The Reading Challenge Group discussion
Personal Challenges - 2014
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CaptKirk's 2014 Reading Challenge 20 books
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If you read a lot of bigger books, it might be more rewarding for you to do a 'word count' challenge? Like this year, along with my reading challenge, I said that I should read at least 10,000 pages, which I've completed. Smaller goals, rather than bigger ones can perhaps entice you to read more and more!
Oops I didn't finish my comment on 2013 (gotta edit) I was interrupted while composing it. [EDIT: actually I had messed up on the coding for the bold in 2013 so what I had typed was invisible, argh!]I don't have an e-reader so I don't need to worry about that problem.
I prefer book counts to word or page counts. And I realize smaller goals tend to encourage more and more reading. You get to your goal before you realize it, hopefully.
I'm going to set the number to 20 for 2014. Hopefully I won't get any major detours. I will try to keep updating this thread when I start/finish books and also if I feel like I'm stumbling through something.
Amber wrote: "Good luck Capt. Kirk!"Thanks the last couple of years I've scraped by reading around 15 books, not meeting my goal. :(
I've found that reading ebooks saves so much time and money (not to mention the environmental benefits also), and ever since I got my smartphone I've been reading more than usual - in fact, I know if I didn't use it, I wouldn't have been able to hit my goal for this year or the year before.Maybe you could do a combined challenge in which physical books are a subcategory?
Good luck!
Bouchra wrote: "I've found that reading ebooks saves so much time and money (not to mention the environmental benefits also), and ever since I got my smartphone I've been reading more than usual - in fact, I know ..."Not for this year I don't have an e-reader. Anyway for me reading on a computer screen, a mobile phone screen, e-reader/tablet screen or whatever doesn't Feel like I'm reading a book. LOL. For now my "reading" is limited to the physical media.
OK GR now has the Official 2014 Challenge links up. My goal for this year is 20 books. I am already 42% into my "first" book since one of my books from 2013 I am still reading. Technically it will be finished this year but since it is a cross-over book I will hand add it to my "read in 2013" shelf because I started reading it in 2013 and have not abandoned it.
Officially in the middle of (page count pretty much exactly at 50%):
Kiss of Darkness
Started today (Thursday 2 January 2014):
The Death of Sleep
Technically it's a reread as was the book I just finished:
Sassinak
They are part of a three book series that are loosely connected to a two book series. I have recently read those two books for the first time and am now re-reading the other three.
Finished Kiss of Darkness WooHooo! First book of 2014 read. It was a crossover book so on my read shelves I have it on 2013 and 2014.Barely started on The Death of Sleep on page 25 ready to start chapter 2.
For my second read (the fall back book) I started The Crimson Spell read the prologue.
Update 13 Feb 2014:Still reading the same two books Death of Sleep and The Crimson Spell. Officially with the GR 2014 Challenge I am now 1 book behind (since January ended). I now have a little more than 40 pages to read in The Death of Sleep so in a few days I should be "on track" again at least for a few hours.
14 Feb:Finished The Death of Sleep. For right now I am back on track.
I'm about to start my re-read of the final book in Anne McCaffrey's "Planet Pirates" series Generation Warriors
Looks like a fun series! My next book will be a different one by Anne McCaffrey: The Dragonriders of Pern. Good luck on your challenge:)
Brenda wrote: "Looks like a fun series! My next book will be a different one by Anne McCaffrey: The Dragonriders of Pern. Good luck on your challenge:)"Thanks. Currently I am still "on schedule" I was a book behind last week. Been reading slow lately. I have thought about reading the Dragonriders of Pern. Don't know if I'll get around to it though. After Generation Warriors I'm going to take a break from McCaffrey books.
Just finished Generation Warriors. Now I'm only two books behind.
Reading book #4 of the Charmed series Whispers from the Past
That means for now I am only 1 book behind.
Finshed reading book #4 of the Charmed series Whispers from the PastOver the weekend I plan to start:
Man From Uncle #3 The Copenhagen Affair
and on Monday for breaks at work Charmed #5 Voodoo Moon
Finished Voodoo Moon6 of 20 for the year read. I'm currently on track.
Next up is Charmed #6 Haunted by Desire Hopefully I can get it read in the next few days before there is a new update. I need to get "ahead" and not fall behind again.
Just finished Charmed #6 Haunted by Desire gets me back "on track" for now. In a week or two I might be 1 book behind again, hopefully not though. I have on order (currently en route)Under the Dome - Steven King I plan on starting that in June for the group read. That one being 1000+ pages will take me a while and might set me back a few books.
OK got my copy of http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63... about a week ago give or take a day or two, and just started to read it today (Tuesday 27 May). For my personal challenge status I am currently 1 book ahead, that will soon change with this book. I do have some shorter books on stand by that I can read in about 3 or 4 days should I start getting behind and still haven't finished this one yet.
