2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Gwen wrote: "1) How do you track your reading?
Since I was very small, I have always written down the titles in a small journal. It's not always been effective as an adult who is time-poor! Last year, I started..."I track what I'm reading or actually have read with Goodreads AND a spreadsheet-I do the same thing with ARC's I have to review!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

I don't have anyone anymore to discuss books with (My BFF and fellow booklover passed away) so I come here and hope that someone will be reading a book or books that I love and can join into the discussion.

Without someone to read with- I find it more difficult (as I age) to retain what I read---don't feel badly though, it sure makes re-reads a wonderful experience for me! lol.

I only keep track (as you can see on my spreadsheet) whether the book is a classic and how many pages they are when they are over 500 pages.

I just made my january goal of 8 books which makes me very satisfied - I'm trying to follow a pattern similar to last year, so that I read at minimum as many books each month in 2020 as in 2019.

Generally I've found I thrive with monthly goals because 30 days is a much easier to concentrate on than 365 days :)

Good idea Kristin. I had a couple of less than sterling reading years. I was so involved in other things I sadly neglected my reading. But that’s behind me and I read 10 books this month so far with 7 days to go.

I wish you luck each month this year.

I am really enjoying the challenges here but I also enjoy recommending and also receiving recommendations from other members as well as discussing books. I love these groups for that reason and having been a member of AOL'S early book groups. then Yahoo and now Goodreads I have read and learned so much. I have even gone out of my comfort level and read a fantasy and science fiction book.

Looking forward to hearing from many of you.

I have two wonderful books which I need to mention here.

The first one is The Rent Collector by Cameron Wright. Don't be put off by the name of the book, It has little to do with collecting rent. I read this with my face to face book group and our discussion lasted for two evenings.

The second book I'm recommending is by one of my favorite authors, Alice Hoffman. If you've never read this gifted author, do so now. Her newest book which takes place during the Holocaust but has a very different twist to it. The titles of the book is The World We Used to Know. This book has garnered all sorts of wonderful reviews and if you read this book I would love to discuss it with you. Also The Rent Collector.

HAPPY FEBRUARY EVERYONE!

Awesome is right Amber and aww thanks Amber

IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY AND IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!

1) How do you track your reading?
I keep a list of the books I read on my iphone. Im also reviewing every book on Bookreads for my annual challenge

2) What types of stats do you track?
None really. Just the book name and author.

3) How do you retain what you read?
Writing the reviews helps. Some books are so good you never forget, some not so good fade away!

4) What other bookish goals do you have?
Just to keep reading a mixture of genres. I love history but I want to read thrillers too. Variety is the spice of life!

Must mention two very good movies I just saw. The first one is Parasite which is a Korean movie with subtitles. This movie has already garnered many best kudos. It tells the story of the haves and have nots and the outcome of their knowing each other.

The second movie is Jo Jo Rabbit which is in English. This movie is about a young boy who imagines Hitler is his best friend and how he witnesses the Nazis go to war. This has moments of humor, if you can imagine and moments that are very sad.

As head to the Oscar, I urge you to see these two movies.

1) How do you track your reading? I have a spiral notebook where I've written down the books I want to read for this year. I have some of them written in by the month and by the challenge I'm reading them for. The rest I'm reading whenever I take a notion to read them throughout the year. I'm also keeping track of things here using My Member's Corner.

2) What types of stats do you track? I keep up with the title of the book, the number of pages read and the date I finished the book. I also do genre, length of the book, & if it's my own book or one from the library. I record things here using My Member's Corner and The Personal Challenge page.

3) How do you retain what you read? I have no idea. I don't always remember everything about a book once I've read it, but I always remember whether or not I enjoyed it.

Another 45 minutes before it's time to close up the library for the day. One of the best places to be on a gray rainy day is here at the library. Had several patrons in today. Around all them, I worked on getting ready some paperback westerns ready for the shelves. Westerns are the favorite reads of most of the men who visit. They also enjoy Robert Parker's Spencer.

How do you cut and paste. I used to know how to do it but not now. Can this be done on an I phone?

Nancy from NJ wrote: "How do you cut and paste. I used to know how to do it but not now. Can this be done on an I phone?"

Hi Nancy, I have an Android phone, but I found a website explaining how to copy paste on Iphones: https://www.lifewire.com/copy-paste-t...

