Tag: reading

Reading Challenge 2016 Conclusion

So 2016 on the blog didn’t go as well as I’d hoped.   Attending a blogging conference completely killed my drive instead of inspiring me to achieve more, but I want to celebrate successes, and perhaps go on to achieve other things in 2017.

I last visited the Goodreads 2016 reading challenge in March when I’d read 4 books in 2 months.   Things slowed from then, and I reevaluated what I actually WANTED to read rather than what I felt I should.   One of the books took a long time as I didn’t really enjoy it (The House at the Edge of the World), but I managed to get 12 books read and I’m really happy.

  1. An unfinished book – Helen Fielding – Mad About the Boy
  2. A new author to me – Kate Thompson – Secrets of the Singer Girls
  3. A celebrity autobiography – Mary Portas – Shop Girl
  4. A book written by/about a historical figure – Lord Baden-Powell – The Wolf that Never Sleeps
  5. A children’s book – Jacqueline Wilson – Best Friends
  6. A book club read – Julia Rochester – The House at the Edge of the World
  7. Sophie Kinsella – The Undomesticated Goddess
  8. Amanda Egan – Kissing Frogs and Dogs
  9. Amanda Egan – Catnaps and Flapjacks
  10. Jenny Colgan – Christmas at the Little Beach Street Bakery
  11. Margaret Forster – My Life in Houses
  12. A book adapted into a film – Helen Fielding – Bridget Jones’s Baby: The DiariesThe categories of books I didn’t read were a classic read, a book recommended by a librarian, an award winning book, a book I should have read at school, and a Goodreads recommendation.   I guess Chick Lit is my thing.   A bit of easy reading escapism from all the demands on my day.

    My favourite reads were My Life in Houses (my brother went to primary school with one of Margaret Forster’s children and I remember going to their house to pick him up after a birthday party), Bridget Jones’s Baby (I still haven’t seen the film), and Christmas at the Little Beach Street Bakery.   I also enjoyed The Wolf that Never Sleeps, although it wasn’t very well written.   The Guiding/Scouting history was very interesting, although I preferred Olave Baden-Powell’s autobiography, Window on my Heart.

    I will be doing the challenge again in 2017 as reading is something that gets me away from the TV and laptop.   Perhaps I’ll hoover up some of the categories I didn’t get around to in 2016, or perhaps I’ll just choose books I’ll enjoy.   Whatever happens, I’ll be reading and that’s the important thing.

Reading Challenge – February Update

2016The end of month two of my reading challenge and I’ve finished 4 books out of the 12!
In February, I finished Secrets of the Singer Girls by Kate Thompson.   I really enjoyed this book, despite it not being something I would normally pick up.   Having enjoyed Home Fires on ITV recently about a rural WI during the outbreak and early months of WWII, I think I saw this book as a recommended read so put it on my Kindle.   It’s the story of a young girl, sent into London from the countryside, and the women she meets at a garment factory in Bethnal Green.   Each woman had a story to tell, and some of the stories of what they had to endure during the war years were quite harrowing.   The Bethnal Green tube station disaster was also included in the story.   There were uplifting parts too, including the way the women looked out for each other in their community.
The other book I read was Best Friends by Jacqueline Wilson.   This was a recommendation from my 9 year old daughter as it’s her favourite book of the many hundreds of books she gets through.   I’ve never read any Jacqueline Wilson books before so it was quite interesting to see what her books were like.   I did enjoy the story, but I think I read it as a mother rather than the BFF girls in the story.   I’m getting far too sensible in my old age!

My current read is A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson.   Although it’s in my Award Winning Book category, it was recommended by my librarian twitter friend @HamertonSally.

  1. An unfinished book – Helen Fielding – Mad About the Boy – finished
  2. A new author to me – Kate Thompson – Secrets of the Singer Girls –finished
  3. A classic read – possibly a Brontë or a Jane Austen
  4. A book recommended by a librarian – Mary Shelley – Frankenstein
  5. A book that’s been adapted into a film – possibly Room by Emma Donoghue.   I still haven’t seen the film so I can read the book before it hits the DVD rental market.
  6. A celebrity autobiography – Mary Portas – Shop Girl – finished
  7. A book written by/about a historical figure – Lord Baden-Powell – The Wolf that Never Sleeps
  8. An award winning book – Kate Atkinson – A God in Ruins – currently reading
  9. A children’s book – Jacqueline Wilson – Best Friends – finished
  10. A celebrity book club read.
  11. A book I should have read at school rather than just the York Notes – probably Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain-Fournier, although in English this time rather than French.   It’s been too long since I got my languages degree!
  12. A Goodreads recommendation.

Reading Challenge – The Story So Far

2016So I’m one month into my Goodreads book challenge and my little widgety thing says I’m ahead of schedule!   I’m enjoying having this behind me to give me an incentive to pick up my tablet and read.

I really enjoyed reading Mary Portas’ autobiography, Shop Girl.   Her early life was definitely eventful.   So much has been chucked at her that she’s had to deal with, so you can see where the brazen, strong woman on today’s TV screens has come from.   I thought it ended far too quickly though, so hopefully she’s busy writing the next stage of her life story.

I’ve selected a few more books to fit my categories now.   Eldest Craftyguidelet selected my children’s book, and my twitter friend (and fellow Elf on the Shelf aficionado) @HamertonSally who just happens to be a librarian, gave me a few more choices.

  1. An unfinished book – Helen Fielding – Mad About the Boy – finished
  2. A new author to me – Kate Thompson – Secrets of the Singer Girls – currently reading
  3. A classic read – possibly a Brontë or a Jane Austen
  4. A book recommended by a librarian – Mary Shelley – Frankenstein
  5. A book that’s been adapted into a film.
  6. A celebrity autobiography – Mary Portas – Shop Girl – finished
  7. A book written by/about a historical figure – Lord Baden-Powell – The Wolf that Never Sleeps
  8. An award winning book – Kate Atkinson – A God in Ruins
  9. A children’s book – Jacqueline Wilson – Best Friends
  10. A celebrity book club read.
  11. A book I should have read at school rather than just the York Notes – (loads of choice for this category unfortunately – might be one of my French A-level literature reads)
  12. A Goodreads recommendation.

If there are any recommendations to fill in any of my gaps, please feel free to leave a comment!

Reading Challenge 2016

2016The Craftyguidelets love to read.   My eldest can be in the middle of 3 or 4 books at a time, but still knows exactly what is going on in each.   I used to devour books when I commuted into London.   But now my commute is from the kitchen to the living room or the office, and my volunteering has expanded, the time I allocate to reading books has reduced considerably.

With a queue of books on my Kindle app and a pile of books in the cupboard, I decided to set myself up on the Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge.   As well as keeping my list short with a realistic target of only 12 books, I thought I’d try and find books from different categories to mix it up a bit.

  1. An unfinished book – Helen Fielding – Mad About the Boy – finished
  2. A new author to me.
  3. A classic read.
  4. A book recommended by a librarian.
  5. A book that’s been adapted into a film.
  6. A celebrity autobiography – Mary Portas – Shop Girl – now reading
  7. A book written by/about a historical figure.
  8. An award winning book.
  9. A children’s book.
  10. A celebrity book club read.
  11. A book I should have read at school rather than just the York Notes.
  12. A Goodreads recommendation.

I am one book in and it’s only 8th January – go me!   My little widgety thing at the side of my blog keeps the tally, and hopefully I’ll read more than my target.

Are you doing any reading challenges this year?