MobileRead Book Challenges discussion

My goals for this year are:

100 books completed
15 e-magazines completed
35 audiobooks owned and purchased 2014 and earlier
100 novellas/short stories

Goal: 35 audiobooks Owned before 2015

1. Ebb Tide - James Blaylock
2. Ajax Penumbra 1969 - Robin Sloan
3. Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
4. Nearly Departed in Deadwood - Ann Charles
5. Stakeout at the Vampire Circus - Kevin J Anderson
6. Solaris - Stanislaw Lem
7. Optical Delusions in Deadwood - Ann Charles
8. Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen
9. Voodoo Planet - Andre Norton
10. Leave It To Jeeves - P G Wodehouse
11. Mazer in Prison - Orson Scott Card
12. You See But You Do Not Observe (Sherlock Holmes) - Robert J Sawyer
13. 1632 - Eric Flint
14. Hard Magic - Larry Corriea
15. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
16. Chopping Spree - Diane Mott Davidson
17. Midnight Riot - Ben Aaronovich
18. Outlander - Diane Gabaldon
19. On Basilisk Station - David Weber
20. Manhunt - Janet Evanovich
21. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (read by Patrick Stewart)

Goal: 15 e-magazines Completed

1. Galaxy's Edge May 2014 (#1)
2. Analog Science Fiction & Fact March 2015
3. Lightspeed Magazine #48 May 2014
4. Ellery Queen Magazine Jan 2010
5.

Goal: 100 books read (can be from audiobooks above)

1. Tall, Dark & Hungry - Lyndsay Sands
2. Fellowship of the Ring - J R R Tolkein
3. Love Bites - Lyndsay Sands
4. Single White Vampire - Lyndsay Sands
5. Dune - Frank Herbert
6. All the Windwracked Stars - Elizabeth Bear [abandoned]
7. Starship Grifter - Robert Kroese
8. Reaper Man - Terry Pratchett
9. Nearly Departed in Deadwood - Ann Charles
10. Solaris - Stanislaw Lem
11. Optical Delusions in Deadwood - Ann Charles
12. The Dreadful Debutante - M C Beaton (dreadful book)
13. Murder in Miniature - Margaret Grace (didn't finish)
14. The Two Towers - J R R Tolkien
15. Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen
16. Tough Cookie - Diane Mott Davidson
17. This World Is Taboo - Murray Leinster
18. The Secret Life of Bletchley Park - Sinclair McKay
19. A Royal Pain - Rhys Bowen
20. Sticks and Scones - Diane Mott Davidson
21. Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter - Jutta Profijt
22. Murder in Merino - Sally Goldenbaum
23. To Marry an English Lord - Gail MacColl & Carold McD. Wallace
024. Sticks & Scones - Diane Mott Davidson
025. Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter - Jutta Profijt
026. Murder in Merino - Sally Goldenbaum
027. To Marry an English Lord - Gail MacColl & Carold McD. Wallace
028. Bite Me Your Grace - Brooklyn Ann
029. Gin & Daggers - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
030. The Chase - Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg
031. 1632 - Eric Flint
032. Manhattans & Murder - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
033. Karen Memery - Elizabeth Bear
034. Hard Magic (book 1 Grimnoir Chronicles) - Larry Correia
035. Rum and Razors - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
036. Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett
037. Triplanetary - E E Doc Smith
038. A Bite To Remember - Lyndsay Sands
039. Help Fund My Robot Army - John Joseph Adams ed.
040. The Cat Who Saw Red - Lilian Jackson Braun
041. Small Gods - Terry Pratchett
042. Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham
043. From Doon With Death - Ruth Rendell
044. The Last Little Blue Envelope - Maureen Johnson
045. Brandy & Bullets (Murder She Wrote) - Donald Bain
046. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
047. Martinis & Mayhem - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
048. Wasp - Eric Frank Russell
049. Sentinals In Space - Eric Frank Russell
050. Three to Conquer - Eric Frank Russell
051. Next of Kin (reread) - Erick Frank Russell
052. 4/5 Sinister Barrier - Eric Frank Russell
053. 5/5 Entities - Eric Frank Russell
054. 5/5 A Deadly Judgement - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
055. 4/5 A Palette For Murder - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
056. 5/5 Lords & Ladies - Terry Pratchett (audio)
057. 3/5 Dragon Actually - G. A. Aiken
058. 4/5 Silvertip - Max Brand
059. 5/5 The Exiles - William Stuart Long
060. 5/5 The Settlers - William Stuart Long
061. 4/5 Victoire -Clare Darcy
062. 4/5 Chopping Spree - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)
063. 4/5 Eugenia - Clare Darcy
064. 4/5 Cecily - Clare Darcy
065. 5/5 Allegra - Clare Darcy
066. 5/5 Dark Torte - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)
067. 4/5 Silence of the Loons - Minnesota Crime Wave
068. 4/5 The Traitors - William Stuart Long
069. 4/5 Gwendolen - Clare Darcy
070. 2/5 Silver Metal Lover - Tanith Lee
071. 4/5 Georgiana - Clare Darcy
072. 5/5 Lydia - Clare Darcy
073. 5/5 Midnight Riot (Rivers of London) - Ben Aaronovich (audio)
074. 4/5 15 Tales of Murder, Mayhem & Malice - MN Crime Wave
075. 1/5 War Cry #1 - Jim Butcher
076. 4/5 Soothsayer - Mike Resnick
077. 3/5 Outlander - Diane Gabaldon (audio)
078. 1/5 Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead [abandoned]
079. 3/5 The Highland Fling Murders - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
080. 4/5 On Basilisk Station - David Weber
081. 5/5 Vigilante - Stephen J Cannell (audio)
082. 5/5 The Murder of Roger Akroyd - Agatha Christie (audio)
083. 4/5 Murder on the QE2 - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
084. 2/5 The Huddlers - William Campbell Gault
085. 5/5 The Martian - Andy Weir (audio)
086. 2/5 Dragons Queen - Michelle Pillow
087. 4/5 Manhunt - Janet Evanovich
088. 5/5 Glazed Murder - Jessica Beck
086. 2/5 Encounter With Venus - Elizabeth Mansfield
089. 5/5 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - George R R Martin (audio)
090. 5/5 Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett (audio)
091. 5/5 Coma - Robin Cook (audio)
092. 2/5 The Earl's Inconvenient Wife - Ruth Ann Nordin
093. 3/5 Something From The Nightside - Simon Green (audio)
094. 4/5 In the Dead of Summer - Gillian Roberts
095. 5/5 Sweet Revenge - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)
096.

