Failed Reading Challenges & a Look Back at 2009...

Yes, my friends, I did have some failed reading challenges this year. Two, to be exact--The Sarah Dessen Challenge and the Classics Challenge. Given that I only signed up for four challenges, that means I only met half of my goals (with respect to challenges, at any rate). I certainly didn't sign up for these challenges only to fail, but how many of us plan to fail at anything?

I guess what I really didn't expect to hit me was a major reading slump towards the end of 2009. I like to blame the new job, but I think I might have hit that slump regardless of all the life changes at the end of the year--the new job just seemed to heighten the slump even more. But I think there is hope for me yet... I have read (and reviewed) three books in these last few days of the year, have started another book, and feel a glimmer of my old reading self coming back. It's a good thing, too, since I have over 70 or 80 unread books sitting and waiting to be read this year, and who knows how many more books I will pick up along the way?

Do I smell a new goal for 2010? I think I do... So here is my own personal reading challenge for next year--read every one of those books that is currently sitting on my designated TBR bookshelf. I believe there actually is a challenge out there devoted to reading books we have sitting around unread, so I need to find it and sign up for it.

Funny, I start off talking about failed challenges only to find myself signing up for another. I suppose that's a good sign that I'm not giving up! :-)

2009 has been an interesting year, both personally and in books. When the year started, I did not expect to find out that I would have to either relocate or lose my job. By the time the year was half over, I was out of one job but on a five-week vacation with another job already lined up. Certainly something to be grateful for, even if the job I took was not one that I necessarily wanted. 2009 also saw the birth of this blog, back on February 18th. I like to think that it has come a long way since those first reviews and the original look. I will never forget how welcoming fellow book bloggers were--what a great community we have! I have since participated in a 24-Hour Readathon as a cheerleader, written 100+ reviews, given away numerous books, and even interviewed a few authors. Not too shabby for my little blog of less than a year!

Needless to say, I am really looking forward to seeing where 2010 takes me. I'm looking forward to trying out some new authors, reading new books by favorite authors, and celebrating this blog's first blogoversary! There will be more giveaways, reviews, and plenty of fun stuff in the year to come, I can feel it! Thanks to all of my readers who have hung in there with me during the slow end to this year, and I look forward to "meeting" new readers in the days, months, and year to come!

Happy New Year!!