So rather than doing three individual halfway checkpoints for my 2013 Reading Challenges I thought I would tie them all together and then do the same thing for the remaining quarterly check in. Overall, I’m pleased with my progress. I’ve read 8 of a total of 14 books (57%) and have read an additional 10 books not listed. I’m definitely struggling with challenges this year, as I knew I would when I signed up, even with such a small number. As of now I have no intentions of abandoning any challenges, but we’ll see how the next few months go.
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
I’m quite pleased with my progress so far. For this challenge I have read 8 of 12 books (75%) which I committed to PLUS an additional TEN books from my TBR shelf (which would raise my percentage to 82%). To see my full list click here.
If I were actually climbing Pike’s Peak I would be roughly 10,586ft (3,226m) up the mountain in committed books, but with the extra ten books I would be just under half way up the mountain (saying I read 18 of 22) which would be approximately 11,548ft (3,520m) up the mountain.
In addition Bev has asked us to do one of a few options and I’m choosing the creative one:
Using no more than two words from a single title, compose a sentence (musical lyric, bit of poetry, what-have-you) from title from your conquered TBR stack. If you are short of inspirational words…you may use some from your intended reads if needed. Filler words (the, and, with, etc.) or alternate tenses of verbs used in titles are acceptable for clarity.
And you get: The Mysteries of Mickelsson’s Ghosts Shall Inherit the Battle over the Stolen Treasures of Paris and London from five different titles (all hyperlinked).
Tea & Books Reading Challenge
If there is one challenge I am neglecting I feel like it is this one. I have been sitting in the same place since April. I’m not disappointed in where I am, I’ve completed two planned books and an additional book. I just have not felt in the mood to lug a tome around or to read one book for that long. I am still very much looking forward to reading Les Misérables and No Name, I just need some sort of inspiration and a plan. I’ll sort it out soon though.
Back to the Classics Challenge
Overall for this challenge I am right on track having completed 6 of 11 books (55%), but similar to the Tea and Books Challenge I’m struggling to want to read any of these at the moment. I’ve completed three of the six required and three of the five optional.
I’m really looking forward to my re-read of Wuthering Heights and am saving that one for when I really want to read it. I’ve already got To Kill A Mockingbird lined up thanks to a read-a-long, but other than that I don’t have too many plans other than to try and wrap-up sooner rather than later. I’m not looking forward to War and Peace, but maybe that will change as the year progresses.
Good progress,I started Les Mis earlier this year and have not continued, must get back to it! I think I had a good start but a slow spring as everything else got really busy and ate up my lead.
Yeah, that is my only concern. If I get busy or distracted I have a feeling I’ll just abandon it.
And because I’m reading it on the kindle, its out of sight, out of mind, not like a book on the shelf that glares at the reader 🙂
Not helping my cause! Mine is on the Kindle too. Uh oh…
I was just going to say that I’m getting more and more fond of my Kindle and try to order big books for Book Club on it rather than carry them around. Do you keep your Kindle by your favorite reading place? I find that works for me — I just read a few pages every night.
Love love love my Kindle for the big books! I do generally keep it by my bedside, but on a lower shelf. The only book on top of my stand is whatever I’m reading at the moment.
I enjoy the physical heft of a long book when I’m reading it, I think those might be the books I would be most reluctant to read electronically. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, which I read a few months ago, makes fun of itself repeatedly for how long and physically heavy the book is. So that one in particular I would recommend reading a physical copy of!
I totally get the physical copy draw and that book sounds great, but when you’re commuting an hour each way and you have to lug around a big book it’s just uncomfortable. Plus you can only read it in so many positions. I tend to read on my back with the book in the air and that falling on my face is not a good thing.
You are doing much better than me. I signed up for one so far and only accomplished one out of five. I loved the challenges last year, but this year I’m not finding the motivation. I wish you luck!
Thanks! I’m struggling with motivation to after making such an effort early on. I may take Heather’s route and do a year of reading whatever strikes my fancy next year.
You’re doing great on Mount TBR–I fully expect to see you waving at us from atop your mountain. I too am struggling with my books for the Back to the Classics Challenge. The Age of Innocence by Wharton just didn’t inspire me and I’ve put it to the side. It’s been hard to get back into the classic groove. Thanks so much for checking in and doing the sentence option. Yours turned out great by the way!
Thanks Bev! The Mount TBR is the only one I’m not worried about as I could end now and still be over my original mountain. 🙂 But it is the classics that are slowing me down at the moment. Happy reading this summer!