Saturday, September 26, 2015

Blogger Ramblings: The Fun of Reading Challenges...

This year, I have participated in multiple reading challenges, and still have several running. I've had an absolutely blast. I never really thought about how fun it is to have an ultimate goal, whether it be reading everything on a list, or trying to out-read someone else. So, since it's been a while since you've heard me ramble, I think I will talk on the challenges I've done this year.

SWON Teen Reading Challenge (February - April) - This is a library thing, and one I have participated in several years running. The goal? To read as many Teen/YA books as possible to get a better idea of books to suggest to interested readers, reluctant readers, etc. What I also enjoy about this challenge is that it doesn't just have to be YA books, it can also be adult books that are of interest to, and appropriate for, teens. Even better? Our library team is competing against other libraries - and boy, oh boy, can it get crazy.
       How many books I read for it: 87!

Library Staff Summer Reading Club (June 1 - August 15) - Another library challenge. This time, it was our library's different branches competing against one another for bragging rights (also for a pizza/food party, which is almost as important). This is a yearly thing that started two years ago. Anything YA or Adult counts, and we're terrible about goading each other on... Not to mention finding short cuts.
      How many books I read for it: 104!


Popsugar 2015 Reading Challenge (All year) - This is something a bunch of library staffers found at the beginning of the year, and we jumped on it. We all work at the library because we love books and reading, and this Popsugar challenge got us reading out of our comfort zones. Though really, a lot of what I would have read anyways ended up counting, and I definitely had stuff I read for the above two challenges also count for this one. The full list of qualifications are HERE. I would definitely do it again next year if there is a different set of requirements.
      How many books I've read for it: 49! Only three more to go - and three months left to do it!

Goodreads 2015 Reading Challenge (All year) - This is my fourth year participating, and I'm amazing how I continue to beat my previous year's record each time! Though I'll admit, I aim low near the beginning of the year, and keep moving it up as I near my goal. I originally set this year's goal at 300, and now it's up to 400! Admittedly, some of these books are juvenile books, short stories, and such, so I'm sure the number of actual adult/YA books is a little lower..
      How many books I've read for it (so far): 380!

So I've read all these books (and more!), yet you don't see the reviews here. Why, you may ask? Because I really only review things I have been sent to review on this blog. If you want to know my honest opinion about everything I read, find me on Goodreads via the follow link on the side of this blog. My GR reviews are short and sweet, and I read a wide variety of things.

Lastly... it's not a reading challenge, but...

I found a list of books while browsing around one day, and realized I was very intrigued. After further investigation, I realized it was a Buzzfeed list of 27 books that will get you hot and bothered (find the list HERE). Sure, some of the books on there are definitely sexy, but I've found more than a few of them to be more emotional roller coasters than just all sexytimes.

But I was interested enough to make this my personal reading challenge. I want to read all the books on this list. I'm not setting an end date, just planning to work through them as I can. But I already discovered some amazing books through this list, and authors I have never heard of before.

   Examples!: "Archer's Voice" by Mia Sheridan, and "The Bride" by Julie Garwood. Okay, so I had heard of Garwood before, but I never would have picked up this book had it not been on the list - but it was absolutely fantastic.

I didn't find the list that long ago, so I've only done 7 of the 27 listed. But I will get there eventually. Slowly but surely!

So that's it for me today. What types of reading challenges have you done? Do you like being taken out of your reading comfort zone now and again?


Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

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