This is the first time I will challenge myself to read a certain number of books in a year. I am going to start this today... but mainly counting it for 2009. I am setting a goal of 30 books for the year. If I read more than that, great, but I am hoping to just make that goal.

I know it isn't a lot of books, but for me it is. I don't always make enough time for reading and I am hoping to change that. I am a person who will read a bunch of books in a short time and then go ages without reading anything. Sometimes I start books and then never get around to finishing them. I am hoping to change that bad habit.

I have a couple of books I have started reading but have not finished yet. The Lace Reader and Dewey. Do those count if I finish them after I start this?

Feel free to suggest books for my challenge.

Message edited by its author, Oct 28, 2009, 5:23pm.

I would count the books because they will be finished after you start the challenge. But you get to make up your own rules. :)

I also was out of the reading habit. It has been such fun to return to it. However, my kids both read much faster than I do. But I get to hear all of their recommendations as a result. LT has really helped me to read more.

I look forward to seeing what else you read. I am interested in both of the books you are reading.
--BJ

I think I will count them. I am only half done with them. Thanks for you comment.

What are you reading right now?

Right now I am reading a book called Tamar by Mal Peet. It is about a spy during WW2 and also (later in the book) will be about his granddaughter. I am also reading a book called 84, Charing Cross Road.
--BJ

I have not read either of those. You will have to let me know if they are any good. I like WWII related books.

Bird

Good luck with your challenge. =)

I read 84, Charing Cross Road a few months ago. Its a short read but a good one. I enjoyed it and would recommend it. =) If you want Bird I can send you my copy. Just let me know.

You know me. I always like a free book. Also, I will try to read whatever someone sends to me as a recommendation.

Thanks for the offer G.

Don't say that too loudly or you'll have WAY more than 30 books to read. LT is filled with enablers all bent on sharing their love of books with recommendations for others. lol

I'll try to get the book out to you in the mail soon. I think that I have envelopes at the ready...just need the time to get to the post office.

Message edited by its author, Dec 22, 2008, 4:36pm.

When ever you have time is fine. As you know, I have a few to choose from for my next book already and I should finish the ones I have started but put down a while ago.

I do try to read books that people send/give to me as recommendations... and mean actaully send/give me the book its self. If I have it I am more likely to read it sometime. =D

I've starred your thread, Bird. Are you enjoying Dewey?

I like WWII related books.

Mary Doria Russell's A Thread of Grace was one of my favourite reads this year.

The Book Thief was one of mine.

Dewey is a nice story, I am enjoying it. I need to finish it and make my crap review... crap as in how I write not the book. It was an ARC.

I will have to check those two books out. Thanks for the recommendations. =D

Good Luck, I think you'll do fine. I in the past have counted ones that were started before the start date, but finished after and I continue that tradition this year. :)

Thanks. I do have enough books around the house to be read that I shouldn't have to worry where to find my next book.

Well, I suppose to complete this challenge, I need to start reading one of my books. Really, I am lazy about the reading. I need to start this soon... before January is over. *sigh*

maybe pick up something by the last author you read that you really liked. This might help ease you back into it.

Winter is around only for a short time and soon you'll be doing all sorts of outdoorsy things so need to bank some books now to cover for then. ;-)

I am going to start Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. It should be a quick read.

Message edited by its author, Jan 8, 2009, 8:22pm.

Ok, so I started N&NIPL at lunch today and I will finished it tonight. I really was sucked into this one right away.



I really enjoyed this book a lot. Loved the two main characters.

One down, 29 to go. =D

Message edited by its author, Mar 7, 2009, 11:50am.

Hello mnbird, good luck on your challenge. I also don't make time to read either. That is something I am hoping this challenge will help me to change too. I hope to read Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist soon.

I will be keeping an eye on you thread to see how you are doing and to maybe get some ideas on books to try.

Thanks crazy4reading. Thanks for checking out my thread here. Good luck on your challenge too. I started reading The Guernsey Literary and potato peel pie society today. So far so good.

I figure if I read 2.5 books on average a month, I should be able to make this goal and maybe a few more if I get into some really good books. Sometimes I read through books really fast, others it is a struggle and I end up putting it down and not reading it again for a long time.

I just added a ticker that a friends suggested to the first post of this thread. Hopefully I will reach that goal of thirty, or maybe more. Only time will tell.

