I started this challenge all organized with goals and challenges and totals of how many TBR vs. new books I’ve read and acquired. Then life happened and all that went out of the window. Now I’m lucky to read and post a short review. This is what my goals looked like at the beginning of the year:
- Category Counter: Harlequin 47 ~~~ Other 27
- Book Counter: 74/150
- Book Goal: I read 127 books last year and I am challenging myself to read at least 150 books in 2008.
I am doing pretty good with this though I may not make 150 this year. I hope to at least top what I did last year. While I am thinking about numbers. I have read all the different posts on bringing up the numbers, encouraging people to join, people feeling discourage when seeing others numbers, etc…. My thought on the subject: I read for the pleasure, for escape. I get flack for my love of romance novels at times, but with everything going on in my life when I pick up a book I want to escape. I said that to say we all read for our own reasons at our own pace. For me, the challenge is a fun extension of my reading. I am able to share something I love with people who understand without judging my reading taste mainly because theirs reflects mine. I hope that everyone who has a desire to participate will join. If you read 1 book a month or 50, don’t worry about the numbers. Each one will count towards the final total. Your one book may be the one that pushes us over the top.
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Books reviews: I am striving to keep up with my reviews this year. My plan is to work on reviews on the weekend and post on Mondays.
This is not happening, but I try to at least post the books I read within the month with a rating for the monthly counter.
- Reduce My TBR Boxes: In the spirit of Ellen's call for action. Reading more from my TBR boxes and shelves. These are books I already have - not books on my must read list or wish list.
(I am still trying to reduce my TBR box, but there are some many great releases lately many of the books I have read are new.)
- Books Newly Acquired vs. Read: Newly acquired books include books ordered from eHarlequin (including free books), bought in retail stores, and books acquired through trading at my local used book store * (added a borrowed category for books either borrowed from friends or the library). I will strive to read more than I buy - coming from Cady’s personal challenge. This will also help reduce my TBR collection.
This chart is so far behind I don’t think I could figure it out if I tried. I have bought too many books and it would be too much trouble to figure out when and where.
- Outgoing Books: Due to space, I am striving to trade books this year. I will also try to donate and give away some books. I am a pack rat and book hoarder. I have some authors that are automatically keepers, but other than that I will try to get rid of some of my older books this year as well as trade the newer books that are not keepers. (This section will also include books returned to coincide with the new borrowed category)
I need to make a trip to the used book store to trade my non-keepers before they are too old. I really need to make an effort to give some away or at least pack them away. My daughter has one more year of HS and her room is going to become my library. LOL!!
- Ordering: I am going to try this again this year. I strive to order every other month from eHarlequin. Maybe even buy books every other month. If I can do this it will help me achieve my goal of reading more than I buy and reducing my TBR collection.
Every other month just doesn’t work with me. There are too many books out there. I’ve pretty much stuck to once a month until this month. I received an extra bonus after my first order and couldn’t pass up a second order. Especially when I have read some great reviews on books I considered during my first order, but didn’t buy. Books and books and more books!!! What’s a girl to do?!!
What’s going on in my reading life?
Today I started my 75th book. Wayne Jordan’s Always a Knight. I had my mind on something else until I read Wayne J.s Snippet in Samantha’s Snippetathon! thread. He lured me in with those locks. I love a man with a locs (nothing is sexier except maybe one with a bald head
) and since I have been waiting to read this one anyway, it went straight to the top of the pile when my box arrived. There are some other great ones in that long awaited box that I can’t wait to read – Her Lover's Legacy by Adrianne Byrd the first book of the The Braddocks: Secret Son series, The Sweetest Temptation by Rochelle Alers (I have the first book and I think I’m going to wait and read them together. The third book comes out next month.), Matthew's Children by C.J. Carmichael caught my eye and I ordered it, saw it was part of a series Three Good Men, found the first book at my local library. I enjoy the Superromance line and I love series so I hope this is good.
What’s going with me?
My daughter has been at Governor School for the past 5 weeks minus a mid session break during the 4th of July. She is due back on the 26th and she has a consultation for surgery. After that I think we will be on the road the complete recovery. The infection she had (which is all clear now) corroded the disk so she needs a bone transfusion – I think that’s what he called it. He will basically fuse the two bones together.
Otherwise life is good for me. My love of reading and hobby of net surfing has come together and landed me the position of curator for Kimani Press with eHQ. I was overjoyed for the opportunity and was thrilled that my days of playing on eHarlequin, Myspace, Shelfari and other online communities served as a lead to the opportunity for a dream part-time job!! What could be better?! I don’t have to leave my house; I get to work with some of my favorite authors and get to know others. With the rapidly rising price of gas an online job is perfect!! The only drawback in my reading time has been lowered.
Since this is getting way longer than I intended I will come back later and post my Harlequin moment (one moment would be my opportunity to serve as curator) and answer the question host Wayne has asked all over the board: Why I love… – fill in the blank with your favorite HQ line.
