Friday, November 1, 2019

October 2019 Challenge Update & November TBR

I really can't believe we are down to just 2 months left in 2019.  I really wonder where the time is running off to, I need more of it!  I am actually pretty happy with my reading this month,  while I don't know if I will be meeting all my challenge goals for the year or not, I feel like I have gotten a handle on my reading and preferences this year.  I have goals in mind for next year but it will be vastly different.  Anyway on to this month's wrap up . . .


Children's Books
30-40 books
21. I will Fight Monsters for You
22. Crankenstein
23. Frankenstein A Parody
24. In November
25. Does Frankenstein Get Hungry?
So close! I will definitely be hitting my goal by the end of this year!

Early Reader Books
30-40 books
18. Mr. Putter & Tabby Catch the Cold
This challenge will be a stretch, I will definitely fall short but since Munchkin seems to have completely skipped this reading level, I am okay with it.

Graphic Novel - COMPLETE
25 books
28. Gris Grimly's Frankenstein
This challenge is complete but I will probably be reading another handful before the end of the year.

Audio Book Challenge - COMPLETE
50 books - (Caffinated Reader hosted)
52. The Picture of Dorian Gray
53. The Blacksmith Queen
54. Capturing the Devil
55. The Sasquatch Escape
56. The Lonely Lake Monster
57. Mrs. Miracle Christmas
58. Christmas Angels
59. The Sandcastle Empire
Obviously, Audio books have become an important part of my reading! I am so thankful I discovered them! Clearly I have completed this challenge and like above I will probably have another handful to add to the list before the end of the year.

Classic Books
5 books
2. The Picture of Dorian Gray
Clearly I won't be meeting this challenge this year.  I have made an attempt at a couple other classics but DNFed them.  I have come to the understanding that I don't have to read the classics to be a reader. I am going to try a couple more this year but in the future I will only pick them up if I feel like it.


Big Books
10 books over 500 pages
NONE
I am sitting at 7 for the year, there is a slim chance I can make it this year, I have been reading so many books that are just under 500 pages.  I do have a stack of books I want to read that are over 500 but we will have to see if I can squeeze them in.


RI Authors
20 books
2. Secret Hunger
I am most upset about this challenge, I pride myself on supporting my local authors but without the RI Author month to push me to pick up those books, I just haven't been reaching for them.  It isn't because they aren't great books, I just haven't had the drive. Hopefully I can improve on this next year and at least read the ones I already own!


Borrowed Books - COMPLETE
30-40 books
30. Poisoned Apples
31. Pumpkin Heads
Another challenge complete! I have slowly been rediscovering my love for the library.  My local library has made a lot of improvements and if I can get over the fact of a set TBR I must read now, I think I could really use it a lot next year.


Re-Reads 
15 books
11. Queen of Blood
I have really felt the need to re-read books but I have been striving to get through my TBR stacks. I will definitely be pushing for more re-reads next year, whether I finish this challenge this year or not!


Beat the Backlist
75 books - (Novelknight hosted) - only using books I already own
61. Annihilation
62. Strange Star
63. The Resurrectionist
64. The Picture of Dorian Gray
65. The Lonely Lake Monster
66. Poisoned Apples
67. The Sasquatch Escape
68. Secret Hunger
69. The Sandcastle Empire
70. Family Under the Christmas Tree
I have decided to ease up a bit on myself with this challenge, I originally set out to only use books I already own but as I have been purging my shelves and borrowing more books, I have opened it up to all backlist books I have read this year.  Upon going back and adding all the previous ones read and the ones for this month, I think I will definitely be completing this challenge next month.

The Never Ending Series
Warland Chronicles: Book1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4,
I seriously can't believe I still haven't finished this challenge.  I only have 2 more books to read but I for some reason I keep skipping over them.


Requested Reviews
No more than 25 new acceptances (& catch up on old requests)
30. It's a Christmas Thing (Netgalley)
31. Postcards From a War (Netgalley)
32. A Mrs. Miracle Christmas (Netgalley)
33. Christmas Angels (Netgalley)
34. Christmas Calendar Girls (Netgalley) DNF
I have, yet again, taken on far too many requested reviews. It is so hard to turn down all these great authors and books