The weather has been atrocious in my state of Ohio as of late. Freezing rain, rain, and snow...with grey gloomy skies. How I wish that I could have stayed home today and snuggled under a blanket and read! Instead, I trudged my icy sidewalk, scrapped the snow and ice off my car and headed out into the slow trafficked streets to work...ugh, why do I have to be so responsible?

I am able to cut and paste on my OC and it’s really easy. I guess I phones can only go do much.

🎵Happy Valentine's Day!💜

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Christine wrote: "IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY AND IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!"

Good morning. I track my books on Evernote. I post a picture of the author and write a short summary. Sometimes I add quotes, while reading. My entries are organized by genre. A few sentences about a book and the author are enough to remember the entire book.

I lost my kindle over the weekend and while I looked and looked, I can’t find it.so I am planning on buying one today. I have always used a kindle fire and really like it since I can do other things on it besides read. I see lots of people raving about the Kindle PaperWhite. What are the pros and ones for the Fire 8 or the Paper White.

Aww Nancy from NJ that stinks that you lost your kindle but I hope you bought a new kindle last Monday and Ursula I really like your idea

Do you guys like reading ebooks more than paper books??

Christine - I lost my kindle Friday night and waited a few days to see if it was found. But by Tuesday when it wasn’t found, I bought a new one and set it up and began using it. Then on Wednesday, I got a call from our Temple that the kindle was found. My husband suggested I keep both of them since it was far more economical than buying an I pad or new cell phone. And at the rate I use my kindle it will be good to have another one while one is being charged.

Saks - I have been a die hard fan of printed books and the library for most of my life. And I never thought I would enjoy using an e reader. But never say never since when I received one as a gift, I immediately fell in love with it. And because we travel often, it’s a pleasure to take it along and not a suitcase full of books and little clothing.

What do you think about an e reader?

Nancy from NJ wrote: "Saks - I have been a die hard fan of printed books and the library for most of my life. And I never thought I would enjoy using an e reader. But never say never since when I received one as a gift,..."

I love reading both, ebooks and printed books. But the problem with ebooks is that I can't read them for too long, it's bad for my eyes. But i still think it's a better choice, because it's eco friendly.

Aww thanks Amber and Amber your a very nice person and Nancy from NJ I’m so happy that you got a new kindle but I’m even more happy that your old kindle was found and Nancy from NJ your husband is right that you should keep both of those kindles

Thanks, Christine. I am enjoying the two Kindles since I can still use one while charging the other one.

It’s been very quiet here. What have you been doing?
I am looking over the prompts from the 2020 Challenge and choosing books I’m going to read😁.

Nancy from NJ wrote: "It’s been very quiet here. What have you been doing?
I am looking over the prompts from the 2020 Challenge and choosing books I’m going to read😁."

@Nancy from NJ
Which challenge do you mean?
I'm busy planning for the both the April monthly challenges and the Q2 quarterly challenges. Do you do mostly the yearly challenges?

Oshiz - I was referring to the 2020 Challenge which is 40 books and 10 extras. I do yearly Challenges which includes the Motley Challenge.

@Nancy from NJ
Thanks for clarifying.

Ivy Aberdeen's letter to the world by Ashley Herring Blake is soo good if your looking for a middle grade book that stars a 12 / 13 year old, she turns 13 in the book, who is finding out that she likes girls not boys but also has a plot that is not romantic this one I recommend.

and if you like dance books The audition series by Maddie Ziegler has been great so far, almost done reading book 2 the callback. I would be already done reading this if I wasn't also reading Ivy Aberdeen's letter to the world.
Ivy.... is my main book since it's from the library

Your welcome Nancy from NJ and Nancy from NJ I’m glad that your enjoying both of your kindles and Nancy from NJ I’ve been reading all different kinds of books and Nancy from NJ I’m sure that your checking out my 2020 reading challenge

Thank you Christine. I have checked out your books read.

What do you think about the 2020 Challenge?
Because of the varied prompts, how many books were from genres you didn’t read previously? Have you also thought up some new prompts to use in the future? Did completing this challenge take more or less time than you thought it would?.

Hi Nancy from NJ.
Are you talking about the Popsugar challenge? I have actually chosen not to do that one this year - the prompts weren’t that great for me.

