Tuesday, 1 January 2013
As you can see from the blog, I like to take part in the Goodreads reading challenge each year. I am pleased to say that I met that challenge head on and read over my goal of 24 books. I read 27! Quite often when life gets in the way our reading time falls to the wayside. Books can often lie ignored for days or weeks when domestic chores, caring chores or that horrible word 'work' gets in the way of us lying on the sofa and falling head first into a good book. I find this horrible and frustrating just knowing there's a book somewhere in my house that needs to be read!
It seems that my TBR pile is reaching epic proportions so I won't be short of a book or two to read throughout 2013. With requests for reviews etc that pile will continue to grow bigger rather than get smaller. Having more books to read is like having a warm, comforting blanket around me. I'd be cold, lonely and a little bit depressed without them!
When you decide to read a book do you pick a book randomly? Or, are you a reviewer who sticks to a schedule depending on what book needs reviewing? Or, do you spend ages and ages looking at your TBR pile and not know which book you want to read next because you want to read them all?! I'm a bit of all three of those types of readers. Of course I have to stick to my schedule to fit in reviews. But, in between reviews I like to choose books from my own bookshelves. I have so many to choose from that it's actually becoming an obsession. Of course, having a kindle now just further adds to the wonderful array of books to choose from! Yay!!!
So what will be the first book you read in 2013 and have you set a reading goal? Well, for me, one of the first books to read early this year will be Sheryl Browne's new book A Little Bit of Madness! The cover reveal will be taking place here on the blog on 29th January with a review of the book on 14th February which is official launch day! I cannot wait! I've already read 2 of Sheryl's books and have absolutely adored them. Until the book is available I'm pleased to say I have one or two other books to choose from to tide me over! (I can hear mutterings from Mr JB that I have about a million to tide me over!)
The reading goal I am setting myself is for 30 books to be read throughout the year. If you click on the 2013 reading challenge page on the blog there will be links to the reviews for these book.s Good luck with whatever reading challenge you set yourself. Just remember however, reading is for fun, and once it becomes a chore then you are doing it wrong! Love the book. Love the wonderful places it takes you to and never forget how it left you feeling. HAPPY 2013!
The reading goal I am setting myself is for 30 books to be read throughout the year. If you click on the 2013 reading challenge page on the blog there will be links to the reviews for these book.s Good luck with whatever reading challenge you set yourself. Just remember however, reading is for fun, and once it becomes a chore then you are doing it wrong! Love the book. Love the wonderful places it takes you to and never forget how it left you feeling. HAPPY 2013!
What a lovely post to start the year JB.
Must admit I have a schedule but during the school holidays I manage to squeeze in some of my own too (haven't this Christmas yet though).
I can't ever remember a time when I didn't have a book open - my constant source of escapism and always relaxes me.
Good luck with your challenge.
Shaz
I read more books than I thought I would last year. Given that it was over 60 books, I am not going to try to better that total. Currently my only aim is a similar one to last year and that is to continue to read books by women from my home country - Australia. I live in East Sussex. After I moved to the UK from Italy last year, I started to borrow books from the library which kept mount TBR high. My husband got me a kindle for Xmas and I have plenty of books already stored on that.
Oh, bless your little socks, JB! It means the world to me (and all authors) to have a reviewer say she loves my books enough to want to go on reading them! I'm just finishing the last proof read now. I'm thrilled to say (blowing my owm trumpet here. Is that allowed) that is still makes me smile - and has provided even me with some much needed escapsim - post-Christmas/New Year mania. THANK YOU! It will be hot off the press and winging its way to you soon! Have a FAB New Year! :) xx
Hey Shaz, always a book open here too. My family worry about me if there's not! Happy New Year! x
Hey Cathy, 60 books is most impressive! I'd love to read that many!I'd have to give up what little sleep I get to do that! lol. Happy New Year and good luck with your reading challenge for this year! x
Hey Sheryl! Of course I love your books! They are brilliant. I look forward to reading the new one! x
According to my records I read 110 books in 2012. I do read very quickly :) Hopefully it'll be the same for this year. Have just read my first one.
Hi Jontybabe - I think 30 is a great target. I remember when I had a full time job I averaged only 1 book per month :( that doubled when I went part-time and although I didn't count up for last year I'm guessing 50ish. I also feel I somehow read faster (or do I skim more?) using Kindle. As for 110 - RESPECT!
Loving the new blog by the way.
Ali B
Hi Nell, very impressed by 110!!! wow! Good luck for 2013 and more great books!x
Hi Ali, glad you like the blog. Work definitely gets in the way of reading. Oh to be able to give it up!X
I surpassed my goal of 20 books last year, which is really quite amazing when you consider I had my face in re-writes for much of the time. I managed to read 30 books in 2012. Can I do it again in 2013? Don't know so I've set a modest goal of 25 books. We'll see how that works out as the year progresses.
Happy 2013 Jonty!
I've never actually given myself a reading challenge before... maybe I should start now? Although, if I read during the day, I feel a bit guilty because I know I should be writing! So I tend to read at night, sometimes I even carry my kindle and read whilst hoovering (but it's not easy!). Good luck with your challenge, JB. I know you'll make it!! Oh and Happy New Year!!
xx
I have hit a reading slump, and it worries me. I used to read two books at once (one upstairs and one down), and get through a book in one and a half days (on average). In the last eighteen months I can count the number of books I have read on the fingers of one hand (and that's fiction and non-fiction). Any advice to get me going again - I have no idea why I'm so...literally constipated.
Jane, sorry to hear about your literature constipation! I think sometimes we try to cram too much reading into our daily lives and end up losing our motivation. When that happens to me I try just reading one book at a time and limit myself to how many reading hours I have a day. Sometimes having to close a book at a really exciting part often leaves us desperate for more and reignites that reading passion again. I hope u get your reading oomph back soon. x
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