Goal: 100 novellas/Short Stories (can be from audiobooks above)

1. Minority Report - Robert Heinlein
2. Ebb Tide - James Blaylock
3. Ajax Penumbra 1969 - Robin Sloan
4. Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
5. The Repairman - Harry Harrison
6. Toy Shop - Harry Harrison
7. Stakeout At the Vampire Circus - Kevin J Anderson
8. True Porn Clerk Stories - Ali Davis
9. The Blue Carbuncle - Arthur Conan Doyle
10. The Arm of the Law - Harry Harrison
11. Masked Ball at Broxley Manor - Rhys Bowen
12. Voodoo Planet - Andre Norton
13. Leave It To Jeeves- P G Wodehouse (audio)
14. Seeing Trouble in Deadwood- Ann Charles (audio)
15. Boot Points- Ann Charles (audio)
16. Leave It To Jeeves- P G Wodehouse (audio)
17. Mazer in Prison - Orson Scott Card (audio)
18. Guild Hunter Short Stories - Nalini Singh (audio)
19. You See But You Do Not Observe(Sherlock Holmes) - Robert J Sawyer
20. It's In The Book - Mickey Spillane and Max Allen Collins
21. Forgot title...
22. The Rocket - Ray Bradbury (Astronaut Farmer is based on this)
23. The Shell Game - Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg
024. 4/5 The Ice Dragon - George R R Martin (audio)
025. 4/5 The Hedge Knight - George R R Martin (audio)
026. 4/5 The Shepherd - Frederick Forsythe (audio)

FIRST!

Missed it by quite a bit. :)

Big goals for next year I see.

The goals aren't much different from 2014. Lots of series to complete yet, so no shortage of books to listen/read! I started off with a good habit of listening/reading short stories/novellas in the morning first thing and that failed about the time I had surgery, so I'll try doing that again.

I do want to focus on books I already own, but I don't want to make it a challenge since I also wanted a second year to read series. :)

Keeping up with purchases this year as well. I'm just living those that cost money. AC means Audible Credit. CPN -what's left after $10 off coupon applied.

