilling. I have set quite tall goals for myself but I don’t want to rush myself. I don’t want to place too much pressure and just go with the flow. If I feel like reading then I will read. If I don’t feel like reading then I won’t read. If I don’t like a book then I won’t read it. Beyond fulfilling, I want my year to be be filled with happiness – not just in reading but also in blogging/writing and life in general. I hope the same for everyone!
As has been customary, I don’t want to burden fellow bloggers by tagging them to do this book tag. However, if you want to do it, go ahead! Just don’t forget to tag me so that I can check out your version.
Happy Reading!
~ CLB
The Pine-Scented Chronicles 