The 2018 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread - Page 8

astrangerhere · 02-01-2018, 07:18 AM

Goals:

Length Goals:
Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) | Total Pages: 25,000 | TBR Reduction: 25
Substantive Goals:
Read at least 51% non-American authors | Read more female/gender-fluid authors than male | Read at least 52 short stories | Read at least 10 of the New Leaf Book Club selections | Complete a re-read of the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of War and Peace

January Totals:

16 books - 32% of my goal - on target
9 short stories - 17% of my goal - on target
4,380 pages - 17% of my goal - on target
52% female authors / 48% male authors - on target
71 % US authors / 29% non-US authors - WAY off target. The short stories are killing this balance.
47 of 365 chapters of War and Peace complete - on target
TBR Reduction: Reduced by 6 - 24% of my goal - on target

I might need to rethink my targets...

CRussel · 02-01-2018, 01:51 PM

I'm on track to read >200 books. WAY beyond my target, so good on that one. And good on keeping track--I've managed to update my LIst Thread page at least every few days.

The New Leaf Book Club has just started, but I've read the book for this month, plus at least two others that were nominated, so I'm doing well there.

However. On reducing my TBR and buying fewer books? Abysmal. Simply abysmal. The excitement and fun around the new book club has me discovering all sorts of books I want to read. Fun, but not good for the TBR.

Wearever · 02-02-2018, 01:47 PM

I read six books for January, two were for my fantasy challenge. The next book will be the Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Erickem · 02-07-2018, 04:27 AM

This year isn't starting off well. It's looking like I'll have 2 abandoned books before completing one.

___________

My website: lông mày ngang hàn quốc

June · 02-07-2018, 12:34 PM

Read about the target amount in January - but managed to grow m TBR in January AND February....

Wearever · 02-11-2018, 10:35 AM

My fantasy challenge has been going well so far, still reading first books in a series. Next , Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. I've read one of her mystery books last year, I had no idea she also wrote fantasy.

Lusitanic · 02-13-2018, 03:26 AM

Last year's goal was 40 books and I read 45, this year's goal is 45.

I have read 4 so far...running a bit late...

This year I'd like to read a few books on politics, a few books on AI and tech. The cyberpunk/zombie theme will likely prevail when it comes to fiction, but I want to read off one or two literary classics and experiment with authors from different countries.

CRussel · 02-20-2018, 01:31 PM

This is not going well...

I've bought or acquired 36 books, but only read 23. Wrong direction! OTOH, the New Leaf Book Club is the primary cause of this. I'm having so much fun with the Themes that it's driving book acquisition. And reading -- already my NLBC related reading is 25% of my total. And I can see that percentage rising, not falling, as the year goes on.

Wearever · 02-22-2018, 12:00 PM

I have been reading first books in a series for my fantasy challenge, however I just found a prequel book for the " Wheel of Time Series " I 'll read " New Spring " the prequel next. I don't usually read prequels, but since I've only read the first book in the series, I felt I should know more of the background on these mysterious characters, going forward.

Rumpelteazer · 02-28-2018, 11:44 AM

I thought I was having a reading slump. But looking at the statistics it turns out I'm not. According to Goodreads I'm one to two books ahead of reading 100 books this year, normally I have managed to get ahead more by the end of February. However, I didn't read much last week due to a nasty cold. But I did manage read more than average for February. And my average book length so far is 402, my average from 2012 until now is 365, so that'll explain the lower book count.

I did well on my series this month. Using a randomizer app to choose which series to read next. If I keep going like this I'll meet my series goals easily.

pdurrant · 02-28-2018, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

But this year, if January is any guide, I'll be lucky to make it to 100!

Only 7 books read in February, and one of those was abandoned!

16 books read.
36 books bought (although 7 were not added to my TBR because they were old favourites)

I'm clearly not doing well at reducing my TBR pile this year.