Audiobooks Bought 2015
1. Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane (AC)
2. Starship Grifters - Robert Kroese $2.13 LISTENED
3. Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett (AC)
4. Resort to Murder - MN Authors $2.08 (cpn)
5. Boot Points - Ann Charles $4.09 LISTENED
6. Seeing Trouble - Ann Charles $4.08 LISTENED
7. Open Season - Archer Mayor $0.00 (Cpn)
8. Blood Relatives - Ed McBain $2.13
9. Operation Outer Space - Murray Leinster $3.20
10. Sam, this is You - Murray Leinster $2.65
11. Space Platform - Murray Leinster $2.65
12. Loose Ends - D D VanDyke $2.13
13. A Body At Book Club - Elizabeth Spann Craig $2.13
14. To Build a Fire - Jack London $0.51
15. Fiddlers - Ed McBain Cpn
16. P G Wodehouse Collection - P G Wodehouse $5.30
17. Something New - P G Wodehouse $3.20

Does not include my membership in Kindle Unlimited
Ebooks Bought 2015
1. Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet $2.13
2. Applique Quilt Revival - $2.13
3. Likes Love (87th Precinct) - $.99
4. Top 50 Spring Roll Recipes $1.06
5. Returned book- turned out to be a comic book
6. Heroes & Sorcerers $1.06
7. Maggie Newberry Omnibus (books 1-3) $4.89
8. Myth Murdery & Mystery - .79
9. Kickstarter Lightspeed magazine $36.00

Good job on nothing so far. I'm also at nothing bought so far. I better be though. Fifty bucks us a seriously limited budget. $4.16 a month. :(

No ebooks, but bought the Kickerstarter thing for a whole bunch of scifi magazines (Lightspeed). Better read more of those! That's $36 that includes not only another 12 issues of Lightspeed magazine, but all the backissues for Fantasy Magazine (I already have 12, so that's another 48 mags). I'm hoping they will through in more Nightmare Magazines as well.

Doing pretty good on the audiobooks. Three FULL books as well as a few novellas. yay! Progress, especially since I discovered that I had 100 more audiobooks than I thought. Whispersync is my nemesis, but I am trying to be resistant now.

I have to catch up with my listings. I was somewhat distracted with getting my Kindle Unlimited stuff read/listened to, but tomorrow is my last day of that until 2016. Need to focus on books I already own for awhile.

I seem to flit from book to book. I'll try to complete the rest of the month finishing off what I started. I started a Jessica Fletcher book, intending to read it at appointments. But then I got home and had to keep reading it. Tomorrow is a project day, so I won't be reading, but maybe listening to an . Audio book.

I really enjoy my Echo. When I'm reading and a song or piece of music is mentioned, I can just ask the Echo to play it. It really adds mood to the book. Of course, this only works well when you have a Prime account (I don't but my bro does and his account is tied to my Echo).

I really need to update this list. I think I've read 40 books or more. Lately though I've only been listening to audiobooks. When I'm away from home I read Jessica Fletcher series. It really helps to work on a series when the only thing you have on the Kindle is that series. I do think I'm not reading enough sci-fi or fantasy so I have to try and pick that up next month. By then hopefully I will be used to the CPAP and actually getting sleep at night so my eyes will let me read more!

Just a note to track series that I started in last year's challenge:

Active series (total based on list at Fantastic Fiction)

Diskworld 13/40 (update May)
In Death 11/37
Goldy Bear Culinary Mysteries 8/17
Inspector Alleyn 2/32
Vorkosigan Saga 4/16
Charlie Parker (Shelton) 0/13
87th Precinct 9/55
Stephanie Plum 4/20
Amanda Pepper 5/14
Agatha Raisin 1/24
Archy McNally Mysteries 2/13
Pip & Flinx - 1/14
Honor Harrington 0/14
Trash & Treasure Mysteries 3/10
Inspector Rebus (BOM) 1/18 )
Harry Bosch (BOM) 1/18
Stainless Steel Rat 1/11
Iron Druid 3/7
Cat Who series 3/29
Murder She Wrote 5/44 (update May)

Wow, that are a lot of active series!
I personally try to keep down to 7 or 8 (currently at 6) active series. Though I have several "dormant" series, of which I only occasionally read a book (probably less than one a year).

I'm still filling in books, but I have completed my 100 books. Trying to get to 102 before the end of the year to make up for abandoned books.

This has been a tough reading year. Both oldest and youngest brothers have had terrible medical issues which takes up time and attention. I am primary caregiver for one brother and the chronic interruptions changed what I could read vs. what I want to read. I am learning though, to always have alternatives available - easy reading for those times when I need it.

My favorite series to read when things are depressing is Diskworld. It never fails to make me laugh and take my mind off of reality. I can't multitask with this series, but that's ok. I've managed to get 2 ER docs and a nurse sucked into the series now. yay!

Biance, can you tell I have trouble with focus? Actually, some of these were added because they were book club reads and I didn't want to forget how much I enjoyed the first book (and know there are a bunch afterwards!).