Before I totally put 2012 in the past, I would like to share you my accomplishment last year. As the title suggested, I finished my Goodreads Reading Challenge with a time to spare. Last June 28, I joined the quest to read 50 books until the end of the year. That’s like 50 books in six months.
At first, I thought it would be easy. I am a fast reader and have a lot of free time. I am single (never married and no boyfriend), a bit of a loner, and dependent to helpers for house chores. So I was confident I can effortlessly finish what I signed up for. However, a few months after, I got engaged in a lot of social activities, thanks to my Korean friends who flocked the country all of a sudden. I became friend/translator/tour guide rolled into one. Slowly, my readings decreased.
But then I have to finish what I have started. So in the following days and months, I read a lot. You may notice that during the last months of the year I have read more than in the earlier ones. Is it possible to read more than ten books in a month? Yes. I didn’t know I could do that before; it never occurred to me to count the books I’ve read in a month. So in those months that I have read more than enough, I feel elated. Those novels were not audiobooks that could be easily finished; some were paperbacks while others are e-copies.
I have met new authors and tolerated other genres in this challenge. I went back to my comfort zone a lot of times after reading heart-wrenching or traumatic books for me. I laughed and cried. I experienced a lot in this journey and I am glad that I have chosen to do this. Now, I would like to share you the titles I have finished for my Reading Challenge.
Note: You may find my reviews/comments about the books in the month headings.
June Reads
Rapture – Lauren Kate
A Night like This – Julia Quinn
Hades – Alexandra Adornetto
Beautiful Disaster – Jamie McGuire
Fallen in Love – Lauren Kate
The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
Underworld – Meg Cabot
A Duchess to Remember – Christina Brooke
Once a Princess – Johanna Lindsey
Let Love Find You – Johanna Lindsey
A Knight in Shining Armor – Jude Deveraux
Paradise – Judith McNaught
Thoughtless – S. C. Stephens
Playing the Odds – Nora Roberts
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
August Reads
Effortless – S. C. Stephens
Perfect – Judith McNaught
The Rise of Nine – Pittacus Lore
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Heaven – Alexandra Adornetto
Fifty Shames of Earl Grey – Andrew Shaffer
The Time Keeper – Mitch Albom
To Marry a Prince – Sophie Page
The Proposal – Mary Balogh
The Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad – David Soman
The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven: A Remarkable Account of Miracles, Angels, and Life Beyond This World – Kevin and Alex Malarkey
The Bargain – Mary Jo Putney
The Mark of Athena – Rick Riordan
To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield – Bronwen Evans
The Viscount Who Loved Me – Julia Quinn
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Kahled Hosseini
Art Geeks and Prom Queens – Alyson Noel
An Offer from a Gentleman – Julia Quinn
A Rogue by Any Other Name – Sarah MacLean
Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin – Bob Ong
Clockwork Angel – Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Prince – Cassandra Clare
The Catcher in the Rye – J. D. Salinger
I Wish Someone Were Waiting for Me Somewhere – Anna Gavalda
The Torturer’s Daughter – Zoe Cannon
December Reads
The Drought – Steven Scaffardi
Kindred – Michelle Cornwell-Jordan
His Black Wings-Astrid Yrigollen
The Stone Guardian – Theresa McClinton
Tempting Fate – Nora Roberts
Romancing Mister Bridgerton – Julia Quinn
To Sir Phillip, with Love – Julia Quinn
By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept
** End of Challenge (50 books reached)
Divergent – Veronica Roth
The Ugly Duchess – Eloisa James
Looking for Alaska – John Green
I have read 53 books by the end of the year. It is something of an achievement to me. Thus, I decided to join this year’s challenge again. I hope to see you there, too! If you have Goodreads account, you may add me as a friend here.
How many books have you read in 2012?
Well done!!! I would be happy to read 5 books in a year. Can you believe that?
Well, five books for me is like eating a spoonful of appetizer for a year. It is understandable though. You need time to create beautiful things using your creative talent.
I am just a really very slow reader, and I only read before going to sleep, which is just a couple of pages!
Congrats! Have you set your goal for this year? You listed some of my old favorites on here…
Yes. I just joined the 2013 Challenge. I chose 50 books for this year. I foresee myself being busy so I lessened the number of books to read. Well, have you joined, too?
No, I haven’t. I think I may do more writing than reading this year…;-)
Hmm. Well, there goes my question in older post: Will you read or write in your free time? Whatever you choose, I hope you will enjoy it!
P.S. Perhaps you can do a writing challenge then?
If I have time. I’m working on polishing a manuscript and working on another one right behind that.
