Failed Reading Challenges & a Look Back at 2009...

Yes, my friends, I did have some failed reading challenges this year. Two, to be exact--The Sarah Dessen Challenge and the Classics Challenge. Given that I only signed up for four challenges, that means I only met half of my goals (with respect to challenges, at any rate). I certainly didn't sign up for these challenges only to fail, but how many of us plan to fail at anything?

I guess what I really didn't expect to hit me was a major reading slump towards the end of 2009. I like to blame the new job, but I think I might have hit that slump regardless of all the life changes at the end of the year--the new job just seemed to heighten the slump even more. But I think there is hope for me yet... I have read (and reviewed) three books in these last few days of the year, have started another book, and feel a glimmer of my old reading self coming back. It's a good thing, too, since I have over 70 or 80 unread books sitting and waiting to be read this year, and who knows how many more books I will pick up along the way?

Do I smell a new goal for 2010? I think I do... So here is my own personal reading challenge for next year--read every one of those books that is currently sitting on my designated TBR bookshelf. I believe there actually is a challenge out there devoted to reading books we have sitting around unread, so I need to find it and sign up for it.

Funny, I start off talking about failed challenges only to find myself signing up for another. I suppose that's a good sign that I'm not giving up! :-)

2009 has been an interesting year, both personally and in books. When the year started, I did not expect to find out that I would have to either relocate or lose my job. By the time the year was half over, I was out of one job but on a five-week vacation with another job already lined up. Certainly something to be grateful for, even if the job I took was not one that I necessarily wanted. 2009 also saw the birth of this blog, back on February 18th. I like to think that it has come a long way since those first reviews and the original look. I will never forget how welcoming fellow book bloggers were--what a great community we have! I have since participated in a 24-Hour Readathon as a cheerleader, written 100+ reviews, given away numerous books, and even interviewed a few authors. Not too shabby for my little blog of less than a year!

Needless to say, I am really looking forward to seeing where 2010 takes me. I'm looking forward to trying out some new authors, reading new books by favorite authors, and celebrating this blog's first blogoversary! There will be more giveaways, reviews, and plenty of fun stuff in the year to come, I can feel it! Thanks to all of my readers who have hung in there with me during the slow end to this year, and I look forward to "meeting" new readers in the days, months, and year to come!

Happy New Year!!

First Challenge Completed!

Well, I completed my first challenge - the Pages Read Challenge hosted by Kathrin at Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic. You can view my original challenge post here to see what books got me to my goal of 30,000 pages. The magic book that put me across the finish line was A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi, which I completed on July 30th. I'm still planning to continue tracking my pages read for the year, of course, so I will continue to update that post with my progress. Clearly I underestimated the number of pages that I could read in a year this time around, but I'll know better how to estimate my goal for next year! If only I will be so lucky as to be able to read so many books in 2010!!

Another Challenge - Sarah Dessen

Well, after reading and loving Just Listen, I decided I ought to participate in the Sarah Dessen Challenge, which is hosted at Em's Bookshelf! I haven't committed myself to very many challenges this year because I know my limits and capabilities, but I thought I could handle this one.

You see, I really like Em's rules for this challenge. All I need to do is read all 9 of Dessen's books in my own time frame. Knowing what my reading pile looks like, I decided to just read all of them by the end of 2009. I've helped myself along (and made it easy on my wallet) by purchasing 4 more of Dessen's books at bargain prices at Books-a-million.com. You might check it out if you're interested in her books!

So here's my list where I will update my progress:

1. Just Listen (completed 6/10/09)
2. That Summer (completed 6/19/09)
3. Keeping The Moon (completed 7/17/09)
4. Dreamland (completed 8/29/09)
5. The Truth About Forever (completed 12/31/09)
6.
7.
8.
9. (to be completed by 12/31/09)

Pages Read Challenge 2009

So after organizing my challenges into a summary post, I decided to join a third one today--the Pages Read Challenge hosted by Kathrin at Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic. :-D But really, it's almost as if I'm cheating because this challenge is based on EVERYTHING I read this year.

Never having counted the number of pages read before, I'm taking a shot in the dark at what I think I'll read 1/1/09 - 12/31/09... 30,000 pages. We'll see how it goes! Take a look below to see how I'm doing...

