I know reading challenges aren't for everyone and I am doing less of them each year. Yet for me...
- they do push me to read books I have sitting on the shelf or
- to read books that otherwise I might never read.
So for me reading challenges still have some purpose. This year I didn't complete some, I turned off the "must complete" button and that was liberating. While I didn't complete some the journey was still worth it.
Challenges I Completed.
Read the Books You Buy This one helped me focus on what I was buying and what I was leaving on the shelf unread. It has made me more aware. I won't be hosting this challenge in 2018, but I still plan to keep tabs on what I am buying and what I am reading.Full House Reading Challenge This is the other reading challenge that I hosted in 2017. This one led me to go back and reread Anne of Green Gables and a middle grade book I had been wanting to read for awhile - Soon by Morris Gleitzman. So definitely a win.
Better World Reading Challenge. I took this on into the year, I wasn't certain whether I'd finish but with a little "managing" by reading a few shorter books I made it. And I also cross used some books from other challenges.
- A Book Translated. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend Katarina Bivald
- More Than 400 pages The Lake House Kate Morton
- A Food Memoir Dinner With Edward. Isabel Vincent
- A Collection of Short Stories Artefacts. Rebecca Burns
- A book with colour in the title. True Blue Luanne Rice
- A book that's more than 100 years old. Anne of Green Gables. L. M. Montgomery
- A book you pick based on cover. The Book of Summer Michelle Gable
- Set in a place like to visit. The Cafe by the Sea Jenny Colgan - islands Nth Scotland
- Based on a fairy tale. Scarlet Marissa Meyer
- A National Book Award winner The Round House Louise Erdrich
- Takes place in a forest. In a Dark, Dark Wood. Ruth Ware
- A romance that takes place during travel. Family Baggage Monica McInerney
- A book under 200 pages Bridges: A Daphne White Novel. Maria Murname 194 pages
- A banned book A Light in the Attic Shel Silverstein
- A non-fiction book about nature Life-Size Guide to NZ Native Ferns
- A fantasy novel. Foxmask Juliet Marillier
- A book by a person of color. Bring on the Blessings Beverly Jenkins
- A book by a female writer. Small Great Things Jodi Picoult
- A book of poetry. Dream Work Mary Oliver
- A book set in Asia Dragon Springs Rd. Jamie Chang
- A book about immigrants Bridge of Scarlet Leaves Kristina McMorris
- A book about an historical event. Goodnight From London Jennifer Robson (WW2)
- A book with a child narrator Soon Morris Gleitzman
- A book translated from another language The Little Breton Bistro. Nina George
- A book that has been adapted into a movie A Man Called Ove Fredrik Backman
The ones I never would have read with out this challenge are Dinner With Edward, The Round House, In a Dark, Dark Wood, Dream Work, New Zealand Native Ferns and Dragon Spring Road. All of those books were definitely worth reading and broadened out my reading diet.
The Reading Assignment Challenge This one was to read twelve books off my actual in my hand or on my Kindle TBR shelf. It meant reading one book a month and I had to list the books beforehand with one opportunity to change mid way through the year. I completed it and that's 12 books read off my shelf. Excellent!
Challenges I Didn't Quite Make it to the Goal
Challenges I Shouldn't Have Taken On.
Shelf Love Challenge Well I did read 8 of the 12 I set so almost a win. It was about reading those dusty books off the TBR. I think one TBR challenge was enough so I shouldn't have taken this one on.
Bookish Resolutions I made too many goals and lost interest by the end of March. Definitely one I should have left off the list.
Challenges I'll Take Part in Next Year.
I'll be writing up posts for these soon, just ignore them, they are link up posts or where I'll keep a record of what I read. I am going a little differently this year. A mixture of old and new.
- Full House Reading Challenge 2018
- Audiobook Challenge
- A library challenge
- Anne Bogel's Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Challenge 2018
- Emilie Richard's Reading Challenge - which is still being finalised I think.
You might not be joining a challenge but is there a path you'd like to see your reading going in 2018?
Choice is our gift and aren't we fortunate we have it. Yes and some things just need to be left behind.
ReplyDeleteI like the challenges that you chose! They are relevant and practical. I need to challenge myself to a challenge!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your completes and near completes Kathryn and I totally understand the challenge of challenges. For me as you know most of my reviews don't belong to me so I'm not even able to mention them for sometimes three months after I write them and when I do mention them I have to say courtesy of which ever publication I've reviewed it for. I do manage to read maybe 30 books a year on my own and I do listen to quite a few books while Pippa and I are out on our morning walks and I did sign up for the 2018 LIbrary Love Challenge because I do run an in-person book club and volunteer at my library. Happy New Year Kathryn!!
ReplyDeleteI like challenges for the same reason as you -- to push me to read books I'd otherwise pass by and to encourage me to read books already on my shelf. Sometimes both at once. As long as I don't get mad at myself for not finishing a list I think it's a good habit.
ReplyDeleteYour challenges seem well chosen to enhance your reading, not your stress levels. Have fun!
A few years ago, I joined some challenges that did lead me to pick up books I might not have otherwise read. For example, an Eclectic Reading Challenge had me trying Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, etc. It was fun to do it once...but it did not end up with me loving those genres. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI may not join any challenges this year, although I will continue to try to read more of the books I buy.
Enjoy whatever you do!
Challenges help you stay on track, but they can put pressure on you. That's great you turned off the "must complete" button. At least you tried to complete them and you did complete a few. I also like the ones you picked for 2018. I'm happy to see you doing the Library Love Challenge. It's fun, saves money, and gets you to grab those books you want to read from the library first. ^_^
ReplyDeleteHave fun and good luck!!
It looks like you were involved in a lot of interesting challenges. Pod Cast seem to becoming more popular. I will check some out in 2018. Happy New Year Kathryn!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat and a Happy New Year to you too.
DeleteCongrats, Kathryn. I think you did an impressive job with your challenges!
ReplyDeleteChallenges certainly enlarged my genre reading. When it became stressful to find books to fit into challenges, I gave them up. In 2018, I would like to read more male authors.
ReplyDeleteI've given up on reading challenges because my follow through is terrible but seeing a few of the books you read simply because of those challenges has me reconsidering. I'm super curious about Emilie Richards' book challenge and I may try harder on Anne Bogel's this time around but stick mostly to challenges that don't require linking up because I'm the worst at that!
ReplyDeleteI fell off on many of my challenges, too. I am trying again next year with hopefully better results.
ReplyDeleteI agree that making good progress even if you don't complete a challenge is a win. :-) I will probably continue the ones I have been doing with a twist to include books I buy as otherwise I tend to keep them on the shelf for the next year TBR. ha ha.
ReplyDeleteHappy Challenges this year!
I'm impressed with the number that you take on! I set a Goodreads goal, and am trying to read more each month than I take in, but that is about as far as I get. Having said that, I love seeing other's progress, so keep it up!
ReplyDelete