Tag: Challenges

2015 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Published on by Rachelle

2015 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

 

Since I hit my reading goal of 50 books for this year back in October, and I’m probably going to be past that goal by 10 books, I’ve decided to stretch myself just a bit further next year by joining the 2015 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge.

Reading Challenge Details:

  • The challenge runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015 (books read prior to 1/1/2015 do not count towards the challenge).
  • The goal is to outdo myself by reading more in 2015 than I did in 2014.
  • Books can be any format (print, ebook, audio).
  • Books can be any genre (fiction, nonfiction, romance, mystery, etc.).
  • Novellas that are 100 pages in length (give or take), as well as full-length novels, will count for this reading challenge.
  • Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.

Level:

Getting My Heart Rate Up: read 1–5 more books (or 250–1,499 more pages)

This is the first level.  I’m not sure if I’d be able to read much more than 65 books, assuming that I’ll read 60 this year, so I’m sticking to this level.  If anything, I’ll move up to the next level, but since I can’t move back a level, I don’t want to commit to a goal that isn’t realistic.

Do you have any reading goals for 2015?

Show Your Shelves Some Love: A No Book Buying Challenge

Published on by Rachelle

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Show Your Shelves Some Love, No Book Buying Challenge 2015. You got ‘em, now read ‘em!

  • Hosts: Chapter Break and Terri from Second Run Reviews.
  • Social Media: #ShelfLove
  • Goal: Abstain from buying books (or set a monthly book budget) — and focus on clearing physical and virtual to-be-read book shelves for the entire year.
  • Challenge Dates: Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015.

The Guidelines:

  • Abstain from spending money on books for one calendar year (or follow a monthly book budget).
  • Gift cards are OK, audible account is OK, but no buying extra credits.
  • Encourage other challenge participants via comments, social media, and emails.
  • Participate in the monthly posts. (The link up post will go live on the first of each month and be open for 30 days.)
  • Library books do not count for this challenge. This challenge is mainly for books you already own.
  • Netgalley books can count for this because you have the book, so read it!

No Book Buying Challenge Step 1: Select your goal

  • Black-Belt: 51+ books: my shelves and I are going steady – I’m choosing this goal because my reading goal for 2015 will be higher than the 50 books goal I set for 2014.  Over the past couple of years, my way of handling book buying was to save up all the books I had read, and didn’t want to keep, in a box.  After the box was full, I would take it to Half Price Books, and then buy books with whatever money I got from selling that box-full.  This year, however, I want to tighten my spending belt further and not buy any books at all.  Instead, I’ll wait until next year to take my book box(s) to the store, and then put that money into savings.  I’ll probably allow myself to buy a couple books as a reward, but only if I don’t spend a single penny on books in any format for the whole year.  I know I can do it, but the key is to stay away from the book stores!

Will you be participating in the No Book Buying Challenge?

 

2014-2015 COYER Challenge

Published on by Rachelle

Winter 2014-2015 COYER Sign Ups

 

I’m so excited to join in for Winter 2014-2015 COYER, hosted by Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun and Michelle @ Because Reading. It runs from December 20th 2014 – March 6th 2015 and you can sign up here until January 25th! Go check out the details, and if you do sign up, be sure to indicate that I sent you on the linky, where it says “Who referred you?” so I can win $5 to Amazon!

My Goals

I have no idea what I will read that far ahead. However, since I’m limited to E-Books and Audiobooks that are FREE or NEARLY FREE, I’m going to first concentrate on my Review books. I also have a ton of FREE Kindle and Nook books I’ve picked up that I’m going to try and read. Here are my goals:

  • Read and review at least 10 books.
  • Visit and comment on at least 1 review from the linky a week.
  • Participate in 3 of the read-a-thons.
  • Participate in at least 1 mini-challenge.
  • Participate in at least 1 social media activity a week in the Facebook group.

This is my first time doing COYER so these are my starting goals.  They may change, so I’ll do updates if necessary.

So, what do you say? Will you join me? Don’t forget to list me when you sign up!

Bout of Books – 5 Book Challenge

Published on by Rachelle

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This challenge, from Falling Down the Book Hole, asks us to choose the 5 books we’d grab to take with us if the world were to go to Hell in a hand basket:

“Given the short amount of time you are only able to take 5 books with you. What books would you pick to take with you as you escape and prepare for the end of the world. Would you choose books that would help you survive in the post-apocalyptic world, books for pleasure that would make you happy and take you to a fantasy reality or books that you can’t live without?”

