A new year means new books (and new movies too, of course). Here’s what a few members of the Eleventh Stack crew have planned for 2018.

My reading goal for 2018 is to delve deeper into the world of the mighty Cozy Mystery! In addition to my other reading, I’m going to read at least one book from a different cozy series each month. The idea is to expose myself to some forms of the cozy genre that I haven’t gotten into yet (for instance where the amateur sleuths are say, gardeners, or puzzle fanatics). Here’s to keepin’ it cozy in 2018!

– Eric

As ever, I’m giving myself over to the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. But more so, I’m trying to be deliberate about it than I have in the past. For the most part, I’ve shoe-horned books into categories after I read them and called it good. This year, I have picked out titles for a lot of the categories already, leaving only a handful to chance. I’m finally going to read A Wrinkle in Time (A children’s classic published before 1980) and I have some Japanese crime fiction in mind for a book of genre fiction in translation!

– Jess B.

I was overjoyed that two of the best reviewed films of 2017, Wonder Woman and Lady Bird*, were both directed by women — and one of those films also went on to make over 400-million dollars at the box office! I’m also beyond excited to check out Ava Duvernay’s take on one of my all-time favorite children’s books, A Wrinkle in Time.

Unfortunately, according to The Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, “behind the scenes [in television and film], women accounted for 28% of all creators, directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and directors of photography working on programs delivered via the various platforms last year.” For this reason I’ve resolved (as a “reading goal”) to watch 52 films in 2018 directed by women. You can check out some of my future viewing picks here, but also feel free to give me suggestions in the comments section below.

– Tara

*Post 2018 Oscar nominations edit: Greta Gerwig was nominated for a Best Director Oscar, making her only the fifth woman to be nominated as director since the first Academy Awards ceremony was held on May 16, 1929. Hrumph.

I’m attempting to bring some order to the chaos that is my home, and to further that end I’ll be wading through Goodbye Things: The New Japanese Minimalism and Un**** Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess. I’ve already made it through The Life Changing Manga of Tidying Up, the cheerful adorable non-terrifying comic adaptation of that book with a similar name, and I’ve successfully Marie Kondo’d my sock drawer – so now I’m feeling ambitious.

– Amy E.

First of all, I’m furiously scribbling down Amy E.’s picks – clean all the things! Second, I too have wrestled with various reading challenges, ultimately coming up short towards the end of the year and feeling bad about myself and all that I stand for as a librarian… but no more! This year I’m attempting a twist on the reading challenge by joining the ranks for Hot Listen & Caffeinated Reviewer’s 2018 Audiobook Challenge! This challenge is great because I’m already an avid audio-listener (thanks OverDrive!), and the rules are pretty straightforward:

• Runs January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018. You can join at any time.
• The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2018 than you did in 2017.
• Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
• ANY genres count.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
• If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.
• Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be June 30, 2018, and the last update will take place on December 15, 2018.

Happy listening!

– Jess S.