Category Archives: Challenges

2019 Beat The Backlist: Official Update Post #BeatTheBacklist

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I had a lot of fun with the previous Beat The Backlist challenges, so of course I signed up again. This challenge is hosted by Novelknight and in 2019 will be all about reading once more… No extra complications or extra points for reviews, just getting those backlist titles read and earning brownie points for that. This challenge is all about reading all those poor neglected books on your shelves instead of just new releases. We all love our new releases, but those older books deserve our attention too right? 😉 Books have to be published before 2019 to count, and you can set your own goals as you see fit.

I’ve decided to set my goal at a total of 80 books published before 2019, with at least 30 of them published 2016 or before.

Aaaaand I’m on team RAVENCLAW this year!!

On to the official update post part… Where I will share the books I’ve read that fit the challenge. Books that fit in with my personal challenge are either orange for books published in 2018 or 2017 or green for books published before that.

>>> Last updated January 18th 2019 <<<

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Happy New Year and 2019 Goals

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First of all I want to wish everybody a very Happy New Year and all the best for 2019!! May this year be filled with happiness for all of you. ❤

Now that it’s January 1st, it’s time to think about my reading goals for 2019. I still can’t believe I was able to read 245 books last year, and I don’t pretend I will be able to reach that amount again… So I have decided to not stress myself and keep my challenges reasonable to avoid that pesky slump. I’ve decided 2019 will be all about having fun reading and reading more of my own books. As much as I love my ARCs, I have a HUGE pile of backlist titles and things are spinning out of control. In 2018, I was able to maintain a somewhat healthy balance of 51% ARCs and 49% my own books, but I’m hoping to get that to 40/60 at least.

So these will be my goals for 2019:

READING:

  • I have set my Goodreads Reading Challenge to 150 books.
  • Read at least 3 (modern) classics (rereads don’t count)
  • Complete at least 10 series (rereads don’t count)
  • Reread at least 2 books
  • Bring my physical TBR pile below 450 books and keep it that way.
  • Read at least one book over 800 pages
  • Keep ARC/backlist title ratio below 40%
  • Read at least 2 books in Spanish
  • Read at least 1 book in Dutch
  • Read at least 15 international authors and/or translations
  • Read at least 10 TBR jar picks
  • Join at least 5 challenges during the year
  • Keep my Netgalley ratio above the 80%


BLOGGING/LIFE:

  • bloggingStress less about having to post every day and don’t feel bad whenever I need a short break. This is going to be hard, but I also know that without little breaks a slump might be just around the corner, so hopefully I’ll learn to prioritize better this year.
  • Be active in the community. I always try to comment and bloghop frequently, but somehow it is hard to find enough time to read, blog AND comment on the blogs I follow… And lately I’ve been needing more frequent breaks from social media to keep me from slumping. So this one will be a tricky balance to find.
  • Use Babelio more and become more active in the Spanish reading community. I know I read mainly in English, but I really want to start reading more in Spanish again. The Babelio website is a good incentive to do so!
  • Keep making more healthy choices, reach my goal weight and finally being able to run those 5K. I know, I know, it sounds like a very cliche goal, but I’m determined to do so. It helps that I’ve been working on this during the last month already so hopefully things will stick this time around. #fingerscrossed

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2019 When Are You Reading? Challenge

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I had a lot of fun during the previous four years (click to see lists for 2015 , 2016, 2017 and 2018), so of course I couldn’t resist signing up again for next year. This challenge is hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about reading books either published or set in different time periods… The perfect way of reading books of different eras!

She made a slight change to the early eras for 2019, which suits me perfectly because I’ve always had trouble to find titles for the pesky 1600s era. The complete challenge will include 12 books from the eras. Below I will be adding the titles I have managed to read for each era, and again I will do things differently and not add every book to the list, just one or two for each era depending on the color each title has. I have divided my reads into two categories: books by publish date and books by setting. When the setting is not specified or is roughly the same as the publish date, I will use this color.

  • Pre 1300
    #
  • 1300-1499
    #
  • 1500-1699
    #
  • 1700-1799
    #
  • 1800-1899
    #
  • 1900-1919
    #
  • 1920-1939
    #
  • 1940-1959
    #
  • 1960-1979
    # The Insect Farm – by Stuart Prebble (1959-1972)
  • 1980-1999
    # The BFG – by Roald Dahl (1982)
  • 2000-Present
    # Finding Grace – by K.L. Slater (2019)
  • The Future
    # Here And Now And Then – by Mike Chen (2142)

Currently 4 out of 12 time periods read.

Have you joined this challenge this year? Do you tend to read a lot of books set or published in different eras? Feel free to comment! 🙂

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Magical Readathon: Christmas At Hogwarts: TBR

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I’ve been loving my time with Book Roast‘s Harry Potter themed Magical Readathons, so of course I just HAD to join her newest upcoming readathon as well (I actually signed up last month). This one sounds superfun! It’s a Christmas themed readathon running from December 17th to December 26th, and we get to spend Christmas at the most magical place possible: Hogwarts! Everything is explained in her video below:

I love the idea of the map and each of use being able to choose our own path to the Christmas feast! The map is below as well as my TBR for the different prompts belonging to the path I’ve chosen.