Dngrsone · 02-28-2018, 01:43 PM

I'm keeping pace, it looks like. Ten months to go.

DrNefario · 02-28-2018, 02:48 PM

A very quiet February for me. Only five books read, one of which was a novella, and no books bought at all (although still five in, via freebies and loans, a break-even overall). I think dropping my daily short story is starting to show.

astrangerhere · 03-01-2018, 08:30 AM

Goals:

Length Goals:
Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) | Total Pages: 25,000 | TBR Reduction: 25 (stretch goal of 50)
Substantive Goals:
Read at least 51% non-American authors | Read more female/gender-fluid authors than male | Read at least 52 short stories | Read at least 10 of the New Leaf Book Club selections | Complete a re-read of the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of War and Peace

Aggregate Totals (including both Jan and Feb):

32 books - 61% of my goal (43% of stretch goal) - on target
18 short stories - 35% of my goal - on target
8,239 pages - 33% of my goal - on target
47% female/nonbinary authors / 53% male authors - off target - A number of classic short stories pulled this down in Feb.
60% US authors (down from 71%) / 40% non-US authors (up from 29%) - off target but making gains
95 of 365 chapters of War and Peace complete - on target
TBR Reduction: Reduced by 13 - 52% of my goal (26% of stretch goal) - on target

Geeky Charts attached. (But not too geeky - I only posted 4 of the 10 charts my spreadsheet generates

)

Wearever · 03-01-2018, 03:49 PM

I'm quite surprised that I read 6 books again in February. Last year I couldn't break 4 books a month. Don't know what I'm doing different. Maybe I'm just reading faster this year ? Or perhaps I'm reading longer and haven't really noticed. Either way I might just go beyond my 52 book goal. Then again anything can happen by January.

02-01-2018, 07:18 AM	#106
astrangerhere Professor of Law Posts: 3,640 Karma: 65925980 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini	January Update Goals: Length Goals: Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) \| Total Pages: 25,000 \| TBR Reduction: 25 Substantive Goals: Read at least 51% non-American authors \| Read more female/gender-fluid authors than male \| Read at least 52 short stories \| Read at least 10 of the New Leaf Book Club selections \| Complete a re-read of the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of War and Peace January Totals: 16 books - 32% of my goal - on target 9 short stories - 17% of my goal - on target 4,380 pages - 17% of my goal - on target 52% female authors / 48% male authors - on target 71 % US authors / 29% non-US authors - WAY off target. The short stories are killing this balance. 47 of 365 chapters of War and Peace complete - on target TBR Reduction: Reduced by 6 - 24% of my goal - on target I might need to rethink my targets... Last edited by astrangerhere; 02-01-2018 at 07:28 AM.

02-07-2018, 04:27 AM	#109
Erickem Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: Angela	This year isn't starting off well. It's looking like I'll have 2 abandoned books before completing one. ___________ My website: lông mày ngang hàn quốc Last edited by Erickem; 04-10-2018 at 04:28 AM.

03-01-2018, 08:30 AM	#119
astrangerhere Professor of Law Posts: 3,640 Karma: 65925980 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini	Goals: Length Goals: Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) \| Total Pages: 25,000 \| TBR Reduction: 25 (stretch goal of 50) Substantive Goals: Read at least 51% non-American authors \| Read more female/gender-fluid authors than male \| Read at least 52 short stories \| Read at least 10 of the New Leaf Book Club selections \| Complete a re-read of the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of War and Peace Aggregate Totals (including both Jan and Feb): 32 books - 61% of my goal (43% of stretch goal) - on target 18 short stories - 35% of my goal - on target 8,239 pages - 33% of my goal - on target 47% female/nonbinary authors / 53% male authors - off target - A number of classic short stories pulled this down in Feb. 60% US authors (down from 71%) / 40% non-US authors (up from 29%) - off target but making gains 95 of 365 chapters of War and Peace complete - on target TBR Reduction: Reduced by 13 - 52% of my goal (26% of stretch goal) - on target Geeky Charts attached. (But not too geeky - I only posted 4 of the 10 charts my spreadsheet generates ) Attached Thumbnails Last edited by astrangerhere; 03-01-2018 at 09:35 AM.