Currently reading Under the Dome for that group "buddy" read. Started it just before the beginning of June. Only on page 186 at this posting. I'll read another 10-15 maybe up to 20 pages today. I usually just read it during breaks at work during the week. Sometimes I get around to doing some reading on the weekends but usually not.Surprised a little that my personal 2014 reading challenge widget says I am still "on track" (8/20)
Update Wednesday 25 June 2014: I am currently on page 418 (38% or so) of Under the Dome surprisingly only 1 book behind with yearly challenge.
Hallelujah! FINISHED Under the Dome took me 2.5 months but WOW what a book.Gets me only 3 books behind now. Wow was 4.
Congrats on finishing it CaptKirk!!! I've enjoyed your update posts and look forward to reading the book later this year
Kassandra wrote: "Congrats on finishing it CaptKirk!!! I've enjoyed your update posts and look forward to reading the book later this year"Thanks. It is nice to get feedback every once in a while to know you aren't just talking to yourself.
Finished Charmed #8:The Legacy of Merlin.Started: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. #3: The Copenhagen Affair
Now am only 2 books behind.
Wow you're getting through your books quickly. You will be caught up to your goal in no time!
Those Charmed books look fun-- I'm a little jealous! (the paperbacks are a little small print for me, but of course it's not like I don't have plenty to read)
Brenda wrote: "Those Charmed books look fun-- I'm a little jealous! (the paperbacks are a little small print for me, but of course it's not like I don't have plenty to read)"They are fun. They tend to be 180 pages give or take a few. I think 180 is the standard limit for this particular series. They are often quick reads and many of them would have made exciting episodes for the show.
I have 26 of them plus the "Seasons of The Witch Vol 1" which is a collection of 3 short Charmed stories. There are a total of 41? of the Novels plus 5 or 6 other books that are either collections like "Seasons of the Witch Vols 1 & 2" or behind the scenes books or books about the series.
They probably have all of them on some ebook version by now.
Wow, you have a whole shelf lined up waiting for you!Nope, I can't find any ebook versions except for a couple "Season 9" things that don't really have the same appeal for me, but that's okay.
I'm glad you're enjoying them!
Just finished Soul of the Bride (Charmed #9) by Elizabeth Lenhard. Should get me only 1 book behind.
Finished Beware What You Wish to get challenge widget back to only 1 book behind.Started In the Cube
Didn't realize when I got it (for a buck at the bookstore associated with a local library) that it was a second book based in a universe, not sure if it is a true "sequel" but it is at least in the same fictional universe as the author's previous book Future Boston: The History of a City, 1990-2100
*sigh* Now I need to look for that other book.
Currently reading Man From UNCLE #4 The Dagger Affair17/20 books read for challenge right now sitting at 1 book ahead. Not counting my chickens yet, but this might be the first year I actually get the challenge finished. Hopefully I can get one or two beyond it so re-reads won't delete the badge when it appears at the end of the year.
Iasa wrote: "How was In the Cube?"It was interesting, not quite what I was expecting. It is more of a gumshoe mystery told in first person and done in a sort of film noir style than the hardcore science fiction I was expecting. It was still sci-fi in that it took place in the future, had a few aliens and advanced technology.
Finished Man From UNCLE #4 The Dagger Affair. Will start #5 soon.
Sandy wrote: "Congratulations, CaptKirk42! Another book "under your belt". :D"Yep just 2 more to reach goal for this year. currently 2 books ahead.
Finished Man From UNCLE #5 The Mad Scientist Affair one more book to go with my 2014 challenge.I need to seriously get the Man From UNCLE DVDs and watch those.
WooWhoooooo! Just finished Man Fron UNCLE #6 The Vampire Affair which completes my challenge Goal of 20 books! Yeah! First time I've matched my yearly challenge goal. The first year 2011 I was on my final book in the final days of December but didn't finish it till early January a day or two later. These last two years (2012 and 2013) I fell behind by 5 books or so.
Congrats CaptKirk!!! That's a huge accomplishment, you should be really proud!
Kassandra wrote: "Congrats CaptKirk!!! That's a huge accomplishment, you should be really proud!"Thanks,
Yes I am proud, especially after that first "almost, but not quite" year and a couple of "yeah whatever" years.
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For me a goal of 24 books (2 per month) is not that far out of reach but with my tendency to slip into "non-reading" times* I try to set lower goals.
To review my past yearly challenges:
2011 (Goodread's first year of the Challenge?)
My goal was 15 books that I had set up in mid fall that year based on what I had already read and what I thought I could read in the remaining few weeks/months. I only read 14.5 I was almost literally half-through my 15th book by the years end.
2012 I had set a loftier goal of 35 books. I only reached 17 I had a couple of those books I had lost interest in that took me a while to "get into" the books, slow starters and they were 300+ pages one was 700 some pages, but I had set my mind up to read it since it had been a give-away book.
This year 2013 I set the goal to 20 I am currently on book #13 at about 75% done. I am 5 books behind right now and could end the year about 5 or 6 books behind.
* I actually read a lot during these times and everyday it is just that I don't count daily internet reading via computer or mobile phone or whatever device to be quality "reading" time. So I don't count that as part of my challenge. If I had an e-reader I'm not sure if I would count what books I read on it as part of my challenge, probably not even though technically it would count.