I decided to count how many books I needed to read in order to finish all my challenges for 2010… I need 37 books to finish everything! I’ve only read 40 in the first 6.5 months of this year; do-able but scary. Scary because I’m worried that I’ll rebel and not want to read what I ‘have to’ read.
I haven’t finished any challenges yet. I have one 1 book to go in 3 challenges…
It just occurs to me that 37 is likely a high number because I can duplicate books over challenges. Whew! For example, if I read Dykes to Watch Out for by Alison Bechtel, I could count it for the Twenty-in-Ten as my Graphic Novel selection, for Women Unbound AND for the GLBT Challenge! (How sad – only one copy of this in the entire InterLibraryLoan system…)
I just finished The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama and am glad to count this for the What’s in a Name 3 Challenge (for Place) and the Global Challenge since it is set in Japan. I could also count it for the New-To-Me-Author in the Twenty-in-Ten but I don’t think I need to – I should have plenty of new authors by the end of the year.
I have one more to go to finish Women Unbound, the GLBT Challenge, and my Reading Deliberately Personal Challenge. I have two more books to read to complete the Flashback Challenge per my original list but I could count a re-read that I didn’t schedule so we’ll see what happens by December. I have three more to go for the What’s in a Name 3 Challenge (titles are scheduled) and the Global Challenge (totally open and unknown at this time!); four for Read-Book-See-Movie, five more for my own Cusack Challenge – which is the one I find to be the most intimidating. The Twenty-in-2010 Challenge is a fun one and I love that I have two OPEN slots which means they will be easy to fill at the last minute but I also realize I need to shop at Goodwill or somewhere to fill two slots. Let’s go shopping! If you are counting along with this tally, you may think I’m missing some but that’s because I have a few monthly readalongs I have the remaining months of the year to read for my In-Real-Life club (the Bookies!) and for my own COBC. (Interested in reading Fingersmith with us?!)
Besides the actual reading to-dos, I have been quite the slacker at tracking my page counts and various other categories on my personal spreadsheet so I need to do that, too. So no Fiction vs NF stats to share, sorry. Pretty boring post, huh? 😛
Kim the Sophisticated Dork asked me to post a photo of my new iPad, so this is for her:
I have no books downloaded yet because the few titles I’ve searched for are not available (yet?); I guess I need to download the right ebook app or keep searching more titles. Both, probably.
hHIdeinWhitetoSkipLine
Care's Books and Pie 
I’m behind on my challenges as well and I’m thinking of dropping a few. I found out that reading what I want to instead of what I have to works much better. I feel sorry for many of those challenges though..
Oh dear, don’t waste any more energy on challenge-disappointment thoughts. (like I’m one to give advice?!) It’s all fun, remember? Now you have a better idea which challenges DO inspire you and you can make good choices in the future, yes? I find each year different – this is the most challenges I have ever EVER attempted and am actually quite proud of my progress. The first year I attempted only 2 and failed on big-time.
I quit all of my challenges…there’s nothing quite like having to read certain books to make me no longer interested in reading those books!
So you’re feeling liberated, huh? Cool.
The Japanese Lit Challenge is the only one I’ve officially joined this year – too many failures last year, I guess 😉
Hope you’ll keep us updated on the iPad. I may have to cave in and buy one…
I just read a Japanese book! I have yet to check other reviews but I would suggest and recommend it: The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama.
Oooo, the iPad is pretty! Thanks for sharing!
I think the only challenge I joined this year was Women Unbound, and so far I’ve only read one of the books on my list. I’ve probably read plenty of books that count though, I just can’t make myself tackle the list. I should not join challenges!
But that’s good to know, right? Your own motivation for challenges has to be discovered rather than feared. Do a status check for what books you have already read that might count for Unbound and make it work! Why not? 🙂
I take my challenge philosophy from Eva of Striped Armchair who says something like challenges are aspirational not required. I like the possibilities that challenges present and I find that I get unexpectedly excited when I find a book that fits the requirements for multiple challenges. My reading is on hold for at least another week as I focus on bar exam prep and after that I hope to rock out and get moving on many more of the challenges I joined.
A terrific philosophy. Study!
Of all the new gadgets I have tos ay that I am the most tempted by the iPad. probably the only way that I see myself with a reader. I hoep you are enjoying it.
My hub suggested it. Who am I to say NO?! I’m thrilled.
Ahhg, I feel the same way about my challenges. I need to get on the ball. Also, awesome iPAD! They look so cool.
Hey you! Back from across the pond? I guess I better go visit you…
Oh that is a sweet looking iPad! 🙂 Have fun with it!
Sweeeeeeet! hee hee.
I haven’t been able to find the books I want in the iBook store either. There is a great Winnie the Pooh book that’s free. I love when a book counts for more than 1 challenge.
We should have a club! Although, you and I don’t read a lot of the same stuff and you are usually way more current than I am. Still, if you find something really good – let me know!
This is the first year I’ve joined several challenges, and it’s not affecting my reading the way I thought it would. Nearly always, I carry on reading just what I want, and afterward I think about whether the books I’ve finished would fit in any of my challenges. Which is why I’ve read nine or ten books for Women Unbound and only one for the angels and devils one. :p
That just shows you have picked challenges of interest! I’ll be wondering at the end of year when you describe the books you enjoyed that you never ever thought you’d pick up. Right?
I made sure I had all of my books listed for my challenges, but I haven’t yet figured out what I still need to read for them. Now I want to though!
It looks like my yearly read count will continue to hover in the 70-80 range. But I’ve never had a year as planned as this one.
Oh man I wonder if I should count up how many books I still need to read! I have definitely been reading more deliberately lately in order to starting knocking books off my challenge lists. Good luck – you can do it!
And good luck to you!
I’ve already failed two challenges…but I think I’ve completed 2…so I’ve broken even.
How do you like the iPad?
I’m liking the iPad fine though I haven’t yet read any books with it. I need to find something to download. And some of my favorite websites aren’t mini-compatible so it’s not replacing my PC use despite my hub’s thinking he would get the laptop and I would play with the iPad ONLY. ooops! But again, I’m still figuring it out. so far, really cool!
Also, I wanted to make sure that you know goodreads has a page calculator on the site. It calculates how many pages you have read in a given year.
Hey cool! I did not know that. I need to check it out!
I am drooling over your ipad…