My reason for choosing the following 5 books is that these are the books I could read over and over again and never get sick of.  They are my all time favorite books:

1) Matilda by Roald Dahl

2) The Princess Bride by William Goldman

3) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

4) The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

5) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Library Discovery

Published on by Rachelle

Summer Library Challenge

I haven’t discovered anything new about my library this week that I haven’t already written about.  I did, however, recently start reading The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and that got me interested in the truth behind the legend of Arthur.  So I made use of the library’s virtual section and downloaded a book on the subject.

I wish I had more to write about my library, but I just don’t.  That’s a little bit disappointing since I thought that surely the public library in a large city like Austin would have more to offer.  I know they probably don’t have the kind of money that my university has, so I really can’t compare the two libraries, but I’m really missing my school’s library right now.  Luckily the Fall semester isn’t too far away and that will justify making the hour drive.  I also have access to their e-books without driving, so at least there’s that.

Library Social

Published on by Rachelle

Summer Library Challenge

I checked Facebook for the Austin Public Library, and sure enough they have a page.  While looking at a few of the most recent posts, I learned something new: in addition to e-books, digital comic books and graphic novels are also available!

I don’t currently have Twitter simply because I find it to be a gigantic rabbit hole to nowhere satisfying.  I wouldn’t even be on Facebook anymore if it weren’t for the ability to create interest lists so that I never have to use the News Feed.

I also checked Youtube, but there were only a few videos and none of them looked even remotely interesting.  At least there is the decent, frequently updated Facebook page.

Summer Library Challenge Survey

Published on by Rachelle

Summer Library Challenge

Library Survey

1. What’s the name of your library and how close is it to where you live?

     Austin Public Library.  The closest branch to where I live is about 3 miles away.

2. How frequently do you go to the library?

     Today was my first visit since I moved to Austin.

3. What is the first section you normally go to when you get to the library?

     Usually, in any library, I go straight for whichever section has the book(s) I looked up beforehand.  That’s usually Fiction.

4. Share a link to your library’s web page. How often do you use it and what for?

     Austin Public Library

     So far, I’ve only used this website to look up the address of the nearest branch, but typically I use a library’s website to search for the books I want to read before I head out to the library.

5. Does your library have a summer reading program for your age group? Do you participate and why or why not?

     Yes!  I was a bit surprised to find out there is a Summer Reading Program for Adults.  It started June 1st, and runs until the end of August, and for every five books I read, I can enter to win prizes.  I will be participating.

6. What is one thing you can think of that would make your library better?

     The hours they’re open.  Every branch is closed two days a week, and at least two other days of the week it’s only open for a few hours.

7. What programs have you attended or thought of attending at your library?

     I considered joining one of the many book clubs, but none of them grabbed my interest.  The majority of the other programs are either for kids or writers.

8. What is the best thing about your library?

     The “Virtual Library”, the library’s downloadable materials section.  Since the hours are limited, I’ll probably be “checking out” more e-books than physical books from the local branch.

Summer Library Challenge!

Published on by Rachelle

Summer Library Challenge

I’m getting started on this late (Kick off was June 1st), but I decided to go ahead and sign up since I recently moved and haven’t been to the local branch of my city’s public library.  I figure this will be a great way to get acquainted with it!

My goals for this challenge are simple: get to know my library.  That means I will not only be visiting my local branch and getting a new library card, but I will also figure out where everything is, play around on the website, learn what resources are available, such as inter-library loans and e-book availability, as well as making sure I understand whatever particular policies there are (late fees, check out limits, etc.).  I will also look for my book club’s selection for July to see if it’s available and then check it out if it is.  I’m also going to do everything I can to catch up with the challenge so far, and I plan on posting about everything I do within the realm of the challenge.  I may or may not post pictures.  We’ll see….

My reason for keeping things simple is due to my very recent job change.  I’ve posted before about how unhappy I was with my previous job, and so the update on that is I was able to find a better job with a higher wage and more benefits!  I’m in training right now, but my schedule will change after I’m done and so I just don’t know how much time I will have to devote to all things books.  I’m really hoping that once I get more settled into a routine I will have more reading time as well as more time to add new “features” to this blog.  I have quite a few ideas!  I’m also welcome to suggestions of what you would like to see, so feel free to comment to your heart’s content! 🙂