2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

2013 was a great year for reading! Let's take a look back.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?

2. Which book was your favorite?

3. Least favorite?

4. Who's your favorite new author?

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?

I'll start:

1. By the time the year is up, I'll have met my goal of 101 exactly.

2. SO HARD to pick just one, but I'm going to answer Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan which is also the first book I read in 2013. (I've answered this question three different ways so far in the last couple of days when people ask. It's so mood dependent!)

3. Well, this one's easier. Wealth Warrior: The Personal Prosperity Revolution by Steve Chandler

4. Hugh Howey of Wool Omnibus fame

5. I think the biggest surprise is how many zombie books I've enjoyed this year. I've never been a zombie person, but this year, I've read World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, Warm Bodies, Feed, Deadline, and I'll finish Blackout before the year is out. I've enjoyed them all!

6. My favorite is the Listopia Challenge. I'm totally in love with it which is why 2014 is the third year we'll be doing it in a row. Sorry! Hope you all aren't bored of it yet.

Kara, you always ask the hard questions!

1. I have read 65 (probably will read 66 before New Year) My goal was 65
2. Favourite book(s): Rebecca, Unwind, Ender's Game, Storm of Swords
3. Least Favourite: Many! The Last Strand, Dollhouse, A Touch of Honor, Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
4. New Favourite Author: George Martin (Game of Thrones)
5. Surprises: I had no idea I liked Science Fiction books
6. Favourite Challenge: I really liked the Every Year Challenge, even though I didn't complete it.

1. I read 56 books in 2013, and exceeded my goal of 50.

2. I can't pick just one favorite so here are my top 5:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon

3. My least favorite was The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

4. Not a new author, but new to me--Haruki Murakami

5. My biggest (pleasant) surprise was how involved I got on Goodreads this year! I have used it for a few years just to track what I've read but this year I joined some groups, started organizing my shelves more, and got a little addicted, I'd say.

6. I didn't participate in this group this year but I'm really looking forward to 2014!

1. i read 271 books so far might get another 1 or 2 in before the new year, and yes i completed my goal of 240

2. favourite book(s)?
1-23 Dark Hunter Universe series by Sherrilyn Kenyon
1-10 Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter
1-7 Feral Warriors series by Pamela Palmer
Lover At Last by J.R Ward
MacRieve by Kresley Cole
1-2 Desires of the otherworld series by Aline Hunter
1-10 New Species series by Laurann Dohner

3. Least favorite?
Maverick's Mate
Maverick Danker

4. Who's your favorite new author(s)?
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Gena Showalter
Pamela Palmer
Aline Hunter
Laurann Dohner

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? That i found out that I am a challenge addict, it's really bad. 2014 hasn't started and I've already joined more then 40 challenges

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any? i only participated in 1 challenge this year since i only just joined the group but looking forward to all the challenges next year.

Stephanie, I am a challenge lover too! My friends said I had a challenge problem! I can't help it, they are just so fun!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I have read 108 books this year. My original goal was 20, but it got upped to 50 and eventually 100.

2. Which books are your favorites?
Here be Dragons
The Host
The Dragon Keeper
Fifty Shades of Grey series
Bring Up the Bodies
The Mating series

3. Least favorites?
Gone Girl
Destined to Play series

4. Who's your favorite new authors?
Nicky Charles
Robin Hobb
Sharon Kay Penman
Hilary Mantel
Cassandra Clare

5. What was the biggest surprise for you?
That I managed to get my reading hobby back after a year of not reading due to my depression and kick my original goal into space =]

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I've only recently joined the group, so haven't completed any challenges as of yet. But I am extremely excited for the upcoming challenges!

Jodi wrote: "Stephanie, I am a challenge lover too! My friends said I had a challenge problem! I can't help it, they are just so fun!"

i love them, i think it's more the planing and organizing of what your gonna read that make me wanna join them more and more.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?

I met my goal of 26 books this year -- and surpassed it to get to 37! I'm halfway through my last book of the year. In reality, I should be reading right now, but I'll be honest: I'm having a difficult time losing myself in this one. I don't know if it's because it's the last one, or because of the book itself, but something is going on and I'm just not feeling it at the moment. Instead, I've been losing myself in Tumblr and Goodreads and information on adoption -- anything to procrastinate! It's as bad as when I was in school. Geez.

