2015 challenges completed

This year is almost done and I've completed the two challenges I've decided to do. While both provided interesting reads, I will only repeat one of them in 2016.

This is the challenge's page, which will be updated soon.

 

The thing is, I like challenges with themes and ones that can allow me to use my TBR list titles. I have so many, it feels a waste of time to look for books on purpose to suit a theme. I like to use my books to do that. So many challenges don't allow me that and I feel sad to not participate in them, but it's the way I am.

 

The two challenges I've done this year were different in the way they suit me.

The TBR Challenge is actually perfect for me. I could read one book a month, I had a generic enough theme to follow, something I truly appreciate.

 

The Alphabet Challenge didn't have a theme, I only had to pick titles to suit each alphabet letter, but some letters were more difficult and in one or two cases I had to not only look for a book I didn't have to fulfill the letter or I had to choose a book I wouldn't in this point for the same reason. That certainly stressed me out and got the fun out of it.

 

To me, the best challenge is the TBR one, at least personally.

I can use my own books, I can think about broad concepts and it's only one book, so I can basically use time on my own way.

This year, for the TBR challenge, I picked interesting books, some weren't that good but that's part of the fun, not knowing how good or how bad the book is, but it would be read so...why not ally the good to the useful?

 

The Alphabet challenge was interesting too, most books were successes, but the ones I had to use to just fill up gaps didn't win me over as much and that felt like a duty, which wasn't as fun. It felt something more restrictive, I can't explain it. Part of the challenge was actually very interesting, but I wasn't as amazed as I thought, despite recognizing it's only a personal pet peeve of mine and not a resemblance on the challenge's purpose or intent.

 

All in all, I like to follow challenges but I've come to realize I'm very picky and I want certain ideas to match my own goals. Maybe that's wrong if I belong to a group with rules, but it's the way I want things to happen.

This experience was quite interesting though and despite only participating in two, I was still quite busy with the challenges, plus my book clubs and personal choices.

Reading is what matters but challenges are for me more about the hows than the actual management to complete them.