2012 Reading Challenge: Mount TBR
So despite running my own book club for over two years, I always hesitate when it comes to signing up for other people's challenges and/or book clubs. Part of it's because I have enough to read. Part of it's that once I accept a challenge, the book becomes required reading instead of fun. I'm sure a lot of you can relate to that feeling, right? Last year, when I signed up for 2011's Women of SF and Women of Fantasy challenges, I did so knowing that for each club, I already had half of the selections read, so it wouldn't be that great a hardship. Despite that, some months were tough when I had three "required" reads instead of just my own.
But yesterday, I discovered a 2012 Book Challenge by My Reader's Block, and that challenge is called Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2012. The idea is to read a predetermined number of books from your TBR pile as it exists as of 12/31/11. No ARCs, no re-reads, no library books, and no audio-books unless they're already a part of your reading diet. The idea is to knock down your own personal mountain of books you've bought but just haven't had the time or inclination to read. Yet.
In 2011, knocking down my TBR pile was a major goal. The theme, Alphabet Soup, was designed to use titles I already owned, and the plan was regardless of whether or not the poll selections won, I would read them all anyway. That's worked okay. I'm definitely behind on the poll selections (I've still got 15 to read, and that's out of 48 selected titles), and some of those poll selections were books I bought during 2011, which was kind of cheating, but whatever. I'm glad I cheated.
But I still have a MOUNTAIN of books to get through, so you can image that the Mount TBR Challenge is really calling to me. So I'm signing up. I'm going to aim for a modest number and pledge I'll knock 25 titles off my mountain, which puts me at the Mount Vancouver level, but who knows? Maybe I'll knock that goal in the dust. However, modesty's a good idea for now: I still have my own challenge to run (Theme Park!), and you never know how life changes: something could happen that forces me to read less next year, so I don't want to get over my head.
That said, I think it's very doable, and a fun idea. I'm sharing it with all of you because I know I'm not the only one with a ridiculous TBR pile, and maybe this is just the kick in the pants some of us need to knock it over a bit?
Who's with me? :)
Edit: as of 12/31/2011, my TBR pile had 265 books. To see all the titles I've read for the Mount TBR challenge, click here.
But yesterday, I discovered a 2012 Book Challenge by My Reader's Block, and that challenge is called Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2012. The idea is to read a predetermined number of books from your TBR pile as it exists as of 12/31/11. No ARCs, no re-reads, no library books, and no audio-books unless they're already a part of your reading diet. The idea is to knock down your own personal mountain of books you've bought but just haven't had the time or inclination to read. Yet.
In 2011, knocking down my TBR pile was a major goal. The theme, Alphabet Soup, was designed to use titles I already owned, and the plan was regardless of whether or not the poll selections won, I would read them all anyway. That's worked okay. I'm definitely behind on the poll selections (I've still got 15 to read, and that's out of 48 selected titles), and some of those poll selections were books I bought during 2011, which was kind of cheating, but whatever. I'm glad I cheated.
But I still have a MOUNTAIN of books to get through, so you can image that the Mount TBR Challenge is really calling to me. So I'm signing up. I'm going to aim for a modest number and pledge I'll knock 25 titles off my mountain, which puts me at the Mount Vancouver level, but who knows? Maybe I'll knock that goal in the dust. However, modesty's a good idea for now: I still have my own challenge to run (Theme Park!), and you never know how life changes: something could happen that forces me to read less next year, so I don't want to get over my head.
That said, I think it's very doable, and a fun idea. I'm sharing it with all of you because I know I'm not the only one with a ridiculous TBR pile, and maybe this is just the kick in the pants some of us need to knock it over a bit?
Who's with me? :)
Edit: as of 12/31/2011, my TBR pile had 265 books. To see all the titles I've read for the Mount TBR challenge, click here.