Wednesday 3 April 2019

Reading challenge update, the first 3 months


I went a wee bit mad this year and signed up for 6 reading challenges. But I know they're doable so am not fretting and it really is a very good way of getting books off the old TBR mountain. And so here we are, 3 months into the year (I know!) and, inspired by Margaret at Booksplease, it's time to review my progress with them... which ones are going well and which ones I need to pull my finger out for.

First up, The Mount TBR Reading challenge 2019 which is being hosted by Bev at MY READER'S BLOCK.


This runs from the 1st. January to the 31st. December. I'm doing Mont Blanc, for which I have to read 24 of my own books from before January the 1st. So far I've read 10.


Next, The Calendar of Crime challenge which is also being hosted by Bev and also runs from the 1st. January to the 31st. Dcember.




This, as the name suggests, is a calendar based challenge where various categories can be filled in. You can do one for each month or fill in as many as you like, there are 9 for each month. Great fun! So far I've read 11 books covering 7 months.


Next, The 2019 European Reading challenge which is being hosted by Rose City Reader.


This runs from the 1st. January 2019 to the 31st. January 2020. I'm doing the Five Star (Deluxe Entourage), which is to read at least 5 books by different European authors or books set in different European countries. I've read 1 but have loads more lined up.


Next, World at War which is being hosted by Becky's Book Reviews.


This is a Bingo based challenge and the idea is fill a line, across, down, diagonally, to get a Bingo. So far I'ved read 4 books, 2 each from 2 different columns so no actual 'bingo' just yet but I'll get there.


Next, The 12th. Annual Canadian Book challenge. This runs from the 1st. July 2018 to the 30th. June 2019.


The aim, for this challenge, is to read and review 13 or more Canadian books in a one year span: Canada Day to Canada Day. I came late to this one so have only read 4.


And lastly, What's in a Name? which is being hosted by Carolina Book Nook and runs from the 1st. January to the 31st. December.


For this there are 6 categories to complete, involving book titles, so 6 books to read. I've read 1.

And so. It seems I'm doing well with 3 challenges, Mt. TBR, Calendar of Crime and World at War. Not so well with Canada, What's in a Name? and Europe. Two of those I came later to so that explains that but as regards What's in Name? I need to pull my finger out and get reading, although 5 more books in 9 months is very doable so I'm not concerned at all. To be honest, I'm not concerned about any of them, I'm just enjoying the ride.

~~~oOO~~~

8 comments:

Jeane said...

That's a lot to look forward to! I haven't done reading challenges in a long time. I did find them very good at motivating me to read new things!

Judith said...

Hi Cath,
Personally, I think you're doing splendidly with your goals for this year.
It's only April 3rd, or very early on April 4th for you.
The most crucial thing for me is to enjoy what I'm reading, as I imagine it might be for you.
Challenges for me help me to set my intentions for the reading year, though I realize that they may not all work out or I may not complete them all. They are intentions.
Goals are only goals as long as they serve your enjoyment of reading. That's the crux, in my estimation.

Margaret @ BooksPlease said...

I think you're doing perfectly well - it's only been 3 months and as you say 5 more books in 9 months is very doable!

And thanks for the link to my blog.

Cath said...

Jeanne: Yes, loads to look forward to. I'm anticipating a very good reading year this year.

Judith: Thank you, it's nice of you to say so. Yes, definitely the most important thing for me is to enjoy my reading too. That's why I make the challenges fit what I want to read rather than the other way round. Exactly, I too may not complete them all... the Canadian one is the one I suspect will not be completed... but it's fun to try.

Margaret: Thank you... exactly, it is only 3 months, long way to go yet.

My pleasure.

Gilion at Rose City Reader said...

You are going huckleybuck on your challenges! What book did you read for the ERC?

Cath said...

Gilion: I read The Dancer at the Gai-Moulin by Georges Simenon for the ERC. It's a Maigret murder mystery set in Belgium.

TracyK said...

You are doing well, Cath. And like you said, "enjoying the ride" is most important. For my challenges, there are two I am way behind on and they are going to be the hardest: TBR Pile Challenge with a list of 12 books, and Back to the Classics Challenge (although I can limit myself to only 6 of those if I need to.

Cath said...

Thanks, Tracy. I think enjoying the ride is by far the most important aspect of challenges. I have thought about doing the Back to Classics challenge (in fact I may actually have tried it years ago) but it's one that I would find too hard as I'm not a mad classics fan, only like reading one 'once in a while'. Good luck with those difficult ones anyway.