Behind on Reading Goals?

Sunday was Eid-ul-Fitr, one of two Muslim holidays, celebrating the ending of Ramadan. This is the first year in a long time where I went on a full three-day bender, celebrating each day of Eid! I spent the first day spending the day visiting family, stuffing my face with yummy foods (during the DAY! lol), checking out all the beautiful Eid outfits on IG, and vending at a Eid Celebration at my mosque.

On day 2, my family went out to dinner. We had some delicious seafood and great conversation. A great time was had by all but my wallet! Dinner for 7 is expensive! Lol 

On the final three, my cousins threw a Eid Party that I attended with my little sister. I was surprised by how much fun I had because I'm not a party person AT ALL. We took photos, danced, ate, and were merry.

Now, I'm recovering... 

Speaking of busy, 2025 has been such a busy year for me! Only three months in, but I'm horribly behind on my reading goal of 50 books this year. And as much as I love StoryGraph, it has this sometimes annoying feature of telling you how many books "behind" you are. >_< lol I'm 6 books behind schedule according to 'em. 😖

But you know what? It's COMPLETELY okay! If you're in the same boat, what's most important is that you've enjoyed the books you have read. It's about quality not quantity here. We aim to diversify our reading because it helps us grow and it's fun. If we need to pause to deal with life, the books will always be waiting for us when we're ready.

One way I like to get back "on track" is to read my go-to Reading Slump Buster genres--Graphic Novels and Novels-in-Verse. It's always a sure-fire way to get me reading again without feeling intimidated by a hefty tome. So, try that and see if it works for you as well.

I recently read That Can Be Arranged by Huda Fahmy. It was super cute, relatable, and funny. I enjoyed reading about Huda's experiences meeting her husband and how she explored different aspects of arranged marriage in the Muslim community. I think it was a wonderful way to help dispell some of the negative stereotypes around arranged marriages. Some of them ARE harmful but when done right, arranged marriages can result in wonderful partnerships for people. 

I borrowed That Can Be Arranged from the library as I believe it's currently out of print. So, great opportunity to support your local library because libraries matter. 

Also, remember goals aren't set in stone. Feel free to adjust your reading goals as you see fit. What's most important is that you're reading, having fun, and growing!