Jarka Ruus by Terry Brooks (416 pages/416 total)
Tanequil by Terry Brooks (368 pages/784 total)
Straken by Terry Brooks (384 pages/1,168 total)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling (111 pages/1,279 total)
Culture Warrior by Bill O'Reilly (224 pages/1,503 total)
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall by L. J. Smith (592 pages/2,095 total)
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie (271 pages/2,366 total)
Term Limits by Vince Flynn (656 pages/3,022 total)
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (208 pages/3,230 total)
Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark (304 pages/3,534 total)
The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy (214 pages, 3,748 total)
Rubies in the Orchard by Lynda Resnick (204 pages, 3,952 total)
The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak (304 pages/4,256 total)
The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy (368 pages/4,624 total)
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (304 pages/4,928 total)
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (304 pages/5,232 total)
The Maidenstone Lighthouse by Sally Smith O'Rourke (224 pages/5,456 total)
At Risk by Patricia Cornwell (224 pages/5,680 total)
Appointment With Death by Agatha Christie (255 pages/5,935 total)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (374 pages/6,309 total)
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (272 pages/6,581 total)
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (272 pages/6,853 total)
Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan (368 pages/7,221 total)
Publish or Perish by Margot Kinberg (212 pages/7,433 total)
The Host by Stephenie Meyer (624 pages/8,057 total)
Sin & Vengeance by CJ West (368 pages/8,425 total)
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (448 pages/8,873 total)
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (384 pages/9,257 total)
No Place For a Lady by Maggie Brendan (304 pages/9,561 total)
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (328 pages/9,889 total)
Deadly Exchange by Geoffrey Gluckman (337 pages/10,226 total)
The Crimes of Paris by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler (384 pages, 10,610 total)
The Dawning of Power by Brian Rathbone (696 pages, 11,306 total)
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman (477 pages, 11,783 total)
Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr (325 pages/12,108 total)
Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (389 pages/12,497 total)
Willow by Julia Hoban (336 pages/12,833 total)
Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett (271 pages/13,104 total)
The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggai Carmon (365 pages/13,469 total)
A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman (477 pages/13,946 total)
Murder In Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie (284 pages/14,230 total)
Need by Carrie Jones (306 pages/14,536 total)
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (409 pages/14,945 total)
Sophie's Dilemma by Lauraine Snelling (334 pages/15,279 total)
Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder (441 pages/15,720 total)
Naked In Death by J. D. Robb (271 pages/15,991 total)
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (332 pages/16,323 total)
Frostbite by Richelle Mead (327 pages/16,650 total)
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (443 pages/17,093 total)
Dreamstone by P.A. Hendrickson (529 pages/17,622 total)
Wings by Aprilynne Pike (290 pages/17,912 total)
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (291 pages/18,203 total)
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (237 pages/18,440 total)
Foundling by D. M. Cornish (313 pages/18,753 total)
A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman (463 pages/19,216 total)
The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb (380 pages/19,596 total)
Marked by P. C. & Kristin Cast (306 pages/19,902 total)
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder (441 pages/20,343 total)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (485 pages/20,828 total)
For Glory by Elisabeth Lee (333 pages/21,161 total)
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (371 pages/21,532 total)
Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland (324 pages/21,856 total)
The Jewel of Gresham Green by Lawana Blackwell (415 pages/22,271 total)
That Summer by Sarah Dessen (198 pages/22,469 total)
Boston Scream Pie by Rosemary & Larry Mild (180 pages/22,649 total)
The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber (475 pages/23,124 total)
T'aragam by Jack W. Regan (286 pages/23,410 total)
Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander (394 pages/23,804 total)
Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer (329 pages/24,133 total)
After the Fire by Belva Plain (291 pages/24,424 total)
7th Heaven by James Patterson (376 pages/24,800 total)
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (453 pages/25,253 total)
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (541 pages/25,794 total)
The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby (292 pages/26,086 total)
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (352 pages/26,438 total)
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (471 pages/26,909 total)
Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham (665 pages/27,574 total)
Keeping The Moon by Sarah Dessen (228 pages/27, 802 total)
A Deadly Habit by Andrea Sisco (270 pages/28,072 total)
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (390 pages/28,462 total)
A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist (347 pages/28,809 total)
The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Baron (326 pages/29,135 total)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (652 pages/29,787 total)
A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi (339 pages/30,126 total)
**Goal Reached on 7/30/09**
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (82 pages/30,208 total)
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent (279 pages/30,487 total)
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (375 pages/30,862 total)
Fade To Blue by Sean Beaudoin (201 pages/31,063 total)
Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch (283 pages/31,346 total)
Fire by Kristin Cashore (461 pages/31,807 total)
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen (250 pages/32,057 total)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (391 pages/32,448 total)

