It’s that time of year again: Time to survey the new year ahead of us and dream about all of the wonderful books we’ll read and the places we’ll go. I’m already planning four international and three domestic trips this year, which I’ll be writing about here. And how better to keep entertained on those long flights than with books?

Goodreads Reading Goal: 50 Books

This year, I’m setting a more reasonable goal for the 2013 Goodreads Reading Challenge: 50 books. After only completing 33 of 100 planned books last year, I’ve decided to set my sights on about one book a week–very doable. Hopefully I surpass this goal! Follow my progress here.

Bookshelf ROWDOWN

The rules of this year’s Bookshelf ROWDOWN challenge are simple: read physical copies of books that you own.

After you’re done reading, you may decide to keep the books or pass them on to someone else to read. The point of this challenge is to read the books you’ve bought but keep forgetting to read, and possibly to trim your shelves a little bit; I, for one, am always running out of room on my bookshelves, and this challenge helps me winnow out books that I don’t need to keep.

In 2013, I hope to read at least 12 books from my own personal stash. I’d love to make it to 25, though!

Update:
1. Up For Renewal: What Magazines Taught Me About Love, Sex, and Starting Over by Cathy Alter

Audio Book Challenge

Last year, I failed rather miserably at this challenge, only reading one of six planned audiobooks. This year, I’m already thinking about what I’ll listen to on those long plane rides. For the 2013 Audio Book Challenge (hosted by Teresa’s Reading Corner), I’m again planning to read 6 audiobooks.

Update:
1. I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert

South Asian Challenge

Swapna Krishna will hopefully be hosting her South Asian Challenge again in 2013, and I’m really looking forward to participating. Last year, I did abysmally on this challenge, reading only Butterfly’s Child by Angela Davis-Gardner (set in Japan) and War by Sebastian Junger (set in Afghanistan). (And do they really count?)

This year, I’m hoping to read at least five books set in South Asia or by South Asian authors. I’m visiting India in February, so I’m reasonably confident that I’ll make progress with this challenge.

As I read throughout the year, I’ll come back to this post and update it on my progress. Here’s to another great year in reading!

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