2015 Reading Assignment Challenge
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Because Reading and Fantasy is More Fun
(Scroll down past all these paragraphs for my updates and my official list. I tend to get really wordy and long-winded when I type up blog posts. But if you want to read my lengthy post full of reasons and stuff, I'm cool with that too! =D )
I like making reading lists, planning what I want to read--it gives me a sense that I'm making some progress with something in my life. And since my life consists of a lot of reading, it's a pretty good feeling.
It's probably a bad idea to make such a specific list for my 2015 reading year, especially with a Reading Challenge that has so many restrictions, but I figured I'd give it a try. Whether or not I accomplish this reading goal by the end of 2015 is up in the air, but at least I'll have some direction.
The rules are listed at Because Reading's site as well as sign-up for the Reading Challenge. But the gist of the deal is that you have to choose a specific level to start out with which each contain a certain number of books that need to be read each month starting in January--each level will allow for a certain number of extra credits (the opportunity to read an extra book during the month to get ahead on your list) and one pass (if you ended up needing to skip a month's assignment).
The catch is: You have to make your Reading List with a specific set of pre-chosen books and then stick with it, reading your pre-chosen number of books from this list each month.
The Levels:
Reading Level 1:
6 books
No Extra Credit, No Passes
Reading Level 2:
12 books (1 book/month)
1 Extra Credit, 1 Pass
Reading Level 3:
24 books (2 books/month)
2 Extra Credits, 1 Pass
Reading Level 4:
36 books (3 books/month)
3 Extra Credits, 1 Pass
Reading Level 5:
48 books (4 books/month)
4 Extra Credits, 1 Pass
The only unfortunate thing I didn't like was how you have to read that specific number of books each month, which I take to mean no more and no less. Being that I typically average about 10 to 15 books monthly depending on my mood, this felt like it might be hard to do, especially if I happen upon a long series that I want to marathon through.
For instance, if I choose Reading Level 5 and am to read 4 books a month, but I've chosen 7 books from the same series, I can only read the first four books in one month. I have to wait until the next month to read the last three books... or I could use three of my Extra Credits assigned to this Reading Level, to finish off the series that month. And usually, when I'm on a roll, reading specific books in a series, I'm on a roll and cannot be stopped.
And so I had to put a lot of thought into my list, selecting and choosing specific books based on the length of a series, when the conclusion of some YA trilogies are happening... and whatnot. It was also not easy to narrow down the book titles to specific ones, nor was it easy to eliminate certain books.
At the very least, while I make myself finish a specific few books each month, it still gives me the chance to be wishy-washy about my Reading Lists that DO NOT include the books I'm specifically listing for this Reading Assignment Challenge. So if I need to read 4 books from this list each month, I still have time to read another 10 or so books for the rest of the month. And just as well, I kept reminding myself that just because a book isn't on this list, doesn't mean that I don't intend to read it.
Sometimes I just get so OCD that things get more complicated that they need to be.
As it is, I'm choosing for My Goal:
-- CHALLENGE COMPLETED -- 12/20/2015 --
Reading Level 5:
48 books (4 books/month)
4 Extra Credits, 1 Pass
Progress/Updates: (Last updated -- 12/23/2015)
12 months completed / 50 books read
4 Extra Credits Used
No Passes Used
In January: COMPLETED 1/15/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes used
January Report Card and link-up @ Because Reading
1. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James -- 1/4/2015
2. Show No Mercy by Cindy Gerard -- 1/13/2015
3. Take No Prisoners by Cindy Gerard -- 1/14/2015
4. Whisper No Lies by Cindy Gerard -- 1/15/2015
In February: COMPLETED 2/10/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes used
February Report Card and link-up @ Fantasy is More Fun
1. And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper -- 2/1/2015
2. Mercy by Julie Garwood -- 2/8/2015
3. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer -- 2/9/2015
4. Untraceable by Laura Griffin -- 2/10/2015
In March: COMPLETED 3/17/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes used
March Report Card and link-up @ Because Reading
1. Hunting Fear by Kay Hooper -- 3/8/2015
2. Chill of Fear by Kay Hooper -- 3/10/2015
3. Sleeping With Fear by Kay Hooper -- 3/13/2015
4. Shadow Game by Christine Feehan -- 3/17/2015
In April: COMPLETED 4/19/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes used
April Report Card and link-up @ Fantasy is More Fun
1. Kill Me Twice by Roxanne St. Claire -- 4/4/2015
2. Legend by Marie Lu -- 4/6/2015
3. Investigating the Hottie by Julie Alexander -- 4/16/2015
4. Prodigy by Marie Lu -- 4/19/2015
