2013 Challenges I've taken up and general challenge thoughts

So... challenges. I confess I am not usually a fan of them, or at least I didn't use to be. Why? They tend to nag at the back of my mind. In my language I'd say 'Si liged mer ofem Mage.' (they lie on my stomach. Like something heavy in your stomach you cannot quite digest).
I feel pressured by them.
I cannot forget about them.
I don't deal too well with long-term projects because then I end up having soooo many things I should remember at the back of my mind and I don't like it because it makes me feel continually stressed.

Flipside: It can be motivating! Last year, I participated in the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge that Rachel from Fiktshun hosted. That challenge got me not only into the Soul Screamers books but also made me write my first reviews and is eventually responsible for my decision to start my own blog! I also participated in a month-long sequels challenge and that helped get rid of some books that had been unread on my shelf for too long. Oh, and I completed my Goodreads challenge to read 100 books. It was 107 or 108, I think.

So... what's for 2013?

As I said, I don't want to sign up for to much because it will only make me feel stressed. I like to have some freedom to pick whatever book appeals to me at a certain moment. One challenge I've already signed up for is the 2013 Reading Pile Challenge that is about reading books published in 2012 or earlier. You can see my sign up post here, and I've also transferred it to its own page (see below the header) and updated the info somewhat.

I've also set my goal at Goodreads for 100 again. I will try for 110, but I have to get started with my Master Thesis this year and that means lots of non-fiction research reading that is very time intensive...

I have after some thinking also decided to participate in the following:

The 2013 Sequel Challenge is hosted by Auntie Spinelli. Click the button to sign up. I like this one because it lets you determine the number of books you want to read by yourself. There will also be some giveaways during the year, as well as one at the end. You can sign up anytime.
I have a lot of sequels to catch up on, so I think this one will complete itself pretty much automatically. But I don't want to limit my reading choices too much, so I'm setting my goal at 20. I might upgrade the number throughout the year though.

I've also decided to participate in the new Adult Reading Challenge hosted by Danya from A Tapestry of Words, Victoria from Confessions of a Twenty Something Fiction Writer (she is also a member of the NA Alley blog), Tara from Tater's Tall Tails, and Barbara from Basia's Bookshelf. Click the button for all the rules and possibilities.
If you're not sure what New Adult is, they have quite a good description on the sign-up post that also explains that NA is not just contemporary fiction! I've decided to sign up because I have quite a lot of NA kindle books piling up I never seem to get to, and still more on my TBR list... I like how many of these books deal with university students! I'm almost 24. I like to read about those characters & experiences instead of the never-ending highschool tales of YA. (Though those are interesting to me too because I've never gone to highschool in that way because the system is different here).

There are for levels to the challenge and because as I said, I don't like committing to something that might limit my reading choices too much, I've decided to go for the Moving Out level, which means I pledge to read a minimum of 10 NA books.

Among them:

• The Secret of Ella & Micha, by Jessica Sorensen
• Clash, by Nicole Williams
• Derailed, by Alyssa Rose Ivy
• Easy, by Tammara Webber
• Tidal, by Emily Snow
• My Favorite Mistake, by Chelsea M. Cameron
• On Dublin Street, by Samantha Young
• The Jelly Bean Crisis, by Jolene Stockman
• Taking Chances, by Molly McAdams
• Flight, by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Oops, that actually is 10 already... but we'll see how many I get to. Taking Chances is one I got for review for instance, so I'm going to privilege it over others. And I don't want to read NA all the time.


So yeah... I guess this is it! What do you think of my challenge goals and my attitude to them? How do you feel about them, and what have you signed up for? Tell me in the comments :)

2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Hey guys! I'm not usually big on participating on challenges... their just another thing at the back of my mind that I must not lose track of. But I think this challenge, hosted by Evie from Bookish and six other bloggers, makes sense for my current situation. It hope it'll motivate me!

The idea of the challenge? To read a certain number of books released in 2012 or earlier! And since there are soooo many of those, especially series I have decided I must begin after all, this plays into my reading plans.

Sign-ups are open until December 15, so hurry up if you want to participate! (I simply consider myself fashionably late :P ) Click the banner above for the exact rules and to get to the linky.

There are five levels on which you can participate. It's always possible to upgrade, but not to downgrade.

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

I've decided to try my hand at A Sweet Kiss. It sounds manageable without being too restrictive.


Need incentives? There will be giveaways every month, as well as another EPIC one in December!


Here are some of the books I'm planning to read. I'll add more as I go along, and I'll probably copy this book into a separate page at the top of the blog.

• All 5 books in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger (I bought a box set)
• Divergent by Veronica Roth, unless I start it this year already. Then it'll be Insurgent.
• The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
• Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
• Velveteen, by Daniel Marks
• Slumber, by Samantha Young
• something by Amanda Hocking
• Hourglass, by Myra McEntire
• Falling To Ash, by Karen Mahoney (can't believe I didn't get around to this!)
• something by Libba Bray, probably The Diviners
• The Soul Thief (UK Demon Trappers #2), by Jana Oliver
• Exiled, by M.R. Merrick
• Flight, by Alyssa Rose Ivy
• Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins
• Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas

That's already 15, and I could easily have gone on longer!!! My pile is an abyss. Sometimes I despair. (Actually almost every day)


What about you guys? Are you also on this challenge, and what others have you signed up for? Any suggestions on what simply must go on my list? Let me know in the comments :)