Friday, December 21, 2012

2012 Reading Challenges: The Wrap-Ups

OK, I think it’s probably best that I just accept defeat (a certain amount, anyway), and admit I’m very unlikely to finish any more books in 2012. Or get any more reviews written. So I suppose it’s also time to go ahead and zero out all the reading challenges I had going this year.

2012 was not a bad year for me in most areas -- in fact, it was generally satisfying and even exciting. But all that excitement meant that my reading definitely took a hit. Didn’t get anywhere near my 50-book goal, and actually read even fewer books than I read in 2011. But, looking at my challenge blog, I realize that I actually came pretty close with some challenges -- and did manage to finish the reading goals I’d set myself in a few of them.

But reviews -- that’s a whole ‘nother problem. Around mid-year, I sort of stopped posting reviews -- just didn’t have time for them. For a while there, I thought I might be able to play catch-up in December. Yeah, right. That is definitely not gonna happen. So... here come the wrap-ups, in alphabetical order.


Signed up at the "Series Novice" level (3 books)
Actually read 2 books; no reviews.
  1. A Man Lay Dead. Ngaio Marsh (Inspector Alleyn series) 
  2. The Warden. Anthony Trollope (Chronicles of Barsetshire)


Signed up at the "Conversationalist" level (4-6 books)
Actually read 2 books; no reviews.
  1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Stieg Larsson 
  2. The Trial. Franz Kafka 



Books read, 7; no reviews. See my list of books read HERE.





Trying to finish the Mrs. Malory mystery series by Hazel Holt; needed to read 3 books to finish the series; only read one, no review. 
  1. Mrs. Malory and No Cure for Death 



I did a little better with this one. Signed up at the “Daring and Curious” level (5 books), actually finished the required number of books, and even posted a few reviews!  See my list of books read (with links to reviews) HERE.



Signed up at the “Pike’s Peak” level (12 books); read 12 books. See my list of books read (with links to reviews) HERE.



Signed up at the first level (12 books); read 12 books. See my list of books read (with links to reviews) HERE



Committed to read 15 new authors; read 10. See my list of books read (with links to reviews) HERE.



Signed up at the second level (“Trying” -- 15 books); read 15.  See my list of books read (with links to reviews) HERE.


    Signed up for “The Journey” (at least one book); read one book. No review.
    1. Seven-Day Magic. Edward Eager 


    Signed up at the Peril the Second level (two books), combined with Peril on the Screen.
    Read 5 books.  Also watched a hefty batch of TV shows/movies.  See my lists HERE.



    The goal was to read at least two books, and watch or listen to any number of Victorian-themed shows, music, etc. Read 2 books:
    1. The Solitary House. Lynn Shepherd (novel set in the Victorian Era) 
    2. The Warden. Anthony Trollope (written during the Victorian Era; first published 1855) 
    Watched 3 movies/TV shows:
    1. The Prestige (2006; film; based on the novel by Christopher Priest) 
    2. Queen Victoria's Empire (2001; PBS; 4-hour documentary series) 
    3. My Brilliant Career (1979; film; based on the novel by Miles Franklin) 


    Goal was 6 books from 6 categories. Read 6 books.  See my list of books read (with links to reviews) HERE.



    I also had a couple of challenges going at LibraryThing (see my 2012 Fifty Book Challenge, and my 12 in 12 Challenge), and one at Good Reads, none of which I actually completed. (Sigh.)

    And that’s a wrap!

    Just one final thought. Even though I didn’t do as well as I’d have liked in 2012, that hasn’t put me off reading challenges. No sir-ee! I’m hoping the coming year will be a much more normal reading year for me, and I’m already checking out the new reading challenges for 2013!

    6 comments:

    1. Wow, you signed to many challenges. At least you tried to accomplish them. :)

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    2. Hi, Vonnie! Yes, I'm afraid I'm a reading challenge addict. I always say "not too many this year," but I always go back on my promise. Still, it keeps me reading (usually), and that's the main reason I like them. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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    3. Replies
      1. True. And that's really the main reason I keep signing up. I enjoy all the list-making, research, and planning almost as much as I enjoy the actual reading.

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    4. Congrats on all your reading. Challenges are difficult for me. I always forget about them. I can do the Europa Challenge because I run it, so I have to, but otherwise I can't keep track!

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      Replies
      1. Well, challenges are sort of difficult for me to keep up with, too. But I do enjoy all the record-keeping -- I guess it's my inner librarian coming out. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with the Europa Challenge next year!

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