In May: COMPLETED 5/16/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes used
May Report Card and link-up @ Because Reading
1. Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis -- 5/2/2015
2. Champion by Marie Lu -- 5/6/2015
3. Cress by Marissa Meyer -- 5/13/2015
4. The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise -- 5/16/2015
In June: COMPLETED 6/26/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes Used
June Report Card and link-up @ Fantasy is More Fun
1. Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien -- 6/11/2015
2. Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot -- 6/15/2015
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas -- 6/22/2015
4. Also Known As by Robin Benway -- 6/26/2015
In July: COMPLETED 7/16/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes Used
July Report Card and link-up @ Because Reading
1. Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper -- 7/6/2015
2. Blood Sins by Kay Hooper -- 7/7/2015
3. Blood Ties by Kay Hooper -- 7/9/2015
4. The Prophet by Amanda Stevens -- 7/16/2015
In August: COMPLETED 8/27/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes Used
August Report Card and link-up @ Fantasy is More Fun
1. Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper -- 8/1/2015
2. Quicksilver by R.J. Anderson -- 8/23/2015
3. Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard -- 8/25/2015
4. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson -- 8/27/2015
See also: 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge -- August Report
In September: COMPLETED 9/30/2015
No Extra Credits or Passes Used
September Report Card and link-up @ Because Reading
1. Sacred Evil by Heather Graham -- 9/7/2015
2. The Evil Inside by Heather Graham -- 9/15/2015
3. The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen -- 9/23/2015
4. The Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett -- 9/30/2015
In October: COMPLETED 10/25/2015
1 Extra Credit Used / No Passes Used
October Report Card and link-up @ Fantasy is More Fun
1. Haven by Kay Hooper -- 10/9/2015
2. Hostage by Kay Hooper -- 10/17/2015
3. Haunted by Kay Hooper -- 10/18/2015
4. Story's End by Marissa Burt -- 10/25/2015
Extra Credit: Raging Heat by Richard Castle -- 10/31/2015
See also: 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge -- October Report
In November: COMPLETED -- 11/27/2015
1 Extra Credit Used / No Passes Used
November Report Card and link-up @ Because Reading
1. Skylark by Meagan Spooner -- 11/10/2015
2. Shadowlark by Meagan Spooner -- 11/20/2015
3. Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner -- 11/22/2015
4. The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas -- 11/27/2015
Extra Credit: Allegiant by Veronica Roth -- 11/30/2015
See also: 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge -- November Report
In December: COMPLETED -- 12/20/2015
Last 2 Extra Credits Used / No Passes Used
December Report Card and link-up @ Fantasy is More Fun (coming soon)
1. Taste Test by Kelly Fiore -- 12/2/2015
2. Vitro by Jessica Khoury -- 12/13/2015
Extra Credit Book #1: The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis -- 12/17/2015
Extra Credit Book #2: Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis -- 12/20/2015
Updated on 11/30/2015: With new clarification on how to use the Extra Credits, I've made my final list selections. Due the fact that I had used up two Extra Credits already, I will be adding only two more books to my Reading Assignment Challenge with those last two Extra Credits that I have.
In a way, this will make my reading list a little easier to manage since December has always been a pretty busy month for me anyway. In which case, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to polish off all four of my December books as well as read another four books using my four Extra Credits, which was why I decided to slip in an extra book these past two months so that I could whittle my list down a little bit.
On top of that, I've been hemming and hawing about next year's list, but now I can roll over my two previously chosen Extra Credit books to the 2016 list and chuck some of the other books I'd been wavering on.
See my November Progress report above for more info... or well, the same info, I guess. (Coming soon).
Updated on 9/26/2015: I know I still have some time to decide on how to use my Extra Credits, but I'm going to try to be optimistic as well as give myself a reason to stick to some parts of my TBR. If I can keep up with my Reading Assignments for the rest of the year, then I will have those four Extra Credits leftover of which I can use in December to read four more books for the challenge.
Considering how busy December always ends up being for me, I made a decision to allot the rest of my Reading Assignment books into the last three months of this year. My decisions were based on how easy I think the books will be to read (or rather, how readily I will get around to reading them and sticking with them). My decisions for choosing the above Extra Credit books for December were also based along the same "logic"--that I have read and enjoyed books by both authors and know that it won't be difficult to get into their books.
