Book Reading Challenges

Here we go, another new year as voracious readers are solidifying deals for Book Reading Challenges as their New Year Resolution.

There's nothing better than cracking open a book or booting up your Kindle to settle down, unwind and possibly unplug from all the stress of the day. Plus, you're accomplishing a goal that you personally set for yourself.

But what if you set your goals too high? What if these Book Challenges bring on unnecessary time-consuming stress? The stress that you thought would be no big deal when you signed up, but your life has changed and all of a sudden there's not enough time in the day.



I personally enjoy book challenges as long as I can pick the book to read. I was going to read them anyway, so why not have healthy competition and a little encouragement to get it done. If I have books left over, I just roll them into the next year. Sounds easy, right? Not always.

Last year in 2015, I set a goal of 50 books and it might've been a little more than I could chew. I had to sustain quite a rapid pace to keep up throughout the year, and when more obstacles came into my life that weren't planned, my goal made me feel exhausted, rundown and in need a couple months break by the time I completed it. For some people that doesn't even begin to describe how many books they read, but for me it was a neck breaking pace with all my other duties in life. And I was intent on taking it seriously, if only for the authors that had poured their heart and soul into making their book a reality.

Some people are just so adamant to reach their lofty goal that they race through books not giving the author the respect they deserve. Are they really enjoying the book or just in a race against time? I recently handed off one of my books to someone in the latter part of 2015, who read it in a couple of hours. Her comments for my review were confusing the next day, and anything but constructive, as she commented that she really didn't take the time to understand all the intricate aspects of my story line. I can only assume she was rushing at the end of the year to get through her last books to meet her Book Reading Challenge.

This year to save my sanity, I've opted for 5 books. Honestly, I know I will read way more than 5, but I can relax knowing my goal will be met as I truly let each story envelop me like a cozy, warm blanket taking me on a journey of the author's imagination as I savor every morsel each book has to offer.

The question still lingers: Are we a society devouring these Book Reading Challenges like some one-night stand making notches on our blogs as we keep track of these books as if they're disposable?

As we grab the next great work and turn it into a numbers game, let's try to keep in mind the author behind the story and how wonderful these Book Reading Challenges are. They support authors in such a fantastic way, and if done correctly can give the reader their much needed dose of escapism.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know.




SK Thomas is a writer, author, book reviewer and the curious creative complex brain behind this blog.


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