January, A Month In Review

Normally I try not to set too many reading goals. I'm a mood reader. That is to say, when and what I read is generally decided by my mood. If I'm in the mood for a mystery, I pick up a mystery... If I'm in the mood for a classic, I pick up a classic, etc.

However, this said I did set a few goals for 2009.

First, I am working my way through all of the mystery novels by Dame Agatha Christie, starting with her first published and ending with her last. In 2008 I read the first eight books. My goal for 2009 is to read at minimum 12 more (one for each month in 2009). I am pleased that I was able to make my way through 2 books in January alone!

Second, I began re-reading the Anne series by L. M. Montgomery in 2008 and planned to finish it before the end of 2009. I continued towards meeting this goal by reading the third in the series (Anne of the Island) during the month of January.

Third, I signed up to participate in the L. M. Montgomery Reading Challenge and met it by reading two books, the above Anne book and one other.

Fourth and last, at the end of last year I selected 10 books that I planned to definitely read before the end of 2009. These ten books were listed in my 2009 Reading Projection post. I read four of the ten in January alone!

Here's my January recap:
1. The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie (1/1/09)
2. One Hundred And One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (1/7/09)
3. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (1/10/09)
4. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (1/13/09)
5. Nothing But the Truth by Avi (1/14/09)
6. Don't Make Me Count to Three! by Ginger Plowman (1/15/09)
7. The Murder At The Vicarage by Agatha Christie (1/17/09)
8. Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery (1/24/09)
9. Behind A Mask by A. M. Barnard (a.k.a Louisa May Alcott) (1/25/09)
10. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide (#1) by Holly Black (1/27/09)
11. The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde (1/31/09
12. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone (#2) by Holly Black (1/31/09)

Overall I think I'm off to a pretty good start for the year. Incidentally, if you are really curious how my reading progress is going throughout the year feel free to visit my A Library is a Hospital for the Mind Reading List. You can also view past reading lists for 2006, 2007, and 2008, though only 2008 includes links to the online book reviews I posted.

Looking ahead to February I plan to complete The Spiderwick Chronicles and post one review for all five books. I also plan to have at least one romance genre book finished in time for Valentine's Day... So stay tuned!