Now, look at that! Good luck writing~
Wow! I am impressed
! Well done 
! Though I read a lot, I don’t even get close to that number… 
Thank you! Perhaps you can try joining something like this so you will be challenged and inspired to read more.
Great list. Nice job.
Thank you!
That’s a lot of books in 6 months! Kudos to you. Out of all the titles you listed I only read two, haha. I managed to complete my Goodreads challenge too and read 33 books (I was aiming for 30). Going for 40 books this year. Baby steps!
Thank you! Perhaps we read different genres, but I can suggest a few titles from the list. I think I am more of a reader than a writer unlike you so I read more. What’s your Goodreads name? Would like to add you.
I have a Goodreads author account, but keep my personal one separate here: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5232038-zen
That’s a lot of books in 6 months! I may have done around that for the first six months of the year.
In total I’ve read 64 for the year. Maybe 40 during the first six months. Anyway I had a busy second half. I had hoped to reach 100.
64 books in a year isn’t bad either! It is understandable that we get busy in the second half of the year. It was a miracle to read more than five books during the -ber months, but I was lucky. For this year I only chose 50 books. Perhaps I’ll go to 100 in 2014.
Congrats on such a great accomplishment! If you could pick your top ten favorites, what would they be? I always love asking that question with posts like this because usually I find some good, new reads!
Thanks for your kind words, Theresa! Your question is tough, but I will try to give you my top 10. Just to let you know, I love all those books mentioned but since you are asking only for ten, I’ll give these to you:
The Catcher in the Rye
The Alchemist
The Timekeeper
The Mark of Athena
The Secret Garden
By the River Piedra
Divergent
Clockwork Angel
Knight in Shining Armor
The Boy who Came Back from Heaven
I’m sorry it took me so long to get back and comment on this! I’ve been so busy, but this list is awesome! You liked Clockwork Angel that much, huh? I’ve heard such mixed reviews about it– but isn’t that true for every book! lol. Awesome job, Monica!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Hope to see more of you soon!
-N. Halden
You are most welcome! Please feel free to read my posts
I have read around 15 books this year. I know not great. At my peak , I remember reading more than 100 books a year. I hope i can touch that number again. Off your list, I have only read 5 books. Need to Catch up. Any Suggestion from the list?
15 books a year is still great. Even a single book is better than not reading at all. And wow, 100 books a year? I am not sure if I can do that! I have answered a comment above about my top ten in the list above. I hope it helps.
I aimed for 25 books in Goodreads and did reach the goal in mid December. However, I have a feeling that I read more but I just didn’t record it there. haha~
Congrats on reaching your goals! Good luck for 2013!
Wow. Congratulations on reaching your goal, too! What’s your goal for this year? And may I add you in GR, too?
My goal is 30 books. I think I added you in GR already. name is Kim Lo
Congrats! I love Goodreads, especially the book challenges.
By the way, what did you think of Divergent? I loved it.
I love Divergent! I think it is another THG in the making. Sadly, I do not have a copy of Insurgent so I don’t know what will happen to them.
Do you also join the Reading Challenges?
Congratulations! After reading the number of books you were able to read in a year I just had to say “Daebak!”
I’ll try reading the books in your list. I’m looking forward to your 2013 book challenge
고마용~ Thank you. Try joining the Reading Challenge, too!
I admire how much you read last year! I am going to try to read more this one!
Thanks! Let’s inspire and encourage others to read more this year.
I’ve never counted, either. I decided to keep a list in 2013, for various reasons. I’m not trying to reach a particular goal, but I do want a record of what I’ve been reading.
That’s still good. The important thing is that we read. I hope you have fabulous reading for 2013.
Congratulations
Thank you.
Wow, that’s impressive! I would love to try reading 50 books in 2013, the whole year though not just 6 months!
Thanks! For 2013, I also joined for 50. 50 books in six months proved to be not so easy as I first imagined, so I’ll try another 50 for the entire year. Go join Goodreads Reading Challenge.
I see that you are a fan of Cassandra Clare
I need to read her books sometime…I think I am the only one who has not read her books.
Yes! I like her books because 1. They are YA fiction, and 2. There are classic quotations in her novels that keep me guessing as to who said those. Try to read the Mortal Instruments series. The first book, City of Bones, will be turned to a movie this year, I think
Yes, there is going to be a movie this year
It seems really good!
Yes! I can’t wait to watch it! I’ve heard the one who’ll be playing Jace (the hero) is also a character in HP before. I forgot his name though.
