HeatherH's 2020 Reading Challenges

[HeatherH]

So I've never done any planting before. Starting with tomatoes because my mom always had them and this is the first year without her. But my lupus causes me to get sick if I spend prolonged times in the sun so I likely won't ever do a big garden of any sort that requires a ton of work :/ We are considering doing a bell pepper plant as well though. I'd eventually like to try cucumbers too!

[HeatherH]

Binged today. It was one of the many 'pick it for me' type things from February and got buried in my TBR. Eh, didn't hate it as much as others but definitely did not love it either.

[Elena]

Good luck with gardening! I hope you'll love it. It's really calming and healthy activity though needs time and hard work.

[Brittany]

Hope you enjoy the planting! Sorry that the sun makes you sick!

[HeatherH]

April was my highest number of books finished (I think ever in my life) so figured I'd take a look at the stats for the month... Finished 25 books. Of those, 5 were non ya, the rest ya including one short story. I read 12 new to me authors. I had eight 5 stars, ten 4 stars and seven 3 stars. I finished two series, started five however two of those five I won't continue with so I added three new series to my series TBR.

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

Wow, that is incredible Heather! I myself have never read that many books in a month ever either, so that is awesome! Good job!

[HeatherH]

Works been slow so lots of time to listen. And I've been slowly up'ing the speed on my audiobooks and now generally listen on 2-2.25x speed so I get through so many more. Some narrators I can't do as fast but overall I've adjusted to it!

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

That's amazing! I've probably listened to like 2-3 audiobooks in my life, and the fastest speed I can do is like 1.75x. Lol. But that's probably because I don't listen to audibooks. Lol.

[HeatherH]

It took me a long time to build up on speed. But I also talk really fast so that helps me I think hahah! I do WAY more audios. Out of my 25 last month 22 were audio.

[Brittany]

Wow Heather! Thats fantastic! I listen to a lot of audio but I usually don't go above 1.5, find I don't catch as many details or enjoy as much at higher speeds. Although for some books/narrators higher speed is necessary!

[Elena]

Wow! Wonderful, well done!
Btw I also listen to audiobooks on 2-2.25 speed. Earlier it was pretty hard for me to listen even on 1.5 speed (I believe it's because English is not my native language), but now 2.1-2.2 seems perfect even for my English :)

[HeatherH]

That is awesome that you were able to speed them up over time too! Now that I've adjusted to the faster speeds, normal 1x speed sounds exaggeratedly slow to me.

[Jo]

I have to read at regular speed, I find I miss details sometimes even just on normal speed, so too fast and I reckon I would miss too much!

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

You guys are incredible! Although I do agree that 1x speed is WAY too slow... even for me. Lol. It makes me impatient! 😂

[Jo]

Liliana wrote: "You guys are incredible! Although I do agree that 1x speed is WAY too slow... even for me. Lol. It makes me impatient! 😂"

I only started reading audiobooks properly last year, so I think I'm still just not used to it yet!

[HeatherH]

Jo wrote: "Liliana wrote: "You guys are incredible! Although I do agree that 1x speed is WAY too slow... even for me. Lol. It makes me impatient! 😂"

I only started reading audiobooks properly last year, so I..."

Likely! It took me a long time to even increase to 1.25. And if I am not doing something mindless like coloring or diamond painting or such while listening then I tend to zone out and miss stuff no matter the speed.

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

I think that's why I don't do audibooks very much, Heather: cause I feel like I might miss something. I listen to podcasts when I commute to/from work, and even then I sometimes miss something.

[Brittany]

Diamond painting??
I mostly clean while I listen or drive. Occasionally puzzles or things like that work for me too.

[HeatherH]

Brittany wrote: "Diamond painting??
I mostly clean while I listen or drive. Occasionally puzzles or things like that work for me too."

Yes! It's kind of like paint by numbers but the canvas comes with the full picture printed on it and covered in glue and there are colored drills that are sparkly like diamonds that you place on it by the coded colors! It's my fave thing to do while listening!

[Elena]

Wow diamond painting sounds really interesting!

Yeah, I totally understand you on listening to audiobooks while doing something not focus heavy (easy tasks). I also listen while cleaning/driving or refactoring code.

[Brittany]

That sounds super neat Heather. I'd never heard of it before

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

Oh I think I've seen ads for that on IG! It looks really cool!

[HeatherH]

I love doing them!

[HeatherH]

Finished which is 3/4 for that series - so close to another one done! I've managed to finish 4 audiobooks and 1 graphic novel this month already!

