I’m also thinking about planning my reading for 2010 – the first few months, anyway – and that’s still not something I’m entirely used to. I’m kind of torn, to be honest. I have about 20 books tagged as “review copy” in my “To Read” collection on LibraryThing (some of which have had that tag since last year, which is really getting embarrassing!), and I really want to make those go away. I’ve cut way back on the number of review books I’m taking in, so that should help. I’m getting fewer pitches lately, and still decline some of those; I submit the occasional publisher request through Shelf Awareness ads and LT’s Early Reviewers program, but those don’t always yield books; and I’m a sometime tour host for TLC Book Tours. I’m fine with limiting my sources of new review copies to those for the foreseeable future, and focusing on getting through the ones I already have.
I’ve done pretty well leaving the review books aside for the Read Your Own Books Challenge this year, though, and I think I may sign up for that one again in 2010 – it’s useful. I’m doing two other reading challenges that will run into next year as well – one will end in April, and the other lasts almost all year. I’m excited about both of them, and one of them will cross over with the RYOB Challenge, which makes it efficient.
However, I know I get restless with too much routine, and having my reading dictated by challenges and review obligations will get to me. When can I read just what I feel like reading? There will be times I’ll rebel and pull something off the shelf that doesn’t fit into any of those categories – and I’ll try not to feel too guilty about it. The change of pace will probably be good for me.
But having said all that, I’m thinking about a pattern: review book, challenge book, discretionary book, review book… Something like that might work.
I’d love to know: Have you started thinking about your year-end book picks yet? And how do you approach obligatory vs. discretionary reading?
BOOKKEEPING: The Reading Status Report
Book reviews posted this week:
Love the One You’re With, by Emily Giffin
The Hunger Games/Catching Fire (dual review), by Suzanne Collins
Next reviews scheduled:
The Longest Trip Home, by John Grogan (TLC Book Tour stop scheduled for November 9)
In which I make up for not adding any new books last week…
For review:
When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge (for TLC Book Tours)
For the Shelf Discovery Challenge:
Forever… by Judy Blume*
For me, for no particular reason:
The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón*1
Beat the Reaper: A Novel, by Josh Bazell*1
Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, by Michael Davis*2
My Life in France, by Julia Child*
Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher*
1Book bloggers are totally to be thanked/blamed for this acquisition!
2Discovered via excerpt from DearReader.com E-mail Book Club
*Books bought yesterday in celebration of National Bookstore Day (and a “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” coupon)
A Friend of the Family, by Lauren Grodstein
Sunflowers, by Sheramy Bundrick
Challenge Statistics:
Read Your Own Books Challenge (RYOB 2009), January-December 2009: pledged 20 books (no list required) – 19 read/reviewed to date
Clear off Your Shelves Challenge, October-November 2009: pledged 25% of books read (no list required) -57% of books read/reviewed to date (since October 1, with 3 weeks to go)
Shelf Discovery Challenge, October 2009-April 2010: required 6 books, list posted; none read/reviewed to date
Women Unbound Challenge, November 2009-November 2010: pledged 5 books, list posted; none read/reviewed to date
BOOKMARKS: Reading-related Reading
The next 24-Hour Readathon has been scheduled for April 10, 2010, so mark your calendar NOW! And if you’d be interested in helping out behind the scenes, you’re needed.
What is it about reading, anyway?
Whether you’re just getting started or trying to stay on track, the “how and why” of writing book reviews is always important to consider (link via Heather J.). Also worth considering: what’s your dream for your blog? Does it involve taking it back to basics?
It’s the spoof we’ve been waiting for: Nightlight. (Read it instead of seeing New Moon) Semi-related: proposing that Twilight is not anti-feminist
Buying books for the somewhat-reluctant reader; who says book bloggers don’t buy books?
Going through with a negative review, at the author’s request (really!)
A discussion of the “mean girl,” in (YA) fiction and reality
Book bloggers are curious folks. Natasha wants to know about your reading habits (how active? how long?), while Jessica C. wonders how you feel about word-usage corrections (the giving and the getting).
Have a great week – hope it includes some great reading!
Sometimes I feel like I wishing my life away. I too, am thinking about 2010 reading instead of focusing on what I want to accomplish with the weeks left in 2009…LOL
Diane – Good point. I still have a few books I'd like to get through before the end of this year, too!
