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Monday, October 21, 2013

Paula Wonders how your 2013 reading goals are going

Hey all! So for the past two years I've checked in with you all in the fall to see how the year's reading goals are going for you all. I figured it's a tradition now and so:

Oh my gosh there's only two months left in 2013 how is your reading goal progress going?

Here's how mine are looking:

-Read at least 40 books: The current book I'm reading (The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury) is number 37 for the year. So I think I should be okay to hit this goal. Unless of course I get stuck on a big book for over a month... which is what happened to me in September with Drood by Dan Simmons. One book in one month- I was so frustrated!

-Read at least 15,000 pages: The past two years I read well over 15,000 pages so I  thought this wouldn't actually be a challenge for me. I lowered the number so I could try and tackle some bigger books and not stress out. But here I am in October and I've only read 10,000 pages. So unless I somehow manage to read 5,000 pages in 2 months I will probably fail this goal.

-Read 5 books from shelf before buying more: Completed this goal back in March before my city's huge library sale (always my motivation so I can go) I might have to up the goal to 10 books next year because my to-read shelf is getting way out of control

-Read Lord of the Rings Trilogy: I haven't even started... I'm just so intimidated by his world building and that I've been told they are such dense books. But I gotta get my nerd cred guys. How can I claim to love all things scifi and fantasy and still never read one of the staples. Maybe I can pick up at least the first one by the end of the year...

-Read more Discworld: This is on my list every year. I love Terry Pratchett's Discworld but there is so much that I have to make myself explore the next book. So far I haven't done it this year...

-Read a book over 500 pages: Completed in March!

-Read a book of short stories: wanted to make myself read something out of my normal habits. Completed in August!

Yikes! I've only completed half of my 2013 goals and it looks like some might not make it. I certainly hope everyone else is doing a better job than me! Share your progress in the comments and have a happy October! 

16 comments:

  1. I think you are doing pretty admirably. I know I am behind on my goals and probably won't meet my total book goal for the year. LOTR is a big task, but it's not as hard as you think. I feel that way about Game of Thrones and the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, both of which I was supposed to read this year. I like the read 5 books before buying one goal but I doubt I could hold to it.

    Happy reading!

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  2. I think I've done okay - but absolutely failed at the attempt to reading the number of books I've read that start a new series, and opt for more standalones!

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  3. Hey, it sounds like you are doing pretty decently. Interesting to see what goals other folks have set themselves for the year too.

    I wanted to read at least 100 books this year. I'm currently reading number 85. So I feel pretty confident that I am actually going to make what sounded like a totally insane goal. And now I'm meeting people who read 200-250 each year! Holy crap! Maybe a new goal for next year... Somehow I doubt my 2-year-old daughter is going to let that happen.

    I also wanted to read more in German (I live in German, but prefer to read in the original language and am into a lot of English-language authors apparently). Of the 84 finished books this year, only 4.5 have been in German (I started reading Death in Venice in German, and finished it in English. The language was so dense and I was forcing myself for a book club, so I just wanted to finish however I could). So that could still be better, but hell, it is still better than last year's number.

    Interesting that you're having trouble forcing yourself to get to Lord of the Rings. I have to admit I don't recall finding them particularly dense. But I have read them so many times I might just not notice anymore. Hope you manage it soon and we get to hear what you thought!

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  4. You are doing very well. I didn't set myself goals like that but I always wantd to read 100 books in a year. Just about to finish 90, 91 and 92, so I think I am on a good way.

    I did take part in a two online challenges, though, one is called European Reading Challinge 2013 where I read 55 books from 20 different countries so far.
    The other one is the Chunkster Reading Challenge where I signed up for the highest level: "Mor-book-ly Obese" that meant reading eight or more Chunksters (books over 450 pages) of which three must be 750 pages or more. I already finished that goal at the end of March and have now read 27 chunky books, 10 of which are super chunky.

    I think I can safely say that I achieved my reading goal. But the main thing is that we do read, no matter how many books or how many pages. As long as we find happiness with our reading and find great books that inform us about anything we want, we have achieved our goal.