2. Which book was your favorite?

The Golden Compass. I've read it before, but it was just as amazing the second time around. More so, really, as I understood and appreciated it much more this time.

3. Least favorite?

I started but haven't been able to finish Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs. Despite loving her style of writing, I admit that I'm having a hard time reconciling the book version of Temperance Brennan with the Bones version on television. It's my own personal hangup, I get that. But after nine years of getting to know the television version, it's hard to switch gears and wrap my brain around a totally different character, even if they have the same name.

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Honestly, I don't have a favorite author. I never have. There aren't any books I read BECAUSE an author wrote them. I may have several favorite books written by the same author, but that's it.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

I was surprised by The Hunger Games. I read the series for the first time about a week ago and I finished all three in four or five days, which is something I haven't done in a long time. I completely lost myself to the story. I'd go to bed with my Kindle, prepared to fall asleep, and still be awake hour later when my husband woke up to start his day…and then I'd read some more! It's been a long, long time since I become so thoroughly engrossed to the point of needing to know RIGHT NOW.

But it's more than that, too. Since "growing up" (pfft, like that'll ever happen), I've come to notice that the outside world trickles into my reading world around the edges. When I was younger, all of the noises around me were someone else's responsibility to deal with. Even as an adult living on my own, if there were noises outside my apartment window, they had nothing to do with me. Now, though, with a husband, two step kids, five dogs, a cat who likes to visit with our guinea pigs and tortoises…well, there's pretty much always something that demands attention. I didn't notice it so much with the other books I've read lately because nothing has caught me quite so tightly as The Hunger Games did, so I didn't feel the change as much. But getting lost in a series the way I used to ALL the time, it made me realize just how hyper aware I've become in the past couple of years and how much the outside noise affects me. And in that realization came the related one of noticing that I DON'T get lost in books the way I used to.

So, I suppose that's the biggest surprise. How much things have changed lately. I went from very happily single to married with two step kids within a year, and my first year of marriage went by in a flash, and I didn't really have time to appreciate just how much things had changed in that time. But they have.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?

I didn't participate in any challenges for 2013, sadly. But 2014 will be a totally different story.

Reading everyone's responses to this is interesting. So is trying to come up with my own answers!

1. I read 108 books this year, meeting my goal of 75 books. I hadn't used GR for a whole year before so had no idea how many books I would manage in a year and originally set my goal for 50 before increasing it to 75, but in the end, I actually could have increased it again to 100.

2. It's hard to choose my favourite book - there were quite a few good ones. I think my favourite was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.

3. Least favorite?
A Mercy by Toni Morrison and NW by Zadie Smith were my only one star reads of the year.

4. Favorite new author?
Oh, how to choose! I've enjoyed reading Kate Morton, Patrick Taylor, Jacqueline Winspear, Fiona McIntosh and Edward Marston and they are all authors I'll be happy to read more of.

5. Biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
I'm surprised by how my TBR list has grown over the last year, rather than diminished

6. Favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I don't think I did any of the challenges last year (but I'm doing 2 this year and excited about them) but I enjoyed the TBR Twin reads I participated in.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?

I read 154 books this year and more than met my goal of 100 books which is always my goal.

2. Which book was your favorite?

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

3. Least favorite?
Camp by Elaine Wolf - awful book

4. Who's your favorite new author?

RJ Palacio author of Wonder and Julie Orringer author of The Invisible Bridge

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

How much I enjoyed Penny Marshall's memoir My Mother Was Nuts. I laughed, I cried, I had a great time.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?

New to this group so I didn't participate in 2013.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal? My goal was to read 50 books and I reached that about 6 months in to the year so I upped my goal to 100. I have now read 114 (my goodreads counter is reading 116 though but I haven't counted two books for this group challenge) so I have surpassed my goal.

