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Personal Challenges > Jen's Challenge

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message 51: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 37. Mudbound - Hillary Jordan (Audio) (10.21.11)


message 52: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 38. The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh (Nook) (10.31.11)


message 53: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 39. The Ballad of Frankie Silver - Sharyn McCrumb (audio) (11.05.11)


message 54: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 40. Such A Pretty Fat - Jen Lancaster (Nook) (11.16.11)

I don't think I'm going to make it to 75 books this year -- I'll be pretty lucky to make it to 50!


message 55: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
I know Jen. I've finally decided that I'm giving up too much of my free time to reading. So I'm taking a small breather on it for a while so I can get back to doing the other things I used to enjoy like baking, knitting, drawing, etc. :)
I think next year, I'm going to dial down the agressiveness of my personal challenge and make it maybe 30.


message 56: by Suzanne (new)

Suzanne | 767 comments I'm nowhere near my goal either. I started at 100 and then changed it to 75, and I'm still way behind. I should probably cut back too so I can focus on other things, especially writing.


message 57: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
Yes, writing is another thing that I'd like to take a(nother) stab at. Writing a book is something that's always been on my mind, but I've been too busy worrying about how many books I'm trying to read.


message 58: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) I agree...I've devoted a lot more time to running this year, which has cut down on my reading time a lot - but I'm okay with that. I fell on a run and ended up with a head injury back in September, and I thought I'd catch up on books while I was forced to take time off, but I found other things I love and books have taken a backseat.

I defintiely think I've gone for quality over quantity this year as far as books go, though. I've not read nearly as many books as I have in the past, but I've read much better ones. Several of the books this year are some of the best I've ever read, so I'm glad I finally took the time to read them even if I didn't read that many!


message 59: by Suzanne (new)

Suzanne | 767 comments Jen-That is a good point. I think I've gone for quality over quantity as well, and I'm ok with that. I've read so many great books this year. Like you said, some of the best I've ever read. I've added quite a few to my favorites list. Almost all the books were 4 or 5 stars. Plus, there were a few books that I just didn't really like so I stopped reading them and moved onto another book, rather than forcing myself to read it so I could try to reach my goal.

Are you back to running again? One of my other friends also fell on a run this year. She badly sprained her ankle and had to stop running for awhile too. I'll stick to the elliptical!


message 60: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
Jen B wrote: "I agree...I've devoted a lot more time to running this year, which has cut down on my reading time a lot - but I'm okay with that. I fell on a run and ended up with a head injury back in September,..."

I'm sorry to hear about your head injury Jen, that sucks! I hope you're ok!


message 61: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
Suzanne wrote: "Jen-That is a good point. I think I've gone for quality over quantity as well, and I'm ok with that. I've read so many great books this year. Like you said, some of the best I've ever read. I've ad..."

Suzanne - I do that all the time. If I can't get into it in the first 20 pages or so, I move on. There are too many other books out there that I want to read.


message 62: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) I've definitely given up on several this year -- not worth the time!

I'm slowly getting back to running, but it's been rough. I had a concussion, so I was having dizzy spells and couldn't run at all for a month. Then once I was feeling better I decided I'd go ahead and run the half-marathon I'd been training for...bad idea, because the distance was too much after not running for a month and I hurt my knee. So now I'm dealing with a knee injury. I'm trying to be patient and run just once a week, so I do things like spinning, yoga, and weights to give my knee a break...but I'm bummed about not being able to do what I really want to. My husband says it's because I'm getting old, but it's not like I'm THAT old!! :)


message 63: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
Oh wow Jen, that really sucks! I hope you can get back to running soon!


message 64: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 41. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen (audio) (11.18.11)

Speaking of books that have been added to my Favorites list this year...here's another one. I so loved this story! The audio narration took awhile for me to get into, but by the end I was enjoying the narrators. This is definitely one I'll pick up again sometime. Worth the read if you haven't read it!


message 65: by Kourtney (new)

Kourtney (readthateventually) | 1215 comments I've always heard such great things about this book. I have it on my challenge and I am hoping to read it soon!


message 66: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
Jen B wrote: "41. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen (audio) (11.18.11)

Speaking of books that have been added to my Favorites list this year...here's another one. I so loved this story! The audio narration too..."


I had this book at one time and got rid of it because I never thought I'd get to it. It's probably going to be one of those, "Why did I wait so long to read it" type of books. :)


message 67: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) Yes, Stacy, it definitely is! It was on my TBR list for 3 years before I got around to it, but I loved it so much I was sitting in the carpool lane at my son's school listening to the end of it and bawling my eyes out. Any book that makes me cry in public is a good one! :)


message 68: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
LOL, I'll have to see if I can find it on audio. :)


message 69: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 42. An Offer You Can't Refuse - Jill Mansell (own) (11.27.11)


message 70: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
How was that Jen? I have a few of hers, but haven't read any yet. Is she comparable to any of our other favorite UK chic lit authors?


message 71: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) Stacy wrote: "How was that Jen? I have a few of hers, but haven't read any yet. Is she comparable to any of our other favorite UK chic lit authors?"

I enjoyed it, but it's nothing earth-shattering...I knew exactly where it was going from the first chapter, so it was kind of a nice light read for the Thanksgiving weekend when we had so much going on. I'll read the others I have by the author (I have two for my Nook -- one was a Free Fridays book, and the other was only 99 cents), but I don't know that I'd seek out any others by her.


message 72: by Stacy (new)

Stacy (stacymarie913) | 5567 comments Mod
Yeah, I think that's what all mine are from. Either Free Fridays or super cheap Nook. :)


message 73: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 43. Everything is Illuminated - Jonathan Safran Foer (audio) (12.03.11)


message 74: by Jen B (last edited Dec 30, 2011 11:30AM) (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 44. The House at Riverton - Kate Morton (audio) (12.22.11) (500+ Pages - #6)


message 75: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) 45. Tender at the Bone - Ruth Reichl (Nook) (12.29.11)


message 76: by Jen B (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) I think that's it for me for the year. I started another one last night, but I don't think I'll finish it before Sunday. So, my grand total:

45 Books Read
6 "chunkster" books (500+ pages)
5 of the books on my on hold/abandoned list

I did, however, manage to not aquire new books. In fact, I dumped my shelves and sold a bunch of them.

Better luck with the books next year!


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