Recently Added to Shelves
Limited purchases (must total less than 200) and read soon
1. Dragon of Ash & Stars - (Jan./ Jan.) DNF
2. The Snow Gypsy (Jan./ ) - UNHAUL
3. Book Nerds & Boyfriends (Jan./Feb. ) *
4. WarDance (Jan/ )
5. Warsong (Jan./ )
6. The Only Harmless Great Thing (Jan/Jan.)
7. Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego (Jan./ Jan.)
8. Lost Boy (Jan/July)
9. Year One (Jan/ )
10. Girl Who Drank the Moon (Jan/ )
11. King of Scars (Jan/ )
12. Dactyl Hill Squad (Feb./)
13. The Darkdeep  (Feb./)
14. Voices (Feb./Feb.) 
15. Wicked King (Feb./March) 
16. Lord of the Fading Lands (Feb./)
17. Crown of Feathers (Feb./)
18. Argos: The Story of Odysseus as told by his Loyal Dog (Feb./)
19. 100 Hugs (Feb./ Feb.) 
20. Binti 2: Home (Feb./March)
23. Binti 3: Night Masquerade (Feb./March) 
24. Artificial Condition (Feb./March)
25. Rogue Protocol (Feb./March)
26. Trial of Lightening  (Feb./ May) 
27. The Last (Endling) (Feb./March)
28. Aquicorn Cove (Feb./Feb.) 
29. Thick as Thieves (Feb./ Feb.)
30. Aru Shah and the End of Time (March/) - DNF
31. Foundryside (March/ April)
32. Wundersmith (March/) - UNHAUL 
33. City of Ghosts (March/March) 
34. Saga Vol. 8 (March/ April)
35. Saga Vol. 9 (March/April)
36. Warrior of the Wild (March/March)
37. Book Love (March/March)
38. Queen's Shadow (March/March) 
39. A Curse So Dark and Lonely (March/May) 
40. Shadow of Doubt (March/)
41. Gates of Stone (March/)
42. In Her Sights (March/April)
43. Nevermoor (March/May)  
44. A Conspiracy of Truths 
(March/)
45. The Wild Robot (March/March)  
46. The Resurrectionist (March/October) 
47. Viper (April/)
48. Vortex Visions (April/) 
49. Through the White Wood (April/)
50. Descendant of the Crane (April/)
51. The Princess and the Fangirl (April/April)
52. Holy Sister (April/September)
53. Rhapsodic (April/May) 
54. A Strange Hymn (April/May) 
55. The Emperor of Evening Stars (April/June)
56. Dark Harmony (April/)
57. The Black Bull of Norroway (April/May) 
58. We Rule the Night (April/) - UNHAUL
59. The Unbound Empire (April/)
60. The Opposite of Always (May/) - UNHAUL
61. The Sea Queen(May/)
62. The Mountain of Kept Memory(May/)
63. Metamorphica (May/)
64. Misfits of Avalon Vol. 1 (May/)
65. Misfits of Avalon Vol. 2 (May/)
66. The Sea King (May/)
67. Ride Hard (May/)
68. Ride Rough (May/)
69. Ride Wild (May/)
70. Irresistible Force (May/June)
71. Force of Attraction (May/)
72. Primal Force (May/)
73. Rival Forces (May/)
74. A Rogue by Any Other Name (May/)
75. A Scot in the Dark (May/)
76. The Day of the Duchess (May/)
77. The Pirate Bride (May/)
78. Pirate Stories (May/July) 
79. Man Made Boy (May/)
80. This Monstrous Thing (May/) DNF
81. The Case of the Missing Moonstone (May/June) 
82. Dear Santa (May/)
83. An Endless Christmas (May/)
84. Christmas Magic (May/)
85. Falling Softly (May/)
86. Christmas Town (May/)
87. The Christmas Star (May/) 
88. Crazy Rich Asians (May/June) 
89 Once and Future (May/June)
90. Highland Crown (May/) - DNF/UNHAUL
91. Her Royal Highness (May/May) 
92. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World (May/May) 
93. Seal's Honor (May/May) 
94. Gris Grimly's Frankenstein (June/October)
95. The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals (June/) - UNHAUL
96. The Case of the Perilous Palace (June/) - UNHAUL
97. The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter (June/) - DNF
98. The Beholder (June/) - UNHAUL
99. Lovestruck (June/) - UNHAUL
100. We Hunt the Flame (June/)
101. Romanov (June/)
102. Dark Shores (June/ June)
103. Dreaming the Bear (June/)
104. A New Hope (June/September)
105. The Trial of Joan of Arc (June/) - DNF
106. Midsummer's Mayhem (June/July)
107. Monsters (June/)
108. The Monsters We Deserve (June/October)
109. Strange Star (June/September)
110. Hephaistos: God of Fire (June/July)
111. Ghostly Tales from the Lost Summer of 1816 (June/)
112. Till There was You (June/July)
113. Sea Sirens (June/June)
114. The Bride Test (June/August)
115. The Kingdom (June/July)
116. Storm and Fury (July/)
117. Queen of Ruin (July/July)
118. Stepsister (July/August)
119. The Lost Vintage (July/) - UNHAUL
120. Becoming the Dark Prince (July/July)
121. Kingdom of Exiles (July/September)
122. The Beckoning Shadow (July/) - UNHAUL
123. The Thankful Unicorn (July/September)
124. Star Wars: Pirate Price (July/August)
125. Spin the Dawn (July/July)
126. Clue by Clue (August/August)
127. Honeybees and Frenemies (August/)
128 The Sticky Rice Caper (August/August)
129. Lando's Luck (August/August) 
130. Turning Darkness into Light (August/September)
131. A Monster Calls (August/September)
132. Master & Apprentice (August/) 
134. The Chosen (August/)
135. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (August/)
136. Mortal Engines (August/)
137. Evvie Drake Starts Over (August/)
138. Merciful Crow (August/)
139. The Bridge Kingdom (August/)
140. Girl From the Other Side Vol. 2 (August/September)
141. The Girl from the Other Side Vol. 1 (September/September)
142. Darkdawn (September/)
143. The Girl the Sea Gave Back (September/ August)
144. A Crash of Fate (September/)
145. Black Spire (September/)
146. Capturing the Devil (September/October)
147. The Testaments (September/)
148. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World (September/September)
149. Plum Crazy Vol. 1 (September/September) 
150. The Missing Bookshop (September/October)
151. Tea Dragon Festival (September/September) 
152. The Warrior Moon (September/)
153. A Thousand Roads Home (September/October)
154. The Sasquatch Escape (September/ October)
155. The Lonely Lake Monster (September/October)
156. Ink (October/)
157. The Blacksmith Queen (October/October)
158. Klaus Vol. 2 (October/)
159. Molly and the Cat Cafe (October/)
160. Plum Crazy Vol. 2 (October/)
161. Plum Crazy Vol. 3 (October/)
162. Plum Crazy Vol. 4 (October/)
163. A Walk One Winter Night (October/)
164. Loving My Actual Christmas (October/)
165. A Family Under the Christmas Tree (October/October) *
166. The White Christmas Inn (October/)
167. There Will Come a Darkness (October/)
168. Shadow Frost (October/)
169. How to Love a Duke in 10 Days (October/)
170. How to Catch a Wicked Viscount (October/)
171. Faker (October/)
172. Three Days on a Train (October/)
173. Destiny of the Wolf (October/)
174. Leave the Lights On (October/)
175. Marshmallows and Mistletoe (October/)
176. Cocoa & Carols (October/)
177. The Prince's Son (October/)
178. At Last (October/)
179. The Last Huntsman (October/)
180. Forgotten Love (October/)
181. Mae's Cafe (October/)
182. Within the Captain's Hold (October/)
183. Elusive Dreams (October/)
184. Christmas & Cannolis (October/)
185. Fated Mates (October/)
186. Take My Breath Away (October/)
187. Stolen by the Viking (October/)
188. Destroyed by Magic (October/)
189. Abducted by Magic (October/)
190. Rise Like a Goddess (October/)
191. Out Like a Goddess (October/)
192. Finding Her Dragons (October/)

