Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Since 2010 is right around the corner. I thought it I'd be fun to perhaps list a couple book resolutions. For me?

I'd like to complete at least one yearly challenge and one series I started in 2009.

And you?

Hmmm... I'd like to rely more on books from the library instead of buying new books :)

As for challenges, my goal is to partcipate in at least one challenge a month in 2010 (hopefully more) :)

I would like to reduce the huge size of my TBR pile by reading at least 100 books form that pile and I would like to complete at least 2 challenges during the year!

Great start guys. Feel free to list,strikeout, add any resolutions. No changing! If ya don't finish it...there's always 2011 =D.

1. With the exception of a few anticipted releases (ie series continuations), I'd like to put serious dent in the pile of books that I already own, instead of getting carried away in bookstores, on amazon, ebay etc...

2. I would like spend more time reading my books than reading all the comments/ reviews here on goodreads, lol!

1. I'd like to participate & complete my first yearly and/or quarterly challenge.

2. Make a serious dent to my TBR list

I'm right there with the rest of you guys:

1) Make a substantial dent in my TBR pile of books, and stop adding to it.

2) Stop going to buy books when they are first released.

3) Only keep up to six author's books as "keepers"-need to minimize my bookshelf big time! LOL!-and get rid of the rest.

Ooh, you seem to be in the same perdiciment as me! lol

My resolutions.

1)Not to buy the newest book in a series if I haven't caught up to the last book released. (So I'm fine for BDB, The Dark Huntress series, The daughter of the black sun series, Mercy Thomson. Still need to catch up on Harry Dresden, Sookie Stackhouse and another series I can't remember)

2)Make a dent on my TBR pile by reading at least 6 books a month.

3)Whittle down my keepers. Ones that are so Keepers are J R Ward, Jeanne Frost, Jim Butcher and Charlaine Harris.

I would like to complete the following

1- Complete an A-Z of authors and titles
2- Start to reduce the books on the bookshelves to keep dh happy.
3- Not buy ANY (but I know I'll break this one!) books until they will actually fit on the bookshelves
4- Complete one of the challenges I join in with on good reads.

1. I would like to get up-to-date with at least 10 of my ongoing series.

2. I want to make a dent in my tbr, including the ones I haven't placed on my Goodreads shelf yet!

3. I want to complete at least one challenge a month.

The Count Off Challenge helps to keep you on track, reading your books! Check it out:

Count off Challenge

The more the merrier!

For me it is:

1. Read more classics
2. Read at least 100 books in 2010

1. I would like to begin reading out a gender I am less comfortable with.
2. Keep track of every book I read, thanks to goodreads!
3. Try new challenges I usually would be uncomfortable with.

I have to (have to, have to) stop buying new books! The expense is killing me and with 1000 books at home (to read) I don't have anymore space. So...

1. Stop buying books! Use the library or read what I own.

2. Start whittling down my TBR piles. Read them already.

3. Work on writing better reviews.

Geesh, resolutions were meant to be broken, weren't they? Ok, let's see:
1. since I am a newbie here and just getting the hang of everything, I want to complete one or more challenges. So why not start w/ a biggie--144 Books in 2010, which should put a pretty good dent in my TBR pile(s).
2. be better at using the resorces at my local library (helloooooo-FREEEE books there to read to your hearts content) BORROW MORE/BUY LESS
3. Learn how to better review/recommnend a book w/out too much or too little detail

Well 2010 looks to be an interesting year. I think I'll try to keep my reading goals simple.

1. Read at least 30,000 pages of recreation book form reading. Magazines and other periodicals do not count. No more than 10% re-reads.

2. Read at least one book that is considered a 'classic' and I would never otherwise pick up were it not for this resolution.

3. Write at least a couple of sentences on each and every book I read.

Renee, I disagree that resolutions were made to be broken. The reason that people resolve to do things and tell others about them is to be held accountable for their actions. When there is a public announcement of your intentions it is to hold you responsible for your word. If nobody knows of a commitment you make, there is nobody to castigate you for your failings nor reward you for your successes. That is why all important oaths must be witnessed.

I usually make a list of 5-7 resolutions for the new year and post them on the wall in my kitchen. It stays there all year and I run about 90% on keeping with them. I force my children to make a list and I hold them to it as well. It also helps if you put quantifiable numbers and goals in your list. (BTW 144 books is a great goal.)

1) Read at least 100 books.
2) Read 10 classics.
3) Finish a challenge.

I'd like to leave my job and find one that allowed me to read/review fulltime. But here in the real world: I'd like to try a few more of the challenges other than the monthly/pick it for me and read the month. As long as work doesn't get crazy I think I can manage it. Maybe. I think I need to take steps to ensure that work doesn't encroach. In particular:

1) A-Z Author
2) A-Z Character
3) A-Z Book

Would also like to take time to see my friends a little more. Between work and books I don't. Bad, bad friend.

Resolutions for 2010:


1) Balance school and pleasure reading (I've not joined a challenge since May!).

2) Avoid new series and dollar-a-bag sales.

3) Organize book boxes and prioritize tbr, read/sell/donate as required.

My resolutions for 2010:


1) Start posting reviews, right now I don't even bother to add the books I read to my update feed, bad, bad me. To make the goal more clear, let's say I review at least every other book that I read. The ones aborted half way through won't count.

2) I have a number of really thick books that I've been meaning to read, yet I keep avoiding them because they'd mess up my challenges. But I really need to get to them so the goal is to read, say, 4 of those ~1000 page monsters.

3) Read half of my embarrassed-not-to-have-read shelf - that's 12 books as of now.