It's my first book challenge this year too, so I'm with you on that one. I saw the tickers on other people's challenges and got myself one for my thread; I've got a note on my Facebook profile where I keep updating my progress as well so I've stuck it on there too! Someone might take an interest, you never know...

GOOD LUCK!!

Thanks elliepotten.

Good luck with your book challenge too. =D

cute ticker

Thanks. I liked it for my challenge.

Cool Ticker. I might add one to mine too.

My friend Irish gave me the idea. She had one on hers, so I went to see it and made one for myself.

I think it will help me along to see the progress like that.

My ticker's been playing up today (so to speak) - the website's got it right but on my page here and on Facebook it keeps changing how many I've done (anywhere from 1 to 3) and changing my target from 50 to 60... Am I doing it wrong or is anyone else finding the same thing?

I have not noticed mine doing that yet. Maybe you should just re-install it with a new paste of the code into your sites.

Tried it and tried it again... my Librarything one is now working fine (touch wood!) but the SAME TICKER on Facebook is still obstinately reading 'read 2, 58 to go' instead of 3 and 47. I'll leave it til tomorrow and if it doesn't update properly I'll try removing it from the note and using it as an application separately on my profile - I noticed that was an option and maybe the more direct route will work better. Grrrrr!

Facebook and HTML don't get along. The best option would be to add the application by following the link on tickerfactory.

I only have the ticker on this thread and on my LT profile. I did not add it to my facebook.

Sorry, I'll stop hijacking your thread with technical problems now! :-) I followed Irisheyz77's advice, panic over.
I should be getting on with my own challenge really, but I'm in one of those lulls when there's a TV programme I want to watch on in about ten minutes so it's really not worth it... I am ashamed.

I don't mind you hijacking my thread with your technical problems...especially if it helps you to get it worked out.

I know what you mean about the TV stuff... I am a TV Junkie. I love my DVR. That is why I had to set a challenge for myself this year to read the books. I was only averaging 12-15 books a year... that isn't a lot of books, especially with all the books I think I want to read.

So, here I am... challenging myself to twice as many books as I average in a year to see if it makes a difference.

I do read a lot of books but I've lost the golden ability I used to have, as recently as a few months ago, to read while the TV or music is on, or even really in the same room as other people. I used to be able to read in the car, in the living room, singing along to music, out of it whatever was happening around me - and now I just end up reading the same sentence over and over if I do that. To read I now have to be very antisocial!

I can read to music if it is classical music. Something soothing. I am not able to read in cars though. I get motion sickness when I try.



I did finish my second book today. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I really liked this book a lot. I had a hard time putting it down after I had started it the other day, so today I finished. I kept forgetting this was a work of fiction in the first half of the book. It really felt like reading actual people's letters to one another and that they did live through the experiences they were writing to one another about.

A good book.

Message edited by its author, Mar 7, 2009, 11:48am.

Great job on finishing the book. So what are you going to read next?

Thanks!

My next one is a book called 72 Hour Hold that I should have already read for my on-line book club through facebook, but I just picked up from the library.

Message edited by its author, Jan 11, 2009, 11:14am.

Argh, that reminds me that I need to get that one finished as well. I started it in line shopping before Christmas, then got sidetracked. And it's good. I just need to sit down and read. Too many plates (books).

I also wanted to recommend Walking in Circles Before Lying Down. It's a great, quick read. Funny and touching. I've already loaned my copy out to 4 awesome gals and they all loved it.

Today I finished another book. It was an audio book, but I decided to count those in this challenge.



The book I listened to was The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. The autor was the narrator of the book on the CDs and the characters were all "acted"/read out by stage actors. It was very entertaining to listen to as it was like listening to a play.

I had started this book (in paperback) early in 2008, but didn't get very far through it before I was distracted by other things and never got around to reading it again. I had seen the movie before I had started reading the book or listened to it on CD. The ending to the movie is very different from what I remember. As it is with most Movies made from books, this book / audio book is much better than the movie.

I did like the movie and I wish they were going to finish the trilogy in film as they left it very open for the second film to pick up where the first left off. I hear they are not going to finish it though... too bad. I liked Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel.

I may someday read the next two books. I do have the second on at home already in my TBR pile.

Message edited by its author, Mar 7, 2009, 11:47am.

OH bird I read all of those books last year and loved them. I finally watched the movie (not from the beginning) and thought it was good. I am sorry to hear that they are not going to make the other two books into films. Usually when I read a series I try to read them all at once, if it is at all possible.