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02-01-2018, 01:51 PM	#107
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,159 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	I'm on track to read >200 books. WAY beyond my target, so good on that one. And good on keeping track--I've managed to update my LIst Thread page at least every few days. The New Leaf Book Club has just started, but I've read the book for this month, plus at least two others that were nominated, so I'm doing well there. However. On reducing my TBR and buying fewer books? Abysmal. Simply abysmal. The excitement and fun around the new book club has me discovering all sorts of books I want to read. Fun, but not good for the TBR.

02-02-2018, 01:47 PM	#108
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	I read six books for January, two were for my fantasy challenge. The next book will be the Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

02-07-2018, 12:34 PM	#110
June Addict Posts: 306 Karma: 4508151 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Scandinavia Device: Kobo Libra, Oasis 1&2 and others	Read about the target amount in January - but managed to grow m TBR in January AND February....

02-11-2018, 10:35 AM	#111
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	My fantasy challenge has been going well so far, still reading first books in a series. Next , Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. I've read one of her mystery books last year, I had no idea she also wrote fantasy.

02-13-2018, 03:26 AM	#112
Lusitanic Leader Posts: 80 Karma: 2626226 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Portugal Device: Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura, One Plus 5	Last year's goal was 40 books and I read 45, this year's goal is 45. I have read 4 so far...running a bit late... This year I'd like to read a few books on politics, a few books on AI and tech. The cyberpunk/zombie theme will likely prevail when it comes to fiction, but I want to read off one or two literary classics and experiment with authors from different countries.

02-20-2018, 01:31 PM	#113
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,159 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	This is not going well... I've bought or acquired 36 books, but only read 23. Wrong direction! OTOH, the New Leaf Book Club is the primary cause of this. I'm having so much fun with the Themes that it's driving book acquisition. And reading -- already my NLBC related reading is 25% of my total. And I can see that percentage rising, not falling, as the year goes on.

02-22-2018, 12:00 PM	#114
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	I have been reading first books in a series for my fantasy challenge, however I just found a prequel book for the " Wheel of Time Series " I 'll read " New Spring " the prequel next. I don't usually read prequels, but since I've only read the first book in the series, I felt I should know more of the background on these mysterious characters, going forward.

02-28-2018, 11:44 AM	#115
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,100 Karma: 24047426 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	I thought I was having a reading slump. But looking at the statistics it turns out I'm not. According to Goodreads I'm one to two books ahead of reading 100 books this year, normally I have managed to get ahead more by the end of February. However, I didn't read much last week due to a nasty cold. But I did manage read more than average for February. And my average book length so far is 402, my average from 2012 until now is 365, so that'll explain the lower book count. I did well on my series this month. Using a randomizer app to choose which series to read next. If I keep going like this I'll meet my series goals easily.

02-28-2018, 01:43 PM	#117
Dngrsone Almost legible Posts: 1,457 Karma: 4611110 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: In a high desert, CA Device: Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Tab A (2017), Likebook P78	I'm keeping pace, it looks like. Ten months to go.

02-28-2018, 02:48 PM	#118
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,099 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	A very quiet February for me. Only five books read, one of which was a novella, and no books bought at all (although still five in, via freebies and loans, a break-even overall). I think dropping my daily short story is starting to show.

03-01-2018, 03:49 PM	#120
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	I'm quite surprised that I read 6 books again in February. Last year I couldn't break 4 books a month. Don't know what I'm doing different. Maybe I'm just reading faster this year ? Or perhaps I'm reading longer and haven't really noticed. Either way I might just go beyond my 52 book goal. Then again anything can happen by January.