Like many of you, I use Goodreads. One of my favourite features is the Reading Challenge goal you can set every year. Each year I make it just a little bit higher and I’ve done fairly well achieving that number.
Now, many people say doing this makes reading a chore, that reading should be more than just numbers. I can totally see where they’re coming from, however for me if I reach the goal, great! But if I don’t, then that’s okay too as long as I enjoyed what I read that year. So for me, the Goodreads Challenge is a way to push myself without making me dread reading.
I also set mini-challenges throughout the year and in future posts I’ll be telling you all about them. Some are taken from sites like Modern Mrs Darcy whilst others I’ve set for myself on my own. And again, if I reach those goals, yipee, but if I don’t, I’ll survive!
My Goodreads 2019 Reading Challenge so far:
Some of the books I’ve read this year:
It’s a pretty eclectic mix if I do say so myself. Quite a few helped me tick off boxes on my mini-challenges, several were ARC’s, and others were just because I felt like reading them.
The current stats:
- I’ve read 53 books
- I’ve read 18944 pages
- 8 were rated 5 stars
- 29 were rated 4 stars
- 16 were rated 3 stars.
Have you read any of these? Are you doing the Goodreads challenge or any other challenges? Let me know in the comments!
Also, feel free to add me on Goodreads!
A Little Nerd Told Me 
I love using Goodreads too for the reading challenge! It helps keep me motivated and I also set mini goals within that as well.
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Which mini goals do you have this year?
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I’m hoping to read 80% female authors, 5 classics, and 12 non-fiction books this year!
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That’s a pretty great set of goals!
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You’re so close!!! I see you read Doomsday Book; I read that a few years ago to get it off my TBR list after far too long. It’s not my usual kind of read, but I ended up really enjoying it, which is a good reminder to step outside my comfort zone more often. 🙂
Keep up the excellent work! 🙂
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It had been on mine for ages. I loved the actual time travel, but every time it went back to modern Oxford, I wanted to set the book on fire 😂
And thanks! I’ve been doing a lot of reading this year and I regret nothing!
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I set my Goodreads challenge to 85 this year and I’ve read 44. That puts me 5 books ahead of schedule, so I’m feeling pretty happy. Like you, I won’t stress if I don’t meet the goal, it’s more of an incentive than anything. We didn’t read any of the same books, but some of yours are on my TBR. The only one I’ve read is the Kathy Reichs one and it was a long time ago. I love reading about other people’s mini challenges and even occasionally do one myself. I’ve been reading Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple novels for Mission Marple on Goodreads.
Congratulations on making so much progress on your reading challenge!👏👏👏
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Thanks, right back at you! And Mission Marple, omg I love it.
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Woohoo, you got this!
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Thanks!
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I 100% agree with this!! I find this on instagram (bookstagram) as well, that people just get so stressed about achieving their goal and feel as though they HAVE to complete it all. I was talking to one person this morning about how she is the host of a buddy read but she is hating the book and asked if its okay if she didnt finish it?? I said of course!! Dont make bookstagram make you do things you dont want to do and dont pressure yourself to do it because you are the host! I wouldnt waste my time!
I havent read any of the books you have posted above!! haha. But I do want to read the Lovely Wife. Im pretty on track with my Good Reads challenge but its all thanks to Audiobooks on my long drive to work every day as well! if it wasnt for the audiobooks ive listened to I would probably be miles behind!
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Audiobooks have nearly doubled my yearly reading count. They’re also the only thing that makes cooking tolerable – I don’t dread cooking dinner as much because I know I’m going to be listening to an audiobook 😂
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hahaha yes! thats brilliant!
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Great job! I don’t really stress over the Goodreads challenge either. It’s more a way for me to keep track of what I read than anything else. Looks like you’ve been really liking most of what you read this year, which is the main thing.
-Lauren
http://www.shooitngstarsmag.net
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Yeah, I’ve been pretty lucky. No stinkers so far this year!
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It’s funny- I lower my goal every year, because I don’t want it to feel like a chore, but I end up reading about the same number of books anyway. Looks like you have had some great reads so far this year anyway.
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A couple years ago I went on a reading spree, think I read about 100 books and my goal was 52. I don’t think I’ll make my goal any higher than 75 though because my average over the last few years is around that, I’d rather make the goal attainable.
Some of these people who say they read 200 books a year–how?!
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I have no idea!! I’ve always wondered the same.
I think I could get up to about 120 a year if I was consistent, but I go through periods where I don’t read anything at all for a couple weeks. Currently I average 100 a year without stressing too much about it.
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Before I can set my reading challenge for more than 20 books but this year, I only set it to 12. Basically, one book per month because I know that my course right now requires a lot of time, and it means lesser reading time.
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When I was still in school I hardly ever got to read for fun. I remember the first time I read a book after finishing my MA that I read just because I wanted to. I kept having to tell myself it was OK, that I didn’t have any academic journals I was meant to be reading instead 😂
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Even though we like to read, when it comes to academic books, we are somehow not finding it fun. 😂
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True story!!
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I’m glad upping your reading challenge doesn’t put you off reading. The goodread challenge doesn’t ever put me off reading but challenges that are book specific sometimes do because I am too much of a mood reader! Also I am super competitive and I HAVE to make my goal (even if it means reading 10 picture books on December 31 😂😂 )
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One year I blasted through a bunch of izombie comic books on Dec 31st 😂 but another year I didn’t make it and just sucked it up. I think the January after that I read 18 books.
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Great job, I have set a goal for the last few years just reached mine early I set it at 150 so increased it by another 50.
The challenge doesn’t put me off either I just like to see the achievement I always set it lower then usually up it so there’s no pressure on me. 😊
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