After a lot of Bloggiesta-activties, its now time to return to the more usual "schedule". In Weekly Geeks this week, Ruth from Bookish Ruth asks:"Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you've failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I've picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loved. Have you experienced the same with challenges? If so, which ones? Do you have favorite reading challenges?"
I have participated in reading challenges in my online book club on MSN, back when MSN still had their groups-feature. But as a blogger I haven't done any challenges until this year, actually. So its all pretty new to me.
My reading has always been random. Sometimes I read all the time, sometimes I finish a book a month. Signing up for several challenges, I felt that I had the chance of 1) getting some of the books read that I have at home, but never got around to actually read and 2) meeting new-to-me bloggers and 3) finding great new books to read.
Before spring this year, I did manage to read a few of the books I had on my challenge-lists (you can see them all in the right sidebar, although I am still working on getting the last list online after my bloggiesta clean-up/template changing), but from March 1 to June 1, I was more or less offline, finishing an MA-thesis. And I did not have the time to read anything but what I need to write the thesis (not very fun books, LOL).
So I am not doing overly well on my challenges. I am still determined to finish them, and I also signed up for yet another one, but I also expect to get much more time to read now. Only thing is that I often get sidetracked visiting the library or a book store, and tend to loan/buy books which are not on any of my challenge-lists. Ask me this question again come Christmas and New Year, and I will have a more conclusive answer, because right now it can swing both ways.
Most of the books I have picked for my various challenges are books that I own. But there are some unknown ones among them, and I sincerely hope that I will get to them :o)
5 comments:
As I have only joined two challenges, I am doing quite well.
Of course I borrow and read whatever takes my fancy, but when I buy books, I add some that will fit into my challenges, the last one being a cozy challenge.
I hate when school gets in the way of my reading. I completely know what you mean there. I am so excited to have the whole summer to read.
Thanks for your comments, Dorte and Trin :-) I have an upcoming trip involving some hours on a plane, so I am sure to get some reading done there, and if I am smart, I will choose some of my challenge books for my travels :-)
I Did join a couple of challenges and completed those. Now I don't intend to join any!
WG: Reading Challenges
Gautami tripathy, I want to just finish at least ONE of the challenges I have signed up for, but on the other hand, I don't want the challenges to stand in the way of more random book-choices for sure.
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