Congrats!! You’ve read a LOT in the past 6 months…most of my reading I do in the middle of the school year and on breaks. Have you set your goal for 2013 yet?
Thank you. Since I finished school I think I have more time. After work, I don’t have to do homeworks, review for exams, and join extra-co activities. You must still read more, even textbooks!
Yes, I have set 50 books for 2013. I foresee being busy for this year so I cannot go to 100.
What’s the new goal? I signed up for the reading challenge for this year s well and I’m going to try and push myself to read outside my comfort zone more. Also, to catch up on some books I’ve been meaning to read for forever and somehow haven’t got round to. Some of those are recommendations from you!
I signed up for 50. I know I did the same number for only six months so it only follows that I can do 100 for a year. However, I felt like I will be busy for 2013. Besides, I don’t want to pressure myself reading every 3 days for the entire year. Haha.
What’s your Goodreads name? Please add me! I also have books which I have put down for a lot of times without finishing, plus those classics that I need to read. 2013 will be an interesting reading year for us, indeed!
I’ve already got you on Goodreads!
I think 50 is a good number, because you can always read more if you want to and be an over-achiever!
(oh, I was too fast with this answer, you already remembered that we’re friends on the other post…
)
Ah, I forgot. We are already friends in GR! Haha. You are lucky you have those German books, too! When I saw those in my update feeds, I could only say, “wow”
I had to go back and check to see what you meant about “all those German books”. Mostly, they are books I read as a kid or teenager, you know, before I started reading English. Or books by German authors. I’m sure you have read heaps of books by authors from the Philippines!
But still. I don’t know if I can read those kinds. Probably not
Though true, I also read Filipino books, but not too many, I’m afraid.
Congratulations for surpassing your 2012 Reading Challenge, Nic!
Thanks, Miss Jae~
Impressive and inspiring! I’ve never given myself a “number of books” to achieve, but maybe I should start! Thank you and all the best for 2013.
This year perhaps you can join a challenge like this, too. Good luck and all the best for 2013, too.
I came up with a personal goal of reading 20 books this year. Let’s see how it goes. Thanks for being an inspiration.
Yehey! You can finish that. I am glad to inspire you to do this and hopefully, this will continue every year
Congratulations! I need to try some of these!
Yes, please do and let me know. Or invite me
Great job, Monica!!!! Keep it up!
Thanks, Rebecca. I’m inspired
Congrats on finishing it. Mine was only 12 books for all of 2012 and I reached 14. I have trouble thinking about reading 50 in a year.
Oh congratulations, too! Try 20 or 25 for this year, maybe?
I’m going for 25 this year.
Yay! I believe you will be able to accomplish that.
I hope so! Although the book I’m reading right now is going to take me a while.
If you like Rick Riordan, I’d also suggest Cornelia Funke. She’s one of my favorites, along with Rick Riordan. If you like romance and suspense, Catherine Coulter is pretty good.
I have heard about Cornelia Funke, but haven’t read any of her books. Thanks for the two suggestions.
Thanks for liking my review! I would actually love to hear what you thought about it
Congrats on completing your challenge! I couldn’t even finish 50 in a year, hah.
Sure, I forgot to add one. Will do in a bit.
I believe you will be able to read a lot of books. Why not set a goal for this year, too?
I did. I’m aiming REALLY high this year for 100 books.
Oh my goodness I want to do this too, now! Do you like to write as much as you like to read? ~ nerdwithtaste.wordpress.com
Oh, do try! It is fun and very interesting thing to join. I am a reader so reading will always be number 1 for me. However, I have too many thoughts and lots of opinions that I like to share with others.
Wow, I really miss reading. That is one thing that I can hardly live without. I always get so excited when I get a fresh new book in my hands. So many new things to find out.
You can still continue reading…even in different languages! I tried reading a Korean book only to get a nasty headache after. haha!
Kidding aside, there is life in reading and I encourage you to read more.
Congratulations on making your goal! I’ll friend you on Goodreads!
Yehey! Thanks. I’ll see you there. Did you join this year’s challenge?
Good luck with your reading challenge! I’m reading Gone Girl right now and it’s good so far.
I’m glad to hear it. I have a copy of that book though it is still sitting in my TBR pile. I don’t know which to read first. Will be looking forward to your review.
Very impressive, I have only read two of these, so will be adding quite a few to my list of stuff to get. I’m proud of you for your achievement.
Thank you, Steve, Perhaps we like different genres so you have read only few. When I went through your Quest list, I found myself frowning over those titles I haven’t even heard. Haha!
