2015 Reading Challenge [Closed] discussion

OOPs Please don't throw me out of the discussion ...I just caught up. LOLbut I will be back lagging shortly

Susan wrote: "Me!! My first book was Tess of the D'Urbervilles and it nearly put me off reading for good - I actually AVOIDED my kindle. I was already way behind so skipped week 2 (Wuthering Heights) as I just c..."

Susan, I can't handle the classics either. I chose this challenge to get me to read books outside my preferred genre, and it has done that, but I'm trying to pick books that interest me and fit them into the categories. Some I haven't enjoyed as much as others, but I know I've tried and that's why I'm here :) I think I have one "classic" on my list and that is for the book that is more than 100 years old.

I chose this challenge to get me to read books outside my preferred genre

Exactly! I'm with you Christine. But lets be honest here....not all of those stretches outside of the comfort zone have been good.

I'm not far behind, but I haven't been enjoying the reading much either. I was weeks ahead when this all started...then I stopped reading my favorites or what I knew would be easy. Ugh.

I'm having the hardest time finding a Funny Book that suits my needs. I want another Stephanie Plum like character (Janet Evanovich), not a biography from a comedian. I don't want to skip it. That feels like cheating.

Argh! Books! I need you, I love you, why are you so complicated!

I just realized that there is such a thing as a yearly book challenge, and I'm 8 weeks late. However, since I don't want to frantically rush myself, I just decided to forget about weeks 1-7 to keep up with the challenge. I probably will finish the challenge before the end of the year, so I'll have some time to catch up on the 7 books I missed out on. But I think it's better to only have read 45 books, then to have read 52 books and not appreciated them because you were speed reading.

I got tripped up by both 1984 and Everything is Illuminated so I'm super behind. I've got four books going right now (weeks 5, 6, 8, and I'm starting 9 right now). Ugh.

I had seen the challenge on Pinterest and printed it off, but I just joined the group last week. I've read a book each week, but I've been going WAY out of order, based on which books I feel like reading first. I almost feel skipping around makes it easier, because then I don't feel I'm reading a book because I HAVE to, which automatically makes it easier to read.

Also, for a funny book similar to Janet evanovich, try something by Sophia Kinsella. "The Undomestic Goddess" had me laughing out loud.

I feel exactly the same way Meagan - I'm just using the list as a framework for the year, a way to coax myself into reading things that have been on my list for far too long. But I don't want to feel forced into reading something just because it's a particular week - I still want to read what I feel like reading.

I'm less of a lagger, and more of a jumper. When I got those new books from the library, I couldn't wait to dive into one! My list is so full of classics, I don't know how I'll wait until I get to The Book Thief and Fahrenheit 451. Ah well. :(

Maybe we should start a jumpers anonymous thread too ... ;)

I'll start it!

There is now a topic for Jumpers Anonymous.

I'm still lagging, and that won't change any time soon. I'm just not in the correct headspace for Atonement, my Week 3 book, right now. I had to put it aside for a while.

Oh, well. I'm on track otherwise, so I'm okay with it.

I'm really behind now, I have the last four weeks on the go (a couple barely started) and start short stories tomorrow which is a smaller book so I am hoping with nothing planned this weekend to knock off a couple, I haven't been in the mindset for some reason of late but the days are getting darker here and I always read more in autumn and winter than any other time.

Krista I am even more behind! Lagger indeed. First I read everything out of order & as it stands I'm only on to book number 4 for the year - so 7 books behind. Currently I'm reading week 13: A book set in a different country.
Hopefully I can finish reading this by the time everyone else gets there! Then I'll just work my way down the list with everyone else & try & fit in all the ones I missed somewhere! Lol

i have fallen so far behind in the last 2 weeks it's embarassing! i originally started late with this group and the challenge to begin with, but on march 4th i ended up with boiling water down my leg and 2nd degree burns covering a good portion of my left thigh (ouch!)...now honestly i was thinking i could actually get caught up and possibly even ahead with my reading because of this! but, alas, i was so wrong. i've still only finished 3 books this year and am in the middle of book #4...someone help find the mindset to get back into the groove of reading!!


sorry for the long and rambling post, i just feel so disapointed in myself that i've managed to fall so far behind :(

I've made a pact with myself that I start the new weeks book every Thursday night no matter how many books are on the go, I'm currently reading 6 books but it means I get a bit of choice and it depends on my mood which one I select though over the weekends or if I have some time I try and get a bit ahead in each of them which helps me keep up with the stories. I usually do read more than one book at a time but 6 I'm finding a little much. LOL

This group makes me feel so much better! I'm lagging behind so much and I'm also jumping around (as in with the reading order, not with my body) which I'm not sure helps! I've only read 3 books so far and am now on my 4th and I've also found more books that I want to wedge in to one of the categories even though I've already filled them all! Technically I'm on my 5th book of the year but my first book wasn't included in the challenge as I found the challenge when I'd nearly finished it but part of me thinks I should've fitted it in somewhere in the challenge so that it counts.

