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2021 Reading Goals

I know that goal setting is not for everyone, but I find it incredibly motivating to reflect on my habits and set goals based on what I hope to accomplish. Tracking my 2020 Reading Goals each month held me accountable, so I will continue to track my goals this year in my monthly wrap up posts. Some of my goals for 2021 are habits I want to continue from 2020, while others are new!

Read 100 Books

At the beginning of 2020, I set my yearly reading goal at 75 books, although I secretly hoped to read 100. I ended up reading 203 books last year! The unique conditions of 2020 allowed me to read more than ever before. I don’t want to stress myself out trying to read 200 books again in 2021, but based on my current reading habits, I know that 100 books should be challenging yet attainable.

Read Diversely

I know that 2020 forced a lot of readers to take a hard look at their shelves and recognize a lack of BIPOC and Own Voices authors. I was no exception. Halfway through the year, I started making a conscious effort to read more books by authors from diverse backgrounds. I will not be tracking stats for this goal each month because my intentions for reading diversely are not to check off boxes or boast numbers, but this will be a consideration for my reading choices.

Finish 5 Series in Progress

Last year my goal was to finish more series with the intent to finish more series than I start. I did finish a lot of series in 2020, but I also started several new series. I can’t help it. I love series! In 2021 I’m not going to try to limit the number of new series I start, but I do plan to finish a few series I started before 2020 but didn’t get back to last year, and I think that putting a number on this goal will make it more meaningful.

Read 12 Graphic Novels

Last year one of my goals was to read one graphic novel each month. I reached that goal, and it’s a habit I would like to continue into 2021. My goal will always be to one per month, but this year I’ll be tracking the total number of comics and graphic novels I read if I read more than more within a month.

Read 12 Poetry Books

Poetry was a genre I was hoping to get back into last year, but I didn’t read nearly as much of it as I would’ve liked. In November I was reminded how good poetry is for the soul, so I decided to make it a goal for 2021 to read one poetry collection or novel in verse each month.

Read 6 Nonfiction Books

Nonfiction is another important genre I tend to ignore. My primary inspiration for reading is escapism, but last year I read a few nonfiction books that were incredibly moving and informative. I think reading one NF every other month is a good goal for me. One in particular that I hope to read is Stamped from the Beginning, which I didn’t get to in 2020.

Read 3 Classics

Last year my goal was to read 2 classics, so this year I’m bumping it up by one. One stipulation I’m setting for myself is that I must read at least book that was published pre-20th century. The two classics I read in 2020 were both modern classics (Agatha Christie and Shirley Jackson), and I felt a bit like I cheated. I’m planning to read Frankenstein around Spooky Season this year (since i didn’t get to it last year), so hopefully I have no problem reaching this goal.

Reread 10 Books

Another goal I’m carrying over from 2020. In 2019 I got very caught up in new releases and feeling like I didn’t have to reread books, but rereading an old favorite is magical. It reminds you why you love reading in the first place. I will be exploring plenty of new worlds in 2021, but I think it’s important to revisit some old favorites too.

Host Monthly Backlist Buddy Reads

Last year one of my goals was to buy fewer books and focus on reading my shelves, but I love buying new books so I struggled with that. I still think it is important to read what I own, so in 2021 I’m founding the #CarolibraryBookClub on Instagram to focus on reading backlist fantasy books. Since I also had wanted to start hosting more buddy reads, this is a perfect goal to combine two things I want to accomplish and guide me in choosing my book club picks. I’m reading The Shadows Between Us in January, and there’s still room in my chat group if you want to join the buddy read!

Keep Up With Reviews

Last year I had a reading log journal where I recorded my thoughts about books right after I finished reading them. This helped a lot when I was ready to type my reviews for my blog posts. However, I filled up my journal about halfway through the year, and even though I ordered a new one, I stopped keeping up with it. Since I typically post reviews on my blog about a month after I read the book, this made it challenging to write reviews! I have a new journal for 2021, and I’m hoping to do a better job keeping up with it. I’m also hoping to decrease the turnaround time between reading and posting reviews, but I have some catching up to do first. I plan to post reviews on my blog almost every weekday and on Instagram at least 3 times per week.


What are your reading goals for 2021? Let me know in the comments!

Author: Caroline | Carolibrary

Hello! I’m Caroline! I am a teacher, a book lover, and a nerd. My passions include reading, writing, bookstagram, barre & yoga, baking, binging TV shows, and Star Wars. I love stories in all formats because they can transport you to a different world while helping you understand the world around you. I have always found books to be a particularly magical source of imagination.

14 thoughts on “2021 Reading Goals”

  1. Hey Caroline!! I LOVE books in verse so if you need any suggestions, please let me know!! 🙂 Love reading your newsletter and reviews 🙂 ❤ Brandee

    Liked by 1 person

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