Before 2020, I always went into each year with no plans or expectations of what to read, usually picking my next book on a whim. However, as my To Be Read list continues to grow exponentially, I have found myself needing to develop strategies to determine what I will read next, to make it through my list in the most effective fashion.

One trend that I have been curious to try is a reading challenge. Popularized by websites such as PopSugar, these challenges encourage readers to step outside their normal reading habits through checklists that include prompts such as “a book featuring one of the seven deadly sins” and “a book about or by a woman in STEM.” However, being the nonconformist that I am, I wanted to develop my own goals and challenges for what books to tackle in 2021. I’ve currently developed ten reading goals for the year ahead, and I’m excited for these prompts to expand my literary horizons. Hopefully you can find some goals and books to add to your own list as well!