2. Which book was your favorite?
I have really enjoyed The Night Circus, Dark Places, The Name of the Wind, and The Warded Man

3. Least favorite? I abandoned a couple books due to not liking their narrator - The Road and The Black Dahlia

4. Who's your favorite new author? I have discovered quite a few authors this year which I am really enjoying reading - Gillian Flynn, Jo Nesbo, Neil Gaiman, and Brandon Sanderson

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) How many books I read as I've never read this many books before. My second surprise was how look it has taken for me to get around to reading The Hobbit which I finally managed this week and I absolutely loved it.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any? I love challenges so it's difficult to say which one was my favourite but the one that stands out the most was the Cluedo challenge. Looking forward to 2014!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
My goal was 24 and I managed to reach it! Was bit surprised though :D

2. Which book was your favorite?
So many good books that it's hard to pick the favorite one. But I really liked Hunger games trilogy, P.S. I love you and Pendergast books.

3. Least favorite?
Ragnarok by A.S. Byatt. I do like Norse mythology and that's why I was excited when started the book but I got pretty bored almost immediately. Luckily it was short!

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child with their Pendergast novels, Suzanne Collins, Cecelia Ahern

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I got The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy finished! I started reading it in 2008 and the last two parts were pain! So during the years I kept many breaks with it and just when I continued reading, I had totally forgot what happened earlier, so had to start all the way from beginning.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I'm new in this group so didn't participate any challenges. But I'm looking forward next year's challenges!

1. I exceeded my 2013 goal of 105 books (it'll be 117 or something by this evening), though a chunk of that was graphic novels - I count them as equal to books, but they are undeniably faster reads.

2. Tough question! I really liked Dark Eden: A Novel, and last year's secret santa gift, Boy's Life (which has prompted me to acquire a lot more books by the same author, as they've popped up a lot in kindle daily deals...)

3. Least favourite? Maybe Legend by Marie Lu. I made mostly unfortunate YA choices this year. Or I'm just older and grumpier. Oh, and Cloud Atlas...!

4. I have loved Mary Roach so much this year! Also got started on the Malazan series, so I think I'll add Steven Erikson as a new personal favourite.

5. Biggest surprise? I read more than a few books with very high expectations - hugo winners/nominees and whatnot - only to feel very meh about them. I may just have been in more of a nonfiction-mood most of the year! I was also surprised to find myself able to read the first Harry Potter book in Spanish, if that counts.

6. I love the Listopia challenge, too. Actually, it might be more accurate to say I love the list I've been concentrating on, but there are so many great lists!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I read 81 books this year, plus 5 short stories under 50 pages, which I didn't count. My goal was 75 so I'm very happy with that.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Well one of my favourites was The Book Thief, which I got from the library but loved so much that I later went out and bought 2 copies of (I gave one away as a Christmas present in the end).

3. Least favorite?
The worst book was Potentate but the one that feels the worst because it was so disappointing was Allegiant.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
I'm going to have to day George R.R. Martin, though it's very close.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you?
Honestly, probably how good The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was, and lots of what I learned in it was a surprise (not a good one).

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
To be honest I loved them all but I think my favourites were The Goodreads 100 Challenge and The Every Year Challenge.
The Dewey Decimal Challenge was good for getting me out of my comfort zone though.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
- I read 106 books. My goal was 80, so I exceeded my expectations.

2. Which book was your favorite?
- Ender's Game

3. Least favorite?
- The Catcher and the Rye

4. Who's your favorite new author?
- Veronica Roth

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
- The Sookie Stackhouse series. I was surprised that I liked the series and got sucked in so quickly. It was the perfect series for that time in my life.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
- My favorite challenge was the first I participated in, last year's January's New Beginnings. It started the year off with a focus on reading, and 106 books later, it was a great year!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
- I read 333 books. My goal was 275, so I read more than I predicted. My goal was low from last year, though.

2. Which book was your favorite?
- Lady of Ashes or Winter Sea.

3. Least favorite?
- Life After Life

4. Who's your favorite new author?
- Oliver Potzsch who wrote the Hangman's Daughter series.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
- 11/22/63. I thought I wouldn't enjoy it and it would be like many of the King books of late, mostly filler and hot air, but I really got into the story.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
- The Clue Challenge where you found books to match the gameboard elements. Lots of fun.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I read 199 books which was short of my 225 books goal.

