16 Dec 2014

How I Fared My Must-Read-Soon Reading Challenge

I decided not to partake in any reading challenges this year, but I did make my own (kind-of/semi) challenge of sorts. A list of must-read-soon books and some authors I wanted to finally read.  I talked about it here, along with some other reading goals. All up, I did tick off some books, but mostly, I failed. And hey, I’m okay with that. There’s next year. 

But let’s chat what I did get to finally read:

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales - This was probably the most hyped book of 2013 and no freaking wonder. I loved it.

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey - I’d heard really great things about this from fellow Aussie readers and am glad to report I really liked it. It’s a book I’d definitely re-read and an author I’ll definitely be checking out in the future. Plus, there’s a movie in the works for next year and I plan to drag my whole family to see it.

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg - I enjoyed this, and especially loved the way it dealt with labels.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman - In my goal post, I said: I wasn’t a fan of If I Stay, but apparently I just have to read this one. I’ve been told it’s better than the first. The verdict? I’m so happy to report back: I loved it! Goes to show that even if you’re not a fan of a book, doesn’t mean you won’t like the next one in the series or by the same author.

Courtney Summers: I finally read one of her books this year and unfortunately can’t say I’m a fan (yet!), but I’m going to chalk it it down to it not being the right book for me. I will be checking out her others, specifically the one I wanted to read in the first place: This is Not A Test.

I did not read Don’t Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble or books by A.S. King, Maggie Stiefvater or E. Lockhart, but I do know now own copies! I call this a step in the right direction.

I also ticked off a few either for the time being or for good. Some because the book or voice wasn’t for me; others because my brain wasn’t up to it (I’m looking at you, fantasy.)

My original challenge was nearly 30 books and that didn’t even include to-read-authors, so considering I kind of sucked at reading this year, I didn’t do half bad. I really enjoyed setting my own chilled out challenge and I’ll definitely be doing it again next year. I found it really makes you examine your TBR and assess which books and authors you’d like to read soon. And as someone who has 1000+ books on her Goodreads account, that is a good thing to do every now and then. And I'm sure many of you will agree.

Did you set yourself a challenge this year? Reading or otherwise? How did you fare? If not, would you do a DIY challenge next year? What about other 2015 reading challenges? Oh? And if you like things of the challenging sorts, keep your eyes peeled...

10 comments:

  1. I didn't do any challenges, but it looks like you did great with yours!! I guess I need to read This Song Will Save Your Life!!

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    1. There were still lots of books I didn't list and that I didn't read, but overall, I did OK. Yes, get onto TSWSYL! It's brilliant.

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  2. I haven't read This Song Will Save Your Life but I know it is in one of my boxes still unpacked - I've been trying to find it lately to read it. I felt the SAME about If I Stay and Where She Went - I even reread If I Stay just to MAKE SURE I didn't miss something the first time I read it. I didn't love it like everyone else did but I *did* LOVE Where She Went. It's probably a favorite, which I think is so odd-that I can love a second book in a series but not really like the first. I love this challenge that you created for yourself!!

    I didn't do any challenges in 2014 either, except for the Goodreads one, which I don't really count. I am going to try two in 2015 - a rereads challenge because I already reread anyway, and a blog organization challenge (which I am really nervous about actually) because I could use some organization in my life. I don't always follow through with challenges, though, so I'm hoping that I'll stick with them this year.

    And moving completely ruined my Contemporary Month in 2014, so I want to bring that back in 2015. Doggone it. (:

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    1. Thanks, Ash! Me too :) As I said, I'll definitely be doing it again for 2015. I can't wait for you to read TSWSYL. I hope you find it soon! I'm so glad we both loved Went, even though Stay wasn't our thing. And that we gave it a chance! I would have hated to miss out on it.

      Both of those 2015 challenges sound great! I've been investigating which challenges I might participate in and so far, those are some of the top contenders. Plus, DAC.

      I love Contemporary Month. I remember that's how I found you :) Hope you get to bring it back next year!

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  3. I didn't exactly do any challenges this year. In fact, I didn't start out with any goals this year except to read a little more, despite how extreme school was going to become. I think I just wanted to maintain my love for books! So all I did was the goodreads challenge. I read a lot more YA this year than I used to last year. Last year I read mostly classics and that slowed the HECK out of me down. I have a pick turnover rate but classics can make my head hurt and it can pretty much take six days extra. I didn't take this into account that that's why I managed to read so much this year (I think I'm 70 something books ahead of my challenge LOL) BUT I definitely want to try a challenge of my own this year! It sounds like so much fun :D I loved that you did your own ones AND IS THIS STIEFVATER THAT I HEAR YOU HAVEN'T READ??? MY HEART ACHES FOR YOU, MY TWIN. YOU MUST!!

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    1. Yes, create your own challenge! So fun and also, reflective. I have not read Stiefvater, it is true. But hopefully not for long, IF I can keep up with The Raven Boys, which I've heard is confusing. I don't cope with confusing things.

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  4. I only had my Goodreads challenge of last year, which I completed and I'm happy!! I kind of had a personal challenge to read 12 adult books but HAR HAR. That died. >_< I think I read about 5? I just really prefer YA, although I did read a lot of MG this year and I'm happy about that!
    Ohhh, I loved This Song so much too! I read it last year but ahhhh the feels. It definitely deserves the hype!
    And, it's kind of funny, but I was opposite with If I Stay! I LOVED it and didn't love Where She Went as much. x) Although Adam....he's adorable. I really really shipped them so hard I kind of hugged the book rather tightly. ;-)

    Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!

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    1. I also signed up for the GR challenge. I didn't count it here just because it's a constant for me. I always do it (even though I always fail, without fail. Fail, fail, fail) and so do a lot of bloggers and readers.

      Yay! This Song love!

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  5. Ooh yes This Song Will Save Your Life is such a beautiful novel. I am so glad that you loved it, Rebecca! It deserves every ounce of hype. I read all of Summers' novels one after the other last year and I really liked all of them. This Is Not a Test is def one of my faves by her. :D

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    1. Glad you enjoyed Summers' books. She's such a beloved author, especially for her contemporary novels, which is my fave gene. Looking forward to Test :)

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