I need to read more in November to complete 150 books. December is going to be hectic it being Exam month.
Here is my Sunday Salon post!
8 weeks? Only 8 weeks? Argh! You could have warned me. And please send me an e-mail if you decide to tell me how many shopping days to Christmas so I can entirely skip that blog post. LOL!
I really haven't started thinking about my best of the year but perhaps I should. I do have a substantial amount of good books from which to choose. It won't be easy.
I need to find some balance in my reading too so your schedule of reveiw book, own book, etc. sounds like a good plan to me. 🙂 I'll have to consider what makes the most sense for my reading.
The friend that got me started on blogging had a favs list so when I started my blog I put that together right away. Then every book I've read, I determine whether or not it should put something off the list. That's made for some tough decisions lately because I've been reading so many good books.
I can't even think about the end of the year yet! No!
I hope you enjoy My Life in France. It's such a wonderful book. 🙂
I haven't thought about making my list for the end of the year yet. Last time I made my list early and ended up editing the post several times because I read some great books the last week of December.
I have been starting to plan my reading for next year. I don't plan on joining many challenges.
Gautami – 150 books!? I'm impressed. I don't think I'll ever have a shot at that, unless I somehow become a lady of leisure. I may crack 50 this year :-).
Kristen – I don't want to know how many shopping days there are till Christmas either :-). But come to think of it, it seems like every day between now and December 24 can be a "shopping day" now, thanks to the internet and most stores being open 7 days a week.
I'm not sure I'll go with that schedule, but I have to start somewhere!
Lisa – That's a neat approach. I may try that myself – next year :-). (It's a little late for this one.) I've tagged all my 2009 reviews in LibraryThing and have my ratings there too, so I hope that helps with the list.
Priscilla (Evening Reader) – I've seen Julie and Julia and I read Julia Powell's book a couple of years ago, so it seems like "equal time" for Julia Child is appropriate :-).
Vasilly – I'm probably maxed out on challenges, unless I "renew" the one that ends in December. I've tried to stay away from them, but my resistance must be breaking down or something :-).
I probably won't start on my "best-of" list till close to the middle of December – like you said, I could read something really good right near the end of the year!
Wow, even though I know it's November I didn't realize the end of the year is so near! Where has the time gone?
Kathy (Bermudaonion) – I know! When I counted it out on the calendar, it was a minor shock. The year has just blown by, hasn't it?
Since I end my reading year on my b-day in November, I'm way ahead of you on this. 🙂 I've got big plans for next year that include reading what I WANT to read rather than what I'm SUPPOSED to read, at least more often than I'm doing it now.
I do agree with you on the RYOB challenge – it is VERY useful. Unfortunately it is also the only challenge I'll be unable to complete this year. 🙁 Ah well, better luck next time!
My first thought was that I have NO obligatory reading. But then I thought about my book club – that's kind of like an obligation…
Heather J – Operating on your own "blog year" cycle certainly works, and it does put you ahead of the rest of us on the year-end thing :-)!
I took on the RYOB Challenge this year because I was feeling overwhelmed by review books last year, and it definitely helped. I'm not accepting as many review books now, but until I get out from under the backlog (wishful thinking?), I think it'll still help me keep some balance.
Magpie – Book-club reading was my "obligatory" reading before I began receiving books for review on the blog. It's probably a good thing my book club is dormant, or I'd have even less opportunity to read just what I feel like reading!
The first sentence of your post scared the heck out of me! The year is flying by again. Only 8 more weeks?? Can that be right?
I've been really lucky with review copies lately. All have been really, really good but I need to limit myself to one per month or something because when I read them, I have no time for my real-life book club book or any of the books that 'I' want to read on my own.
I joined the Clear Off Your Shelves Challenge and have not read one book for that one. I have books from last year that I bought that are still waiting to be read.
Needless to say, I want to get back into the joy of reading and not worry about the calendar so much.
Ti – I actually looked at the calendar before I wrote that, and yes, unfortunately, it's true :-).
I used the Readathon to get a jump on the Clear Off Your Shelves Challenge, and I set a low percentage goal, so I think I'll end up OK. But yes, I think I want to dictate more of my reading schedule myself too.