3rd Quarter Report Due

[Faye]

So, how many have you read so far? What's been the best to date? Is there anything we can do to improve the challenge experience?

[Kathleen]

I'm at 45, but am in the middle of Lonesome Dove, so it may be awhile before I can add another to my list. It is certainly among the best of the books I have read this year. Exit the Actress and Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour are a couple of other favorites for 2011.

[Susanna]

32 books so far. Head-to-desk is pretty much how I'm feeling at the moment. Though I am reading the epic The Stand (1300 pages) which I've been reading for the past two months. It's not that the book isn't engaging. It's mostly that I've had a lot on my mind lately with work and school, and I've also taken up a few new hobbies this fall (mostly fitness-related). So I haven't been reading much. Though I'm trying to finish The Stand by the end of the month, if only to get one book down for September.

[Wendy]

40, which is much better progress than I expected, though the past 2 months have been pretty hectic and reading time has suffered. I've been devouring the House of Night series, but I think the best book overall (balancing quality and entertainment value) that I've read this year is Water for Elephants.

[Lin]

48 full length, 5 rereads, and 8 shorts at the moment.

Lots of solid 3-4 star reads, but only 2 5 star books this quater - Demon Marked(which of course was always gonna be fantastic) and Double Cross(which really surprised me and just blew me away)

Currently reading which has potential to be brilliant

[[deleted user]]

I just finished book 50 yesterday! I changed my goal to 75 now.

[Mekerei]

Finished number 39 yesterday. Hoped that I would have been further, but Rugby World Cup fever has gripped NZ. I've got 48 games to watch, 26 watched, 22 to go!!!

[Emily]

I passed my original goal of 30 and am up to 33 at present - I've moved my goal to 50 for the year. I'm almost finished with both Paper Towns (on audiobook) and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler (a quick read, but I never read it when I was young). I'm also slowly working my way through A Prayer for Owen Meany (not because it's bad - I'm actually really enjoying it - it's just not something I can focus on for long periods of time, so I read a big chunk and then move on to a quicker book for a break).

[Faye]

Shardae wrote: "I just finished book 50 yesterday! I changed my goal to 75 now."

Congratulations, Shardae!

[Paula]

Faye wrote: "So, how many have you read so far? What's been the best to date? Is there anything we can do to improve the challenge experience?"

I've hit 40 books so far. I like reading the reviews about the books, rather than just the lists. I've gotten some ideas about what to read next from other people's 'reads'. Can't say what the best has been so far - I'd really have to sit and think, think, think.

[Morgan]

I have hit 45!

[[deleted user]]

I'm right at 40 right now, which is better than I thought I was ever going to do for the year. I still am in doubt that I will hit 50 this year, but I'm proud of my progress.

What I'm struggling with is choosing new books right after I've finished one. I've had some books on my shelf for a while (Crossing California), and I want to get to those but the new ones I've bought (A Game of Thrones) have been calling my name. I've had a bit of book ADD as a result.

[Chris]

Book ADD. I love it! That describes me perfectly. I"m reading five different books at the same time, but there's another just sitting there that I can't wait to pick up! I'm ay 46 so far. I thought making 50 this year was going to be a struggle, but now I'm thinking I might hit 60. One reason is that I also joined the Fall Seasonal Reading Challenge and that definitely has me trying to read even more than usual.

[michelle+8]

I just finished number 32 last night, which I feel is pretty good, considering that I didn't start the challenge until July. :)

What I have been enjoying most is not one book, but a sort of series -- the Doctor Who books put out by the BBC for the most recent three Doctors. I just finished my 8th book, and I'm about to start another! :)

[Ann A]

I'm presently at 79 books, so I'm going for 100! It's been an unusual year, however. Next year, I'll probably be back at my normal pace of 50-60 per year.

[Morgan]

Ann wrote: "I'm presently at 79 books, so I'm going for 100! It's been an unusual year, however. Next year, I'll probably be back at my normal pace of 50-60 per year."

good job! I now feel pretty pathetic with my 45!

[Ann A]

45 is great, Morgan! If it were any other year, I wouldn't have read 45 before October - I just happen to have had lots of time to read this year.

[Kristin]

I'm at 33, which was my total for last year. Favorite is still The Hangman's Daughter - Oliver Pötzsch.

[VWrulesChick]

Kristin wrote: "I'm at 33, which was my total for last year. Favorite is still The Hangman's Daughter - Oliver Pötzsch."

Just finished #31 - still trying to make some headway in my pile (only 19 more to go)

Funny, just finished the The Hangman's Daughter I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Donna]

Had a real slow down over the summer. Unusual for me.
SF/F: 3
Romance:
HR: 1
CR: 1
PNR: 3
Non-fiction: 2
Mystery: 4

Making this quarter's total 16.

[Kathy]

I am at 32 books. I am currently reading "Winterdance" by Gary Paulsen. This is his account of running the Iditarod. This is a genre that I would not normally read but I have liked his children's works. this one really sucks you into a world I knew nothing about.

[Mimi V]

i've finished 49 so far. i've read more classics and non-fiction than usual, which was my goal for this year. i'm almost finished with number 50, but i don't plan to change my goal. however many more books i read is just gravy -- i don't want to feel pressured to read, say, 25 more books this year. i'm pretty happy with what i've accomplished.

[Maphead]

At 56 right now. Trying to get to that magic number of 75, but if I make it, it's going to be close.
Been blogging about it too. Feel free to check out my blog....
http://maphead.wordpress.com/

[P.]

I'm doing ok, will probably make it to 50. I'm at 42 right now. Looking back at this point I am happy that I've mostly chosen some really good books this year. Never knew 'Cellist of Sarajevo' would be so good.

Currently reading sci-fi epic 'Dune' and Vonnegut's 'SH5'. Both were on my TBR list. Both are so far excellent!

[Ann A]

Zee wrote: "I'm doing ok, will probably make it to 50. I'm at 42 right now. Looking back at this point I am happy that I've mostly chosen some really good books this year. Never knew 'Cellist of Sarajevo' woul..."

I loved 'The Cellist of Sarajevo' - gave it 5 stars, which is rare for me.

[P.]

Same here. I avoided it like the plague because of the hype. Really glad I got over that and gave it a chance.

[Jonathan]

Ugh, I've been slacking far more on reading this year than I ever dreamed possible. I'm up to 65 right now, which is still better than I was doing in 2007 at this time (54), but further behind than I've been any year since then. Especially 2009. I'd rather be gradually increasing the number of books I get through per year.

[Jane(Janelba)]

Currently on book #97 for this year. Doing far better than expected due to two bouts of ill health and reading kept me sane !!
Most enjoyable book this year has to be The Cellist of Sarajevo

[P.]

Jane(Janelba) wrote: "Currently on book #97 for this year. Doing far better than expected due to two bouts of ill health and reading kept me sane !!
Most enjoyable book this year has to [book:The Cellist of Sarajevo|59..."

Great! Another convert! Well done Jane, you are doing a superb job. I'd be over the moon if I could get 60 books in this year.

[Jane(Janelba)]

Zee wrote: "Jane(Janelba) wrote: "Currently on book #97 for this year. Doing far better than expected due to two bouts of ill health and reading kept me sane !!
Most enjoyable book this year has to [book:The..."

Wonderful book Zee and as a Cellist it appealed to me probably even more and posed questions to myself about whether I could have done what he did in that situation.

[Kate]

I'm at 38. The number has become less important than the habit. I've finally embraced my love of books. They are my sanctuary. I read more non-fiction than expected this year and did not stumble upon many fabulous novels. I've have to say The Heart is A Lonely Hunter was this year's favorite discovery.