Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers discussion
2012 READING CHALLENGE
I have a unique system of tracking the books I have read and picking the books that I plan to read next. I would say that I have read approx 75-90 books in 2011. Which is such a surprise to me due to the fact that I returned to full time employment in July of this year!
As for my goal for 2012, I think I would like to strive to reading at least a book a week.
As for my goal for 2012, I think I would like to strive to reading at least a book a week.
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It's really quite simple, nerdish maybe. I keep a composition book, you know one of those black and white ones (LOL), I go to Amazon's website and see what books are out new in the last 30-90 days.
I write down all the books by author that I am interested in. Then I go to my local library's website and request maybe 10-15 at a time to be delivered to the location nearest my home. They call me as they are ready for pickup. I preview all the books, read the back, read the last few pages to see if it has an ending I am interested in, and then put them in order of author and publication date. The ones I am not interested in I go ahead and return. I highlight all the ones that I request in one color and all the ones that I actually read in another color....and also note the date that I request them.
I do this about every other month. The ladies at the library get a kick out of it, plus they allow me extra time to return them as long as I call them when they are due to let them know that I still have them and are working on reading them.
Oh, I also keep reminder on my cellphone calendar that tells me when to call the library!!! LOL
I warned yall, its unique, and nerdy!
I write down all the books by author that I am interested in. Then I go to my local library's website and request maybe 10-15 at a time to be delivered to the location nearest my home. They call me as they are ready for pickup. I preview all the books, read the back, read the last few pages to see if it has an ending I am interested in, and then put them in order of author and publication date. The ones I am not interested in I go ahead and return. I highlight all the ones that I request in one color and all the ones that I actually read in another color....and also note the date that I request them.
I do this about every other month. The ladies at the library get a kick out of it, plus they allow me extra time to return them as long as I call them when they are due to let them know that I still have them and are working on reading them.
Oh, I also keep reminder on my cellphone calendar that tells me when to call the library!!! LOL
I warned yall, its unique, and nerdy!
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Mine system is much less complicated! I have many shelves of older or OOP books that I try to peruse regularly and any new releases I have started buying for my Kindle. My choice on those is often based on which great titles are on sale. (I always read my friends' Goodreads reviews before a purchase.) I still can't bring myself to spend over $10 on an e-book. It's just a psychological thing! I also have a gazillion of the free classics on my Kindle. I really want to tackle Anthony Trollope this year. I've been wanting to read some of his work.
Emery - I have a Nook and I too have a TON of free classics. One day I will read them. Maybe I should make it part of my challenge to read some classics this year... you may have inspired me. The trouble is all the pretty new books distract me from the classics.I also have a probably spending over $10 on an ebook. It has to be really great for me to do so, or my favorite author.
The cost issue is what made me develop my system. I usually run about 6 months behind on the newest books which gives the library time to acquire them. I get to read for free.
Also, our library has an ebook section now.
Also, our library has an ebook section now.
Dori, your system is awesome. We do have an ebook section at our library too, I always shop there before I buy a book. Rather than your notebook, I just have my books in my wish list at B&N and on the library, then I just add what I'm interested in that week. I'm also added to my "to Read" using goodreads. Not as organized as I'd like, as I have three or four lists.
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For the last three years I have challenged myself to read 7 classics. I was just shy in 2009 (I was halfway through Gone With The Wind, my 7th), completed it in 2010 and 2011 is still up in the air :-) I am not sure if I will continue that challenge in 2012 or try something new.
Shea - did it take you three years to read 7 or did you read 7 per year? I am just wondering. Trying to set my own goal and wondering what would be attainable.
I set my goal to read 50 book this year......not sure I'll make that. It just takes me too long to read each individual book between work and all the needlework I do. I think I'll set my goal for 50 books again for 2012. Was also thinking of trying to read 20,000 pages (20,000 pages under my eyes or something like that). Current page count for this year in around 16,000 and I'm still reading, but I don't think I'll hit the 20,000 mark this year, just too much to do yet!I also keep a notebook of books I want to read and use a "check mark system" that works for me. I use black to enter the book into my notebook, red to check when I've ordered the book (whether that be for purchase or library), green when I've got the book in hand and then cross it out after I've read it. I work in a library processing books into the system and you do NOT want to know how many times I've processed a book in and brought it home that day! Sure doesn't help me whittle down my TBR bookshelves though. :)
This year I aimed for 100 books and it looks like I will be completing it. I need 11 more at the moment. Last year I aimed for 100 and I was 2 books short. lol. I hope to not repeat that.I've been thinking about next year and I think I may go with a lower number so that I can focus on more quality books. Maybe 85 since I know I can accomplish 75 too easily. I found that with a 100 I reach for shorter books at the end of the month just to complete my monthly goal, so I wouldn't fall behind.
Another group I'm in does a 4 month challenge with a top 10 list. You pick 10 tasks you want to complete along with the corresponding books and you lock those in for the rest of the challenge. When I did the challenge this year I picked all the books I owned and so far I've read 6 of them. It really is motivating because I know I wouldn't have read them on my own in favor of picking newer books. I'm going to continue on with the challenge for next year.
In addition, the same group is planning on taking advantage of GR's new group challenge feature. So we will have mini challenges every other month and again I hope to pick some of the books I own for them.
I'm with you in that I always picking newer books. I have a stack of "unreads" at home but yet I buy new ones. That would be a good challenge... to read the stack of "unreads" I have in my house.
Amber wrote: "Shea - did it take you three years to read 7 or did you read 7 per year? I am just wondering. Trying to set my own goal and wondering what would be attainable."Amber, I have been reading 7 classics per year.
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Amber, I have been ..."