I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I'm definitely not going to end up reading all 52 books by the end of the year but I'm going to give it as good a go as possible and I won't let myself worry about it. The main reason I joined this challenge was just to get myself reading more actively again (I used to read all the time but for the last few years I stopped reading very much) so I'm already pleased with the progress I'm making/have made so far. The topics have also been a great way of helping me find new books to read and making me read books that I've bought but haven't read yet!

Francesca, you should totally include the first book you read this year in the challenge. It doesn't matter when you found the challenge - you still read it in 2015! :)

A new job and its shifts got completely in the way of my reading schedule :( I've only just now finished week's 14 book. From now on and until things calm down a little (if they ever!), I think I'll pick my next book off my reading plan, but I'm not going to be following the order. Since I'm not going to be able to do the whole challenge, I might as well pick what I really feel like reading instead of what is next on the list.

I was really proud of myself for sticking to the schedule so well in the first months and real life had to go and get in the way :P

Cristina, I can totally relate to you. I waitress a little, and I had to cover the entire weekend shifts for a month. So... no reading. :(

I almost caught up, but now I am behind again! I am trying to be positive & tell myself that there is still ages to go & I have time to catch up!
I blame video games - in particular, Animal Crossing. Darn you! :)

Nicole, Animal Crossing is addictive! That's why I tried to keep away from video games (except a little bit of Minecraft now and then) because I know I wouldn't be able to stop playing. LOL.

The reason I'm behind is because of a book I chose: Outlander. It was a struggle to read. I'm only at 30% now, and I decided to continue reading it later when I feel like it.

Tell me about it Laarni! I've only had New Leaf for a few days & I've racked up hours & hours! I'm also trying to finish Sims - never ending!
I've read the first 5 books of the Outlander series. It's definitely not to everyone's taste. I'm surprised I even liked it. All of the books are big though, so they can be tough to get through. The story does get better! If you can't finish then just use that for week 50!

Nicole wrote: "Tell me about it Laarni! I've only had New Leaf for a few days & I've racked up hours & hours! I'm also trying to finish Sims - never ending!
I've read the first 5 books of the Outlander series. It..."

I haven't tried New Leaf yet but it looks fun! Oh no, Sims! You'll never get to the end of that game. Haha!

It's funny about Outlander - all the members of my book club didn't like it but all our friends do! So weird. If I still haven't finished it by December, I'll definitely slot it into that week.

So I was on track and just about caught up, and then I decided to start this new diet and just feel so drained of all energy and motivation that I haven't really been reading lately...like at all. I plan on reading a little bit every day even if it is just a few pages, no matter how tired I am! I am determined to get caught back up.

Even though Goodreads tell me I'm ahead of schedule, I feel like I'm lagging behind. And when I see how many books others read in a month, it makes me feel even more behind. How do you find time to read all those books??

If I just stuck to the plan I probably wouldn't feel behind, but sometimes I just read something else than the plan tells me to :) And I'm doing another challenge at the same time, and that it's interfering a bit with this challenge.

So I'm not so much lagging, apparently I'm right on schedule, but I'm definitely jumping around on the challenge list so it makes it harder to participate in discussions. Is anyone else jumping around? It makes it easier for me to pick books that peak my interest at that particular moment then follow the particular weeks :( maybe we could create another group for those jumping around??

Beth wrote: "Well . . . I'm technically always going to be behind, since I skipped the first week; unless I double-up later on in the year, which is possible, I suppose. I don't see the challenge as a new year..."

I love this answer! I have too many things to beat myself up about like not working out, not doing the dishes because I'd rather take a nap, not being good enough at anything I do, etc etc. Reading is my happy place and I don't want to turn it into something that is a forced thing that I no longer enjoy. I am obviously way behind as I just joined this group in May and have read maybe 6 books off this list. I know that realistically I probably won't finish this list but I decided to try it anyways because it broadens my reading horizons and gets me out of my usual genres and its just plain fun! Anyways sorry for the small rant. So glad I found this site and this group! :)

I don't feel like a lagger, but I am definitely an out of sequencer. Maybe soon to be a lagger as it is hard to keep up with my kids' activities at present...but with summer coming I think I will have more reading time and that should help. Regardless, happy with the challenge to keep me in touch with others that are finding books they love and inspiring me to check them out too!

