Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2017 discussion

Mr. Bennet says, “For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”

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I am in going for mr bennet's library again. My trouble is i read one and add two or three. It's an addiction.

I'm trying for the min of this level. Hope I can do! Lol

We share your addiction, Lenora. :)

Rooting for you both, Lenora and Charlene. Go get him!!!

Lenora wrote: "I am in going for mr bennet's library again. My trouble is i read one and add two or three. It's an addiction."

My trouble is all you follow voracious readers tempting me into books I might might not have seen otherwise! Pure evil, I tell ya.

I am in for the highest level...love JAFF books so it is not a difficult goal.

No hardship at all to read so many lovely books, right Sheila? :)

Yes to that

No hardship except maybe to the number of hours of sleep I get, haha.

I made it to Mr Bennet in 2016 and didn't retire until June. I should be able to do it in 2017, too, right? Unless I start spending more time doing something other than reading. But, who would do that?

Eliza wrote: "Lenora wrote: "I am in going for mr bennet's library again. My trouble is i read one and add two or three. It's an addiction."

My trouble is all you follow voracious readers tempting me into books..."

It's that addiction I tell and it's catching

I hope to again make Mr. Bennet's Library. I look forward to clearing out my TBR pile in 2017. So... guys, don't suggest anything new to me... y'a hear.

[In a whisper] Unless it is really good, then you can tell me.

Buahaha. You're just as addicted as the rest of us, Jeanne.

No kidding, who am I trying to fool? Buahaha indeed, and I hope I quoted you correctly.

Yep.

I don't anticipate making it all the way to Mr. Darcy's library in 2017, but I ought to be able to achieve Mr. Bennet's library again. Besides, I LOVE all the folks here!

Debbie, that is my goal also. What's not to love? These guys are great. I love it here. AND... I plan to have fun in all the levels until I make my way back into the loving arms of Mr. Bennet's Library.

I'm kinda surprised to see Sheila and Jeanne and Barb in here, though. Based on all you read this year, you'll probably end up in Mr. Darcy's library, along with Eliza and maybe Lenora!

Debbie... Yeah, but at what cost? I need to do so much to my house and I have put it off way too long. My dust bunnies have overpopulated the place and now they are fighting for space with the cobweb crew. I set my 2017 goal way back. If I go over, great, but I am not going to push myself like I did this year.

Besides, the only reason I made it was due to the novellas and short stories. If I had tried to tackle those monster reads that you and Sheila devour like candy... I'd still be on the lower levels. I'm just recovering from burn-out and don't need to push myself back into stressful situations. No, I'm going to take 2017 at an easy pace.

I, too, have neglected other things I should be doing. AND I want to read some outside JAFF, i.e., the 8th book in the Outlander series. I also want to tackle Linda Wells' ongoing epic story Keeping Calm which is thousands of pages long, set in WWII. It is not yet finished and is 172 chapters so far. I have read up to the wedding but she seems to be taking us all the way through the war. Then there are things around the house I should be also doing...LOL

Well, I'm anticipating 2017 to be busier, so even though I'm sure I'll read when I can, my leisure time will get cut back. This doo-wop group already has a lot of calendar dates net year, and I anticipate more trips to Charleston to spend time with my grandson as he gets a little older. Certainly not complaining, since it's all good stuff! But I doubt I'll be reading as much.

I suppose I should also mention my husband is remarking that he's doing housecleaning more than I am! I suppose I ought to be doing more of that next year, too.

So glad your doo-wop group is keeping you busy as your talents should be on display! And you must see that grandson as often as possible as the first year has the most changes. I am sure he is smiling and turning over. Is he sleeping through the nights?

Sheila wrote: "I, too, have neglected other things I should be doing. AND I want to read some outside JAFF, i.e., the 8th book in the Outlander series. I also want to tackle Linda Wells' ongoing epic story Keepin..."

I'm going to try to read a little wider in this next year, too. My non-JAFF reading lists have been growing almost as fast.

Debbie wrote: "I suppose I should also mention my husband is remarking that he's doing housecleaning more than I am! I suppose I ought to be doing more of that next year, too."

I don't see anything wrong with that arrangement! ;-)

OK..Given that I only joined in May and am around 110+...I think I will opt for this level!

This is a great level with comfy chairs, good reading lights or window boxes if you wish.

In cold weather, there are big roaring fires in several locations, lots of blankets or afghans, and hot drinks [your choice straight or loaded], and an assortment of things to eat.

In the summer, the windows are open [no pollen allowed in], and the climate control has the room at a perfect temperature. Iced drinks to keep you cool and terrace doors open to the gardens with access to a gazebo and lots of arbors and alcoves, and decorative umbrella covered tables for your reading pleasure.

Yeah, the perfect reading environment and a goal worthy of the effort it takes to reach it.

Super! Glad to have you back and ready to go Mr. Bennet level. Based on those numbers, I think you just might have a chance. Haha!

Hi ladies. I've just joined the group, it's a wonderful idea, Sophie. I'd love to be able to join Mr Darcy's challenge, but i work full time and don't have time to read more than 15 books a month. So this level seems more realistic.

Happy New Year!

This is fantastic, Kasia!

Whatever you can fit in around your schedule is well enough. Rooting your on to reach your goal. :)

I’m impressed that you can read fifteen books a month, Kasia! I rarely get beyond four or five.