2. Which book was your favourite?
I'm still reading it - The Memory Room: A Novel by Mary Rakow

3. Least favourite?
Room by Emma Donoghue

4. Who's your favourite new author?
Caroline Overington. She's one of a few favourite new authors.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
The book I'm reading now. It's writing style is everything I usually hate in a book and yet I'm absolutely loving it. In fact I think if this book was written any other way it would have destroyed the story.

6. What was your favourite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
Probably the one where you count how many books you've read. I failed miserably at all the other challenges I attempted in the group. lol

Zara wrote: "1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I read 199 books which was short of my 225 books goal.

2. Which book was your favourite?
I'm still reading it - [book:The Memory Room: ..."

Hope you still enjoyed your reading for the various challenges anyway, Zara? After all, that's all that matters in the end - I try to remember that my reading challenges are about enjoying the journey, rather than getting to a particular destination...

1 I read 85. My goal of 75 +10

2. Fav book. A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer

3. Least fav book.

4. New author. Adriana Trigiani

5. Surprise. I found I enjoyed reading non fiction books

6. Fav challenge. Only participated in quarterly challenge looking back at 2013. It was my 1st challenge and I loved it. Already planning my 2014 challenges

1. I read 51 books which exceeded my goal of 36.

2. My favorites were a)Great Sky Woman: A Novel, b)Cutting for Stone, c)Graceling

3. My least favorite were Divergent (surprise!!) and Kushiel's Dart

4. Favorite new author: Lisa SeeLisa See (Shanghai Girls)

5. Biggest surprise: By opening my mind to try different genres, I developed an appreciation for sci-fi, fantasy and YA. I'll be reading more of these books in the future.

6. I'm new to this group so I didn't get to participate in the challenges yet.

1. My goal was to read 50 books but fell flat and only read 41. I think my issue was I spent too much time struggling with books I received for free versus reading things that would actually interest me.

2.I can't choose just one! Some of my favs wereThe Gargoyle and The Book Thief

3. The month of December I suffered through the Divergent series. Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant.

4. Not a new author but this year I rekindled my love affair with Stephen King

5. I'm not big into classics, I read Forever Amber for a book club and really enjoyed it

6. I'm new to this group and have not yet participated in any challenges. Looking forward to it in 2014

How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal? I didn't quite make my goal. I read 28 books and my goal was 30. Les Miserables bogged me down for half the year.

2. Which book was your favorite? I finally read the Hunger Games trilogy this year. I really liked it!

3. Least favorite? I got a few free books on my nook that I didn't know were erotica. I didn't really like those at all! I can't remember the name of it though.

4. Who's your favorite new author? George R.R. Martin. (I will read at least 1 of the GOT series next year. Book 3 is up next for me)

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) I read a few classics this year also and I was surprised at how short some of them are!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any? I love participating in the page number challenge. Also I like the Listopia challenges.

2013 was a great year for reading! Let's take a look back.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I read 54/60 books. Originally I had planned for 80 but law school kind of got in the way of that. Ha!

2. Which book was your favorite?
A tie between Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and The Count of Monte Cristo

3. Least favorite?
The Brothers Karamazov. Holy hell was it awful. Torture. Made my eyes and brain hurt.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Neil Gaiman. How it took me this long to discover him I do not know.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
How much I love ancient literature. Seriously, everyone should read The Golden Ass, it's hilarious, erotic, and is just plain brilliant. The Aeneid was great too.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I really enjoyed the favorites challenge. I love spelling out challenges!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
100. I started with a goal of 50 and ended up with a goal of 100. Never read that many books before.

2. Which book was your favorite?
A Fine Balance I re-read a few of my faves, but that was my fave first read.

3. Least favorite?
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy really, really disliked this

4. Favorite new author.
Louis de Bernières

5. That I had not heard of Ann Petry and her novel The Street

6. The Cluedo challenge was a lot of fun

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal? - 59. Yes, I did.

2. Which book was your favorite? - probably Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown

3. Least favorite? - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

4. Who's your favorite new author? - modern: Yōko Ogawa / classic: Rebecca West

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) - Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow Sooo good...so not my usual sort of book (turn-of-the-20th-century New York...not my thing)

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any? - I loved the Listopia challenge! But I suppose maybe I should say the Members Challenge, as I actually finished that one AND read lots of great books for it!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I didn't have a goal, as I'm new to Goodreads, but I read 27 books, which is pretty disappointing, I used to read a lot more. I'm inspired for 2014, however!

