Happy New Year!

This year I participated in Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge and made it my personal goal to read more female authors. Succeeding in both rather easily, I figured there must be more that I’m missing – and looking at the map below, it’s hard to deny.

Each pin on the map represents a book read in 2016, and of course,  places such as New York, London, and Paris represent several. Looking at the map, you’d be right to assume I largely read American YA and European historical fiction, but in 2017, I’m hoping to change my reading habits, to consciously make the effort to seek out new voices. And, hopefully by the end of the year, my map won’t be so empty! I also have 20 individual reading challenges, listed below, to complete for 2017.

• Read a biography of an important scientific figure.
• Read a biography of an American president.
• Read a collection of fairy tales from an Asian country.
• Read a work of meta fiction.
• Read a collection of essays, in translation.
• Read a collection of poetry.
• Read a book on modern philosophy.
• Read a Gothic horror novel.
• Read a work of military fiction.
• Read a travel memoir.
• Read a novel narrated by a non-human character.
• Finish a new-to-me series. (Starting from book 1)
• Read a book over 600 pages.
• Read a Newbery Award winner.
• Read a Man Booker Prize winner.
• Read a Pulitzer Prize winner.
• Read an immigrant story.
• Read a classic novel over 500 pages.
• Read a book on modern politics.
• Read three books by the same author.

While I didn’t quite finish the Read Harder Challenge this year, the challenge was a helpful reminder to switch it up, and try new genres!

What are your reading goals for 2017?