Just for fun I checked my HF reading from the year.  One of my goals was to reduce substantially the number that were on my shelves. Managed to read thirty-one.  Only two remain on my shelves now.  Some I gave away but most found new readers through pbs.  I was pleased with meeting my goal.  I may do the same this year.  Out of curiosity, I'm wondering what goals other readers might have had to fill their challenges, whether it is reducing a TBR, moving books out, aquiring newer reads, finding new authors or whatever.

Well, it wasn't really a goal, but at the beginning of 2013, I listed the books on my shelf that would fit for the categories in each of my challenges in the hopes of paring down my tbr pile.  Unfortunately, I read almost none of the books on the list.  I get distracted by good reviews and trips to the library or just find myself reading what I'm "in the mood" for.  But this year, I'm really hoping to get to some of the books I already own; in fact, I have about 20 lined up on my desk to get me started.  Wish me luck!

You  know, my reading seems to be "all over the place" these days and so I'm wondering if I even dare attempt a challenge - even a personal one!

I use the challengers (& the Alice's historical fiction games, for that matter) to try to focus my reading. When I look back over a year's reading I always find that I've read and enjoyed books I probably would not have picked up.
 

Kelly

I had a bad year this year for reading.  I only read a third of what I normally read.  Seems like I sign up for all kinds of challenges and fail to meet them all but being the eternal optimist (at least when it comes to my reading) some day I know I will meet them all!

I did finish my reading challenges. I read over 200 books this year. Because I read across genres I tend to acquire way too many books.  Bad Alice

cute kitties Holly

As with Holly, this was not a good year for me, for reading or much of anything else really.  Somehow I did finish the Historical Mystery Challenge but only because I read like a maniac in January, February and early March.  After David died I could not concentrate on anything long enough to read for quite a long time.  It is just starting to get better so I have once again signed up for two Challenges.  The hope will be to use as many books as possible from my TBR to fill the slots.  With a move in the future, I am trying to weed out books and keep new acquisitions to a minimum.  Saying that, I have really added books to the Kindle these past few months.  At least those need not be packed for a move!!!!

At least those need not be packed for a move!!!!

I agree, Becky! How I wish I had a Kindle when we moved to Tucson. The books I had to pack and get rid of - sheesh!

I set the 2013 HF challenge for myself, but I didn't get through it--not even very close.  It was a stressful year, my reading was down overall, and more of it than usual was bubblegum quality.  And my challenge selections were all paper books, when I gravitated more and more to e-books.  I don't see those factors changing much in 2014, so I'm not sure if I'll attempt the 2014 challenge either.  But knowing me, I probably will.

I do - I track on Goodreads. I hit my mental numerical goal, which was slightly more than my GR number.

I need to go back and see if I got the HF Challenge done, I decided to just read and then plug in at the end of the year.

I track the number of books read on Goodreads, like Donna. I also like to use the GR statistics to see how many pages I read each year. The last 2 years, I came in at about 30,000 pages each year, which amounts to about 100 300-page books. 

Most of these I don't buy anymore. I mostly use the library or make cheap Kindle purchases.