(Don’t you love the image?!?! I found the book image via Google and then I made the overlap—I am art!)
If you haven’t noticed I have been missing again for a while. I’m slowly working my way through Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace as my final 2013 Challenge Read and am (surprisingly) thoroughly enjoying it.
I’ve known for a while I wouldn’t do any challenges next year, but I hadn’t officially decided until recently. I feel bad abandoning the three challenges I’ve done for two years now, but I think I need the distance and freedom to read what I want when I want without restrictions other than those I put on myself. So far the only thing I’ve decided to read next year are more library books, re-read a few books that I haven’t made time for in years and just to have fun. In addition to the no challenges I am currently debating on the format my blog will take in 2014 but won’t make any major decisions until I do my 2013 recap.
I do plan on continuing to chip away at my Classics Club list. I’ve recently decided for my list that five years is a suggestion and I plan to just keep reading those until I finish my list of 100 books. I will of course re-read at least one (but probably two) Austen novel(s) and am looking forward to reading quite a few translations in the coming year.
Even though I am not participating in challenges this year, I definitely recommend you check out the challenges I’ve done in the past:
- Mount TBR Challenge – Hosted by the wonderful Bev of My Reader’s Block! If there is one challenge I might opt into towards the end of the year it is this one. I plan on spending a lot of time in 2014 reading from my bookshelf and have made a good effort this year (25+ books).
- Tea & Books Reading Challenge – Hosted by the amazing Birgit of The Book Garden. I’m not sure if she’s hosting again in 2014 as she is on a temporary hiatus, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this challenge the past two years and have knocked some MAJOR tomes off my lists. I will miss participating but will check in I am sure.
- Back to the Classics – Originally hosted by the stupendous Sarah of Sarah Reads too Much, but this year Karen of Books and Chocolate is hosting. I love this one as it kept me accountable with the Classics Club and expanded the classic genres I’ve read in the past.
I think the idea of a whole year in which you’re free to read whatever you want is just fabulous. I hope that you enjoy all of the surprises that await you!
Thanks! You too.
That is a good graphic! I’ve only been blogging just over a month and I do enjoy reading about other people’s challenges but I think I’ll stay clear of them for a while. Reading is my major escape and one of the things I love most so I don’t want there to be any pressure about what to read and for there to be deadlines! Hope you enjoy your year of challenge free reading!
I definitely recommend NOT doing challenges the first year or so, it lets you find your voice and then you can decide the following year. Seems most people don’t at first and then do and then take a break. I’m looking forward to a quiet challenge-free year. Have a great year of blogging!
Thanks! 🙂
I’ll tell you–I thought I would miss the challenges when I gave them up this year…I totally didn’t.
I know I won’t miss them! I mean they do encourage me to read broader, but I think I read pretty broad on my own 😀
I like the graphic lots! Nicely done. I think a year just reading what you want sounds like a great idea 🙂
Thanks! And I’m super excited about it even though I started making a list of books I wanted to read and realized that was a BAD idea 😀
I totally get it. I think that sometimes these challenges suck the fun out of reading and blogging. I’m sticking with the Classics Club, but in general, I’m not participating in any other challenges.
They definitely do! And that’s one of the reason I never bump up my overall reading goal. I don’t want that added pressure.