The 2015 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread

[Hampshire Nanny]

According to Goodreads, I've met my goal of 200 books this year. But that includes 6 short works which are fewer than 50 pages each. I've read 194 full-length books. There are a couple of short ones (~100 pages or so) which are predominantly books for mid-grade (5th - 8th grade) readers. I have almost completed reading Vicky Peterwald: Target, and I expect to finish two more books by midnight on New Year's Eve. But even if I lump the 6 smaller works together and call them a "book", I'll still finish up with 198-ish books for the year. BUT ... I've read more than 56,000 "pages", so this is definitely the year in which I have read the most -- both books and pages.

I'll update on 1 January to note the final statistics for the year.

Hope everyone is enjoying the end-of-year break and holidays -- whichever you celebrate.

[issybird]

I'm close but I probably won't make it, at least partially by choice.

I've started what should be my last challenge book (The King's Revenge: Charles II and the Greatest Manhunt in British History), but I've had too much going on to give it much time. I could either try to speed it up (but I like it a lot and that would mean giving it less than my full attention) or abandon it for now and pick the shortest possible qualifying book and squeeze that in. But I have company who'll be here through the new year and I think the best choice in terms of my reading pleasure and enrichment is to acknowledge that I'll be a book short. I've surpassed all my other goals, so I'm content; I just won't have bragging rights.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm close but I probably won't make it, at least partially by choice.

I've started what should be my last challenge book (The King's Revenge: Charles II and the Greatest Manhunt in British History), but I've had too much going on to give it much time. I could either try to speed it up (but I like it a lot and that would mean giving it less than my full attention) or abandon it for now and pick the shortest possible qualifying book and squeeze that in. But I have company who'll be here through the new year and I think the best choice in terms of my reading pleasure and enrichment is to acknowledge that I'll be a book short. I've surpassed all my other goals, so I'm content; I just won't have bragging rights.

The purpose of a challenge is to help us grow and stretch, not to beat ourselves over the head with. You've done very well indeed this year, and I think you are right to just let this last one go. And yes, you should STILL brag.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

The purpose of a challenge is to help us grow and stretch, not to beat ourselves over the head with. You've done very well indeed this year, and I think you are right to just let this last one go. And yes, you should STILL brag.

Thanks, Charlie! I do agree with you about the purpose of our challenges. And I'll postpone any bragging until the end of next year, when maybe I'll hit all my marks.

[WT Sharpe]

I'm on track to beat my 2015 goal by 59 books.

[sakura-panda]

I've read 93 books -- 94 is my 2015 goal -- but I don't think I'm going to make it. (For one thing, I'm not reading right now. LOL)

I don't want to pass it just for the sake of getting over it and the book I'm currently reading is a long one that I'm only about halfway through. I could switch to a shorter book, but since I choose books based on "what I feel like reading right now", to read something else would feel like cheating.

This is the closest I've come to this goal (since originally setting it) and I'm satisfied for this year.

[pdurrant]

Less than two days remain in 2015, so let's see how I did this year.

My goals for 2015:

1. To read my 54 unread ebooks from 2005 and 2006.
2. To spend no more than £25/month on ebooks on average over the year.
3. To reduce my TBR list in calibre to below 700.

The first I have competed. My oldest unread bought ebook was bought 29 January 2007.

The second I will complete. I still have £7.99 unspent from my 2015 budget, and I shall not exceed my £300 budget for the year.

The third I have utterly failed at. My TBR currently stands at 778, and is likely to end the year above 780.

As to the number of books read in 2015: Not as many as 2014, but still a good number. I think I'm going to end the year with my total at 226.

I'm setting myself similar challenges for next year, but in a different order:

1. To finish 2016 with my TBR below 700
2. To read my 75 unread ebooks bought before 1st July 2008
3. To spend no more than £20 per month on average

I'm confident I can manage the second. I think I might manage the third, although it will be tight. Unless there's some amazingly good bundle during 2016, I think I'll manage the first goal this time.

[Dngrsone]

I have 120 reads under my belt this year... there's still time for another, depending on how busy the next two days are, I suppose.

I will have to take some time to figure out how much I've spent on ebook purchases this year. I suppose that is something worth tracking.

I'm glad I don't have pdurrant's TBR, though...

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

I'm glad I don't have pdurrant's TBR, though...

What's not to like? I have 700+ books I would like to read.

OK, I admit I'd prefer to have it down to around the 100 mark. Perhaps I'll make that before my 60th birthday.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

What's not to like? I have 700+ books I would like to read.

OK, I admit I'd prefer to have it down to around the 100 mark. Perhaps I'll make that before my 60th birthday.

Hehehe... my TBR is in the low 100s and that gives me enough anxiety over whether I will actually get around to reading it all: what do I read next? why did I buy this? is this interesting enough after that last book/series I read?



... yeah, I got issues.

[Rumpelteazer]

There's a very small chance I might finish my 114th book tomorrow, but I'm not going to rush it.

For the third year in a row I've read more than 40,000 pages and I did read 4 book of over 700 pages. Though this year the trend seems to be shorter book than in 2013 and 2014.

Another trend this year was trying out new series. A lot of them I didn't continue with, a couple I did continue with and finished most of those. I did reasonable on the active series. I have seven of those, one of them has only one book left and the during the coming months it'll be one of my priorities to read more of those.

I'm really looking forward to my 2016 monthly theme challenge (pick a theme and read 4 books related to it). I'm also looking forward to my week vacation in just over a week, I've planned to spend most of my time reading, catching up on films and tv series, napping a trying to create the perfect fire in the fireplace.

[Tarana]

I think I should make that part of my goal as well Paul. I'm sure I still have some older audiobooks I haven't listened to yet. Off to check those numbers....

[pdurrant]

Now that we've reached the end of 2015, don't forget to sign up for next year at the 2016 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The second I will complete. I still have £7.99 unspent from my 2015 budget, and I shall not exceed my £300 budget for the year.

With less than six hours to go, I think I can safely say that I'm staying within my budget for 2015! By £0.06!

Yes, seven more books bought this evening, for a total of £7.93.

Thanks to everyone for making the 2015 challenge thread interesting, and I hope to see you all in the 2016 list!

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

With less than six hours to go, I think I can safely say that I saying within my budget for 2015! By £0.06!

Highly deserved congratulations, Paul! I know it took a ton of resolve.