You did read that year correctly in the title. 🙂 I’m finishing up my 2011 Reading Challenges (details coming in about two weeks!) and have started thinking about what I want to read for 2012.
My thoughts on Reading Challenges is that they’re a good way to inspire myself to read books I want to read, but don’t get to often enough. I’m rarely interested in something totally outside of my reading comfort zone, but I’m also not bothering to sign up for challenges related to books I read all the time anyway–like YA Fantasy!
So, here are the challenges I’ll be reading with, and telling you about, for this year. Much thanks to A Novel Challenge for helping me find most of them!
Finishing the Series Challenge at Socrates Book Reviews
In 2011, I decided I wanted to find more series, and chose a challenge accordingly. Then halfway through the year (a little belatedly!) I actually sat down and figured out all the series I was partway through… So my goal for next year is to FINISH more series! I started a bunch in 2011 that I want to read more of, plus there are others that have been hanging around neglected for much longer. I’m going for the top level on this one, which is to complete three or more series, and hope to at least get farther on in more.
I Want More Challenge at Teatime with Marce
There are some books that I just love (and have raved about here)–but I’ve inexplicably never read anything else by that author. You’d think one good book would be a good sign for more, right? The idea of this challenge is to read more books by those authors. I’m just going for the first level here, reading 2-4 books.
The Dusty Bookshelf Challenge at Books: A True Story
I have a long To-Be-Read list, but the only ones I feel pressured about are the books actually sitting on my shelves. I rarely buy a book I’ve never read, so I don’t know where they all come from! (Although my book club’s periodic book swaps may be a factor…) I’m aiming for Level 2 here, Dust Bunny: 5-10 books. My library is closed most of the week between Christmas and New Year’s (sob), so I should be able to get a strong start on this one at the beginning of the year.
Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Challenge at My Book Retreat
Sorry, the image is refusing to post for this one… I almost never read non-fiction, which may make this seem like a strange choice (see: “not too far out of my reading comfort zone” above). But what I’d really like to read more of, but never get to, are biographies. I haven’t found a challenge focusing specifically on biographies, but this one should cover that, plus give me some extra incentive to tackle a few more broadly non-fiction books that have been sitting on my shelf for way too long… Probably just going to attempt the Elementary Level, of 5 books.
The Science Fiction Experience at Stainless Steel Droppings
This challenge (experience) runs only for the first two months of the year, and has no particular rules or goals–except to read some science fiction. I think of myself as a sci fi/fantasy fan, but the truth is that my reading is heavily skewed towards the fantasy. This looks like a good chance to get into more of the other side.
So that’s my reading plans for the year–I hope you’ll come along for the ride. 🙂 Anyone else thinking about Challenges yet, or less formal reading plans? If you could only achieve one reading goal in 2012, what would it be? For me, I think I’d really like to finish the Horatio Hornblower series–so that first challenge up there is very appropriate!
Tales of the Marvelous 
Sounds like fun. I might have to go take a look at some challenges and accept.
Let me know if you find some you like. 🙂
I did!
I’d made a goal in 2011 to read more. And while I do think I read more this year than I have in previous years, it still wasn’t very much. And I certainly didn’t attain my goal of reading every day. So maybe the challenges will help for next year!
Good luck on your challenges! I find they really helped me focus my reading last year, and putting it on the blog makes me accountable–which helps too.
We should swap sci fi and fantasy suggestions, since you’ve always read more fantasy and I’ve always read more sci fi. For the non-fiction challenge, I don’t know if this would qualify under the challenge rules (since it’s part memoir), but I highly recommend The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Probably one of the best books I’ve read this year 😀
We should definitely swap ideas! Off the top of my head, I recommend Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley. And have you read Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books? They’re sci fi, but they often feel like fantasy. So–what sci fi shoudl I read? And thanks for the non-fiction suggestion!
Sweet! I’ll have to add those authors to my booklist. I remember you talking about Anne McCaffrey a lot in high school, but I haven’t actually read her books yet. Hmmm sci fi….there’s just too many good books! Ender’s Game would be too obvious a recommendation. 😛 I guess for authors, Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein are my favorites. Speaking of sci fi that feels like fantasy, CS Lewis’ space trilogy is pretty good too
That’s so funny…Ender’s Game, Asimov and CS Lewis’ space trilogy are all on my list to read! Good to know I’m making good choices. 🙂 If you read Anne McCaffrey, start with either Dragonflight or Dragonsong (first in the Harper Hall trilogy). They’re my favorites.
Which Asimov books are you planning to read? I haven’t gotten to I, Robot yet, but I really liked Foundation and The Gods Themselves.
I need to finish the Foundation series, and I’ll probably read I, Robot too. I read half of it a very long time ago…
Good luck with all your reading challenges. Judging from your success with NaNoWriMo, you will be disciplined enough to meet your reading challenge goals, too.
Thanks for the good wishes! 🙂
Thanks for joining the Non-Fiction Non-Memoir challenge! I hope you find some interesting biographies to read in 2012!
Thanks for hosting! 🙂 I was happy to find a challenge that will help motivate me to read some non-fiction.
Welcome to the series challenge! I hope you have fun with it!
Thanks for stopping by the blog, and for the welcome!
Thanks for joining my challenge! I totally feel the same way about the books sitting on my shelf. Sometimes, I think they sit there and mock me all day. 🙂 Good luck with all of your challenges!
All those unread ones sort of LOOM, don’t they? I can never shake the feeling that they’re taking up valuable bookshelf space, and I don’t know yet if they deserve it…