The 2019 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread

[Wearever]

I've read more nonfiction so far this month, but just started Way Station by Clifford Simak for my science fiction challenge. Next month I plan to start reading first book in a series again.

[Tarana]

For my February wrapup, I have strong progress on finishing books (now 27% of goal). TBR and budget are suffering terribly, but all I can do is better next month. I'm still hobbling around, so still have a lot of reading/listening time available because I can't walk very far yet.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It's the end of the month! How are people doing? Having fun, I hope!

I'm doing the best I think I've ever done - net reduction of SIX books!

If I continue to reduce my TBR pile by six each month, it will reach zero on 31st January, 2033!

Well, it was good while it lasted. But February had too many good offers. I don't regret any of my purchases, but my TBR is now fifteen higher than the start of the year, or 21 higher than at the start of February.

It wouldn't have been so bad, but my reading was down this month too - only seven books read, compared to 14 in January. My time for reading in February was restricted, and looks to be even more restricted in March. I'll just have to try to be even more discerning about any purchases.

[issybird]

Things are chugging along. I'm slightly ahead in that I've started the books I need to be reading in March: history, GR want-to-reads and book club.

Originally Posted by issybird

Most disappointing for me is the anemic quality of the books I've read. Nothing better than three stars and my overall rating is 2.7 according to Goodreads. I will be a while digging myself out of this hole and boosting it to the 3.2 to 3.3 range, which is where I'd like to be.

This problem is being addressed. I'm reading better books so my average rating is now over three stars (if just barely), even if I did finish a two-star stinker yesterday.

But, warning, warning! From a month ago:

I'm on target with my goals, if only just. I need to get a doorstopper started one of these days, but that situation hasn't reached the critical stage.

Hmm. Still not critical, but it's getting there. My overall problem is that I seem to be pretty fully scheduled* with my other goals and the opening hasn't happened. I'll note that I usually read a baseball book during spring training and it seems that it isn't happening this year.

*This is absurd, of course. There's still enough give in my reading; however, since the book club is doing Dickens for March I don't feel starting another Victorian-era novel concurrently. And baseball is long; I can get to a book eventually.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It wouldn't have been so bad, but my reading was down this month too - only seven books read, compared to 14 in January.

I had quite a slow reading month, too - I only made it to 6 because I read 2 short books in 4 days at the end of the month - but luckily I managed to restrain myself on the acquisitions.

I also deleted an old freebie I decided I was never going to read. I deleted 7 or 8 last year, and didn't count them, but I think that was unfair, since I would have counted them when I acquired them, so I'm going to include deletions this year.

[Wearever]

Read 6 books in February which is good for me. So I'm up to 12 for the year so far. My Sci fi challenge is going well. I've just read stand alone books so far. For March I'll try doing fist books in a series again. It worked well for my Fantasy challenge last year.

I'll have to get off earth though, I've noticed my Sci fi reads so far have all taken place on earth. I guess I just wasn't ready for the journey into cold dark space. Now that it's March I think I'm ready to go.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by Wearever

I'll have to get off earth though, I've noticed my Sci fi reads so far have all taken place on earth. I guess I just wasn't ready for the journey into cold dark space. Now that it's March I think I'm ready to go.

I have trouble with earth based books because so many are dystopian and I just can't get very thrilled with those. Currently reading "The Long Tomorrow" by Leigh Brackett and it started out great, but now is just a drag for me. It's more general fiction than science fiction.

[Rumpelteazer]

I've had a fairly good month. I've read about 200 pages above average for February. Which means that in the first two months of this year I've read almost 1200 above average. Which is nice, since last year wasn't good from the beginning. According to GoodReads I'm 4-5 books ahead of schedule.

In January I read a bunch of long books (500+ pages), I didn't in February, but I got 3 lined up for the near future. One of them, the longest one, I will start reading in the next couple of weeks.

My series challenge is also doing well, I finished the Nic Costa series on Monday. I need to read 6 books in the Armand Gamache series (including the new one released in August), after I finish the book I'm currently reading I need to finish 5 Guido Brunetti books (including the latest release). There are three books left in the Mortal Engines series. And one book left in three other series. I hope to finish at least one series in March, possibly two.

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by Tarana

I have trouble with earth based books because so many are dystopian and I just can't get very thrilled with those. Currently reading "The Long Tomorrow" by Leigh Brackett and it started out great, but now is just a drag for me. It's more general fiction than science fiction.

I read that one a few years ago and I know what you mean. It also reminded me of another dystopian book I read " World Made by Hand " by James Howard Kunstler. So far I have read only one dystopian sci fi book for my challenge " Sea of Rust "and oddly enough it had only robots and no humans. Lol. I agree I tend to put near future earth, dystopian books into a different category like survivalist.

I'm looking for a first book in a sci fi series now. Going off planet this time.

[Wearever]

Well I only made it to the Moon this time. Small first steps before giant leaps for me. Reading Artemis by Andy Weir. It's not a first book in a series like I hoped but at least I'm off Earth.

[Dngrsone]

This year, I have decided to track how many new books I am reading as opposed to rereading favorites. SO far, the ratio looks good.

I noticed the other day that my digital library has exceeeded 1300 volumes, and I am curious how many I have already read.

... but that's a project for another time.

[Tarana]

Dngrsone, if you have everything in Calibre, you can add a yes/no column for if you read something or not. Then you can track it from here on out.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Dngrsone, if you have everything in Calibre, you can add a yes/no column for if you read something or not. Then you can track it from here on out.

If I can keep the same instance of Calibre going for more than a few months, heh.

[Tarana]

It's the Ides of March and I'm making pretty good progress on my books this month. My Kindle Unlimited ends at the end of March, so now I'm skipping the books I own to listen to as many as I can that I don't own. Then I'll catch up on those I own. This is the 87th Precinct series by Ed McBain.

Goodreads says I'm 15 books ahead. This will last at least another month. Specialist says I don't need surgery on knees, but will need slightly different treatment. Hope to be back to usual in another 6 weeks. This has been one big drag. If it weren't for books, I'd have been through the entire Netflix offerings by now!

[Dngrsone]

That reminds me, I saw an article earlier this week about reading a Prime book and getting a $3 promo. I'll have to do that.