Instead I am doing a lot of other yearly challenges from this group + the Around the Year in 52 books challenge from a different group 😊

I am finishing one challenge of 26 books shortly. I find that I am itching to read what I want to read and not necessarily for a challenge. So I am going not to read the 2020 challenge with prompts. I am also doing some other challenges like Clear the Shelves and Turn the Page and Individual Books Read for 2020.

With tons of books to read, much on television to watch and my husband to entertain, I am bored out of my mind. Honestly, I like to be home and do things but this exile from humankind and the outside world is really getting g to me. What are you doing to keep
your sanity.

I'm "working" from home, accompanied by my 16 year old daughter who has no school for the next 5 weeks. The expected life of my sanity can now be measured in minutes.

Hi,
remote working then? At least you have this book group! I find through these hard times, this reading can help your challenge. ( I also read quite fast. ( Does your daughter like historical fiction ?) I have a bunch to recommend if you don't mind. At nancy I'm not getting to bored out of my mind then again I just ordered more books. I am also an artist so just more work for me.

I just rereadThe Canterbury papers-
rereading I Eliza, Hamilton
Fantasy-
Herbie Brennan Fairy wars series
It's Fairy world intersects with Human Realm
YA

Veronica wrote: "Hi,
remote working then? At least you have this book group! I find through these hard times, this reading can help your challenge. ( I also read quite fast. ( Does your daughter like historical fic..."

Red queen series its fantasy contemporary pretty cool stuff don't know the age group though....

RJ,
I think you might like the Gilded Cage trilogy by Vic James,

I read the Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro really serious but amazing

Paragon hotel amazing

Elenor of Aquitane by Alison Weir

I like to reccomend books also

Lisa wrote: "Susy wrote: "Lisa wrote: lol, personal preference, I guess :) Personally I can't stand to look at color-coded bookshelves. It's an overdone trend, I hate it, and it needs to stop... but that's just..."

I tried by theme

I arrange my books by alphabet order. At one time I separated paperbacks from hardcovers but now I put all of them in order. Makes my life easier.

Is anyone else's local library closed due to the current events? Mine closed before I had time to go stock up on books to read! Thankfully they have an online program where I can borrow e-books and audiobooks, but the wait times on the more popular titles is way too long for me to put a hold on them. (And e-books are not my favorite format)

Just looking to see if anyone else is in the same boat as me. :)

Veronica wrote: "Hi,
remote working then? At least you have this book group! I find through these hard times, this reading can help your challenge. ( I also read quite fast. ( Does your daughter like historical fic..."

Hi Veronica. No, my daughter actually doesn't like to read much at all. She's a basketball player and she's sad that she can't go to a gym at all right now. I try to take her out every afternoon to a park to shoot around a little but it's not quite the same.

I like historical fiction a little bit. I haven't heard of Canterbury Papers before. I, Eliza Hamilton sounds a little too romancey for my taste. I don't read much YA at all. I've had Alison Weir, Paragon Hotel, and Gilded Cage on my radar and I'll keep watching for them. Remains of the Day was terrific, I read it about a year or so ago. Thank you for the recommendations.

I actually happen to be reading World Without End by Ken Follett right now. That's the second book in his Kingbridge series, which is historical fiction. I like it a little better than I liked the first book. I'll probably finish it in another week or so and I'll post a review then.

Bailey ✰ wrote: "Is anyone else's local library closed due to the current events? Mine closed before I had time to go stock up on books to read! Thankfully they have an online program where I can borrow e-books and..."

Hi Bailey, my libraries are closed also. I think there is still online content available but I don't do any e-reading so I wouldn't be the best person to ask about that. I have a ton of paper books at home so that's how I'm keeping busy.

RJ from the LBC wrote: "Bailey ✰ wrote: "Is anyone else's local library closed due to the current events? Mine closed before I had time to go stock up on books to read! Thankfully they have an online program where I can b..."

I have a few books at home, too, but most of them I purchased when I was in high school 😂 Not exactly my taste anymore, so I'm having a little trouble keeping up with my reading challenges on here. Glad to hear that it's not just my library that is closed, though!

Bailey ✰ wrote: "Is anyone else's local library closed due to the current events? Mine closed before I had time to go stock up on books to read! Thankfully they have an online program where I can borrow e-books and..."

Yes, mine is closed. And I had 2 books on hold that I'm still waiting for. Hopefully, they will maintain the wait lists and I can get them when they open back up again (whenever that is!). But, they also have online checkout for e-books, so that helps.