Friday 4 July 2014

Six monthly update on challenges

Well, we're halfway through the year now and I'm pinching Margaret's idea and doing just a quick update on how I'm doing with my reading challenges. So here goes.

Once Upon a Time VIII: This took place from the 21st. March to the 21st. June. My aim was to read five books for 'Quest the First' and I actually read seven. Quite happy with that.

Vintage Mystery Bingo: The aim here is to complete one or more bingo lines which is six books. I've been reading willy-nilly all over the card and have read fifteen books altogether. I have one line with five books, one with four, and several with three. I'll easily complete this challenge by January and would hope to manage several bingo lines to be honest.

Read Scotland 2014: I signed up for 'Hebridean' which is nine to twelve books. So far I've read seven. Nicely on course with this one.

My Kind of Mystery: I signed up for 'Secret Messages' which is five to ten books. So far I've read seven so, strictly speaking, I'm there but I plan to go on and reach at least ten.

The Postal Reading Challenge 2014: I signed up for 'snail mail' which is to read eight books. A few weeks ago I was way behind on this one but somehow I got caught up and have now read five books. Should be fine finishing this one too.

Mount TBR 2014: I signed up for 'Mount Ararat' which is to read 48 of my own books by the 31st. December. That's four books a month so I should be at 24 by now. I'm just reading my 24th. book so am on course but actually wish I was slightly more ahead than this.

I did wonder, when I signed up for all these challenges in January, whether I was biting off more than I could chew. I know some folks do a *lot* more than this but I'm not always good with them, getting all excited when I start out but losing interest very rapidly in the piles of books I sort out that then sit on the shelf looking at me reproachfully. This year's been different. I felt if I could only be more focussed and actually do these challenges I could successfully take quite a few books off my tbr mountain. And so it turned out to be. I have got quite a few of my own books read and the other thing is that it's been so much *fun*. So much in fact that I think I might do it all over again next year. :-)

~~~oOo~~~

7 comments:

BooksPlease said...

You're doing well. I often start off full of enthusiasm for challenges - I really enjoy making lists and seeing which books will match each challenge - and then just read whatever takes my fancy. This year because I had 3 months when I just read my TBRs I had a good start with the Mount TBR Challenge and if the books matched any other challenge that was all good!

I think the real challenge for me is the TBR one as these days I'm easily tempted to read new books and library books.

Good luck for the next 6 months and I hope you're recovering from that fall!

Jo said...

I love reading about other peoples challenges, I know if I had more time and did not work then I would sign up for them. At the moment I am content with the challenges I set myself. Although I would not say they were going all that well!

Cath said...

Margaret: We have exactly the same problem. I too love making the lists and digging out the books... making a lovely neat pile. And then I go looking for library books to fit the challenge, or see something someone else is reading and think, 'Ooooh, shiny!' I must have the concentration of a gnat.

Thank you!

Jo: I'm very fortunate in that I have more time than most to do the challenges. Good luck with yours!

Peggy Ann said...

Cath, your doing so well! I am not. The Mount TBR challenge is really going no where for me. The vintage mystery bingo is not either. Probably won't complete either one of them. Grrr.

TracyK said...

Fifteen books for the vintage challenge is great, whether you get a Bingo or not. I haven't been keeping up with whether I have made a bingo yet, but some of the squares seem difficult to fill with books I have.

You are doing great with all the challenges. I am not doing so well but we are only at the halfway point.

DesLily said...

no matter how fast or slow I read my tbr pile never seems to change... I read some then I find some books at a thrift store for 1.00 each and boom... right back to where the pile started LOL..oh well..ones mood changes so one much have varied books to choose from right?! (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Cath said...

Peggy: Thank you! If you don't finish them it doesn't matter... no one will seek vengeance. ;-)

Tracy: Yes, some of the categories are difficult for me too... 'Out of your comfort zone' for instance. And the medical one. I'll have to think on those.

Yes, exactly... loads of time left.

Pat: Oh boy, I have exactly the same problem. Read some, find new ones to buy. My tbr pile will never be gone.