2013 Goodreads Challenge

[Melodie]

I've been staying about 12 books ahead, so might up my goal. Haven't read as much this month as usual so haven't decided for sure if I'll up it or not.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

As of today I am one book behind--just haven't been in the mood much to read this week. Loud music from upstairs that prevents me from even sitting in my own living room and leaves me with a pounding headache doesn't help. :-\

Need to finish the book I'm 2/3 through so I'll be back on track!

[❂ Murder by Death]

You have read 109 books toward your goal of 175 books.

109 of 175 (62%)
Awesome, you're 44 books (25%) ahead of schedule!

I got suckered into a full-time job that started this week, and I'm going to have to wait to see how that affects my reading pace (I hardly read anything at ALL this week - so depressing!) before deciding whether or not to increase my goal - but I'd hit 100 books back in April, so at least I have a "cushion" while adjusting to full time work again. :(

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Cushions are always nice! ☺

[Linda]

I'm currently 5 books behind but that should drop to 4 tonight after I finish the book I'm currently reading. One more book in the series that I'm currently reading and then I can start catching up. The bonus is I'm finishing the series about 2 months sooner than I thought I would back in January when I was setting my goal.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Linda: Catching up on or finishing series is always good! ☺

As of last night I am back on track. I keep trying to get ahead, only to fall behind again, lol.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Finishing the month one book ahead. Oooh! I can hardly contain my excitement. Seriously, I would love to get a little further ahead in June. Since I no longer have the distraction of regular prime time TV series, I might actually succeed in that goal. Maybe. ;-)

[Leslie]

I'm done! Yay!!

[Melodie]

I'm currently 16 books ahead!

[❂ Murder by Death]

I'm 46 books ahead but my reading has slowed way down - the working is getting in the way of the reading!

[Linda]

I'm fighting back - only 2 books down!

[Karen M]

I'm four books ahead but that won't mean much when A Dance With Dragons becomes available but I'm trying to build up that number before that happens. We'll see.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Wow, sounds like a couple people need to increase their goals! Way to go Leslie, Melodie and Jennifer!

Linda ~ You can do it! ☺

I am currently on book number 50 of 100, putting me three books ahead. Yay! That's much better than the four behind I was just a couple months ago!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Six months come and gone. How did it get to be July already? Am happy to say I have read 53/100 and am now four books ahead of my goal.

[Linda]

I'm right on track - 25/50.

[Melodie]

I think I'm at 77/120, 18 books ahead. I'm going to up my number but haven't decided yet what that will be.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

End of July check-in... Currently 63/100 and still four books ahead. And wow! Just noticed that that is ten books more than this time last month. Hope I can keep that pace up this month, especially with a couple challenging group reads for Augus (Madame Bovary and Life of Pi).

[❂ Murder by Death]

I'm still way ahead - but holding steading at 49 books ahead. I'm going to wait until I meet my goal before increasing it, since on top of working full time I've just started taking a class (book binding and restoration - woop!) and I don't want to increase it more than I can handle.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Jennifer ~ That makes sense. Better to wait and see how your free time changes and affects your reading.

[Linda]

I am officially at 36/50 and am 7 books ahead of schedule!

[Melodie]

I'm at 90/130...13 books ahead!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Good job, Linda and Melodie!

[Nell]

Currently I am 6 books behind my reading goal. The last couple of months have been slow going - Trying to read longer books and more literature this summer has really slowed me down. I lowered my GR challenge number this year with that in mind. I am wavering between two goals - meet my GR challenge number by picking up some quick cozy reads (Hamish MacBeth comes to mind) or sticking with my read more lit plan. ... So many books, great choice to have. I'll probably do some quicker reads later in the year. For now I am trying to ignore that you're behind message.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Nell ~ It can be hard to ignore that "you're behind" message, but it's an admirable goal you've set. I usually slip a classic or more "serious" fiction in between the cozies, YA and romance.

[Nell]

OH NO - now I'm 7 books behind! :-/ Proof positive that I need a vacation.
Time to put down the 450+ page tome and grab a cozy...

