Showing posts with label To-Do List. Show all posts
Showing posts with label To-Do List. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals For 2013

Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

Bookish goals. Pretty self-explanatory this week. So without further adieu...

10. Read More

Yeah, that pretty much explains itself. Too often I get distracted by all the other media available, or bogged down with other things... Some of it can't be helped, but I do hope to try and prioritize reading a little higher than it's been before. And I hope my new dedicated reading chair will help me in this endeavor.


9. Try Out Some Group Reads

Quite a few of my GoodReads groups have monthly book discussions. Unfortunately, as of yet, I've only participated in reading/discussing one. I'm hoping this year I can clear out my schedule a little and get my eyes reading some of these group reads. I love discussing books, I'm just horrible at working on a time crunch...


8. Complete Series/Trilogies

There are quite a few series out now which I've either neglected entirely, or read the first couple and neglected the finale. This year I plan on finally putting some of these series to rest.


7. Read My Own Books

Amazon is way, WAY too generous sometimes. There are SO many free books for Kindle, and more and more cycle through every day! I've already 'purchased' over 700 in the near-year I've owned my Kindle, and I just keep buying more! One of these days (maybe this year) I need to sit down with my Kindle and just get to reading them.

Plus, I own another few dozen physical books which I haven't touched. I'm hoping the one of my reading challenges will help me finally crack down on these too.


6. Author Requests

I know, I know, I'm a horrible horrible person. I still have four books sent to me for review, a couple I've won from GoodReads, AND another seven I need to review from NetGalley! I hope to get these off my shoulders by March at the latest (preferably done this month, if I can manage it!), and finally clear off my Review Policy hiatus message (which people seem to ignore anyway...)


5. Complete Reading Challenges

Even though reading challenges are more goals, not etched-in-stone promises, it'd still be nice to actually complete one for a change. Last year I took on a ton of challenges around March (some even later) and didn't complete even one. This year, no matter how tempting, I'm restricting myself to the five (six) challenges I've taken on. If I'm making a huge headway, I might allow myself to tackle another one... We'll see.


4. Attend More Author Events

Even if the YA2U tour doesn't hit up Portland, we still get a ton of various authors stopping in. I mean, next week we get Kevin Emerson, Martha Brockenbrough, Sean Beaudoin & Cat Patrick on the same night! Not to mention all those coming to LeakyCon (which, I can't, since they haven't been announced yet).

Problem is, I tend to hold myself to reading their book(s) before attending, and if I don't I totally stress myself out about not having anything to say or sign or getting spoilers...so I don't sleep, get sick, and don't go. I missed out on an entire convention last year because of that. Not this year. I will attend and I will enjoy myself.


3. No Breaks

No, I'm not a self-imposing slave-driver. At least, I try not to be. I'm talking about month-to-three-month-long breaks of absolutely nothing going up on the blog. It's horrible. Stop it. Just read/write something! So even if it's just TTT posts (hey!) I'll at least *try* to have something up every week, if not more. And the next goal should help greatly with that...


2. Prepare

I hope to have quite a few posts pre-written days if not weeks before they're posted. I already schedule posts for 5:30am (8:30am EST) usually for the following day, just so I can hit inboxes first thing in the morning. But I figure if I can get enough content generated beforehand, then I won't have to worry about slow times, like when I go to LeakyCon in June!


1. Stop Procrastinating

I'm a master procrastinator. Did it all through high school. Did it all through college. It's resulted in greatness...and it's resulted in massive stress, failure, breakdowns, and shutdowns. Even though all my Reading Challenges and such are my own goals and don't really mean anything, I'd still like to actually get them done this year.

And that means not leaving all of them until December when I get super busy with family, church stuff, and life in general. If I could have *all* of my challenges completed by November (before Thanksgiving even!), I'd be ecstatic!

But even on a smaller scale, I tend to leave my reading until last-thing. Book's due at the library next week? I'll read it tomorrow...this weekend...the day before it's due. An author's coming next month? I'll get to their book(s) next week...the week before...the night before their event/signing. STOP IT! Just pick up the book now!!! Hopefully I'll have less self-imposed stress and burn-outs, and more happiness, confidence, and blog content.