2. Which book was your favorite?
The End of the Affair

3. Least favorite?
Easily Divergent. Will definitely not be continuing with the series.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Graham Greene

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I only read 27 books! And that most of them were plays in preparation for auditions.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I didn't participate in any last year as I'm new, but I am doing a few this year and I'm really excited for them!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I read 70 books, exceeding my goal of 52 books. My original goal was 100, but I had to lower it when I missed a few months of reading.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Ender's Shadow, Legend, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Scarlet, The Night Circus

3. Least favorite?
Blood Red Road

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Marissa Meyer

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
For some unknown reason, on July 1st, I just stopped reading and didn't start again until October. Weird, inexplicable book drought.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I only started participating in challenges at the end of the year, so I'm looking forward to joining in on several in 2014.

Biblophile wrote: "1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
- I read 333 books. My goal was 275, so I read more than I predicted. My goal was low from last year, though.

2. Which book was your f..."

Hi, Biblophile!

I am about a quarter of the way through with the first Hangman's Daughter book. I bought it on a whim a few months ago, an ink-and-paper copy, and started it immediately. However, it's the sort of book where I need to take notes because I am very unfamiliar with the region, the time period and the religious terminology. I would read a chapter, underline things as I went along, and then go back after each chapter to look up the bits I had marked -- and I had marked a lot!

Because of the note taking, I found I couldn't really lose myself to the story. Or, if I did, I'd reach the end of a chapter and then realize I hadn't marked any of the uncertain terminology or references, and I really wanted to utilize it as a learning tool, so I'd have to go back and skim again for the words I was sure I had missed. So I started reading another book at the same time, one that didn't require so many notes. And this is where I reach the point of this reply!

Have you read A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True? It's translated from Polish, and if you liked The Hangman's Daughter, I think you'd like this one, especially for the style. I could be totally wrong, but just in case, I thought I'd suggest it to you!

I just finished Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, which was another book that took more of my concentration than usual (though the story was great, I found his comma usage to be very, very jarring and I would get mentally tongue-tied with the pauses in unnatural places, which would take my brain out of his world while I re-read the same sentence a few times to make out the necessary rhythm) and so am heading toward something a little lighter, but The Hangman's Daughter is definitely toward the top of my list of books to finish up!

1. My goal was to read 25 good books, defining good books as excluding romance and non-classic fantasy. Part of the goal was to read more good books than I did fluff or rereads. (If it was fluff "and" rereads, I'm toast.) I read 20 good books and I didn't track the others, but I would say I succeeded in reading more good than new fluff but probably read twice as many rereads. (there's a 9 book series I know I reread in both January and December).
2. favorite book was either Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz or American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
3. Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow -couldn't even finish, or Brothers Karamazov (no hate mail please)
4. My new favorite author is a tough one, but I'm going with Mary Roach because I read Bonk and can't wait to read others!

(cont.)
5. biggest surprise is that my in person book club at work hasn't folded yet and led to some of my favorite books this year
6. Dewey decimal challenge rocks-might be the only one actually that I participated in :-)

So great to see two people in this thread comment on Mary Roach! I'm going to for sure read Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal this year.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?
I have read just 39 books from last year and set a goal of reading 58 books which is to say I failed, so this year I have set the goal of same no books and looking to read bit aggressively.

2. Which book was your favorite?
I can re-read these books anytime and few really inspired me.
1.Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
2.Brokeback Mountain Short story
3. Conversations with Mani Ratnam
4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
5. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

3. Least favorite?
Least favorite in the sense, Chronicle of a Death Foretold is not a bad book but it disappointed me, that's all.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
David Mitchell, Rohinton Mistry, Haruki Murakami, they are not new but new to me.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
How much variety of books I read last year. Big books, small books, fiction, non-fiction, classics, contemporary, varied range and I'm proud of it.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I participated only in 'Buddy reads' and I feel guilty for not giving my best to that challenge. I'm looking forward to participate in fewer challenges this year but I surely put my best efforts to participate more than it actually demands.