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

Nice job Heather! You're almost there! And awesome job with all the audiobooks! It's only the 5th of May!

[Brittany]

Wow Heather! That's impressive. What graphic novel did you read?
Also how was Houdini?

[HeatherH]

Brittany wrote: "Wow Heather! That's impressive. What graphic novel did you read?
Also how was Houdini?"

Graphic was the first Locke and Key and I adored it! I have a few others on my TBR for this month as well!

I am conflicted on Houdini. 4/5 stars for me, just really missed the (view spoiler)[flirty banter between Thomas and Audrey in this one (hide spoiler)]. However, I adored the magic and the setting!

[HeatherH]

June *tentative* Plan:
These will likely alter a bit with challenges

FB BR's:


Series to continue/finish:


Standalones:

[Teodora]

If We Were Villains, omg, a huge yes! I totally loved it!
I also most definitely should pick up Deathless Divide asap
Good luck, Heather!

[HeatherH]

Teodora wrote: "If We Were Villains, omg, a huge yes! I totally loved it!
I also most definitely should pick up Deathless Divide asap
Good luck, Heather!"

Those two are high on the list. Deathless Divide because if I keep delaying I'll have to reread book one lol, and Villians because my library hold is set to come up in the next couple of weeks!

[Teodora]

I can't wait to see what you think of If We Were Villains though!

[Elena]

What a great plan, hope you manage to read all the books.
I really want to read your thoughts on those book and series:

[HeatherH]

Black Witch will be a reread for me with the third finally being released in June! I loved it the first time I read it so I'm excited to see if I still enjoy it as much :)

Hotel at the Corner of Bitter & Sweet was suggested to me by my aunt. Not my normal genre or style of book but looking forward to finally being able to give her my opinion on it! It's got some good reviews from some of my GR friends so I'm hopeful!

[Brittany]

Second hand curses was amazing! I hope you love it!
FantasticLand sounds good let me know what its like

[Liliana, YA Paranormal Lover]

FantasticLand DOES sound really interesting! Happy reading! 😊

[Elena]

Thanks for sharing :) I'm going to add The Black Witch Chronicles to my TBR!

[HeatherH]

@Brittany and Liliana - I'll let you know about Fantastic land!!

@Jess, I hope you enjoy Black Witch!

[HeatherH]

Finished both and tonight. Aurora Burning broke me - I need book three now.

[Kayleigh {K-Books}, YA Fantasy Fan]

I have been dying to talk to someone about Aurora Burning. It broke me too!!!!! (view spoiler)[ I swear to god my Kal better be alive because I just can’t cope if they’ve killed him! I’m also so shipping Saedi and Ty! And Zila broke me when she was all like squad 312 it’s been a pleasure serving with you. I sobbed so hard! (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Yes! To all of that! (view spoiler)[ And every time Zila thought "I am not feeling nothing" I wanted to cry. And the scenes with Cat. And Finian and Scar holding hands at the end. Omgosh just all of it. I was a sobbing mess. (hide spoiler)]

[Kayleigh {K-Books}, YA Fantasy Fan]

OMG Yes!! (view spoiler)[ I am so not okay with all of it. Finian has been crushing on Scar so much and then they finally get to the point of holding hands and it's when they possibly could be about to die... like are any of them alive? I'm not sure I can survive the wait for book 3 haha (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "OMG Yes!! [spoilers removed]"

Truly one of the worst cliffhangers I can remember. I haven’t been this desperate for a book in a long time.

[HeatherH]

Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "OMG Yes!! [spoilers removed]"

Truly one of the worst cliffhangers I can remember. I haven’t been this desperate for a book in a long time.

[Kayleigh {K-Books}, YA Fantasy Fan]

I think I'll definitely be reading it again next year in preparation for the third book.

[HeatherH]

Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "I think I'll definitely be reading it again next year in preparation for the third book."

For sure. I’ll likely binge the first two close to release time.

[Brittany]

Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "I think I'll definitely be reading it again next year in preparation for the third book."

I'll join you then!

[Laura ☾]

Brittany wrote: "Kayleigh {K-Books} wrote: "I think I'll definitely be reading it again next year in preparation for the third book."

I'll join you then!"

I probably will too!

[HeatherH]

Sounds like a group reread/first read!

[Brittany]

Sure does!!

[Kayleigh {K-Books}, YA Fantasy Fan]

That sounds perfect to me!!