The 2014 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread! - Page 61

Hampshire Nanny · 12-24-2014, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treadlightly

So now I know that I am less likely to choose Historical Fiction over the other genres

I read more mysteries this year than I have in previous years.

Ah ... I'm sneaky. I combine historical fiction and mysteries! There are some excellent mystery series set in Ancient Egypt, Medieval Wales, and Victorian England, etc. Two genres with one book.

orlok · 12-24-2014, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Attachment 132893

(Click Image to Enlarge)

Thanks Nyssa, and to you too.

Finished my challenge of 75 books this morning. Yay! I also made my sub-task of averaging over 300 pages per book, though I haven't worked out the final exact count yet. Maybe in the quiet time after the next couple of days

.

treadlightly · 12-24-2014, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

Ah ... I'm sneaky. I combine historical fiction and mysteries! There are some excellent mystery series set in Ancient Egypt, Medieval Wales, and Victorian England, etc. Two genres with one book.

Good idea

A lot of the Mysteries that I read took place in historical settings, maybe even some fantasy too!

CRussel · 12-25-2014, 04:54 PM

I got a few days behind entering books onto my list (bad, bad, bad!), but finally got caught up today. I'm hoping I didn't miss any, but even if I did, it's still an impressive year. I've so far managed to read 169 books (plus several shorter works), according to my list, and I suspect I missed a couple. I'm noticing a pattern, however - I'm opting to read fewer "spec" books, and opting to re-read books I haven't read in a while. Especially as old favourites from many, many years ago become available in eBook format. And almost all are at reasonable prices (or free from the Library or KU, or in some cases are Public Domain here in Canada.) Overall, I'm spending less money, though still too much. I think next year I'm going to make it a point to carefully track all book purchases to see if I can do a bit better in that department.

CRussel · 12-25-2014, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

Ah ... I'm sneaky. I combine historical fiction and mysteries! There are some excellent mystery series set in Ancient Egypt, Medieval Wales, and Victorian England, etc. Two genres with one book.

I applaud this as a way to both cover multiple genres and to broaden our understanding of different times and places. But I'm missing out on one area of this -

"Medieval Wales"?? Not sure which series that refers to.

pdurrant · 12-25-2014, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

I applaud this as a way to both cover multiple genres and to broaden our understanding of different times and places. But I'm missing out on one area of this -

"Medieval Wales"?? Not sure which series that refers to.

Hmm... the Cadfael books are set are on the border between England and Wales, around 1100.

CRussel · 12-25-2014, 06:28 PM

Ah. I haven't read any of them, and wasn't enamoured of the TV series, so not highly motivated.

Hampshire Nanny · 12-25-2014, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Hmm... the Cadfael books are set are on the border between England and Wales, around 1100.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Ah. I haven't read any of them, and wasn't enamoured of the TV series, so not highly motivated.

Fortunately, the books are better than the TV series. And it was Cadfael that I was speaking of. There seems to be enough to-ing and fro-ing across the border and Cadfael is Welsh, so saying "Medieval Wales" avoided being a bit repetitive with "Victorian England".

Back to Cadfael -- the books are "gentle" mysteries. To me, the plot moves slowly. I think this is a characteristic of not only the setting, but the time in which it was written.

Katsunami · 12-26-2014, 08:32 AM

I have the urge to read The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion again in 2015....

Tarana · 12-26-2014, 08:09 PM

Well, I'm glad that I'm encouraging you Katsunami!! I was getting the 3 books of the Lord of the Rings (whispersynced) through Kindle Unlimited. One book for each month. After I get my 3 free audiobooks, then I'll stop for awhile and wait for the next deal. Read or rather listened, to the Hobbit earlier this year. Never read Silmarillion.

Part of what is interfering with my reading/listening this month is my Midsomer Murders Marathon. I've now reached episodes that I've never seen (Season 12) on Netflix. So, I went from one episode per night to two episodes. Really sucks up the evening!

issybird · 12-29-2014, 10:19 AM

So... I had originally planned for one hundred books this year, but I started listening to audiobooks which jacked up my total. I revised upward and still exceeded my new benchmark of 132 books. I'll hit either 141 or 142 (and I did go over 100 books read, so I adhered to that aspect of my challenge, too).

However, for me the sub-goals are my real challenge and this was mixed. I sailed over my goals for Great War and lit-fic reads, but had a colossal failure when it came to 17th century England. I usually give myself a fudge factor, where overage in one category offsets a shortfall in another and by that standard I was fine, with 61 category reads out of 50 projected, but that's really only supposed to cover a swing of a couple of books at most and not a shortfall of a whopping ten out of twelve.

My Great War immersion in this centenary year gave me a lot of pleasure, but the 17th century goal was supposed to be my horizon stretcher, so I'm disappointed in myself. Great War books are like crack to me and I'm posting this here as a mental goad not to fall into the same trap next year, when I expect to continue GW reading, but not at the expense of other goals.

DrNefario · 12-29-2014, 10:41 AM

I was expecting the book I just finished to be my last of the year - I'm planning to start a longer book outside my favoured genres next which I don't expect to finish in three days (in fact I want to get a head start on next year's goals) - but I've just noticed it was my 119th work read, and I don't think I can leave it at that. I'll have to fit in a standalone short story somewhere.