Talia wrote: "5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
For some unknown reason, on July 1st, I just stopped reading and didn't start again until October. Weird, inexplicable book drought."

Hahaha weirdest biggest surprise for you answer I read among all. :-D Even same happened with me in the early months of 2013. It was 3 months (Mar-May ending) dry period for me I guess. Perhaps that's why I fell 19 books shy of finishing my yearly challenge :-(

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal? yes, I read 139 books, when my goal was 100

2. Which book was your favorite? At home by Bill Bryson, 22/11/63 by Stephen King and The men who stare at goats by Jon Ronson

3. Least favorite? some ya dystopia, read those too much last year and Life of pi. I read way too many bad books generally

4. Who's your favorite new author? new to me, F.Scott Fitzgerald

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) I read many books from foreign corresponders and those were really amazing eye opener for those cultures

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any? -

2013 is the first year I join a book club. It makes me organize books I read, finish those I abandon, and challenges me to read more than I think possible.

Because I read and listen to so many books, I, now, find myself editing a book I wrote in 30 days last November.

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?

106 books, although I read one twice The Bible by Larry Richards which was only counted once making my total 105, my eventual goal.

2. Which book was your favorite?

A book I finally read from cover to cover and finished in 2013
Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible-NIV by Anonymous

3. Least favorite?

The Casual Vacancy by , J.K.Rowling

4. Who's your favorite new author?

So many, so I shall choose just one of the many: Tom Clancy

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

Discovering NaNoWriMo, accepting the challenge, discovering the writing process coming through me from a visceral place that requires me to be still and listen; then completing the challenge with 56,550 words.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?

Cluedo Challenge
I had to pick the books from my TBR list that matched the Game of Clue's characters; and that was even challenging. The group of books I read were the most interesting and enjoyable reads/listens out of any other challenges:
The Greatest Words Ever Spoken: Everything Jesus Said about You, Your Life, and Everything Else by Steven K. Scott

Church Folk by Michele Andrea Bowen

The Liberty Amendments: Restoring the American Republic by Mark R. Levin

Revolution in World Missions by K .P. Yohannan

Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World! by Andrew Breitbart

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?

I believe I read 34 which was 16 short of my goal. (Hey, I work two jobs and am addicted to crochet!)

2. Which book was your favorite?

was my favorite. This book really moved me.

3. Least favorite?

would be it.

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Jojo Moyes

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

I don't usually read this genre but I loved this book!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?

N/A

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal?

My original goal was 75 but when I was behind about 20 books I changed my goal to 40. I then went on to hit 46 I think. This year will be a much better reading year.

2. Which book was your favorite? I read a decent amount of intermediate books because I have a 9 year old who loves to read. I also started a new job in an elementary school library. I found some absolutely wonderful books in this genre that are definitely adult read-worthy also.

Gone Girl
The Tale of Despereaux
Leo and the Lesser Lion
Maniac Magee

3. Least favorite?

The Catcher in the Rye
When You Are Engulfed in Flames

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Kate DiCamillo
Jerry Spinelli
Sarah Dessen

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

How The Catcher in the Rye is lauded as this wonderful classic novel and I just thought it was not very good at all. I also felt the same about The Little Prince and it is on many great book lists.


6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?

The only challenge I participated in last year was to read 75 books (which I failed terribly :) This year I am looking forward to reading a lot and participating in many a challenge.

Alissa wrote: "1. My goal was to read 50 books but fell flat and only read 41. I think my issue was I spent too much time struggling with books I received for free versus reading things that would actually intere..."

I rekindle my love affair with Stephen King every few years :) I read Full Dark, No Stars last year and remembered why I love his books!

1. How many books did you read? Did you meet your 2013 goal? I did not have a numerical goal. I finished 47 though. My goal was to read half the books I own which I accomplished.

2. Which book was your favorite?
I actually liked so many books despite how many books I dnf.
3. Least favorite?

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Leo Tolstoy and Hitoshi Iwaaki

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
This is kind of tough because a lot of things surprised me. One of the most suprising thing is how much I held myself back in terms of reading the books that I wanted to read. I kept holding on to genres that I had outgrown.
6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any?
I joined later in the year so I did not participate that much in any challenges.