1 A Very Darcy Christmas: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

This was a nice story and proved that famy should visit in small doses

A happy new year to everyone. I so look forward to the journey this year with all my friends

Debbie wrote: "I'm kinda surprised to see Sheila and Jeanne and Barb in here, though. Based on all you read this year, you'll probably end up in Mr. Darcy's library, along with Eliza and maybe Lenora!"

Ha! Ha! Since I don't see a group labeled Mr. Darcy's Library we'll just have to rummage around with Mr. Bennet at Longbourn. I do see that this level goes up to 199 so it is expanded beyond last year's 101 books.

I thought it was a fun one, too, Lenora. Off to a good start there.

Lenora-well done in having read one book already!!

Lenora wrote: "1 A Very Darcy Christmas: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

This was a nice story and proved that famy should visit in small doses

A happy new year to everyone. I so look forward to..."

Good one, Lenora! Happy reading!

Sheila wrote: "Debbie wrote: "I'm kinda surprised to see Sheila and Jeanne and Barb in here, though. Based on all you read this year, you'll probably end up in Mr. Darcy's library, along with Eliza and maybe Leno..."

Sheila, there IS a group in this 2017 Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge labelled Mr. Darcy's Library, which starts at 200 books. Interestingly, even though several of us read that many and more in 2016, apparently no one expects to read as many in 2017. It'll be interesting to see if a few of us sneak in there by this December, though!

Sneak in??? Blaze a trail you mean?!! And I've no doubt that several of ye will! In fact I'm counting on it in the same way I'm counting on an invite to the Great Ball that will be held in that dear man's residence.......!

Debbie wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Debbie wrote: "I'm kinda surprised to see Sheila and Jeanne and Barb in here, though. Based on all you read this year, you'll probably end up in Mr. Darcy's library, along with Eliza..."

I missed that when I looked...will now go back and look. You didn't set that level?

Ok, I looked and it does not show up unless you click on Challenge Levels. So I was not blind - just didn't explore enough. I am surprised you didn't sign up for it. I would put a bet down that you will make it.

No. As I wrote when I signed on for the reading challenge this year, it looks like the doo wop group is going to keep me busier than I was last year, and then there's my new grandson. I hope I get to see more of him this year, so that's a stronger goal than reading more books!

I feel like I'm really going to challenge myself if I'm to make it to my hoped for 100, so kudos to all who make it beyond that. I can't even get my head around how to get to 200. Are you all really fast readers? I'm the worlds slowest reader :P

There's no way I'd get over 100 if I didn't read some shorts and novellas in the mix. And there are a lot of medium-length stories in the 200-300 pages range. I tend to avoid the really long ones unless I know I have a stretch of time ahead of me, or I can listen to an audio version.

2 The Darcys' First Christmas: The Disappearance


Cute book and i liked the way that Lydia looks like she may be growing up

I agree with you Eliza there are alot of shorter reads out there but i think I won't be reading as much this year. For those who don't know I moved back in with my parents 7 years ago because my mom was sick and since then they have been taking turns being sick. My mom is 80 and my dad is 86 and since about july my dad has been having spot strokes. Enough to cause him to fall and become disoriented but not bad enough to show up in cat scans. And over the Christmas holidays he fell at least 3 times that we know of. So i so look forward to the friends i have made here to help keep my mind stimulated. Thank you all.

Lenora,first of all I'd like to congratulate you on having read two books already! Great job!!

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. Am I right in presuming he's having 'mini' strokes?

Please know that regardless of whether you're reading a book or not,if you're feeling like a chat,or need a break from the daily routine, stop by here where there's always someone available to share a laugh with or have a difference of opinion with over a book!

Lenora, this is such a connecting place. Just think of Goodreads as your local coffee shop where you don't have to leave the comforts of your home. You have lots of people who, due to the multi-country time zones, are on line at all hours. I was up past 2:00 a.m. [in my time zone] this morning and who do you think was still posting notices, but our own dear moderator Sophia. So we are here for you. We are a community; you can lean on us.

Lenora wrote: "2 The Darcys' First Christmas: The Disappearance


Cute book and i liked the way that Lydia looks like she may be growing up"

You know, I looked at that one but decided not to pursue it when I saw how short it was (only 53 pages) for $3.99, and it's not in the Kindle Unlimited program. Not enough bang for the buck when there is so much great JAFF out there.

Lenora wrote: "I agree with you Eliza there are alot of shorter reads out there but i think I won't be reading as much this year. For those who don't know I moved back in with my parents 7 years ago because my mo..."

Lenora, I realized years ago that life is full of different seasons. Obviously, reading isn't going to be as high a priority when you have other more important matters to attend to. As Jeanne said, we're here for you when you're looking for friends to comment back and forth with and forget your worries for a time.

Silver Thistle {adores JAFF & TEOTWAWKI. Oh, and accronyms :P} wrote: "I feel like I'm really going to challenge myself if I'm to make it to my hoped for 100, so kudos to all who make it beyond that. I can't even get my head around how to get to 200. Are you all reall..."

It's true that some of us are fast readers, but Eliza's absolutely right. The short stories and novellas count just the same as a War-And-Peace-length novel. And the emphasis here is on enjoying the camaraderie, encouraging each other, and sharing great books that we love, not on being a competition to read the most.

Lenora, it’s great that you’re helping them. I know how frustrating it can be to have to interrupt your own life to offer that kind of care, but it is rewarding as well. I’m struggling with that as my life partner of only a few years developed early Alzheimer’s. Anytime you need to yawp, or just escape into a different reality for a while, this is a great place to do it! Wishing you all the best—and happy reading when you can.