2017 Reading Challenges

[calissa]

If you’ve been following me for even a short time, you probably know I’m a sucker for a reading challenge. Many of the ones in which I participate are seasonal or only run for a short time. However, I usually sign up for a couple of year-long challenges, just to keep things interesting.

2016 Challenge Wrap-ups

Regardless of any other challenges I sign up for, I always have a personal reading goal. Last year, it was 100 books.  As I mentioned in my wrap-up for 2016, my previous personal best was 103 books in 2009. This year I set a new personal best: 117 books.

For the annual Goodreads challenge, I committed to 90 books and logged 122. Since this doesn’t match up with my own records, I can only assume this includes a few DNFs.

Then there was the 2016 Australian Women Writers reading challenge. My aim was to see whether my stats from 2015 were repeatable, so I committed to reading 25 books and reviewing 15. I read 55 books and reviewed 21.

Lastly, I signed up for #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks, hosted by Andi at Estella’s Revenge. My goal for the challenge was to make sure 60% of the books I read this year come from Mt TBR. This was the least successful of my challenges. I knew it was going to be from the moment I was accepted as an Aurealis judge. I finished the year on 40%. I’m okay with that. After all, plans change throughout the year and I’m very glad to have had the chance to be a judge. And that’s still 47 books off Mt TBR!

2017 Challenges

As you may have gathered, judging the Aurealis Awards is its own kind of challenge. Judging duties will wrap up in February but I know I’m going to need a bit of time to recover. So, I have decided to take a slightly different approach to goals this year. I’ll still stick to the usual goals, but will be looking to try a few new things in addition.

First up, my personal goal for this year is to read 100 books. I’d like to see if I can manage this without the motivation of Aurealis reading.

For the annual Goodreads challenge, I’ll be aiming for the same.

I’ll be signing up for the Australian Women Writers reading challenge again. In fact, I’ll be running their romance round-ups, which I’m very much looking forward to. For the challenge, I’ll once again be aiming to read 25 books by Australian women writers and to review 15.

Now, for something different. I’ve decided that this year I’m going to worry less about Mt TBR (not that it was keeping me awake at night or anything). I’d like to feel more free to read whatever I want. So, every month I’ll be aiming to make one trip to the library. I’ll also be aiming to read at least one piece of fanfiction per month. I’ll be interested to see what impact these measures have on my reading life.

What about you? What reading goals and challenges are you participating in this year?

 

Mirrored from Earl Grey Editing.

Comments

[raze]

My goal is simply to start actively reading again. I am approaching this in concert with one of my other 2017 goals, which is to make lunch and bring it to work instead of eating out, as part of a third goal, which is minimizing needless expenses.

So far I'm about half way through Konrad Lorenz's "King Solomon's Ring," which is a 1940's read on animal behavioral science and ethology. It's quite entertaining so far, though has some of the prejudices in it you'd expect of the 1940s (ie. comparing the behavior of animals to various "primitive" human cultures). Taken at face value though, it's a good read.

[calissa]

Oh, I have a copy of that I've been meaning to get to. I'll be sure to approach it cautiously.

Sounds like you've got some very practical goals lined up for the year. I'm looking forward to hearing about how you go with them.

[monanotlisa]

Aw, I should set myself a reading goal too. This one's set up on Goodreads, I see?

[calissa]

Yes, Goodreads runs them annually. If you've got an account there, you can nominated how many books you'd like to tackle for the year.

I think the Australian Women Writers organisers also have a bit of a presence on the Goodreads forums.

If you end up setting a goal, I'd love to hear how you go!

[transcendancing]

Congratulations on how well you went with last year's reading goals! Also yay for 40% on TBR especially given you took on Aurealis judging!

Good luck for reading this year! Did you see my 2016 goals reflection and plans for 2017 reading yet? I haven't done my favourite books post yet.

Also I have done my 2016 theme wrap up but not my 2017 theme yet - maybe tonight?

[calissa]

I am way behind on my blog reading. Thank you for letting me know about the entries. I'll go and check them out.

[transcendancing]

There's no rush, just letting you know :)

[calissa]

And I really appreciate that. Thank you.

[onewhitecrow]

[points at picture] ...feets?

[calissa]

Yes. The rest is squashed by books.

[onewhitecrow]

Alas for the unknown gnome...