One of the things I have a goal for not only to read more than last year wich I must say seems like an easier goal than I had thought at the beginning of the year when I set my challenge numbers. I think the easy part is going to be reading the books, but I have had an idea for a while now that it’s not enough just to read books in the same genres over and over. Granted, I love the sci-fi book and the spy/assassin thrillers and that will likely never change. I also love a good fantasy story and haven’t been reading as many of them as I used to. Have my tastes changed some? I don’t know about that, but I do know fantasy stories have changed a lot since I fell in love with the genre as a child. My guess as we grow older we begin to expect more out of the simple idea of what a fantasy story has to offer. So what does this have to do with the idea of a secondary challenge? everything actually – I as a reader want to expand my scope of reading and perhaps even some of the types of books I read as to have a more varied experience this year.

The main thing I have begun to toy with in this idea is to read some books from my very extensive library on my Kindle that have just been sitting there collecting pixellated dust particles. This would include a couple of genres that I have read little of or not at all particularly over the last few years since getting into the whole e-book thing. Here’s a small list that I hope to be able to check off items from over this year. Even perhaps add to it as well over time.

• At least 1 non fiction title
• A classic
• A book that brings back childhood memories
• A biography or autobiography
• At least one mystery novel

These are just what I have thought of over the last couple days and by no means an exhaustive list at this point. Over the next months I hope to achieve some of these and even perhaps add some I have yet to think of. I believe that setting an extra challenge like this will broaden my reading and really help me keep the first goal of a total number of books read for the year going far better than just chosing titles here and there to read. If you as a reader have thoughts on titles don’t be shy on suggesting something for me to read. You never know I just might take you up on one or two or more of them this year.