So, what goals do you have this year?
Are you trying to read more, less, differently?
Got any major plans for your blog?
Let me hear you howl!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Audiobook Challenge(s) - 2013

Audiobook Challenge
Hosted by The Book Nympho & Hot Listens
(sign up by clicking the picture or this link)
Audiobook Challenge 2
Hosted by Teresa's Reading Corner













I'm already a HUGE advocate for listening while reading, but I figured I'd add a challenge to see if I can up my numbers this year. I tend to listen to audiobooks on my computer with them sped up to match my natural reading speed, then read along with the print (or electronic) copy in front of me.

For the first challenge I'll be going for the Plugged In (I can quit anytime) level of listening to 15+ audios, and for the second I'll be shooting for the Lover level of listening to 25 audios this year. I figure when one challenge ends, the other begins!

Here's my list of what I already have planned:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Revived by Cat Patrick
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Paranormalcy by Kristen White
Supernaturally by Kristen White
Endlessly by Kristen White (before she visits on tour in March!)
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers (when it gets released!!!!)
...and many more!!

Anything else great you've heard recently that I should look into?
Leave a comment below, and wish me luck!

Keep track of my progress on my Reading Challenges page.

The Dusty Bookshelf Challenge - 2013


I'll trying again for the Cobwebs level of dusting off 10-15 books this year. Of course, I own far more than that, so here are the lists of all I have to choose from:







Giving me nearly 1000 books to choose from! Amazon's free Kindle books are officially too addictive...

Any ideas where to start? Leave a comment below, and wish me luck!


Keep track of my progress on my Reading Challenges page.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

That's a Wrap! - Challenge Wrap-Up






1. Vamplayers ~ Rusty Fischer
2. The Dig ~ Audrey Hart
3. Settling ~ Shelley Workinger
4. Grave Mercy ~ Robin LaFevers
5. Crushed ~ K.C. Blake
6. Shatter Me ~ Tahereh Mafi
7. The Immortal Rules ~ Julie Kagawa
8. Bitterblue ~ Kristin Cashore
9. Original Sin ~ Lisa Desrochers
10. Detention of the Living Dead ~ Rusty Fischer
11. Daughter of Smoke & Bone ~ Laini Taylor


2012 Reading Challenge
Hosted by GoodReads

Completed: 23/50

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko The Last Career Guide You'll Ever NeedVamplayersThe Dig Zoe and ZeusSolidSettlingGrave MercyCrushedShatter MeBorderlineThe Immortal RulesStardustBonds of FenrisTrickster's GirlTraitor's SonThe Promise Part 1BitterbluePersonal DemonsOriginal SinHalflingsGuardian
Detention of the Living DeadThe Werewolf Asylum



1. Daughter of Smoke & Bone ~ Laini Taylor




1. Stardust ~ Neil Gaiman
2. Bitterblue ~ Kristin Cashore
3. Personal Demons ~ Lisa Desrochers
4. Original Sin ~ Lisa Desrochers
5. Daughter of Smoke & Bone ~ Laini Taylor



1. Vamplayers ~ Rusty Fischer
2. The Dig ~ Audrey Hart
3. Settling ~ Shelley Workinger
4. Crushed ~ K.C. Blake
5. Borderline ~ Bonnie Rozanski
6. Stardust ~ Neil Gaiman
7. Original Sin ~ Lisa Desrochers


Free Reads ChallengeFree Reads Challenge 2012
Hosted by Bookish Ardour

Completed: 13/15

1. Vamplayers ~ Rusty Fischer
2. The Adventures of Johnny Bunko ~ Daniel H. Pink & Rob Ten Pas
3. The Dig ~ Audrey Hart
4. Settling ~ Shelley Workinger
5. Grave Mercy ~ Robin LaFevers
6. Crushed ~ K.C. Blake
7. Borderline ~ Bonnie Rozanski
8. The Immortal Rules ~ Julie Kagawa
9. Bonds of Fenris ~ S.J. Bell
10. Original Sin ~ Lisa Desrochers
11. Guardian ~ Heather Burch
12. Detention of the Living Dead ~ Rusty Fischer
13. The Werewolf Asylum ~ Gareth Barsby