Classics Challenge 2009

Well, I've barely made a dent in my 100+ Reading Challenge and I've already decided to do another one, the Classics Challenge of 2009. I ran into this one on Dar's blog, Peeking Between The Pages, but the challenge is actually being hosted by Trish at Trish's Reading Nook. The challenge will run from April 1 - October 31, 2009.

I own many classics, thanks to B&N reprinting them--I love the hardcover editions! I've read most of them, but there are a handful I haven't gotten to, and one or two I'd like to re-read.

**UPDATE**

I've chosen my books, and was totally embarrassed to discover how many classics I had that I hadn't even read yet. It was more than a handful because I ended up choosing 6 titles that I've yet to crack the spine. I guess I'd forgotten just how many of these I had stocked up on when they were doing a classics sale. Anyway, here are my six choices:

So we've got Aesop's Fables, Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's quite a list but I tried to throw in a couple of titles that might prove to be easier reads and therefore make the goal pretty reachable. But I still have at least 2-3 other classics I haven't read beyond even these! Clearly I need to get to work...

But back to the contest. As you'll see when you check out Trish's page, you can choose from 3 levels--reading 4, 5 or 6 classics. I'm going to aim high and see if I can make it!

Working my way to the "Classics Feast":

1. Peter Pan - finished 2/27/09<---OK, apparently I can't read the rules and I completely overlooked the fact that the challenge doesn't start until April 1. So Peter Pan will be my warm-up...

2. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson - finished 5/29/09

3. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells - finished 7/31/09

4. (Classics Snack)

5. (Classics Entree)

6. (Classics Feast)

7. (Making up for reading Peter Pan a bit too early.)

100+ Reading Challenge

So I chose this one as my first challenge to participate in... J. Kaye's blog hosts many challenges and I thought this was one I could actually complete, since it falls across a wide range of genres. If you'd like to give it a try, the post about the challenge is here. Assuming I can already include titles I've read this year before posting this blog, I'm already off to a pretty good start, but I'll need to pick up the pace a little bit. I've got about 20 books in my TBR pile so hopefully I'll make a good dent in this list in the next few weeks!

2009 - 100+ Reading Challenge List (please click on any linked entries to read my review):

1. Jarka Ruus by Terry Brooks (completed 01/09)

2. Tanequil by Terry Brooks (completed 01/09)

3. Straken by Terry Brooks (completed 01/09)

4. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling (completed 01/09)

5. Culture Warrior by Bill O'Reilly (completed 02/13/09)

6. The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall by L. J. Smith (completed 02/18/09)

7. Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie (completed 02/22/09)

8. Term Limits by Vince Flynn (completed 2/26/09)

9. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (completed 2/27/09)

10. Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark (completed 3/1/09)

11. The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy (completed 3/2/09)

12. Rubies in the Orchard by Lynda Resnick (completed 3/8/09)

13. The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak (completed 3/9/09)

14. The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy (completed 3/11/09)

15. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (completed 3/12/09)

16. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (completed 3/13/09)

17. The Maidenstone Lighthouse by Sally Smith O'Rourke (completed 3/13/09)

18. At Risk by Patricia Cornwell (completed 3/14/09)

19. Appointment With Death by Agatha Christie (completed 3/15/09)

20. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (completed 3/17/09)

21. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (completed 3/18/09)

22. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (completed 3/23/09)

23. Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan (completed 3/25/09)

24. Publish or Perish by Margot Kinberg (completed 3/29/09)

25. The Host by Stephenie Meyer (completed 4/2/09)

26. Sin & Vengeance by CJ West (completed 4/4/09)

27. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (completed 4/6/09)

28. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (completed 4/7/09)

29. No Place For a Lady by Maggie Brendan (completed 4/8/09)

30. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (completed 4/15/09)

31. Deadly Exchange by Geoffrey Gluckman (completed 4/18/09)

32. The Crimes of Paris by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler (completed 4/20/09)

33. The Dawning of Power by Brian Rathbone (completed 4/25/09)

34. A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman (completed 4/26/09)

35. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr (completed 4/29/09)

36. Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (completed 5/1/09)

37. Willow by Julia Hoban (completed 5/3/09)

38. Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett (completed 5/4/09)

39. The Chameleon Conspiracy by Haggai Carmon (completed 5/7/09)

40. A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman (completed 5/10/09)

41. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie (completed 5/11/09)

42. Need by Carrie Jones (completed 5/12/09)

43. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (completed 5/13/09)

44. Sophie's Dilemma by Lauraine Snelling (completed 5/14/09)

45. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder (completed 5/16/09)

46. Naked In Death by J. D. Robb (completed 5/18/09)

47. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (completed 5/19/09)

48. Frostbite by Richelle Mead (completed 5/20/09)

49. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (completed 5/21/09)

50. Dreamstone by P.A. Hendrickson (completed 5/25/09)

51. Wings by Aprilynne Pike (completed 5/26/09)

52. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (completed 5/27/09)

53. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (completed 5/29/09)

54. Foundling by D. M. Cornish (completed 5/30/09)

55. A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman (completed 5/31/09)

56. The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb (completed 6/3/09)

57. Marked by P. C. & Kristin Cast (completed 6/4/09)

58. Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder (completed 6/5/09)

59. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (completed 6/7/09)
60. For Glory by Elisabeth Lee (completed 6/8/09)

61. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (completed 6/10/09)

62. Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland (completed 6/13/09)

63. Priceless Memories by Bob Barker (Audio Book) (completed 6/15/09)
64. The Jewel of Gresham Green by Lawana Blackwell (completed 6/18/09)
65. That Summer by Sarah Dessen (completed 6/19/09)
66. Boston Scream Pie by Rosemary & Larry Mild (completed 6/21/09)

67. The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber (completed 6/23/09)
68. T'aragam by Jack W. Regan (completed 6/25/09)
69. Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander (completed 6/27/09)

70. Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer (completed 6/29/09)

71. After The Fire by Belva Plain (completed 7/4/09)

72. 7th Heaven by James Patterson (completed 7/5/09)

73. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (completed 7/7/09)

74. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (completed 7/9/09)

75. The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby (completed 7/11/09)

76. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (completed 7/12/09)

77. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (completed 7/13/09)

78. Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham (completed 7/16/09)

79. Keeping The Moon by Sarah Dessen (completed 7/17/09)

80. A Deadly Habit by Andrea Sisco (completed 7/19/09)

81. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (completed 7/22/09)
82. A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist (completed 7/24/09)
83. The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Baron (completed 7/26/09)

84. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (completed 7/28/09)

85. A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi (completed 7/30/09)
86. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (completed 7/31/09)

87. My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent (completed 8/1/09)
88. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (completed 8/8/09)
89. Wormwood by G. P. Taylor (audiobook) (completed 8/11/09)

90. Fade To Blue by Sean Beaudoin (completed 8/15/09)

91. 8th Confession by James Patterson (audiobook) (completed 8/17/09)
92. Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch (completed 8/19/09)

93. Fire by Kristin Cashore (completed 8/24/09)
94. Paranoia by Joseph Finder (audiobook) (completed 8/27/09)

95. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen (completed 8/29/09)

96. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (completed 9/4/09)

97. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin (audiobook) (completed 9/6/09)
98. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Hieber (completed 9/9/09)

99. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead (completed 9/13/09)

100. Ripley's Believe it or Not! Seeing Is Believing (completed 9/17/09)
101. The Popularity Rules by Abby McDonald (completed 9/20/09)
102. The Civilization Loop by Jason R. Thrift (completed 9/21/09)
103. Cat & Mouse by James Patterson (audiobook) (completed 10/3/09)
104. The Victor by Marlayne Giron (completed 10/25/09)
105. Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank (completed 10/31/09)
106. Nibble & Kuhn by David Schahmann (completed 11/15/09)
107. Thanksgiving at the Inn by Timothy Whitney (completed 11/29/09)
108. Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis (completed 12/1/09)
109. The Stolen Moon of Londor by A. P. Stephens (audiobook) (completed 12/6/09)
110. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (completed 12/26/09)
111. Evernight by Claudia Gray (completed 12/28/09)
112. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong (completed 12/30/09)
113. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (completed 12/31/09)