Ann's 2023 Determination Plus2 Challenge

[Ann]

Option #1 - 2023 Pick any Ten Determination Challenge
8/10

✔️1. READ Starter Villain by John Scalzi audio, audible. A fun book.

✔️2. READ Miami Blues by Charles Willeford audio, audible, in the plus catalog - first book in the Hoke Moseley series. Quite old-school hard-boiled.

✔️3. READ The Last Colony by John Scalzi audio, audible. Sci Fi, favorite author, moving through the series 'Old Man's War' this is book three.

✔️4. READ System Collapse by Martha Wells audio, audible. Sci Fi, another favorite author, Murderbot!

✔️5. READ Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros audio, audible. Apparently this is romantacy or YA fantasy / romance. 20 hours on audio, and it kept me going with cliff hanger chapters.

✔️6. READ Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi another audible audio - this one is a retelling of The Last Colony from a different character's POV. Some didn't seem to like the teen girl perspective - I thought it really added a lot of depth and was well narrated.

✔️7. READ Lighthouse Burning by Jordan Farmer audible audio accompanying a Kindle Unlimited book. dystopian, paranormal and a bit violent

✔️8. READ The Human Division by John Scalzi finished Dec 30, 2023 audible audio I am glad I pushed to get to a few of my audible backlog - though the Scalzi books were so good, it was easy to keep listening.

9.
10

[Ann]

After closing out my first 2023 Determination challenge of 23 books I am starting another ten-book challenge - targeting my audible audiobook backlog. Let's see how this will go with just over three months left in the year.

[Donnajo]

Yay I’m glad you decided to give doing a second top 10 a try at least it motivates you to get them done.

[Ann]

I finally squeezed in one of my audible audios. Starter Villain by John Scalzi. It was an enjoyable quick listen. Most of the audible backlog I am most interested in are quite long so this will be a challenge to try to complete.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Good for you, Ann. I am still working on my original list. Won't complete it but am doing pretty well. By August I had already read more books than all of 2023.

[Donnajo]

Good for you Ann,
Carol at least you are getting motivated to get more done from last year.

[Ann]

Added two, I might get half and will be ok with that from audible audiobooks.

[Donnajo]

You can do it.

[Ann]

added #4 Murderbot! and just saw that Apple TV+ will add a Murderbot series starring Alexander Skarsgard!

[Donnajo]

WTG Ann.

[Ann]

I'm not going to complain about 5 of 10 is this is all I get to, who knows. Of course, this audible "backlog" was just purchased... I had to read after the mentions by Sherry and others. I do have the ~~28 hour ~~ long audio / next book that will probably make the 2024 determination list.

[Donnajo]

At least you try and in 2024 if we get this far we try for more. Lol.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Glad to see you enjoyed Fourth Wing! And good job on your DL Challenge #2!

[Ann]

Thanks Carol! I am very glad I read Fourth Wing. The length almost deterred me but the comments here and recommendations from you and Sherry were the nudge I needed.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Glad to see you enjoyed Fourth Wing! And good job on your DL Challenge #2!"

[Donnajo]

I’m hoping to read that maybe next year I’ve read two or three of her other books and have loved them. I know Fourth wing is different but I’ve heard so many good reviews on it.

[Ann]

Number six was a good one, book four in John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. This may be the end of my accomplishments toward this challenge, though I am starting book five now. I'll be fine with it falling in 2024, who knows.

[Ann]

I am at seven and will likely finish #8 by the weekend. It will be another John Scalzi making four of his books for this second challenge.

[Ann]

I went back and added my last audible audio to the tally - putting me at 8 of the 10. Not too bad. on to the 2024 challenge.

[GailW]

Not too bad at all. I've made it a goal for 2024 that I am going after quality and not quantity. So if that means not finishing a challenge, so be it!

[Donnajo]

That’s good.

[Carol/Bonadie]

I've joined the GR challenge and upped this year's 62 or 65 reads, I forget which, to 70. I too am going to be more selective, even if I miss a Group Read because I'm not in the mood for another thriller.

[Ann]

Gail, I am on board for quality over quantity in 2024. Those really good and meaty long books I may have put off reading before hopefully will rise closer to the top of my piles this year.

Gail W wrote: "Not too bad at all. I've made it a goal for 2024 that I am going after quality and not quantity. So if that means not finishing a challenge, so be it!"

[Ann]

Carol, I've found myself enjoying sci fi and fantasy much more lately myself. I am curious, was it a specific book that burned you out on reading thrillers?

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I too am going to be more selective, even if I miss a Group Read because I'm not in the mood for another thriller..."

[Carol/Bonadie]

Ann wrote: "Carol, I've found myself enjoying sci fi and fantasy much more lately myself. I am curious, was it a specific book that burned you out on reading thrillers?

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I too am going to..."

I don't think so Ann. I first stopped reading Harlan Coben's standalones because I hated living through the peril the MC was going through. I stayed away from some of the thriller series but whenever we read one as a group read I'd roll with it. I really prefer my danger more at a distance, so I feel like I want to get back to police procedurals. But then one comes along and sounds really good..... lol