1. Grave Mercy ~ Robin LaFevers
2. The Immortal Rules ~ Julie Kagawa
3. Sneak Peek of The Archived ~ Victoria Schwab
4. Guardian ~ Heather Burch



1. Vamplayers ~ Rusty Fischer
2. The Dig ~ Audrey Hart
3. Settling ~ Shelley Workinger
4. Crushed ~ K.C. Blake
5. Borderline ~ Bonnie Rozanski
6. Stardust ~ Neil Gaiman
7. Original Sin ~ Lisa Desrochers



1. Crushed ~ K.C. Blake
2. Stardust ~ Neil Gaiman



W erewolf Asylum, The by Gareth Barsby
H alflings by Heather Burch
E
N

I mmortal Rules, The by Julie Kagawa
N

D ig, The by Audrey Hart
O riginal Sin by Lisa Desrochers
U
B orderline by Bonnie Rozanski
T raitor's Son by Hilari Bell

S ettling by Shelley Workinger
H
O
O
T

T
H
E

W
I
Z
A
R
D etention of the Living Dead by Rusty Fischer



Well, there goes another year that I didn't meet any of my goals. I think next year I'll limit myself to 3, then add only if I'm doing well with them. I still think 50 books isn't unreasonable for the Goodreads challenge... And I think my recently dusted books will finally get read this year. Plus I hope to finally check off those requests I keep meaning to get to.

Another year, another plan. I hope the next year brings better progress and surprises than this year did! Happy New Year everyone!!!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

NetGalley Reading Challenge 2012

NetGalley Challenge
Hosted by Red House Books

Though my relationship with NetGalley didn't get off to a great start, I've picked up and improved my practices this year. So why not give myself another challenge?

I'll be aiming for the Green Star level of previewing 11-20 books this year.

Some options I'm planning on picking up (or have done so already):

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Her Majesty's Will by David Blixt
The Moonstone Series by Marilee Brothers

Anything available that you think I should request? Leave a comment below, and wish me luck!

Keep track of my progress on my Reading Challenges page.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Read-A-Phrase Challenge 2012

The phrase I've chosen (seen above) is from Tamora Pierce's Squire. It's stated as a memory of Kel from her days as a Page, originally spoken by Numair. Besides being good advice, it sounds pretty witty, doncha think?

And so this year I've made it my goal to read a book beginning with each letter of the phrase. That's 25 books in total:

W
H
E
N

I
N

D ig, The by Audrey Hart
O
U
B orderline by Bonnie Rozanski
T

S ettling by Shelley Workinger
H
O
O
T

T
H
E

W
I
Z
A
R
D
Three down, twenty two to go...

Got any suggestions? Any ideas on a good Z book? Leave a comment below, and wish me luck!


Keep track of my progress here or on my Reading Challenges page.

Amazon Best Books of 2011 Reading Challenge


Basically, Amazon posts a list of the 100 Best Books of the previous year. Whether or not these are in fact the best is up to us to find out.

Since the majority of "Bests" aren't really in my general reading preference... I'll be aiming for the Novice Level of 5 books:

6) Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor ~ Amazon | GoodReads

39) The Magician King by Lev Grossman ~ Amazon | GoodReads

45) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs ~ Amazon | GoodReads

56) Inheritance by Christopher Paolini ~ Amazon | GoodReads

59) The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater ~ Amazon | GoodReads

100) Delirium by Lauren Oliver ~ Amazon | GoodReads

If I wind up with a time crunch, I'll probably opt out on Inheritance since it'd require reading Eldest and Brisingr as well...

Any others on the list you think I need to check out?
Leave a comment below, and wish me luck!


Keep track of my progress on my Reading Challenges page.