2025 reading goals

New year, new book goals! 

This is only my third year setting myself an actual reading goal, and my first year adding in some little side quests, so I'm really excited. 

I've got a separate page set up to record my progress on each of these goals, which I'm hoping will help keep me on track. 

The goals

45 books

I know I smashed my goals last year I still wanted something realistic for myself (because I know me, and the lulls can be very real!!) So, 45 seemed a fair jump up from 20. It's still less than 1 book per week, so when life gets busy I have some wiggle-room there. But it's not so few that I'll be able to slack off. 

Of those 45 books, I have some sub-goals as well, just to keep things interesting! 

10 work book club reads

My work started up a book club last year, which I obviously immediately signed up for. However, I only managed to read 2 of the books out of the 6 that happened. So this year I'd like to do a much better job of being involved in it! It will be good for me to do because it will also take me out of my usual book genres and into something a bit different. Going for 10 instead of 12 gives me some wiggle room again, just in case life gets busy. 

20 books written by Australian authors

This goal is really important to me. I think it's important to find and read books that aren't just those that are heavily marketed, especially when so many of the books come from overseas. There's nothing wrong with these books, it's just that there are so many hidden stories created right here in Australia that are just waiting to be read, and I want to find them! Also, I hope, one day I can finally get back to my writing and actually be one of these Aussie indie authors, so it would be hypocritical of me not to support others. 

How will I go about finding these books? Well, a month or so ago I was so freakin' lucky to have won a competition with the most amazing prize - 20 (yes, 20!!!) signed books written by amazing Australian authors. I know!! There are still 2 more to arrive, but for now, here are the 18 I do have. 

I'll be rotating these books into the rest of my TBR over the year. 

At least 15 PopSugar reading challenge topics

I honestly am not sure how I came across this PopSugar reading challenge, but I'm so glad that I did! 

It's been going for a decade now, with 50 challenge topics given each year. This year's overarching theme is transformation and I'm here for it. There are some really great prompts in the list - 11 A book mentioned in another book has got me keeping an eye out in what I'm currently reading, as I'd love for the book I choose for this prompt to come from another that I've read this year. But we'll see how I go. 

If you're interested in this challenge, check out the full list here at PopSugar's website - 2025 PS Reading Challenge Prompts 

There are also groups on StoryGraph and Goodreads if you would like to follow along yourself. 

Proper reviews written for at least half of my reads

Not really a reading goal per se, but rather the goal I have to help me write more frequently about topics other than my work. I'll often get stuck in my own head when I write, focussing too much on what to write, rather that just putting pen to paper/fingers to keyboard and just write. I think back on my uni days when I was forced to write creatively on a daily basis to get through my degree and while not everything was great it was the act of writing regularly and constantly exercising those creative muscles that were one of the most important skills to come out of it all. 

This prompt was a late addition to my goals that stemmed from seeing my StoryGraph yearly wrap-up. Like anything that's data driven, the outputs will always be better with better data inputs. Because StoryGraph gives prompts for information when leaving a review - such as whether you felt the book was character-driven, or if there was diversity in the cast of characters etc. - it means that it can spit out some really interesting summaries at the end of the year. 

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So there we have it! I feel good about the challenges I've set for myself - they hit that Goldilocks level of being challenging, but not toooo challenging, they're just right! 

Do you have any reading goals for yourself for 2025? Share them in the comments below! 

xo