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

LOL... Though not as bad as being behind, I am now one less book ahead, dropping from four to three. :-\

[Roxann]

I know mine reads 43 out of 100 so I'm behind BUT I have about 20 books I have read and haven't written up a review yet. My goal this weekend is to get the 20 books into my list and review them on Goodreads.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Wow, that's a lot of books to review in one weekend. Good luck!

After finishing a book last night, I'm back to four ahead, but doubt it will last long. Unless the book I just started turns out to be a faster read than anticipated.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Monthly check-in... Have now completed 72/100, putting me five books ahead of my goal.

How's everyone else doing?

[❂ Murder by Death]

I met my goal this week. WAY more reading than I've done in the past. I keep going to the page to increase my goal and then talk myself out of it: job, class, spring-is-coming-and-it's-time-to-start-planning/planting. :D

Luckily the challenge keeps on counting what I read.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Jennifer ~ It's so easy to become distracted some days, isn't it?

[❂ Murder by Death]

Oh yes. And we've had spectacular weather here, all of the sudden. We went from 55 and raining one weekend to 80 and sunny the next. So I'm all excited about my spring veggies! lol...

[Roxann]

I'm catching up. It reads I'm 8 books behind, but I have read 2 and haven't gotten those in for a review yet. I have started two other books-one is a free one that I won.

[Leslie]

I increased my goal so I am now at 213 done out of 230 (59 books ahead, 26%) :)

[Lynn]

❂ Jennifer wrote: "Oh yes. And we've had spectacular weather here, all of the sudden. We went from 55 and raining one weekend to 80 and sunny the next. So I'm all excited about my spring veggies! lol..."

But the weather service is predicting a cold rainy weekend this coming weekend. I'm 9 books ahead of my annual goal. And I'll have plenty of time for this weekend when my husband and I are heading up to Melbourne for him to watch the election returns with wonk twitter friends. I'll be the only one at the pub with a book, I'm sure!

[❂ Murder by Death]

Oh, have I been there! I'm also the only one that has a book at the soccer! lol...

Just checked the weather and it is truly over the place this weekend. Saturday looks unpleasant but then it's back up to 20 on Sunday. Today is truly spectacular though.

[Linda]

I'm at 45 out of 50, 12 books ahead. I should really increase my goal but I'm enjoying being so ahead :)

[Melodie]

I'm at 101/130, or 14 books ahead!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Linda: I think if I were twelve books ahead I'd enjoy the feeling too much to increase my goal as well. Plus, you never know what the next few months will be like. ; )

[Chuck]

I am 94 of 120 (78%)
14 books (11%) ahead of schedule!

[Linda]

I'm so impressed with you all! I need to step up my game. I didn't do the challenge this year so I haven't been counting but I would guess I'm only at about 6!

[Karen M]

You have read 96 books toward your goal of 125 books.
96 of 125 (77%)
Awesome, you're 12 books (10%) ahead of schedule!

It's nice being this far ahead but I have to confess I put in a lower goal than I actually read last year. I'm trying to take the pressure off my reading but it's not really working. LOL

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

I always feel more pressured at the start of the year. Once I get a few books ahead I start to relax a bit, and feel more comfortable reading longer books that take me a week or more to read.

[❂ Murder by Death]

I've been giving it some thought, and I think I'm just going to leave my challenge alone. I'm interested to know how many more books I'll read this year without feeling the pressure of a 'goal' as the year ends.

[Leslie]

I have reached my goal! I think that like Jennifer, I am going to leave it alone & see how far over I go without the pressure.

[❂ Murder by Death]

Congratulations Leslie! We'll have to compare notes at the end of the year to see what we end up with. :)

[Leslie]

❂ Jennifer wrote: "Congratulations Leslie! We'll have to compare notes at the end of the year to see what we end up with. :)"

Thanks :)

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Congrats, Leslie--way to go!

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Congrats, Leslie--way to go!

[Melodie]

At 111/130, 17 books ahead. I think I'm going to do like Jennifer and just leave it where it is and see how far I go over!