Simone and Her Books

Hello 2024. Hello blog friends.

I know it’s been quite a while since I wrote here. And honestly, I’m returning with a bit of trepidation only because it’s been so long since I’ve written a blog post (so I have no clue if I still “got it”) and I’ve burnt out so badly that I needed a year to recover returning wondering if this is all worth it.

In the end, I decided to come back because I love being able to share my reads, my projects, my thoughts on the books I read and the things I do. I’m entering 2024 with a hopeful heart , but there are some things I’m getting rid of and some things I’m adding in. I guess you can call this my “ins and outs” list:

1. I am only reading for myself: I spent a good chunk of my blogging life reading for publishers and keeping up with books that were coming out because I wanted to be on the pulse of the book world. But what it did was put a lot of added pressure to my life. I was reading books I didn’t even like just so I can mark it on my Netgalley or say that I read it. It wasn’t working for me and the task of writing a review for it became more of a chore than a delightful side hobby. So this year, I’ll be focusing on myself reading some books that I actually can’t wait for, but also reading my backlog that has now reached a fever point.
2. I’m reading my backlist: I mentioned this in the first point, but all this reading what’s new has left a giant space for backlog books I didn’t get a chance to read. Every year, I make this big plan to read the backlist and it continues to be sidelined. So this is the year I read more of what I already own than the books that are coming out. Of course you’ll see some newer books, but for the most part, I want to focus on what I already own.
3. Reading more translated fiction: One thing I did for myself last year was read more science fiction and fantasy from translated authors. These stories were incredible and something I want to continue to explore (from different countries) all throughout the year.
4. DNF often. With reading my backlist and picking books my mood, I know I’m bound to come across a dud or two. So this year, I plan on giving up on books I don’t like right from the beginning. Maybe it’s a couple of pages or a couple of chapters, but I don’t want to catch myself reading something and halfway through realizing that I don’t care about the characters or where things are going. Time’s too short to waste on meh reads.