The 2023 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread

[Paperbackstash]

I have really been into audio this month and have been having a great reading month. Just returned from a mini vacation, bought three paperbacks from a used bookstore there, but otherwise no reading during those days. I finished an audio last night, Twelve Nights at Rotter House, and am starting a re-read of The Haunting of Hill House in audio form. Chose the David Warner narration.

[Tarana]

My January wrap-up. 13/60 books done. Overall TBR ebooks Down 1, Audiobooks Down 5. Read 3/12 books that I paid over $6 for. Storygraph challenge 2/12 done.
So, success for this month! Currently on my first of 6 books over 600 pages.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I shall probably just try to buy fewer books than I read.

January: Bought 3, read 9, TBR down 6 (to 697). Success!

[astrangerhere]

Length Goals:

• Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) 7/50 - On Target
• Total Pages: 15,000 (stretch of 20,000) - 2,257/15,000 - On Target
• E-TBR Reduction: 25 - 4/25 - On Target
• Read from Print-TBR: 10 - 2/10 - On Target

Substantive Goals:

• Read at least 51% non-American authors - 53%/47% - On Target
• Read more female/nonbinary authors than male - 40%/60% - Off Target
• Read at least 52 short stories - 8/52 - On Target
• Read at least 10 books across all our collections that are selected by my wife. It's a great way to read things I would not ordinarily do, and I almost always end up enjoying them. List of books will be added as soon as my wife selects them. - 0 - Off Target

[issybird]

It’s been a good month. I’ve checked all my boxes, even the Victorian novel one. The audiobooks I listen to in bed are dragging down my overall rating a little, but that’s the nature of the beast.

[Paperbackstash]

I'm happy with my start and have enjoyed this month of reading, and just this month in general. No disasters and got to take a mini vacation to St. Augustine with aunt and mom, as well as a few outings with friends.

Have ramped up the library a lot for personal goals, and also made good progress with my goal to read a lot of Valancourt Publishing books, and some audios as well. 17 books in January, 16 novels and 1 novella under 100 pages, 6 audiobooks and 11 ebooks. No progress at all with physical book goal unfortunately, but going to focus on all these library rentals first so that likely won't happen for awhile. 6 were purchased, 11 freebies through sub services or library. DId not use KU much in January due to issue with debit card so not counting with that goal. Completed 2 for the Valancourt publishing goal. Main Creature for January: Ghosts. 10 Male Authors and 7 Female. 14 in US, 1 in UK, 2 in Scotland. 16 Adult and 1 YA.

[PredicateD]

January was a pretty good start for me, I got 3 books read and almost finished a fourth. If I keep this pace up I'll need to up my goal from 12. Lots can happen to slow down the reading though, so I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

[Tarana]

Getting a lot of reading done and TBR down. Mom didn't want me to buy any more books for her specifically (she's 89) except to finish 2 series. So today, I bought the last of the Morland Dynasty series. It's all on discount, I've been getting books here and there using Amazon credit deals. So she has all 35 now. Excellent series - I'm starating book 7 this month. The other series is Simon Scarrow's roman Eagles series. She read a couple of random books and wants the rest, so again, waiting on specials and credits to pick up (I have about 1/2 the series). My library only has the first book.

These purchases kindof mess up my effort to lower my TBR, but I'll just have to keep working on it.

[issybird]

As of March 1, here's how I stand.

Ancient World

Germany from 1901 to 1950

StoryGraph Challenge

120 Books

Victorian Novels

Reduce GR TBR to 50

I'm on target or ahead on all my challenges except for Germany and I'm in the middle of two books that will catch me up by the end of March, so no real concerns. Admittedly I knocked a couple of books off my GR TBR* because I acknowledged that I'm not going to feel like reading them, but that's fair enough according to my rules.

This has been my best start in years; fingers crossed I can keep it up.

*The point in reducing my GR TBR is that I'm always irritated by those who have hundreds, even thousands, even several thousands(!) of books on their TBR. I know that's their problem, but it does render book comparisons meaningless. I wish GR would confine those to books read.

OK, I'm glad I verbalized this. I think that at year's end I'll just eliminate my GR TBR altogether, except for perhaps a few pressing/upcoming reads. It's not as if it's any kind of curated list -- in fact, it's mostly composed of false starts that I moved from currently reading to WTR and that's telling in itself.

[Tarana]

February wrapup:
21/60 books read, 7077/20,000 pages done.
TBR Reduction: Ebooks Up 13. Audiobooks down 7. Magazines - no change

As mentioned in earlier post, many of my ebook purchases were for my Mom, but I count them since I plan to eventually read them myself. So progress for reading is great, progress in TBR reduction, poor so far.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

January: Bought 3, read 9, TBR down 6 (to 697). Success!

February: Bought 3, got 1 freebie, read 15, discarded 3, TBR down 14 (to 683).
Success!

[Paperbackstash]

I slowed down on reading a bit and less audio in February, still have a lot of library reads to get through. Been in a TV and computer mood!

Well, look at stats just now and finished 6 audio, so more than I thought I guess.11 ebooks and 1 graphic novel. Nothing physical otherwise, waiting on that through some of the library goals. Still doing well with planend Library reads of Valancourt publishing so have had to leave Wi-fi turned off to get through these. A good thing is reading more on older devices as a change to keep them in use and upgraded the case for Paperwhite 3, which is such a fun little device that I'll keep these older paperwhites for library reading and the Oasis for the rest.

[astrangerhere]

Length Goals:

• Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) 16/50 - On Target
• Total Pages: 15,000 (stretch of 20,000) - 4,878/15,000 - On Target
• E-TBR Reduction: 25 - 8/25 - On Target
• Read from Print-TBR: 11 - 6/10 - On Target

Substantive Goals:

• Read at least 51% non-American authors - 48%/52% - Off Target but very close
• Read more female/nonbinary authors than male - 60%/40% - On Target
• Read at least 52 short stories - 8/52 - On Target
• Read at least 10 books across all our collections that are selected by my wife. - 3/10 - On Target

[Paperbackstash]

I just went on a mini buying splurge after I'd been doing so well :/

[Tarana]

[QUOTE=astrangerhere;4304607]Length Goals:

• Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75) 16/50 - On Target

Every time I see your list with the On Target, I am reminded of Star Wars: A New Hope.