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2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Tuesday, October 03, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: A Challenging Last Quarter of the Year
7:04 AM
Somehow, it's October already and we're in the last quarter of the year. Say what? At this point, I always focus on finishing reading challenges. This week's TTT prompt: Top Ten Reading Goals I Still Want to Accomplish Before the End of the Year dovetails perfectly with that aim. I took on 13 reading challenges this year. I've completed my goal for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, abandoned the Pioneer Book Reading Challenge since I won't be traveling to Utah before the year ends, and am super confused about the Book Bingo Reading Challenge, which seems to have disappeared. Odd. I'm giving myself encouraging pats on the back because I am super close to finishing all the rest of them. Good job, me!
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Click on over to her blog and give her some love. If you want to join in the TTT fun, you can find all the deets on her blog.
Top Ten Reading Goals I Still Want to Accomplish Before the End of the Year
1. Read 200 books—I've read 155 books so far this year, so I should have no trouble meeting this goal by December 31.
2. Set up my Little Free Library—Last year, I bought myself a Little Free Library for Christmas. I had big plans of getting it set up right away and...it's still in boxes in my hallway. After remodeling our whole house in 2022, we took a little break, but we've been planning to redo our front yard/landscaping as part of the whole home makeover process. We're still doing the HOA tango over a few details, but they did approve my LFL. Yay! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get it all sorted and get the whole front yard project finished by the end of 2023. We'll see.
3. Finish the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge—I'm close on this one!
Books Required: 51 (one for each U.S. state, plus Washington, D.C.)
Books Read: 45
Books to Go: 6
4. Finish the Bookish Books Reading Challenge—2023 was the inaugural year for this laidback reading challenge that I'm hosting. It's been a fun ride, but I need to ramp up my reading if I'm going to complete my goal. It would be embarrassing if I didn't finish my own challenge!
Books Required: 30 (personal goal)
Books Read: 24
Books to Go: 6
5. Finish the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge—I've never actually completed this challenge before, so I'm thrilled to be THIS close to completion.
Books Required: 50 (includes the 10 "Advanced" prompts)
Books Read: 48
Books to Go: 2
6. Finish the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge—SO close to finishing!
Books Required: 52
Books Read: 51
Books to Go: 1
7. Finish the 52 Club's Reading Challenge—Only a handful more to go!
Books Required: 52
Books Read: 46
Books to Go: 6
8. Finish the Build Your Library Reading Challenge—This annual challenge has a different focus every year. This go around, it's nature, which has been a toughie for me. I don't read many science/nature type books typically, so this challenge has really been a...challenge! It's opened up new genres and authors to me, though, and that's one of the reasons I enjoy taking on reading challenges.
Books Required: 40
Books Read: 35
Books to Go: 5
9. Finish the Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge—I've been dragging my feet a little bit on this one; I need to pick up the pace in order to finish on time.
Books Required: 25 (personal goal)
Books Read: 15
Books to Go: 10
10. Finish the Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge—I'm an overachiever, so I'm aiming for blackout on this challenge. With 109 total prompts, it's not easy to do!
Books Required: 109 (for blackout)
Books Read: 92
Books to Go: 17
If my math tracks, I have 53 books left to read in order to finish all of my challenges. Since some of the titles I'm planning to read will work for more than one prompt, it's not *quite* as daunting as it seems. Even though no one cares if I finish but me, I enjoy conquering these reading challenges. Wish me luck!
What 2023 reading goals are you planning to crush in the next three months? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments left here (although I'm a week behind at the moment).
Happy TTT!
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Congrats on finishing the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. That's weird that other challenge disappeared! Good luck on the rest of these. I know you will get them done.
ReplyDeleteThe Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is never really much of a challenge since I adore hist-fic. It's always fun to set a goal and smash it, though :)
DeleteYeah, I'm not sure what happened to the Book Bingo RC. It looks like the host was updating their blog and just never finished. Who knows?
Thanks for the vote of confidence and thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deanna!
Well done. I don't even bother with a list of goals anymore because I lose my focus on them around February 1. :-)
ReplyDeleteHa ha. I no longer make New Year's resolutions for that same reason. My reading goals are always loose goals. If I achieve them, great; if I don't, no big deal. I just happen to be doing really well at them this year, but that's not something that happens every go-around!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!
You’ve done a good job so far. Wow, 200 books a year is a lot!
ReplyDeleteHere is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Lydia
200 books IS a lot! I basically have to finish a book every other day to reach that goal. Luckily, I have lots of free time on my hands :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lydia!
