75 Books...More or Less! discussion

Welcome to all who join this group! It's hard to believe that 2008 is nearly over . . . Perhaps I'm a little early getting this thread started. However, I'm finding the 100 Book Challenge a bit daunting even though I reached 50 books rather early in the year. So, I'm projecting forward to a solid challenge for next year and I hope others will join me. I guess we'll see if a 75-book challenge has appeal to more folks than just me!

I almost feel like a cheater seeing as I usually read far beyond 100 books in a year, but I always love hearing other people's goals and what they think of the books they read, so thanks for having me anyway, Kay :)

Thanks so much for joining us, Maria!

Thanks for inviting me, Kay! Looking forward to the 75 book challenge!

Hi! I'd love to join this group! I've only just started using GoodReads properly so have missed all the '2008' challenges ... 75 books in a year should be readable! Looking forward to getting to know you all :)

SuzieR, I'm glad you decided to jump right in. Welcome!!

Glad you're here, Penny!

This is perfect - 100 a year is only realistic if I only read shorter books and I can't resist the occasional big fat chunkster.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Ah... the life of a book-a-holic. Thanks for such a great idea Kay!!

Thanks for inviting me to join. This will be an easy challenge for me and i also joined the 100 + challenge but i would like to see what the rest of you are reading. Also I am part of a group on Library Thing that challenges me to read 250 books. I also joined that becuase between reading and BOCD I am going to come really close to that this year. Can't wait to start post ing my books in January.

Nan

Yikes Nan! That's a lot of reading you've got lined up there!

Even though I have read over a 100 this year so far, I like the idea of 75. Over 50 and yet not quite a 100. just right in my opinion!! :-) And I look forward again to challenging myself to step OUT of my box and read things I would have never read before. I have had an amazing year reading because of that. YAY!!!

Nan, that LibraryThing group sounds interesting. Are there any guidelines at all, or is it "just" a matter of reading 250 books?

Hmmm... so far I'm at 221 books for 2008... going by averages I guess I can make it to 250 with a bit of luck, but I think challenging myself to do so would be pushing it ;)

I agree, Dawn, about both the challenge (I'm trying to hit 200 this year, but I feel bad parading that number when so many books have been poetry!) and about seeing what others are reading (which is where some of the best books I've read have come from--suggestions from others).

Yep! Some of the BEST books I have read this year have been from members of GoodReads. And don't worry about the poetry. Its still READING right?? Silly! :-)

I agree with you, Dawn.

Welcome, welcome to everyone! It's great to see old and new friends here.

I know, I know, but no real tomes for me this year. Maybe if I focus on 75 BIG books... Hmm... :)

Maria - In regards to your question about the Library Thing Challenge You can do any 250 books. Also I love Library Thing becuase I ahve gotten several ARC of books to read and they have been different than what I usually read. Hope to see you over at that site too.

Hey everyone. I just joined the group. My name is Ashley and I am 22 years old. I reside in Walnut Creek, California. I am currently in college studying to be a teacher. I am awaiting to see if I get an acceptance letter from CSUEB. I love to read, I am a bookaholic. I also love to write and hope to be a well known author some day . I look forward to getting to know everyone :).

Hi, Ashley - welcome! What type of things do you write?

Poems mainly. I also have a bunch of novel ideas and dont know which one to pick..lol. I will probably start off with a memoir. I already do have one published book, "My Written Thoughts". It is a collection of poems I wrote over a period of 3-4 years. You can check out some other writings I have on my goodreads profile. Thanks for the Welcome :)

I receive several ARCs already Nan, so I don't think I need to join LT for more ;) Besides, I'm not sure they'd want to send ARCs to Denmark... I've had to look long and hard to find places that would.

Besides, I see that unlike GoodReads, LT actually costs money if you want to add more than 200 books, so unless they've changed that since I last looked, you won't see me over there.

Thanks Kay! I hope I can make it, my reading time has been sharply curtailed lately but I will go for it!

Hi. I just randomly joined this group... hoping to find some interesting fellow book-lovers.

Ofmatt - Welcome! Hope to see you here posting often.

Ofmatt,

Randomness sometimes works well! So glad you've joined us.

Hi All! Looking forward to the challenge in 2009!

Thanks :)

Hi All! It's my first time in a thing like this. It sounds very interesting!

