Michelle's I-don't-even-know-how-many-books-I -want-to-read-in-2018-challenge

[Michelle]

So far I have tentatively decided on one book every week, so 52. But with this being the first year I'm doing this properly and the fact that it's only been one day, I might go higher but not lower.

What I've done/decided to do to help myself read more:

- I used to read only one book at a time. Sometimes I just wouldn't feel like that particular book but I still didn't start a new one because for some reason I just had it in my head that you read one book at a time. I started out 2018 by starting TWO books.

- I have a peculiar problem that always meant that I didn't get to read much in winter. I don't like "regular" ebooks but I hate reading print books with artificial light on. The shadows would irritate me, the reading light would give me a headache after a while. I don't know anyone else with that issue but there were many days where I was bummed out because once I could read, it was dark outside. I just discovered Open Library, where I can read scanned versions of print books on my computer or tablet. Not as good as print but still mighty nice.

- I always wanted to reread children's books as well as read children's classics I never read. I didn't really want to buy them or be that weird woman who checks them out at the library either though, so this is where the free ebooks come in. Who says I can't read John Steinbeck, Jodie Picoult, Stephen King and Beverly Cleary? In short, I'm just not gonna care whether it's for kids or YA or a classic. If I want to read it, I'll read it.

- In 2017, I sometimes wanted to read but didn't know WHAT to read because I either didn't feel like the books I had laying around or I ran out. Now I have a stack of books ready to be read, a goodreads "want to read list" and Open Library. This shouldn't happen this year.

- I finished two or three books I really didn't like in 2017. It took me forever and wasn't worth it. Not gonna do that again.

[Susy]

Hi Michelle, welcome!
52 sounds like a great goal. You can always raise it mid year if you see that you’ll be surpassing it easily.

As to your first point: I had never read more than one book at a time until I joined this group. Now I read 2, max 3 at a time. Some people read like 7 or more at a time. For me that would be too confusing and I’d get the feeling I was never finishing one....

As to your third point: I don’t care if they think I’m weird, I’ll pick up any book from the library, children’s books, YA, it doesn’t matter. First time felt strange being directed to the children’s section, but now I don’t have a problem with that whatsoever:)

Wishing you the best of luck with your goal Michelle & a very happy reading/New Year!!

[Michelle]

Thanks Susy. I think I won't read more than 3 at once either.

I'm glad to see another grown woman who wants to read children's and YA books. I've been looking around some and was a bit intimated by all the classics on everyone's "must read" lists. If it was published before 1920 and not meant for children, then I probably won't enjoy it very much.

I wish you luck on your challenge as well. I'm glad to see my favorite book It in your favorites list!

[Susy]

Michelle wrote: "I wish you lucky on your challenge as well. I'm glad to see my favorite book It in your favorites list! "

Thank you, Michelle!

Love It; there was a time I would only read Stephen King :)

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Good luck Michelle!

[Michelle]

I went up to 100 because it's just been going so well. Even with 100 I'm 13 ahead right now so if I do slow down, it'll down spring and summer come, it'll be fine. Granted, there were a bunch of 200 page YA/children's books but I have some long books on my "to read" list and I did breeze through Sleeping Beauties (Stephen King).

Reading more than one book at once and not being so concerned with "Oh this is for kids" and "Oh this is trashy YA" did wonders. I've really enjoyed everything I read so far other than one book which I didn't finish. I've finished a bunch of books I regretted investing the time in last year and it slowed me down a lot.

I want to read all of the books the Elvis Presley movies were based on, all Stephen King books I didn't read yet (as well as reread a few), Steinbeck, a few children's classics I haven't read (or haven't read in 15 to 20 years) as well as some Ray Bradbury short stories. It should be fun. The only thing I care about now is that I'm enjoying what I'm reading.

[Susy]

Michelle wrote: "The only thing I care about now is that I'm enjoying what I'm reading."

As you should Michelle :)

"I want to read all Stephen King books I didn't read yet (as well as reread a few),..."

Same here!

[Michelle]

I just read Les Miserables up until the battle scenes. At that point I felt so tempted to skip large sections that I gave up. The beginning and the Valjean/Javert cat and mouse game was really interesting though. Oh well, it happens to everyone? I didn't want to make myself keep reading. I was surprised that I enjoyed ANY of it because normally I don't read anything published before 1930.

[Heather]

Michelle wrote: "I just read Les Miserables up until the battle scenes. At that point I felt so tempted to skip large sections that I gave up. The beginning and the Valjean/Javert cat and mouse game was really inte..."

yeah it was tedious took me 4 months to read. i forced myself to push through.

[Michelle]

I actually tried again, then abandoned it AGAIN. I'm back to Stephen King. I love the musical, I love the movie but my goodness is that book difficult to get through. I need to get a severely shortened version with all of the boring bits removed.

[Susy]

I’m sticking to the movie lol