May your Little Free Library go live soon. What a cool thing for you to do.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Astilbe
I hope so! I'm really excited to FINALLY get it all set up. There aren't any others in my neighborhood, so I think it will be a fun addition.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Astilbe!
You are doing fabulous with your goals!! I am also hoping to complete all my challenges. I am on track so far.
ReplyDeleteNice! I'm sure you'll smash them all.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cindy!
13 reading challenges! Wow! Even with one disappearing, that's a lot of challenges! You've made great progress on them all!
ReplyDeleteI'm a chronic reading challenge over-committer! LOL. Most years, I don't finish half of the challenges I take on. I just happen to be doing really well at it this year. Go, me!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicole!
Wow that is a lot of challenges! Congratulations on finishing or being close to finishing so many of them.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lot of challenges and some of them have definitely been tougher than others. I enjoy doing them, though. It's a fun way to expand my reading horizons and make my reading life more entertaining!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Bree!
You are so close to finishing all your reading challenges for this year! Congrats. I'm only doing your Bookish Books reading challenge, but I am rocking it. :D It's been such a fun challenge. Thanks for thinking it up and hosting it.
ReplyDeleteI'm honored that of all the reading challenges you could have done, you chose mine! It's been a fun one to do and to host. I'm glad you're enjoying it as well.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lark!
Love the idea of make your Little Free Library <3
ReplyDeleteMe too! I smile every time I see an LFL while I'm out driving around. I live right by an elementary school, so I plan to stock mine with lots of children's books :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Vero!
I don’t know why I didn’t know about your reading challenge! 😱 I’ve read several books about books this year, but I can never remember to link up any posts, so I’ve given up on official challenges! Be sure to post pics of your LFL! What a great goal! ~Carol @ ReadingLadies
ReplyDeleteHa ha. No worries! You can still join the challenge if you'd like. It's a very easy, laidback kind of thing so there's no pressure it all. It's just a fun way to share our love of bookish books :)
DeleteI will post about my LFL when it's functional. I was hoping to have it up by Halloween, but we'll see. We're still waiting on some HOA stuff before we can get going with the yard remodel.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carol!
I love Little Free Libraries - hope yours is up soon, and you enjoy it. You're doing great on goals, I'm also doing the 52 book club and have 8 to go, which I think I can do if I focus just on that challenge. Good luck finishing your reading goals!
ReplyDeleteThe 52 Club one has been a bit of a toughie for me! Some of the prompts are stumping me, especially the "Doesn't Fit Any of the Other 51 Prompts" one. The only book I could think of that works for this one is a book of scripture. LOL. Good luck to both of us on finishing this one!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, CurlyGeek!
SO. MANY. Challenges!!! I wish you the best of luck with finishing them all by the end of the year! Happy spooky (or not so spooky ;) ) season to you--and happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI'm hopeful that I will be able to finish all of my challenges, but we'll see. I still have a lot of books to go! I'm hoping I'll be able to sneak in a few spooky lite reads in there, too. I enjoy ghost stories and mystery/thriller novels, but nothing TOO scary. I'm a wimp!
DeleteThanks for popping in!
Wow, you had a lot of challenges this year and are doing really well, Susan. Congratulations. Here is my TTT post for my goals. https://carlalovestoread.wordpress.com/2023/10/03/top-ten-tuesday-october-3-2023-reading-goals-i-still-want-to-accomplish-before-the-end-of-the-year-ttt/
ReplyDeleteI'm doing much better on my reading challenges than I usually do! LOL. The prompts must have been easier this year or something...
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carla!
200 books is a great number! So cool that you're setting up a Little Free Library (but HOAs? Ugh!). Hope everything smooths itself out for you in that regard.
ReplyDeleteI have a love/hate relationship with my HOA! I had to laugh when they told us that the residents in our neighborhood had voted against LFLs because they would cause traffic jams. I wish! A neighborhood that has traffic problems because of books sounds like the perfect place to live to me :) The president said she didn't agree and would personally make sure my LFL was approved, so that's good news.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sammie!
Wow! You sure got involved in a lot of book challenges this year! Hope you complete them all!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT
Rabbit Ears Book Blog: WORLD’S WEIRDEST BOOK BLOG!
It's an addiction! I probably need an intervention...
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Ronyell!
wow, almost there, good luck! Your goal #2 is so cool!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to get my LFL up and running! Hopefully, it will happen before the end of the year. Fingers crossed.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Emma!
I am so impressed...200 books?! How do you do it? I feel dumb thinking 60 books is a lot. Lol! ☺️
ReplyDeleteHa ha. Well, I have a lot of free time on my hands. I'm a stay-at-home mom with teenaged and young adult children who are at school or work all day, I don't watch tv, I don't have a lot of other hobbies, I read quickly, and I always have an audiobook going when I drive, exercise, do housework, etc. Basically, I'm ALWAYS reading :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicole!
