September Reading Update

Well, let's see. We're starting the last 1/3 of 2022. What are my last 4 months looking like regarding my reading plans? My Goodreads Reading Challenge was to try and complete 120 books in 2022. It looks good as I've read 100 books so far, 20 books ahead of schedule according to the Goodreads book statisticians. 😁

1st Annual Reading Challenge

In my main reading challenge for my Book Group in Goodreads, that being the 'On the Same Page' group; it being a group that we formed in Jan 2021, the challenge was named the 1st Annual Reading Challenge. I picked 12 books plus 4 options to read, all the first book in a series. Thus far I've completed 10 and struggling a bit with The Peripheral by William Gibson. I like it but I do find it relatively easy to put down. I don't know if I'll get to the remaining books this year but do hope to at least finish 12. The next book will probably be Red Rising by Pierce Brown, a fantasy / Sci-Fi story I've had for awhile.

The remaining challenges fit into our Individual Challenges grouping. If members feel like participating in these challenges, they basically make up their own categories. I have 3 challenges that run throughout the year and then a monthly Focus. Let's take a look at how I'm doing with them and what books I'm enjoying in each one.

Individual Challenges

(I broke my Goodreads book list down into 3 groupings for this challenge; a dusty library (the first 428 books, aka my Dusty Library); a middle group (those books from 429 - 856) and my Newbys (those books from 857 - the last books) Those numbers are when I added the books or purchased them. Some of those in my Dusty library have been unread on my bookshelf for ten years or so. Yes! I have too many books. So let's take a look at each challenge.

1. My Dusty Library. I've completed 10 books in this challenge which maybe explains why I've had them on my shelf for so long. Having said that, other than one book which I didn't finish, I've enjoyed the others. At the moment, my 11th selection Tucker Peake by Archer Mayor, an excellent cop procedural set in Vermont. It is coming along nicely. Next in line in this challenge will be a book from one of my favorite mystery series; Through a Glass Darkly by Donna Leon, an Inspector Brunetti mystery set in Venice.

2. The Middle Ground. I've completed 8 books in this challenge and other than one, I've enjoyed them all. At the moment I'm enjoying a Scandy mystery thriller, The Nightmare by Lars Kepler. It's a bit of a tome but it's nicely paced and very tense with twists and turns. Next in line is the 2nd book in a series that I've neglected; Something Nasty in the Woodshed by Kyril Bonfiglioli, a Charlie Mortdecai mystery from 1976.

3. The Newbys. I've spent most of my effort on the glossy newbies on my bookshelf, having completed 33 books in this challenge. There have been many short books in this challenge, quite a few graphic novels and there were also two which I gave up on, but I've enjoyed the books very much for the most part, with 5 X 5-star selections. I've got two books on the go in this challenge right now; The Twelve by Justin Cronin (Book 2 of the Passage trilogy and a long book) and The Face-Changers by Thomas Perry (a Jane Whitefield thriller). Next in line in this challenge is a new author, The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold

Monthly Focus. Each month I've picked a genre and focused on that. Jan - Biography, Feb - Pre-1900, Mar - Mystery (Noir), Apr - Sci-Fi, May - Non-Fiction, Jun - Young Adult, Jul - Fiction 1900 - 1950, and the remainder.

August - Short Stories / Poetry / Plays. I have completed 4 books in this challenge and have one still to complete, a collection of short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Horror of the Heights and Other Tales of Suspense. 

September - Fantasy. I completed one book in this challenge in August, my bad and I've got 3 others on the go at the moment; To Journey in the Year of the Tiger by H. Leighton Dickson (Tails of the Upper Kingdom #1), A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor (Chronicles of St Mary's #3) and The Sea is Full of Stars by Jack L. Chalker (Well World #6). Next in line will be Day Shift by Charlaine Harris (Midnight, Texas #2).

In the last three months I plan to focus on Horror - October, Mysteries (anywhere but Canada, US & UK) - November and Graphic Novels - December (subject to change of course).

I have begun taking a look at 2023 challenges but I've nothing definite yet.. Well, maybe I do but I may make some changes before year's end. 

OK, it's now 11 a.m. and the puppies (who were at the groomers yesterday and seem much cooler and more comfortable) seem to want to go for a walk. Enjoy your weekend.