BelleZora · 12-29-2014, 11:06 AM

I'm at 129 books (goal was 120 books) and am 25% through the long Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I feel like a kindred spirit of my old favorite obsessive-compulsive television detective Adrian Monk, but the dilemma is: can I finish this by Thursday, or should I read a shorter book now so that I'll end up at 130? What if I finish Woman in White too soon and risk ending at 131 books?

First world obsessive-compulsive problem.

pdurrant · 12-29-2014, 11:31 AM

I have my highest recorded total so far - currently 236 read, and likely to hit 237 or 238. I don't think I'll get to 240.

Rumpelteazer · 12-29-2014, 04:20 PM

Currently reading either my 112th of 2014 or my 1st book of 2015. Last year I read 119 books but with 111 books finished this year I'm only 8 pages behind 2013. I'm about to start the second book in the Odd Thomas series, which is less than 300 pages. Normally I would easily finish it in 2 days. However, it's still a school holiday and the weather prediction for the coming days is okay so chances are I'll work two full days. Since I count the pages of the books towards the month I finished it in I'm not sure if I can beat last year's record.

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12-25-2014, 04:54 PM	#904
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	I got a few days behind entering books onto my list (bad, bad, bad!), but finally got caught up today. I'm hoping I didn't miss any, but even if I did, it's still an impressive year. I've so far managed to read 169 books (plus several shorter works), according to my list, and I suspect I missed a couple. I'm noticing a pattern, however - I'm opting to read fewer "spec" books, and opting to re-read books I haven't read in a while. Especially as old favourites from many, many years ago become available in eBook format. And almost all are at reasonable prices (or free from the Library or KU, or in some cases are Public Domain here in Canada.) Overall, I'm spending less money, though still too much. I think next year I'm going to make it a point to carefully track all book purchases to see if I can do a bit better in that department.

12-25-2014, 06:28 PM	#907
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Ah. I haven't read any of them, and wasn't enamoured of the TV series, so not highly motivated.

12-26-2014, 08:32 AM	#909
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	I have the urge to read The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion again in 2015....

12-26-2014, 08:09 PM	#910
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,038 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Well, I'm glad that I'm encouraging you Katsunami!! I was getting the 3 books of the Lord of the Rings (whispersynced) through Kindle Unlimited. One book for each month. After I get my 3 free audiobooks, then I'll stop for awhile and wait for the next deal. Read or rather listened, to the Hobbit earlier this year. Never read Silmarillion. Part of what is interfering with my reading/listening this month is my Midsomer Murders Marathon. I've now reached episodes that I've never seen (Season 12) on Netflix. So, I went from one episode per night to two episodes. Really sucks up the evening!

12-29-2014, 10:19 AM	#911
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,314 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	So... I had originally planned for one hundred books this year, but I started listening to audiobooks which jacked up my total. I revised upward and still exceeded my new benchmark of 132 books. I'll hit either 141 or 142 (and I did go over 100 books read, so I adhered to that aspect of my challenge, too). However, for me the sub-goals are my real challenge and this was mixed. I sailed over my goals for Great War and lit-fic reads, but had a colossal failure when it came to 17th century England. I usually give myself a fudge factor, where overage in one category offsets a shortfall in another and by that standard I was fine, with 61 category reads out of 50 projected, but that's really only supposed to cover a swing of a couple of books at most and not a shortfall of a whopping ten out of twelve. My Great War immersion in this centenary year gave me a lot of pleasure, but the 17th century goal was supposed to be my horizon stretcher, so I'm disappointed in myself. Great War books are like crack to me and I'm posting this here as a mental goad not to fall into the same trap next year, when I expect to continue GW reading, but not at the expense of other goals.

12-29-2014, 10:41 AM	#912
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,206 Karma: 12029046 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I was expecting the book I just finished to be my last of the year - I'm planning to start a longer book outside my favoured genres next which I don't expect to finish in three days (in fact I want to get a head start on next year's goals) - but I've just noticed it was my 119th work read, and I don't think I can leave it at that. I'll have to fit in a standalone short story somewhere.

12-29-2014, 11:06 AM	#913
BelleZora Wizard Posts: 1,442 Karma: 25151986 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Seattle, US Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Libra 2, Pocketbook Verse Pro Color	I'm at 129 books (goal was 120 books) and am 25% through the long Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I feel like a kindred spirit of my old favorite obsessive-compulsive television detective Adrian Monk, but the dilemma is: can I finish this by Thursday, or should I read a shorter book now so that I'll end up at 130? What if I finish Woman in White too soon and risk ending at 131 books? First world obsessive-compulsive problem.

12-29-2014, 11:31 AM	#914
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 74,001 Karma: 315160596 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	I have my highest recorded total so far - currently 236 read, and likely to hit 237 or 238. I don't think I'll get to 240.

12-29-2014, 04:20 PM	#915
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,334 Karma: 27919658 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	Currently reading either my 112th of 2014 or my 1st book of 2015. Last year I read 119 books but with 111 books finished this year I'm only 8 pages behind 2013. I'm about to start the second book in the Odd Thomas series, which is less than 300 pages. Normally I would easily finish it in 2 days. However, it's still a school holiday and the weather prediction for the coming days is okay so chances are I'll work two full days. Since I count the pages of the books towards the month I finished it in I'm not sure if I can beat last year's record.

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