    Marianne from Let's Read

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  5. My only goal was to read new books from new authors, which I've been continuously achieving since about May.

    You're doing really well on your goals, so congrats!

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  6. My only goal this year was to read 125 books. I'm at 90 so far, and according to Goodreads, that's about 10 books behind. Hopefully I make it!

    -Danie
    www.bookish-brunette.com

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  7. I really have not a precise goal for the number of books to read in 2013, but I just wanto to read more books than last year, so, more than 35... I'm reading the 22nd!
    I have other two challenges, the ABC and I'm at a good point, and the project 10 books is going ok too!!! But I need to read faster :)
    Congrats for the goals you completed so far! xoxo

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  8. Those are excellent goals! I especially like the one about reading 5 off the shelf before buying more. That's one I should adopt :)

    I've surpassed my goal. I set sort of an arbitrary total books for the year goal (150) and have already met it. I did sign on for some challenges in the hopes that they would help knock some titles off the TBR. I'm doing well on those but they've had sort of the opposite effect - I ended getting new books for the challenges rather than reading down the TBR! I think next year's goal will be to focus on the overloaded bookshelves.

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  9. I really admire your reading goals! Usually I just have a number of books I aim to read, but I love how you have categories, specific books and page number goals! I am going to try to make my 2014 goals more specific. This year my goal was 50 books, including George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series; so far I'm good! I finished the series and I'm at 45 books I think! Woo hoo! :)

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  10. I think that you are doing fantastic with your goals! I just shoot for a certain number of books every year; however, I think I might add some other goals too. There are a lot of books that I want to read and a goal might increase the chances that those books will be read.

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  11. You know, I didn't find the LOTR trilogy to be as dense or time-consuming as I thought it would be - I read all three books in under a week! They were just so good that I was able to read them as quickly as any of the larger HP books.

    Good luck with finishing your goals - you're doing pretty well! My goal was to read 52 books this year, and I've already reached it, but I still need to complete the challenges that I signed up for this year. If you're curious, you can check out my progress HERE.

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  12. Oh, I loved Ray Bradbury in high school, including the Martian Chronicles, but haven;t read him in many years - I really should revisit him. Maybe a goal for next year??

    I don't really set reading goals, though I do choose some reading challenges each year. I;m doing pretty well on those so far:

    http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2013-reading-challenges.html

    Reading off my TBR shelves is a big one for me, too! The books just keep piling up.

    Sue
    Book By Book

    Book by Book is now on Facebook!
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Book-By-Book/662020750483357

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  13. My main goal was to read 300 books (25 a month) and I'm definitely on track with 244 read. I really love using Goodreads to track this and find it very motivating. Next year I'm already contemplating different goals though: fewer books read, more classics, and looking at some business/management/leadership books.

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  14. oooh, cool book goals! i never really thought of anything besides "read xx number of books", so i kinda like that. and i like the number of pages goal, because i know a girl who reads like, a book a day, but all she reads are YA books (like 2-300 pages) and i feel kinda amazed at her speed but then i'm like, i keed readding big fantasy bricks (700+ each) that take forever. lol. getting through my shelf is a good idea. lol.

    my goal was to read 30 books this year, and i'm on 27! yay! i know it's not as high as some people, but i'm pretty proud of it! ^_^

    I guess i should think of some cooler goal for next year huh...

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  15. I definitely want to make more goals next year and not just read XX amount as I always over achieve my goals as I worry about getting busy and never do! I wanted to read 60 and i've just finished #79. If I set more exciting goals it might actually be more challenging!

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  16. Mine aren't going great :( But for good reason! I'd hoped to read 52 books this year & blog a review about each. Before you think I'm an over achiever though, I should note that I include children's titles in my tally. I also wanted one of those each month to be a book of faith to celebrate the Year of Faith. However, I've landed my dream job and instead spend my free time reading professional resources. So I guess that's acceptable. I'm sure as I settle in, I'll be able to get back into the swing of things.

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