Reading Challenges for 2012

A few months ago, I found myself updating up book catalogue, correctly marking each book as 'read' or not. In doing this i learned that 45% of my 1200 books are sitting on my shelf unread.

I found this both appalling and more than a little overwhelming.

Working in a job that requires me to read anywhere from 5 to 10 (or more) new fiction titles each month so I know what I'm talking about, leaves little time for reading books of my choosing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy almost all of what I read for work; my problem lies in my overbearing impulse to collect and hoard any book that looks like it might be worth reading. So, at said point of realisation, I had to make an agreement that I wouldn't continue to acquire fiction titles until I started reading more of what I owned. 

It's true, I still get a picture book whenever I get a chance, but it's easy to read that before adding it to your shelf...

Then, while reading other blogs, I came across two reading challenges:

Bev, over at My Reader's Block put forward the "Mount TBR Reading Challenge"

The rules are simple. Set yourself a challenge to read what you have owned prior to 1st January 2012. 

Wow, I thought to myself, that's pretty much what I've just told myself to do! The only problem came when wondering how many to commit to. 

Challenge Levels

Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s

Mt. Vancouver: Read 25 books from your TBR pile/s

Mt. Ararat: Read 40 books from your TBR piles/s

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 50 books from your TBR pile/s

El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s

Mt. Everest: Read 100+ books from your TBR pile/s

I've said Mt Ararat because I wasn't sure exactly I'll get done (work and all) but we'll see how I go.

Then I came across another challenge that I thought wouldn't be too hard to achieve with all the reading that is in store for me. Over at Beth Fish Reads she is hosting the 'What's in a Name' challenge.

In this one, you just have to read 7 books that fit in with the categories of names that she has set some time in 2012:

1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
4. A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
6. A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

The books don't have to be the ones listed, of course. 

Then we can put a link to our review on her designated page for each category. Like I said, that won't be too difficult with all the reading that's headed my way next year! 

Just thought I'd try a few challenges to make it a bit more interesting!

Well, they're the challenges I've hard about that I think I can undertake. If you hear of any more, I'd be interested!

Let's see what next year brings!