#1 Finish your coursework – finish your current read

I picked the Spanish version of I Have Lost My Way, Perdimos Nuestro Camino, by Gayle Forman as the current read I will finish for this readathon… Mostly that if I want to finish Outlander first it will take me ages still. xD

#2 Have a snowball fight with the Weasley twins – a book you think will be humorous

Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald is supposed to be a ‘laugh-out-loud romantic comedy’ and sounds like the perfect summer read and title to fit the prompt. The fact I can cross off another ARC on my list early is of course a bonus. 😉

#3 Visit 3 Broomsticks for muller pixie wine – a read that should only take you a day/evening

I’ve been meaning to read more Christmas themed reads and I’ve been looking forward to read more of Fredrik Backman, so I thought this Christmas themed novella The Deal Of A Lifetime was a perfect fit.

#4 Sneak into the kitchen to gift dobby odd socks – read that has an item of clothing on the cover

Another Christmas themed read and a story I’ve been meaning to pick up ever since I read an ARC version of the third book of the series… A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig.

#5 Put on your knitted sweater from Molly Weasley – read with present parents or a focus on family

I’ve been looking forward to continue this series by Seanan McGuire ever since I read and loved the first book earlier this year. Since the sequel Down Among The Sticks And Bones is about twin sisters Jack and Jill and their family, it seems to be a perfect fit for this prompt.

#6 Attend the Christmas Feast – watch a Harry Potter movie 

Easiest prompt ever since I always love rewatching the Harry Potter movies! ❤

Are you joining this readathon? I confess I’m not a big Christmas fan, but this Harry Potter themed readathon sounds like a fun way to spend the days before Christmas in between preparations.

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2018 When Are You Reading? Challenge: DONE!!

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It was getting a close call, but I finally managed to finish the fifth edition (and my fourth) of the WHEN ARE YOU READING? challenge! I had a lot of fun during the previous three years (click to see lists for 2015 , 2016 and 2017), and this year was no different… This challenge is hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about reading books either published or set in twelve different time periods… The perfect way of reading books of different eras!

Below a list of titles I read for each era (only one or two this time; including all read titles was just too much to keep up with). I have divided my reads into two categories: books by publish date and books by setting. When the setting is not specified or is roughly the same as the publish date, I will use this color.

This is what I read for the following eras:

  • Pre 1500
    # The Year Of The Snake – by M.J. Trow (1st century)
    # Jilliand – by Clare Gutierrez (800s)
  • 1500-1599
    # A Castle In Romagna – by Igor Stiks (1535/1948/1995)
  • 1600-1699
    # Girl With A Pearl Earring – by Tracy Chevalier (1660s)
  • 1700-1799
    # The Unbinding Of Mary Reade – by Miriam McNamara (1704-1720) 
    # The Poison Plot – by Elaine Forman Crane (1738-1739) DNF
  • 1800-1899
    # The Elephant Keeper’s Daughter – by Julia Drosten (1803-1822)
  • 1900-1919
    # All Things Bright And Strange – by James Markert (1917-1920)
  • 1920-1939
    # Murder On The Orient Express – by Agatha Christie (1926)
    # What Blooms From Dust – by James Markert (1935)
  • 1940-1959
    # Salt To The Sea – by Ruta Sepetys (1945)
  • 1960-1979
    # The Letter For The King – by Tonke Dragt (1962)
    # The Silent Kookaburra – by Liza Perrat (1970s)
  • 1980-1999
    # Born a Crime – by Trevor Noah (1990s)
  • 2000-Present
    # Barbed Wire Heart – by Tess Sharpe (2018)
  • The Future:
    # Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2044-2045)
    # Prodigy/Champion by Marie Lu (2132)

Have you read any of these titles yourself? Do you tend to read a lot of books set or published in different eras? Feel free to comment! 🙂

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Magical Readathon: Christmas At Hogwarts

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I’ve been loving my time with Book Roast‘s Harry Potter themed Magical Readathons, so of course I just HAD to join her newest upcoming readathon as well. This one sounds superfun! It’s a Christmas themed readathon running from December 17th to December 26th, and we get to spend Christmas at the most magical place possible: Hogwarts! Everything is explained in her video below:

I love the idea of the map and each of use being able to choose our own path to the Christmas feast! The map is below, and since December 17th is still ages away I’m not creating a TBR just yet. 😉

Below are the requirements for each prompt… In red the prompts I’m 99% I will pick next month, and I’m still not sure whether I want to help Hagrid decorate the trees or have a snowball fight with the Weasley twins. I guess it will depend on whether I find a book with a golden detail on it I want to read. 😉 (Also, I might end up going for the Dobby, Restricted Section option, I still haven’t decided…)

# Finish your coursework – finish your current read
# Help Hagrid decorate the trees – book with a golden detail
# Have a snowball fight with the Weasley twins – a book you think will be humorous
# Visit 3 Broomsticks for muller pixie wine – a read that should only take you a day/evening
# Exchange presents at your Common Room – read featuring/about friendship
# Sneak into the kitchen to gift dobby odd socks – read that has an item of clothing on the cover
# Attend a Yule Ball – book you’ve been preparing yourself for
# Fly around snowy Hogwarts grounds – building on the cover
#Put on your knitted sweater from Molly Weasley – read with present parents or a focus on family
#Use your Invisibility Cloak to get to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library – read a banned book
# Bring a festive treat to Hedwig at the Owlery – animal on the cover/title/series name
# Attend the Christmas Feast – watch a Harry Potter movie (optional)

Are you joining this readathon? I confess I’m not a big Christmas fan, but this Harry Potter themed readathon sounds like a fun way to spend the days before Christmas in between preparations.

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