193. Freeing Her Dragons (October/)
This month was a bit of a doozy on this challenge between a big haul from bookoutlet and an author event my balance of read to unread hauled books has tipped a bit in the opposite direction. Granted a lot of the books are books that will be read for the Advent Reads event over the next month or so but I had wanted to keep my purchases under 200. That only gives me 7 more books and I have at least that on pre-order, let alone Christmas! Ooops!



January Reading Stats:
I read a total of 26 books this month
3,183 pages read and 3 days, 3 hours and 26 minute of listening


Resolutions Check in:
1. Borrow More Books: I did borrow a couple of books this month  -  CHECK
2. Purchase Less Books: Last October I only purchased 7 books and this year I purchased 37.- :( Yikes!
3. Read Big Books: I read a few that were over 400 pages but  still none over 500 even though I have some I really wanted to read! - :(
4. Re-Read More:  I did re-read one from 2 years ago to complete the series and so enjoyed it!- CHECK
5. Put Less Pressure and Stress on Myself: This has been so difficult because I really do enjoy blogging and sharing my love of books but done to the base, it is stressful to read and review enough and post every day.  Even though it is almost a habit at this point it is not exactly a healthy one. I am going to be taking most of the month of November off, though you won't notice it too much as I have posts scheduled, but I want to see how much less stressed I am without having to constantly review and post. I will however still check in every week on Monday. - :(


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't know about you but I feel like I never have time to read all the books I want to read! The year as quickly drawing to a close and I have so many more I wanted to squeeze into the year, but alas some will be going into the new year.  For now I want to focus on preparing for the Advent Reads event and also just picking up some books that are really screaming at me from the shelves (and hopefully complete some challenges while I am at it).


For fun
Dark Harmony
The White Christmas Inn



and for requested reviews
Realm
Bloom
Let it Snow

No comments:

Post a Comment