#1 is definitely going to be a challenge for me, at least at first, I'm famous for my laziness, but hopefully the reviewing will get easier in time. #2 I'm pretty sure I can do. #3 is going to be a bit of a chore.

I am seeing some awesome resolutions here=D

1) Read (and get rid of ) more books than I buy each month.

2) Finish at least two challenges (really like the longer time period challenges you guys have). Only managed to finish one challenge in the PNR group this year - must do better.

3) Read 5 Biographies and 5 Classics.

Charlotte wrote: "1) Read (and get rid of ) more books than I buy each month.

2) Finish at least two challenges (really like the longer time period challenges you guys have). Only managed to finish one challenge ..."


I really like #1. Getting rid of the books that I've read is so hard for me.

Hum, ok, my resolutions.

1) to try to pare down the 3 crammed full TBR shelves.
2) to get more books from the library and to buy fewer. This one is hard, since some books that I want from the library have HUGE waiting lists.

I won't put anything in about challenges. I am already signed up for LOTS of challenges, and will (hopefully) finsh at least 80% of them. So far I'm at 11 of the 12 challenges from PNR group. But this month is being especially hard with everything that I really NEED to do.

1. Not re-read so often
2. Finish all challenges that I sign up for
3. Read at least 1 book per month from my non-paranormal list

I only sign up for 1 challenge per month (since Sept.) and have not completed any. I need to do better with that and I also really must read through some non-paramormal stuff, there is much on my list. That is why I joined this group, so that I could "branch out" a bit in my reading.

1. Read some of my books I've owned for several years and have not read. First in, first read.
2. Catalog my entire book collection.
3. Get caught up on my UF series and romance series.
4. Write reviews on every book I read.
5. Try not to buy so many books.
6. Go through my book collection and find homes for the books I know I won't read or reread. Be a lot more surgical in cutting out books this time around.

Wow, if we all keep these resolutions, we should have some awesome swap shelves! :O)

1. Make a decent dent in my TBR pile of books.
2. Write more reviews.
3. Finish all the series that I am currently reading before starting any new ones.

1. Complete both the Lifetime of Books and Serial Reader Challenges.
2. Write a review of every book that I read.
3. Read 12 (1 a month) books that are 750+ pages.
4. Use my libraries (one by our house and one by my work) more.
5. Only purchase 6 new books.

One thing that helped me [so I didn't feel I had to write a review for everything I read:] was to write reviews for 3 to 3.5 and above. I think I might bump the rating to 4 stars next year.

m.allen wrote: "5. Only purchase 6 new books.
..."

Good luck on that one. Granted I buy most of my books used, but it would be tough to go all year and buy only 6.

Briansgirl "Master Book Sale Huntress" wrote: "m.allen wrote: "5. Only purchase 6 new books.
..."

Good luck on that one. Granted I buy most of my books used, but it would be tough to go all year and buy only 6."

I almost fell of my chair at that one. 6 books - all year. I feel dizzy all over again. *deep breaths*

I used to do that, not buy books, or buy 2-3 or 6 per year and just use library. Yeah, that was a while ago. (But it can be done)

*sigh* I was lucky if I only bought 6 books in a 2 week period this year. hehe

It helps if your library is large and has a big selection or if inter-library loan is free. (My library charges between $1-$2 to use inter-library loan which is why I prefer to just buy a used copy for near the same price.)

WOW, we all have the same problems LOL! I'm with everyone else, my biggest goal is to actually finish all the challenges I get myself into! That, and I'm determined to stick to a strict book budget this coming year... and NOT just 1-click-buy every darn Kindle book I browse that sounds interesting... and NOT feel the need to buy every book in a series without even reading the first one to see if I will even like them... O, the money I would save!

All this means I seriously need to utilize my library's digital services for lending ebooks and audiobooks. Of course, this should also help with the whole challenge thing, since those books have a time limit LOL!

Good luck everyone!

Michelle wrote: [snip:] "...I would like spend more time reading my books than reading all the comments/ reviews here on goodreads, lol!"

Amen to that! Feels like I spend more time reading about books, and shopping for books, and adding adding adding to my TBR pile (thanks to all the recommendations I come across through all my GR friends) than I do actually reading! I could probably double my "books-read" output if I could get these little addictions under control! :)

Briansgirl "Master Book Sale Huntress" wrote: "It helps if your library is large and has a big selection or if inter-library loan is free. (My library charges between $1-$2 to use inter-library loan which is why I prefer to just buy a used copy..."

Our library by our house isn't the best but the one by my work is HUGE and they don't charge anything for inter-library loans. Since I've been using that one I haven't been buying nearly as many books as I was in the past.

I want to finish cataloging all my books at my house.

I also want to complete at least one challenge a month, a yearly challenge, and read at least 20 nonfiction books.

Total books I'm hoping to read = 120 including the nonfiction titles.

Yeah, I know I couldn't restrict my buying to six books a month. I admire you tremendously, m.allen!

yeah, I'm thinking "only 6 books--um, ok, I can do that--I'm going to only buy 6 books a week this year. :o)

That's more like me, Ann. LOL.

I'd like to have more time each day to read.

I so wish I had more reading time. I'm going to try to read more at work when I'm not busy, instead of surfing the net and compulsively checking Goodreads updates.

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I so wish I had more reading time. I'm going to try to read more at work when I'm not busy, instead of surfing the net and compulsively checking Goodreads updates."

Me too!!!! Since joining, I've become addicted to goodreads. I check updates on my phone, on my work computer, and then as soon as I get home from work. I saw and episode of Dr. Phil where he was counseling a woman whose family thought she was addicted to facebook. She was saying how easily her plan to only spend 10min online turns into 1 hour; I can relate to that :OP

Me too, Michelle. I should be finishing my book now, but here I am. :)