Challenge: 2011 Reading Challenge from Goodreads

Challenges





2011 Reading Challenge









Heidi has





completed her goal of reading 25 books in 2011!





hide30 of 25 (120%)



view books























This was a good reading year!! I set the goal of 25 books back in January not knowing if I could make it, and I surprised myself with 30.







Why is less than one book a week such a big deal? Because after grad school, I had a difficult time balancing reading and writing...and being overly critical. Every book I picked up would be like an assignment to me, rather than a pleasure. I used to go into critiquer and editor mode immediately upon starting a book, and quite honestly, it never allowed me to see the story for all of the criticisms I had.







But this year was a break-through for me. I let head-hopping slide--for the most part. I skipped over grammatical errors and forgave copy editors. I smiled at what I considered silly language and kept my focus on the plot and characters. I reminded myself that, even if I would have chosen to have a plot point play out in a certain way, the author had his or her reasons for doing it this way. And, I was very patient.







In the end, I was rewarded with some real gems and a renewed love of reading that I haven't felt since I was in my teens. Some of that has to do with the convenience of my Kindle. But, mostly, it's because I learned to relax and allow myself to be absorbed completely into new worlds and live vicariously through some awesome characters.







My reading interests are diverse with a leaning toward speculative fiction--that's how it's always been for me, from the days of those G. I. Joe Choose Your Own Adventure books. (And, yes, I included my own book in this list because I read it no less than a dozen times during revisions. It counts!!)







What have you read this year? Share it in comments!