That's a great goal! I think I'll try to do something similar. It might not be 7 as these tend to be long books but maybe 5 this year.
I will be failing my goal this year I think- to read a book by authors of the alphabet. I did complete most letters, but found I was reading lots and lots in some and having to force myself to read a book in others. I decided my reading enjoyment and time are too precious to waste it reading books I don't want to read at the expense of so many I have on my TBR list or shelf or hear about on this site.
Bonnie wrote: "I will be failing my goal this year I think- to read a book by authors of the alphabet. I did complete most letters, but found I was reading lots and lots in some and having to force myself to read..."Bonnie - I love the idea of your challenge. Remember, it's never a failure if you gave it a shot. At least you tried different authors and found some you liked and discovered some you didn't. That is a goal achieved in my book. So pat yourself on the back.
Amber wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I will be failing my goal this year I think- to read a book by authors of the alphabet. I did complete most letters, but found I was reading lots and lots in some and having to force..."thanks Amber. I did try some new authors and even expanded my genre reading- or went back to some older favorites anyway.
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I use much the same system as Dori but I still buy a great many from junk shops, thrift stores, garage sales and online. Occasionally I'll venture into Barnes & Noble but usually find it too much of a temptation!
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I am wondering if you are going to issue another challenge for 2012, Emery
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Gaile wrote: "I am working on grouping your 2011 challenge now but I am not sure how to migrate that shelf on here!"I don't think you can Gaile. You can create a bookshelf in the group to call your own, but would manually have to add the books on there. I don't think the group bookshelves and member bookshelves mesh in the way you want them too.
Emery, not sure you are aware of this as is mentioned in the Feedback group and no where else that I am aware of...but there is a new challenge feature for groups. You create a challenge for the group- it would have to be one task (e.g. Read x number of Medieval books from the group's shelf). Members who participate will have a bookshelf created for them that will coincide with the group shelf. Anyone who is a member here can see what other members have read and those who are looking at member profiles can see what books that member read for the challenge. Not sure if I'm explaining the whole thing clearly, but I can direct you to the thread in Feedback if you're interested.
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I don't think you can Gaile. You can create a bookshelf in the group to call ..."
Yes Jackie! That would be wonderful for us!
Here's the link to the Feedback group explaining how it works: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...Not sure if they got all the kinks out, but for the most part when I tested it in other groups it worked rather well.
Maybe for here you can do monthly themed challenges? For example, for January challenge members to read 5 books from the exotic-locale shelf or from January to February read 10 author member books, etc. That type of small challenge would probably be easier for members to manage.
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Not sure if they got all the kinks out, but for..."
Thanks Jackie! You are a gem!
You're welcome :)
Emery wrote: "As 2011 winds down, I am pleased to know that I have nearly completed my reading goal of 75 books this year (I only have 4 more to go!) This was a pretty comfortable goal for me only because I chea..."How wonderful. I have read around 400 but alas,I have slowed down due to life.
Congrats on meeting your goals..
AprilR
Bonnie wrote: "Amber wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "I will be failing my goal this year I think- to read a book by authors of the alphabet. I did complete most letters, but found I was reading lots and lots in some and h..."I am actually going to make it after all. I found an X author (Xu)
Is this group doing a 2012 Challenge? Do I would love to sign up,I can usually read at least 100 book challenge. I adore historicals,but also read a variety of genre.....I read a lot of debut authors also....MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERONE!!
I think the challenge this year is to read 10 books from the different category shelves. It's the top post on the group page. I hope I did it right. I chose books and put them in a new shelf, but they are also my tbr books (most already were) too.Bonnie
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Thanks Bonnie, that's great!
I would love to join in. Thanks. I enjoy all of the books on this shelf.AprilR
For the challenge it says books on the group bookshelf will count, but what if a book comes out during that year that applies to our group...can we add those in? For example, I want to read Empress of the Seven Hills, which comes out April 2012 and I know it will probably be a good nom for this group.
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Hi Jackie! As long as someone in the group has read and nominated it, it will count for the challenge.
Gaile wrote: "My 2012 goal is to re-read Georgette Heyer's regencies which I enjoyed very much back in the seventies. I will read them alternately with books from my never ending TBR list.I am wondering if you ..."
HI, I love Georgette Heyer novels and have several of them. If you decide to read any and would like to do a buddy read, I would be happy to join in. Or we could make it some kind of challenge.
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I am won..."
I ordered all of her regencies except The Great Roxhyde which is expensive. I plan to start with the ones published first. To do this, we have to read the same one at the same time. If you're not on my friendship list ask me, I will approve and we can keep posted! Is that all right?
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I checked out on of my challenge folder books and started reading it- and realized I already had years and years ago. I don't really want to re-read a book for the challenge, so am going to change my #3 (16th century) book. I hope that's not breaking any rules we had at the beginning.
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Bonnie - you are fine to change a book at any time.
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Maggi wrote: "There's a yahoo group for fans of Heyer's novels http://groups.yahoo.com/group/almacks/"
I tried joining but decided to leave that group as I got too much junk mail that I wasn't interested in.
I just joined the challenge. Thanks everyone for all your tips on setting up the specific bookshelf. I wasn't sure how it worked.I managed to reach by 2011 goal of 80 books and have the same overall challenge for 2012...so will have to plan my 10 books to meet the criteria for this challenge. :-)
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I managed to reach by 2011 goal of 80 books and have the same ov..."
Great! So glad you are participating!
Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers
Books mentioned in this topic
When Christ and His Saints Slept (other topics)The Looking Glass (other topics)
The Greatest Knight (other topics)
Angelique (other topics)
The Heretic Queen (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)Joanna Bourne (other topics)
What are your reading goals for 2012?