I highly recommend reading all of them. They are awesome books.

They might finish the film series eventually...right now its just a victim of the economy. You can read more about it here

Message edited by its author, Jan 16, 2009, 9:19pm.

Read more about it where??

sorry...forgot a closing tag...the link should work now.

Basically that means they are not going to make them. They would have to re-cast a few of the characters, Lyra for sure, which would be too bad. I thought the gal who played her was good.

Message edited by its author, Jan 16, 2009, 9:33pm.

Yeah I guess so or they would have to start all over again...

I finished another one today.



Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun quick read.

Message edited by its author, Mar 7, 2009, 11:42am.

Book 5


This is the fifth book I have finished as part of my 2009 30 book challenge. The Big Love It falls into the chic-lit of category of novels and it is the first novel written by Sarah Dunn.

I liked the book well enough, but at times I would get a big tired of the character and her hang ups with her religion. I guess that is how some people really must be though. The books starts off with the main character, Allison, telling a story about how her live in boyfriend Tom broke up with her. The rest of the story is about how she deals with it and how she can try to get him back.

I won't spoil how the story ends, but it was the ending that made the difference on how I felt about the book over all. I was not sure if I was going to like or dislike the book over all until I was done reading it.

For a first novel it was good, but not the best I have read as in the story. It was a quick read and I rated it 2.5 stars of 5. I might read another book by Sarah Dunn as she is a good writer, but the story would need to sound really interesting before I would bother. Based on this book alone, she is not someone I would just pick up anything by her and read. What I mean is, there are authors that I had read thier first novel and loved it and immediatley wanted to find another book by them to read. Sarah Dunn's first novel does not make me feel like I want to run out and get another of her books.

Message edited by its author, Mar 7, 2009, 11:51am.

Gingerbread is the first novel by writer Rachel Cohn. This one falls into the young adult category but I would say it is YA/Chic-lit. If you have been reading this thread, I am sure you are thinking I read too many YA books. You may be right, but I really enjoy these books as much as the regular adult fiction/chic-lit.

Gingerbread is a story told from the perspective of the main character, Cyd Charisse, a sixteen year old girl who was sent home from boarding school after getting in trouble with her boyfriend Justin and expelled by the head mistress. She has some left over issues from her relationship with Justin that weigh heavy on her through the story. After arriving home in San Francisco Cyd Charisse gets in trouble for shoplifting and is given community service in a nursing home for her punishment by the juvenile courts. While there she makes a best friend, Sugar Pie, one of the residents of the home and then meets a boy, Shrimp, who she has an instant connection with. She spends all her time with Shrimp or just moping around the big house she lives in with her mother Nancy, stepfather Sid and two half siblings. After getting in trouble at home with her parents she is sent to live with her biological father Frank. She had only ever met him once before when she was five years old and has dreamed of meeting him again and possibly living with him ever since. One day her wish comes true.

This is a story of self discovery. The main character goes from a "little hellion" as her dad likes to call her to growing up a little over a summer and realizing she doesn't have it so bad after all.

I like the writing style of Rachel Cohn. I have read two other books that she was co-writer of and enjoyed those a lot too. What I also like about her book is it was a quick read. It didn't take long to finish and it was worth the read.

Happy reading.

Message edited by its author, Mar 8, 2009, 12:13am.

cute cover ;)
I never read much YA for some reason...and it's not that I don't think I'd like it... it's just that it just hasn't crossed my path somehow. Plus I wouldn't know where to start.

You have read some YA books though according to your library, so you have started I would say.

hmmm really?? The only YA books I'm aware of reading are some Gaiman ones and Twilight...oh and a Betty Miles one when I was about 13 yrs old. But I think that's pretty much it. :(

Those would be a start I would say. =)

I read a young adult book last year that was one of my top reads of the year. It was Tamar by Mal Peet. My daughter reads a lot of young adult and recommends them to me, but I found this one all by myself. :)
--BJ

>54 I guess you're right :)
Bj, congratulations! You must've been one proud mom when you told your daughter about it heh !

Thanks for the tip BJ. I will put it on my list for the library. =)

The Forest Of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (2009) is a new young adult book recently released in book stores. This book was recommended to my by my friend Gail. She is always reading and always recommending things. Of course I have other books to finish, but when I started reading this one I could not put it down.

Message edited by its author, Mar 14, 2009, 8:11pm.

I read a book on Easter called Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman. I loved this book. I would read it again, infact I really want to read it again right away.

Message edited by its author, Apr 13, 2009, 7:57pm.

Looks like a good one!
--BJ

It really was a good one. My friend Irish suggested it and I am very glad she did.

Loved this book! So much fun...glad that you liked it as well. =)

Sucks To Be Me: The All-True confessions of Mina Hamilton Teen Vampire ^ Maybe by Kimberly Pauley is the 9th book I have finished for my challenge. I am a little behind schedule and I hope to be caught up soon.

Yes, I know... it is another YA book, but what can I say? I really enjoy a lot of these books. They are lite, fun reads with good characters and story lines.

This book is another twist on vampires. In case you didn't know, I have read the Twilight series and I really enjoyed that. I also really like vampire movies and stories in general. I liked how this story did not completely stick to standard vampire myths. It had it's own version of what they would be if they were real and I found it refreshing in that way. Different than Stephanie Meyer's vamps and Anne Rice. Maybe a little something in between. =)

This book was the first from this author and I hope she decides to write more about this character. If you like a fun read and you like vampire stories you will probably enjoy this book.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed it. =) I too hope that Pauley writes more with these characters.

I finished another book this morning. Evermore by Alyson Noel. Another recommended by my friend Irish. Another that I really enjoyed. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Survival in Auschwitz is the 11th book I have finished.



It is an amazing story about survival. A bit hard to read at times as he describes life in the camp in a lot of detail at times.

Even though I have read a few of these survivors stories, it is still hard for me to believe that people were able to live like that.

Amazing.

Message edited by its author, May 2, 2009, 8:28am.

This was one of my top reads for last year. His ability to describe that horrific experience so clearly was amazing. I think that he has written some other books and I would like to read those, too.
--BJ

He has written some other things. The way he wrote this almost made you feel like you could understand what it was like for him while reading it. The whole thing about the hunger for food and how to find more of it was one of those things that really hit me about this book. He really makes the reader (me) understand that more than any other of the (few) books I have read. Obviously no matter which survivor book you read you know they are hungry, under fed and they want more, but this one really made me understand how much they thought about it and how they went about trying to get more food. Does that make sense?

I actually took a long time to read this book as I was not always in the mood to read this type of book. It was amazing, but a hard read for reading before bed.

I do think that as hard as it is to read these books, it is important to read them. I agree that he really helped the reader to understand what he was going through. Just the style of writing without being overly dramatic made a much bigger impact. He was so matter of fact in his descriptions. It was a powerful book.
--BJ

I agree with that 100%

Finally, I have finished another book! =) I took about a month off of reading, I can't do that again if I want to actually make my small goal here.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins



I really liked this book and look forward to the next one.

Message edited by its author, Jun 7, 2009, 1:50pm.

Finished another book tonight. TMI by Sarah Quigley.

I read The Season by Sarah MacLean yesteray and loved it.

Finally finished another book. I am way behind.

I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you is the book I finished. Now I am onto the second one in the series.

Catching Fire is another book I finished as well as I Count: 10 Simple Steps to a Healthy Life.

I am so behind I am not sure I will reach the 30 mark this year or not.

Vampire Academy is the most recent book I have finished. I am also just starting Frostbite today. I may not make the 30 total as I skipped out in a few months of reading books, but I should get in a few more before the end of the year.

I have been writing some short posts... but here is another. I finished the second book in the Vampire Academy serires Frostbite and I really enjoyed it. Now I am on to the third. I still don't think I will get 11 books done before the end of the year, but I can keep trying.

I believe I have some of the Vampire Academy books to read, hopefully this year. I need to just take some time and read instead of replying to these threads. LOL..

I just have the first three books of the series... I am hoping to get the fourth for Christmas or my birthday, if not I will pick it up after the new year.

Did you already reach your goal? I suppose I could/should go look at your thread. I have been so behind in reading and keeping up on threads. =)

No I haven't come close to reaching my goal. I am reading so many books at once and it still isn't helping me. I will be reading for hopefully an hour tonight while I ride the bike at the gym.

I sometimes have too many books going at once too and then sometimes I don't get around to finishing one or two of them for a long long time. That happened this year. Maybe I should just go back and finish those two books when I am done with Shadow Kiss.

Finished book #20 Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead, the third book in the Vampire Acadamey books. I really am enjoying this series.