We have a Jumpers Anonymous thread - come join us there! :)

I just joined a couple weeks ago, so I'm definitely lagging. However, I've managed to read 10 books already ( a few I read before I found the challenge, but this year, and they fit in nicely with a few weekly themes), so I'm only 8 books behind schedule now!

I always tell myself I'm going to catch up on the weekends but it never seems to happen. I'm always either too busy getting the cleaning/housework that was neglected all week finished or have some sort of plans that I can't back out of. I've gotten a few items ticked off of my list. but I'm way way behind. I'm trying though and just glad I'm not the only one! Let's go Laggers!

Lisa wrote: "I always tell myself I'm going to catch up on the weekends but it never seems to happen. I'm always either too busy getting the cleaning/housework that was neglected all week finished or have some ..."

It always happens to the best of us. I think i'm still about 9 books behind schedule for this reading challenge, and like 16 if you count my personal goal of wanting to read 70 books this year. Just gotta keep your head up and roll with the punches :)

Catch up - lol - I don't think it's possible for me!

Tanya wrote: "Catch up - lol - I don't think it's possible for me!"


Well, add my name to this list of "i'll never catch up, but it'll be fun trying" along with yours tanya! lol

Brittany wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I always tell myself I'm going to catch up on the weekends but it never seems to happen. I'm always either too busy getting the cleaning/housework that was neglected all week finished ..."

Yep, I'm just thankful I always had the hunger for ready. Even though I don't believe I'll ever read all the books I want to, I'm thankful for all that I have and will read. I feel so sorry for people who don't enjoy reading

I completely agree Lisa! I don't read as much as I'd like to, but thats probably because I don't push myself to read that often. But I feel sorry for people that don't enjoy reading as well, it is such a great way to relax and wind down from a stressing day!

Brittany wrote: "I completely agree Lisa! I don't read as much as I'd like to, but thats probably because I don't push myself to read that often. But I feel sorry for people that don't enjoy reading as well, it is ..."

It sure is! I really hope my daughter likes to read lol. I'd feel so sad if she was a non-reader!

I'm a couple weeks behind but for good reason. My (original) part-time work has crazy hours which leads to me needing to do housework when I can, limiting my reading time immensely. And then, almost 2 weeks ago, I got a full-time job and have been working that part-time while finishing up my original job making me out of the apartment for almost 12 hours!! My 15 minute bus ride between jobs and 10 minute break at second job don't give much time for reading...and then I come home and practically crash. And on top that some of the categories I don't have books for and money is tight...I'm hoping I can jump back in shortly. (Doesn't help that I lost track of when weeks change! lol!!)

Completely understandable Britteny! Hopefully once you've settled in to your full time job, everything will calm down a bit!
I also have an issue with the money side of the challenge. I can't imagine how much money people are spending if all they read are actual books from book stores. I use amazon, so it's a lot cheaper, but it all adds up after a while!

If you're struggling with money, you should just check out books from the library!! It has been a lifesaver and way less stressful than trying to buy all the books!

Nicole wrote: "Completely understandable Britteny! Hopefully once you've settled in to your full time job, everything will calm down a bit!
I also have an issue with the money side of the challenge. I can't imagi..."

Nicole - I think a lot of people here, like myself, use the local library for a lot of the books we read. I buy myself new books now and again (I own way too many books! It's an addiction!), but if the "money side of the challenge" is what's hurting you, definitely use your library. Even if your local isn't stocked all that well, most can do inter-library loan. You can also use the library for ebooks and audiobooks. :)

Kathleen wrote: "If you're struggling with money, you should just check out books from the library!! It has been a lifesaver and way less stressful than trying to buy all the books!"

It also saves space when you don't have a lot to spare!!

Library isn't very easy to get to either. I don't drive and it's open slightly odd hours. :-(

Britteny wrote: "Library isn't very easy to get to either. I don't drive and it's open slightly odd hours. :-("

Have you looked at purchasing books on Amazon? Normally you can find used books for less than a dollar and then pay 3 or 4 bucks for shipping and handling. I've bought numerous books that way if I can't find it at the library or its too expensive to buy new or get the ebook.

And also if you have a Goodwill store nearby, these guys sell books really cheap. Check out half.com, it also sells used books for a dollar or two..

I've only read 10 books so far, so I'm quite a bit behind. I just finished uni this week though, so I should have a lot more time to read now, and hopefully I'll catch up.

Kate wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Completely understandable Britteny! Hopefully once you've settled in to your full time job, everything will calm down a bit!
I also have an issue with the money side of the challenge..."

I always forget about the library & didn't know they did eBook loans either! There's a library not far from me so I'll have to check it out!

I use the library eBooks all the time. It is so easy to check them out from my home computer and then just put them on my reader. I don't think I have actually purchased a single book for the challenge...they've all been from the elibrary or ones I already had.