Hopefully everything pans out the way I need it to, otherwise... well, I'm already failing a few other reading challenges, and my one hope is that I can at least finish this one successfully.
- My List: (Books in alphabetical order by author.)
-- List was finalized on 12/9/2014
Also See Ani's Shelf on BookLikes: 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge
And Also See: Goodreads Shelf 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge
1. Investigating the Hottie (Investigating the Hottie #1) by Juli Alexander -- April
2. Quicksilver (Ultraviolet #2) by R. J. Anderson -- August
3. The Nightmare Dilemma (The Arkwell Academy #2) by Mindee Arnett -- September
4. Also Known As (Also Known As #1) by Robin Benway-- June
5. Story's End (Storybound #2) by Marissa Burt -- October
6. Size 12 Is Not Fat (Heather Wells #1) by Meg Cabot -- June
7. Raging Heat (Nikki Heat #6) by Richard Castle -- October / extra credit used
8. Shadow Game (GhostWalkers #1) by Christine Feehan -- March
9. Taste Test by Kelly Fiore -- December
10. Mercy (Buchanan-Renard #2) by Julie Garwood -- February
11. Show No Mercy (Black Ops #1) by Cindy Gerard -- January
12. Take No Prisoners (Black Ops #2) by Cindy Gerard -- January
13. Whisper No Lies (Black Ops #3) by Cindy Gerard -- January
14. The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles #1) by Tess Gerritsen -- September
15. Sacred Evil (Krewe of Hunters #3) by Heather Graham -- September
16. The Evil Inside (Krewe of Hunters #4) by Heather Graham -- September
17. Untraceable (Tracers #1) by Laura Griffin -- February
18. And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper -- February
19. Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper -- August
20. Hunting Fear (Bishop/SCU #7) by Kay Hooper -- March
21. Chill of Fear (Bishop/SCU #8) by Kay Hooper -- March
22. Sleeping With Fear (Bishop/SCU #9) by Kay Hooper -- March
23. Blood Dreams (Bishop/SCU #10) by Kay Hooper -- July
24. Blood Sins (Bishop/SCU #11) by Kay Hooper -- July
25. Blood Ties (Bishop/SCU #12) by Kay Hooper -- July
26. Haven (Bishop/SCU #13) by Kay Hooper -- October
27. Hostage (Bishop/SCU #14) by Kay Hooper -- October
28. Haunted (Bishop/SCU #15) by Kay Hooper -- October
29. Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard -- August
30. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James -- January
31. Vitro (Corpus #2) by Jessica Khoury -- December
32. Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu -- April
33. Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu -- April
34. Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu -- May
35. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas -- June
36. Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer -- February
37. Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer -- May
38. Promised (Birthmarked #3) by Caragh M. O'Brien -- June
39. Allegient (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth -- November / extra credit used
40. Elantris (Elantris #1) by Brandon Sanderson -- August
41. Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor #1) by Jill Shalvis -- May
42. The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise -- May
43. Skylark (Skylark #1) by Meagan Spooner -- November
44. Shadowlark (Skylark #2) by Meagan Spooner -- November
45. Lark Ascending (Skylark #3) by Meagan Spooner -- November
46. Kill Me Twice (Bullet Catcher #1) by Roxanne St. Claire -- April
47. The Prophet (Graveyard Queen #3) by Amanda Stevens -- July
48. The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas -- November
Extra Credits for December read: (finalized list on 9/26/2015)
(Final finalization on 11/30/2015)
1. The Sweetest Thing (Lucky Harbor #2) by Jill Shalvis -- December / extra credit
2. Head Over Heels (Lucky Harbor #3) by Jill Shalvis -- December / extra credit
3. Where Angels Rest (Mann Family #1) by Kate Brady -- Not chosen
4. Where Evil Waits (Mann Family #2) by Kate Brady -- Not chosen
Really wish me luck for this list! Too bad I can't choose a few alternate titles for just in case my mood dictates a different direction or just in case I can't get through one of the books. But for the most part, the majority of these books are books I want to read and only a few are random selections on the "I've noticed this book and am curious enough to consider reading them, but am not certain how greedy I am to get my hands on the title" type of book.
Of course, this challenge still intrigues me because of the new challenge.
Roof Beam Reader's TBR Pile Challenge may request a list of books, but there aren't restrictions on how many you need to read each month. I could knock out all 12 at the beginning of the month or in December and still finish the challenge. And THAT is probably where the challenge lies.
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