It's a Year for Reading!

The New Year is known as a time for new beginnings, for making plans, and setting goals. Among my many reading related challenges this year I will be jumping into the world of running my own blog! I've attempted it before, but have never been truly satisfied with the results. Now I think it's time to finally have my own creative space to share my opinions and grow as a critical reader.

To keep myself on track, let's start with the blogging schedule!      

Tuesday: Weekly Graphic Novel, Comic, or Manga Review.
Wednesday: Weekly Discussion Post.
Friday: Weekly Review. (YA Fiction, Adult Fiction, or sometimes Non-fiction)
First Monday of every month: Shakespeare Reading Challenge.
First Thursday of every other month: Jane Austen Challenge

Over the next three years I will be tackling a Shakespeare play reading challenge. The reason I've decided to undertake this seemingly ridiculous task is because in Vancouver we have an annual Shakespeare's festival called Bard on the Beach. It's been happening for 24 years running and takes place for four months from June till September. I love reading modern fiction, but I really want to expand my literary knowledge of the classics as well as experience the plays in my own imagination before I see them performed and re-imagined on stage.

2013 demands I read one play per month. I quickly realized while looking at the plays I wanted to read that I essentially wanted to read all the comedies. Although that sounds like a rousing good time, I'm sure Jessica-Robyn of next year would not be happy if I left her with only Histories and Tragedies to pick from! It's because of this that I've created an assorted list of twelve to pick from over the course of the year. 


Antony and Cleopatra
The Taming of the Shrew
Macbeth
As You Like It
Julius Caesar
Hamlet
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Winter's Tale 
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Tempest
Henry IV, Part 1
Henry IV, Part 2


Tell me what you think! Do you have a favourite on the 2013 list or do you just think I'm crazy? Because let me tell you, it only gets crazier here on at Reading Robyn! 

To balance out Shakespeare I've got another fancy-pants English legend here on the blog, Jane Austen. Her work has been retold, re-imagined, and adapted in almost every medium imaginable. For years I've had to embrace her work through longing glances at the classics section of my library, but now I'm itching for the full experience. Every two months expect a Austen review as well as a discussion of some relevant adaptations in book, film, television, and online. 

It's a lot of reading and a lot of blogging, but I'm excited to have some very interesting books on the docket for 2013. I hope that you'll join me and add to the fun!

It is going to be a very busy year and I just can't wait to get started! Happy New Year everyone!