Saturday, January 12, 2013

My 2013 Book Challenge

First book on deck for 2013.
"Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures." ~ Jessamyn West

This year I am determined to read 2 books per month for a total of 24 books in 2013. Now, I know that doesn’t sound like a lot. I’ve seen some people with goals of 50 or 100 books over the course of the year. I don’t know how they do it. I’m convinced these people either don’t sleep, or speed read. I’d love to be able to manage that many books. Then maybe I’d put a bit more of a dent in my TBR pile, because I know I will definitely buy more than 24 books throughout the year, leaving me no further ahead than when I started. But whatever. A girl can never have too many books. 

Given my inability to read at the speed of light, I will stick with my 24 book goal. And, since I never met a list I didn’t like to make, I’ve…well… made a list. I went through my TBR pile and picked out the 24 books I plan to read. Now I say planned because, as my goals group partner Anne MacFarlane asked, “What happens if you buy a book and want to read it right away?”  My incredibly articular response was, “Uh…then I’ll probably just read it.” The list isn’t written in stone so much as a guideline. The overall number of books read is the ultimate goal. 

So here is my planned but not written in stone list of books for 2013:
 
  1. The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
  2. The Dove Keepers – Alice Hoffman
  3. Inside – Alix Ohlin
  4. Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins
  5. The Broker – John Grisham
  6. The Litigators – John Grisham
  7. The Life You Longed For – Maribeth Fischer
  8. The House at Riverton – Kate Morton
  9. The Rose Garden – Susanna Kearsley
  10. The Lost Wife – Alyson Richman
  11. Duchess (a novel of Sarah Churchill) – Susan Holloway Scott
  12. The Eighty Dollar Champion – Elizabetth Letts
  13. Silent In the Sanctuary – Deanna Raybourn
  14. Falling Together – Marisa de los Santos
  15. The Book of Negroes – Lawrence Hill
  16. The Forest of Hands and Teeth – Carrie Ryan
  17. Graceling – Kristen Cashore
  18. A Storm of Swords – George R. R. Martin
  19. Last Night In Twisted River – John Irving
  20. Rebel Heiress – Fiona Mountain
  21. Sarah’s Key – Tatiana de Rosnay
  22. Emily Hudson – Melissa Jones
  23. The Preacher’s Daughter – Cheryl St. John
  24. The Dressmaker – Posie Graeme-Evans
First up is The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.
 
So what about you - have you set any book challenges for 2013?
 
~ Kelly

5 comments:

Julia Phillips Smith said...

No books or movies challenges for me this year. Had an incredible amount of fun with the Movie Madness Challenge last year, and have done a total of two reading challenges in the last five years, but I'm going to focus on word count this year. Crazy, I know...LOL!

MJFredrick said...

I plan to read 75 books--I read 77 last year. But I could never plan in advance WHICH books I'm going to read. I loved Forest of Hands and Teeth and Mockingjay, btw.

Unknown said...

No book challenges for me either, though I do have a substantial TBR pile at Goodreads. I think my challenge is to just go through what's there instead of adding more. The Rose Garden is on that list, but I am determined to get through the 3 sitting on my bedside table before I start.

Unknown said...

Kelly, this is one area where I don't have to set goals. I read ALL the time. But your list looks good. Can't wait to hear which ones you recommend.

Unknown said...

Nice post. That's a very nice list.
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