Little Free Libraries make me smile. :)
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT list.
Me too! I love seeing them around town. It just makes me happy :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lectrice!
You're doing amazing with your goals! Yay for your Little Free Library! I hope you're able to set it up soon. :)
ReplyDeleteMe too. It's been sitting in my hallway in boxes for far too long!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Kasey!
It sounds like you are making great progress with your challenges. :) That's awesome. I admire readers who read so many books. Way back when there would be Instagram readers who would post their wrapups and I was always impressed by the number of books everyone read. :) All the best on the rest of your challenges... and thanks so much for vising my website today!!
ReplyDeleteEvery year, I set my goal at 200 books. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't! It's just fun to compete with myself to see if I can read more books than I did the last year.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Rissi!
I've tried the POPSUGAR Challenge before, but it's such a difficult one! Congratulation on how close you are!
ReplyDeleteIt really is a tough one! The prompts seemed easier this year, at least for me, so I guess that's why I'm actually going to finish it this year. LOL.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Louise!
You are doing a fantastic job on your challenges! (I hope you do get a chance to put up your LFL. I love mine!)
ReplyDeleteI'm really hoping we can get the yard redo and the LFL installation done this year. When I get it up and running, I'll circle back to you for advice on how to run it well!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deb!
Wow, you've been making good headway on your challenges, congratulations! And it's so cool you're setting up a free little library, I have a few around my neighborhood, and it's great having a place to drop off books for other people in my neighborhood to read (:
ReplyDeleteI just love the idea of a big, neighborhood book exchange! I hope my LFL gets lots of use :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Erin!
My, you read a lot of books. I have topped 100 in the past, but this year I expect to read around 85 - 90. One of my goals was to track my challenges better, but I made no progress on that one so far in 2023. You are doing great on your challenges.
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking out my Top Ten list.
Ha ha. I have a system for tracking challenges. I track my progress both on my blog and on a spreadsheet. It helps me focus on completing them, especially toward the end of the year.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Tracy!
You are doing a fantastic job! I have four states left for Literary Escapes. Which ones do you have left? And your performance with Pop Sugar is really impressive. Some of those prompts are tough
ReplyDeleteLet's see, I still need: Arkansas, Illinois, Nevada, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming. Which ones do you still need? Arkansas is the one I always have the most trouble with!
DeleteThis year, the POPSUGAR prompts have worked much better for me than in previous years. Like I said, this will be the first year I've ever completed it. There are a lot of prompts and yes, some of them are super hard!
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!
Wow the amount you read is incredible! And you are so close to finishing your goals! I had no idea there were so many challenges out there.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you complete them all (although I am sure that you will) and have a good week. It's crazy how fast a year goes!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
Oh, there are TONS of reading challenges posted every year and every year I have to resist signing up for ALL of them! LOL. I thought I did pretty well picking *only* thirteen this year :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Emily!
Good luck with your Little Free Library! Such a fun project!
ReplyDeleteIt will be fun to FINALLY pull my LFL out of its boxes and get it all set up. I can't wait!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Alicia!
You're doing awesome with your challenges! I love my neighborhood LFLs. I hope yours is popular.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too! One thing that will make it unique is that it will be constantly filled with new books since I get so many of them from publishers. After I read them, I can pass them on in like-new or very gently used condition. Usually, when I get books from LFLs, they're pretty beat up.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, AJ!
I would love to do a little free library but we don't have a front yard (our door is straight at the sidewalk basically, downside of small side streets). And I also haven't quite figured out how I would want to protect the books from the weather.
ReplyDeleteI hope you manage to get your frond yard settled by the end of the year and get to place your free little library. It is so much fun.
All the best with finishing off all your challenges. I love the idea of a Free Library, but can understand with all the renovations not quite getting to it yet. One day!
ReplyDeleteI always get so motivated whenever I visit your blog, today is no different.
ReplyDelete"Read 200 books—I've read 155 books so far this year..." I'm going to read right now!
Wow so many challenges! You're doing great! I only have one book left for Popsugar. Good luck on all of these!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your challenges! I'm doing pretty well on all of mine but am still trying to find books from more states. I struggle with Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Delaware especially.
ReplyDeleteWow those are a lot of challenges are you are managing them all very well.. that is impressive.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of challenges you're doing, but whatever system you're using to track them is clearly working well. And there's always that little rush of endorphins when you finish a challenge, right? I think it brings me back to those reading challenges from elementary school.
ReplyDelete