See what I read last year - Star's Reading Lounge
http://www.myspace.com/kimanipress
http://www.myspace.com/kimani_tru
all these totals too
when I started out I had all these ideas of breaking things down too but they didn't seem to continue. The first that went was the breakdown of the lines(from harlequin) and the number of books from each line. Then went the ratio of bought or acquired books to read books. First, it was too depressing but I did figure out that I was getting over double the amount of books as I was reading, so I know how my TBR pile grew. Second I got confused. I was counting every book I got, whether it was a Spice Brief to a full length novel. so I may have counted getting those 5 Spice briefs as 5 but readingwise they counted as 1. As to the TBR/new book ratio I am strving for 50% and doing good there. Ordering- Harlequin and their deals are not helping in that regard. I was going to try and read more books than last year but don't see that happening. One challenge I've made to myself is to broaden the reading wings. I feel there I am making strides. I bought a paranormal/scifi/futuristic book and have some gay erotic romances
Christa ~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Challenge Blog
My Shelfari Page
I have been around since April
and my TBR pile has grown by leaps and bounds. Also there are lots more I read about that I resist buying as I have to have something to look for in the used book store. I just paid for three orders and it was around $111.00. Snippetathon did me in. I set out to read 100 books but hope to do a bit better as I have reviewed 57 so far.
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Your comments
are all similar to mine and then I got to the one about dd I started laughing out loud. When my son moved out I made his room my extra book room. He made some rude comments but I told him there was still a bed if he needed it. He just didn't need all the wall space anymore. Loved reading your post Star, good luck on your personal challenge. I'm buying a bit too many on my end. More people on here reading good books it's bound to happen and I'm reading as fast and as many as I can.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
My tbr pile has grown and I
My tbr pile has grown and I just ordered six books over the last couple of days. I am going to try and just read from my tbr pile, hopefully I can stick to it. This is my first year and my goal is 100 books. I am at 91 books right now and I am reading some authors that I've never read before.
Tiffany
BJBC
My Shelfari Page
I have been pretty good this year.
The one goal I keep missing is spending less time here, but other than that, I've been really good about not buying so many books. I made a list of all the authors that I need to consider and each month, I check to see if they have something out. I've only ordered about every other month. I do forget to count my eBook purchases. It's so easy to forget them, since they sit on dh's PDA. And I never intended to count my audiobook purchases, since they don't contribute to the TBR. They get listened to . . . and I get chores done while listening.
I figure that if you all are still recommending a book two years from now (that you read in 2008) when my TBR is mostly gone, then it will be a book worth hunting down. I know that I'm missing out on lots of good books, but since my time is limited, well, I should make sure the books that I do read are really enjoyable.
Oh, that might be another goal I need to do better on. I said at the start of the year that if a book wasn't doing it for me by the 3rd or 4th chapter that I needed to give it away and move on to the next book in the TBR. I allow myself the exception of continuity/series books, though, b/c you usually need to read all of them. I haven't been as good at putting books down as I should be if I want to get through my TBR.
So, need to work on not being here and putting books that aren't working for me down. And in a couple of years, y'all can help me build my TBR back up LOL.
Penn
PS Star, have you blogged about your new job and I just missed it? I'd really like to know what you'll be doing and where to find you!
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Christa – I couldn’t
Christa – I couldn’t imagine trying to keep up with the individual lines. I do try to read other genres outside – most still have the romance element to it. I try to read some non fiction throughout the year. I am actually due for a non-fiction. Nothing has caught my eye so I guess I need to actively seek something out.
Kaelee – Yes, this challenge will do that to you. I have a bigger TBR pile/box and a much bigger TBB list. You said you have 57 reviews. If you are like me, that does not reflect your number read. I have 61 reviewed and 74 ½ read. That Snippetathon thread is addictive.
Deckc3 – That’s my daughter’s concern. I told her she will always have a place to sleep. If they can make plans to leave the house, why can’t we make plans for their rooms? She’s trying to go to Savannah or Chicago. Neither is close to home so she won’t be home much. eHQ and their specials always get me end. The convenience of online shopping, prices better than the stores and free shipping – how can we resist?
Tiffany – Sounds like you surpass your goal. My goal last year was 100 books set by the challenge. It was the first time I actively counted the books I read. It made submitting my end of the year book list to my book club I belong to here in my hometown.
Penn – I am thinking about getting a reader. It will help with the clutter of books everywhere. I love curling up and reading in my bed. Don’t know if I would like a reader. I tried audio books and if the reader is wrong I can’t get into it.
I have had books that I couldn’t read from some reason. I think my mind has to be in a certain book to read certain books. I have put a book down and come back to it and actually enjoyed it.
I haven’t blogged anything separately. Just the mention here. The curators maintain the social networks. My area is Kimani Press. The Myspace links are in my siggy. Then there is Shelfari and coming soon Facebook. If you are familiar with Gwyneth Bolton, she is the guest author for July.
See what I read last year - Star's Reading Lounge
http://www.myspace.com/kimanipress
http://www.myspace.com/kimani_tru
Hi Star - I haven't done a half year gone evaluation yet, I'm
still feeling too blah after my "vacation"
Penni - just note whatever I've read that you're interested in - DH will be delighted if the books go away, even if it IS in two years time - hey by then you might even come and collect them personally
Have to get the boys to shut up and go to sleep
Catch y'all later
Hugs
Sadhbh
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs