Tag: Challenges

The Great Read All My 2016 Hardbacks Before They Go to Paperback Challenge

On By Karena FaganIn Challenges2 Comments

I recently started a book budget (my spending on books got Shopaholic out of control), so I’ve made some ground rules on what books I do spend money on. I do buy ebooks from Amazon, mostly the ones on sale for $1.99. If I’m buying it in print for more than $15, I double check how long I’ve wanted it.

I noticed that some of the books I thought I wanted so badly that I bought them right away are now coming out in paperback, and that copy I bought? Still on my TBR bookcase. This isn’t saying anything about the books or their quality. Only that I am extremely fickle and get distracted by all the books. How can I fix this? It is ridiculously hard to keep up with all the books that are coming out, not to mention get too all the backlist books I missed along the way. I did pretty well recently clearing some of that backlist, so I thought maybe I should devote myself to reading these awesome front list books that I absolutely had to have. I declare it the Great 2016 Read My 2016 Hardbacks Before They Go to Paperback Challenge. Yes, usually it takes about a year for books to go to paperback, but you’ve seen my shelves (What?! you haven’t seen my shelves? You need to be following me on Instagram). There are a lot of books to get to. If I can clear this backlog then maybe it’ll be easier when new books come out. Are you laughing? Stop it. Of course I’m aware I’ll never be caught up, but a girl can dream, right?

Since I’ve taken up this challenge in the middle of May, I’ve read four (!) books that I owned in hardback. I’m working on Jane Steele by Lyndsey Faye currently.

Finished

TBR

Are there any books you really need to get to this summer?

Task 1: An Author under 25: White Teeth

On By Karena FaganIn Challenges2 Comments

I’ve picked up White Teeth by Zadie Smith a couple times, but couldn’t get through the first few pages. I was willing, but something never clicked. I resolved to finish for the challenge. I’m not sorry I did, but I’m also not really thrilled with the result. I also didn’t hate it. A sterling recommendation I’m sure. There were parts of the story that drew me in like Smith going into each character’s past to try to explain why they were the way they were. Then there was Marcus’ science descriptions that to be honest, I had to start skimming. I just couldn’t do it. I am not the kind of person who feels like I need to be best friends with the protagonists or anyone else in the story, but I do want to be interested in their journey. And sometimes, I just wasn’t. I have On Beauty sitting on my shelf and I’m willing to try again. I can see what all the fuss is about. Maybe this story just wasn’t the one for me. I wish I could get more descriptive on this one, I really do.

Do you have any books that you feel lukewarm about? That you couldn’t describe why you couldn’t like it nor dislike it?

Last post of 2014: Book Goals

On By Karena FaganIn Book GoalsLeave a comment

I had this great post all written up…except it got ranty. Not on other people, just on myself. Let’s see if I can fix that.

I decided to throw away my total number reading goal for 2015. I would rather read more diversely. I read a total of 275 books and only 11% were by POC. I know I can do better. If you’re one of those who says “I don’t look at the authors, just at what sounds good,” I’m going to have to direct you to another book blog. I’m not your girl and I don’t feel like arguing why I am choosing to broaden my horizons. Book Riot does a great job of arguing the point far better than I.

Of the 275 books, 67% were female so that makes me pretty happy and 24% of those were new to me authors.  I don’t have the numbers of how many were not either from the US or the UK, but I know I can definitely do better.

To help, I’m doing the Book Riot Read Harder challenge. I’m trying to add another layer on some of the categories by making sure the book is not only, say a book of poetry, but also by a POC. I also am trying to add in books I already own or have instant access through e.g. my Oyster subscription. I’m looking at two bookcase of TBRs and my Kobo/Kindle apps.

I’m also doing a few other challenges through a book group on Goodreads. I also want to read things I usually wouldn’t. I need to do less rereading this year, saving a few favorites for serious book slumps (The Night Circus I’m looking at you. Also Bad Feminist and The Queen of the Tearling).

I did pretty good keeping up with the new releases I was seriously interested in, but there are some backlists I’d like to explore, namely Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s. I read The Mistress of Spices this month and fell in love with her writing.

Are you doing a reading goal next year? It can be a total books read, total pages, more diversely? More nonfiction? More romance?