02 January 2013

First Set of Plans

Hello everyone!  I am hoping that you all had a happy new year's eve and day, and had a chance to celebrate but not too much.  I was sick the whole time, but let's not go into that now.  Rather, let's move on.

Even though Christmastime is still here for a few more days, it's time to get thinking but plans for 2013.  The first plans I'm sharing with you here are two reading challenges I've decided to join.  A few years back, I joined a few reading challenges (too many to be honest), and I enjoyed them very much.  But I didn't want to do it again right away, so that it wouldn't suddenly feel like I'm back in school and *having* to read certain things.  But over the last week, I found a couple that I've decided to try this year.

First up:  2013 TBR Pile Challenge


I've read blogs where people have participated in this challenge, and it always sounded like fun.  This year, I was convinced to give it a try because Lorette posted about it, and I decided it was just plain time for me to do it as well.  (Plus, I *heart* Lorette.)

And here are the books I'm going to try to read over the next year as part of this one.

1.  Ines of My Soul  - Isabelle Allende
2.  Girls Like Us – Sheila Weller
4.  TheHappiness Project – Gretchen Rubin (Goodreads review)
5.  Truth and Beauty – Ann Patchett (Goodreads review)
6.  The Queen and I – Sue Townsend
7.  TheImperfectionists – Tom Rachman (Goodreads review)
8.  TheHouse at Riverton – Kate Morton  (Goodreads review)
10. Travels in the Scriptorium  - Paul Auster
11. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. – Sam Wasson
12. Mansfield Park – Jane Austen

Alternates:
1.   All Our Worldly Goods – Irene Nemirovsky       
2.   World Enough & Time – Christian McEwen

These are all books I have either on my shelves or on my Nook, and this will mean I will finally get to reading them!



I'm joining this challenge because DUH.  Ireland + Reading = YAY!  This one will give me a chance to read some books I've wanted to read, while also introducing me to some new Irish authors.  Win-win, right??

This one has levels, and though I would have liked to chosen more, I decided to start with the Luck o' the Irish Level (6 books).  And here is that list:

2.  Dracula  - Bram Stoker
4.  Broken Harbor – Tana French
5.  Gallows Lane – Brian McGilloway
7.  Molly Fox’s Birthday – Deirdre Madden
8.  A Star Called Henry – Roddy Doyle

I love to read, and I love learning about new books, series, authors, and I found that joining these challenges is one way to do that pretty easily.

So, you'll probably be hearing about these books and others as I start my way through my new year reading.  I just can't wait to see how I do!

(P.S. When I am editing the post, it shows the text the way I want it to look.  On publication, the font changes in the second part.  I've tried to fix it, and I can't get it to work, so let's just pretend it's all OK ... )

7 comments:

pam said...

I might have to do that TBR one, I have been collecting Kindle daily deals and to get busy reading them!

Carol said...

Sometimes I am intrigued by these book challenges, but then I realize that I am just too ornery to read anything I don't feel like reading....so I just opted for the "total number read in 2013" goal.

BTW I really enjoyed both 4 & 5 on the Irish list, and 3, 7 and 12 of the first. Several of the books on either list on are in to-read list, too! Interested to hear what you think.

Carrie K. said...

Welcome to the Ireland Challenge! You've got some great books on your list - I look forward to hearing what you think of them.

Lorraine said...

Bridget- The Happiness Project may get on your nerves. I read the second one too- Happy at Home and it was a little much.

However, Roddy Doyle- I love anything he writes.

Carrie#K said...

You lists look good! I haven't heard of that Isabelle Allende book, thanks!

I have more TBR books on my shelves than ever thanks to my library having such a great selection. I read those first. We have Link as well, I've discovered. LOVE.

KSD said...

I "heart" Lorette, too! But don't think I can commit to either challenge; still working my way through the Alphabetical Authors trek I set up for myself. . .

Julie Lessman said...

Hey, Bridget, Carrie K. was kind enough to direct me to your website as I am an author of two Irish historical series and am looking for bloggers interested in a very relaxed blog tour slated for around St. Patrick's Day.

My Irish series are called The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change, and book 1 in the DOB series, A Passion Most Pure, takes place in both Boston and Ireland. APMP was voted American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year and currently has 152 five-star reviews on Amazon. The book that I would be promoting for St. Patrick's Day blog tour is my most current release, A Light in the Window, which will coincide with a sale on that book.

I invite you to check out the BOOKS tab of my website to see if A Light in the Window would appeal to you enough to participate in my blog tour. You can contact me through my website if you are interested, and here's the BOOKS link. Hope to hear from you soon!

JULIE'S BOOKS

Kind regards,
Julie