2012 was The Year of the Kindle. Having received a Kindle Fire for Christmas 2011, I devoured books the following year, reading over 75 altogether. I realize that number is subjective: impressive to some, a drop in the bucket to even more voracious readers than myself. But I was excited to have so many books at my fingertips.
In 2013, I set my first Goodreads Challenge for 75 books. I figured since I had done it the year before, I could do it again, right? Wrong. I failed to realize how much more I’d be writing in 2013 than the previous year (3 books and a couple of short stories), or how many hours would be spent marketing and maintaining a presence on social media. December rolled around and, with the end of the year in sight, I was forced to cheat amend my Challenge total to 60 books. I had read 59 and was reading the 60th with more than enough time to spare. I even fantasized about reading a 61st book for good measure.
Then the library–the LIBRARY of all places–took me down, guys. You see, some of the traditional publishers still insist on charging $10 or more for an e-book, which is irksome in and of itself. Therefore, if I want to read one of these books, I usually see if my local library network has a digital copy first. Thus was my process when I downloaded Night Film, by Marisha Pessl (EXCELLENT book so far, by the way).
I was 57% through it when my lending period was about to expire. I renewed it, as I had done before with other borrowed books, but THE LIBRARY took it away anyway. Just electronically snatched it off my Kindle and placed me on a waiting list (1 of 1). I was devastated. I’m not the type of person who can read multiple books at once; I have the short-term memory of a pill bug. I whined a lot, trudging through short stories and trolling Facebook instead of reading myself awake in the morning and to sleep at night.
The new year came and went and I was stuck on 59 books. I failed my Goodreads Challenge.
The library sabotaged me. CURSES! *waves fist in the air*
How about you? How did you fare with your own Goodreads Challenges?
journeyofjordannaeast 
I think mine was 35 and I know for a fact I didn’t get close! Lol but this year I’ve set the same target. This year I’m going to focus on reading more and hopefully hit my target 🙂
But you work. I don’t. But again, a lot of my free time during the day was spent writing. Also, I looked over the books I read in 2012 vs. 2013 and I read longer books last year. That might have been a factor. Oh well. I set my goal for 50 this year. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for us both. 🙂
Yeah me too, I’ve got a couple of shorter pieces to read this year so hopefully I’ll get there 😊
Good luck! My first book is 600+ pages. I’m not off to good start.
Well hopefully it’s a good book and you’ll not be able to put it down. I’m a hundred and forty ish pages into a four hundred page book myself
Good luck too 🙂
So far so good. It’s actually the book the library took from me. Haha.
LOL That sucks! Look on the bright side, at least you read 59 books. Some people don’t even read 1. I agree with you that the Kindle is addicting.
Can’t wait to read your other books!
Keep smiling,
Yawatta
I set my goal last year at 100. I was feeling rather ambitious and conveniently forgot how much time I spend be a student and disgruntled movie theater employee. Only made it through 25. So I set this year’s goal to 35. Much more realistic!
Wow, 100 IS ambitious! I could probably easily read that and more if I didn’t write, continued to not work, and my husband was a deaf mute. Lol.
Haha! Here’s hoping we can both make our goals this year.
Here’s hoping!
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