Nataly, Therese, everyone - welcome!!!

Just found this group (while looking at the 50 and 100 book challenge groups of 2008) and decided that this will be the perfect challenge for me in 2009! I think that I counted that I have read 67 books so far in 2008... So I think that 75 is an awesome (and completely doable) goal! Thanks for starting this group!

Hi everybody! I found GoodReads by mistake and i am glad that it happened. i like your challenge and i hope i can do it. Making new friends that love to read give me the impulse to read more.

Well, I don't have a problem reaching 50 every year, but 75 might be a challenge for me. I think I'm at around 65 for this year. I just love loooooooong books, so I'm am going to have to read faster or read some shorter books. I'm going to try and set up a list or books to read for at least the first two months to get me on track. Of course, I inevitably veer from a list, finding new books I want to add. As I said, this one should be a challenge.

Hmm, Lynn, that sounds like a good idea, to designate each month to a particular type or genre of book. I will take a look at doing that. Thanks

Lynn - That sounds like a good idea but if that doesn't work for you then just go with what you are in the mood to read and then list the book on your thread when you are finished. Right now I have tons of books to read at home but I also have about 20 books on reserve at the library that are going to be released in the next 4 months and I will read them once tha library calls me and then when I can I will fit in the books I have here. Some one told me about a site called fantasticfiction.com and you can find out about the books that will be released in the future.

Hi everyone, I have finally gotten to a point where I can balance teaching and reading, so I am going to attempt this. I found that I read a lot this year and I hope to be able to make the 75 for next year.

Happy Reading to everyone!

Vicki - Welcome! Glad to have you join us for this challenge. What type of books do you like to read and do you have any favorite authors?

I have been branching out a lot in this past year. Generally I had only read contemporary fiction and classics, but I have moved into fantasy, historical fiction, mystery and a lot of YA. The few people I own a lot of are Julia Alvarez and Charles Baxter. However, there are many newer authors I have tried that I am looking to pick up more books by.

Hmm, I just joined goodreads and I have to say count me in for this time around!
I tend to reread books a lot, so I've already challenged myself to read only books I haven't read before.
That makes my challenge 75 new books in 2009. I'm oddly stoked about this. Any suggestions would be helpful, because my list of books to read isn't particularly long and 2009 is almost here!

I'm so excited to start this challenge, I'm already wishing my Dec books would count! Looking forward to Jan and reading all your comments on books and suggestions for new reads!

I signed on for the 50 in '08 with only six months left in the year and I'm going to make it so I'm guessing 100 wouldn't be a real problem next year. Still, I'm hoping that by committing to 75 I'll convince myself to read some of those longer or more complex reads that are collecting dust on my shelves.

Meghan _ I am with you. One of the books on my TBR list for next year is Les Miserable.

Linda - In addition to this challenge you can join the group the Book Challenge and you can start this month. There you can decide how many books you want to read and it can be 75 or 100 or more. my goal on that challenge for the year is 225 and that includes audiobooks as well as books read.

Hi Nan,

I have started to compile a list for 2009, I'm going to finish the 10 odd books I already bought and listen to the 5 audiobooks I havent started. I kinda feel like cheating, so I made a 75-in-2009 shelf on my page so I can track them. I love this website, its made all my reads so much more exciting!

It's the first time I've challenged myself to read a certain number of books since grade school. I'm excited! :-)

75 seems more reasonable for me than the 100 books challenge, because I'm getting my MBA and I also have to study for work. However, 50 is too easy since I have to read every night. Thanks for creating the group Kay.

Hi, I'm glad this group is here. In past years I've got as high as 57 books. This year I will just eek by with 50. I want the push to read more, but 100 is way to many.

I usually don't have a formal list, but I have an idea of what I want to read.

Liz - Up until a few years ago I never kept a list of what books I read but I do it now becuase this way if I go to the book store I don't buy a book in paperback that I read several years ago in hard back. I don't make a list of books tha I am going to read I just list them after I finish them

I've been away for a little while . . . hello, and welcome to all of our newer members! It's exciting to see this group growing - and I'm glad the idea of 75 has resonated with some folks.

HI everyone, I just joined and am looking forward to trying to read 75 books in 2009! Looking forward to getting to know everyone and have some great book discussions.

Glad to have you aboard, Crystal!