I think I read 114, but had to go nuts in December to reach many of my goals because I was writing a novel (well, most of a novel) in November. Isn’t setting these kinds of goals fun? If you can track down a copy of the book Tryst, by Elswyth Thane, I think you would like it. It’s a romance I read and loved as a teen and would still like to read again. My mom loved it as well (and she is not typically a romance reader–me either, actually). It’s old, but you may be able to find a library that has it somewhere. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/353306.Tryst
Sooo many reads! Amazing!
That’s amazing!!… I cant ever imagine reading that much even though am a fast reader… I always leave a huge gap between 2 books to think over the plot of the book I just read… hehe.. I like doing that… Anyways, congrats
… Someday I might do it too… hehe..
Wow, that’s really impressive, some achievement! Good luck with your challenge in 2013, hope you have a great year all round
Rohan.
VERY impressive! I think I’ll try it this year…although I’m nervous because we have quite a few ‘big events’ this year that I’ll be busy with.
Thank you! You can try a smaller number first. Reading is a hobby done mostly for pleasure so it doesn’t need to pressure you. Of course staying focus on those “big events” are important, too.
Good luck!
Wow! Good for you — that’s some list. I think I read about 20 books this year. My current read is Anna Karenina. It’s a slow start, but I’m enjoying it. It will probably take me a couple of months to finish.
Anna Karenina is one of my favorites! I love classics, and especially Russian classics for some reason…the culture seems riveting. The pages went by quickly for me.
Wow. I have tried Anna Karenina when I was younger, but put it down after I was bored. It was slow, yes, and thick! Will try to pick it up again though.
What a great accomplishment! I love reading and have let go of a bit due to university etc etc. This seems like a great challenge to get back into it and try new genres (as I am very prone to sticking to the genres I am familar with).
I know how difficult it is while studying. I was forever in torment whenever I felt tempted reading a novel while it’s exams week.
I am also the same with you. I have this comfort zones – genres which are familiar and comfortable for me. I find myself going back to them whenever I read something sad and tragic.
Congrats, I’m a huge fan of Goodreads, and think that your 2012 Challenge deserves every possible bragging right.
50 books in a year is great–I read 21 last year, which surprised me a little because I’m a college student and don’t have as much time as I’d like to devote to my guilty pleasure, reading. I’ll add you.
I also think it’s appropriate that you read ‘Looking For Alaska’ by John Green last. Out of any teen love book, this one caught my attention more than any other…I’ve read it twice now and was very moved by its contents. Green has a gift.
Anyway, thanks for sharing such an awesome post. Best of luck on this year’s Goodreads Challenge, I still have to figure out how many books to read for mine!
Then I’ll definitely want to be friends with you in GR. True, finishing a reading challenge is an accomplishment that deserves some bragging rights. It’s good you like that book. I’ll read The Fault in our Stars though my friend warned me about that. You see, I easily got absorbed in a story that I felt traumatized after a tragic incident in a book. I had recurring nightmares about the characters and the like.
I hope you will be able to read more this year and I believe that you will be able to finish it.
Recurring nightmares? Doesn’t sound good. Hopefully that doesn’t happen to you too often.
Thanks, I fell short of my goal by just a few books last year, so this year I’m really going to try and make it!
Yes, that’s why I am careful choosing books to read. I don’t want to suffer from nightmares.
Well, I hope that 2013 will be nice to al of us and let finish our challenges.
Wow, you read so many books in such a short amount of time. I have only recently really got into reading bigger amount of books. In 2012 I read 33, in 2011 I think 13, and before that even less. But this year I’m hoping to read 50. Good luck with this years challenge!
Thanks though I still think that I could’ve read more. Well, we can’t get enough of books, they say. I am glad that you are improving in your reading! I believe in you and that I will look forward to your 2013 summary – 50 books read!
Wow, that’s quite an accomplishment! Congrats
Didn’t you feel like the pressure took away some of the enjoyment?
Thank you! I admit that I felt a little pressured especially when November was coming to close. I got stressed when I counted how many books I had to read. However, once I read a book, it all melts away. Only the bond between the book and me existed.
Congratulations on exceeding your target of 50 books. I took up 100 books for 2013. You make it sound like a breeze. I have finished 3 so far. On target if I don’t get distracted this year. Thanks for visiting my blog & liking the review on Rapture. I see you read it in 2012. What did you think? So many of your books listed I want to read. We must have similar taste. Looking forward to reading more of your blog.
Thank you, Sharlene. I was a bit pressured for 50 books to read during those months. You see, people tend to get busy in the later part of the year, me included. Anyway, I hope you get to finish 100 this year. I signed up for another 50!
Even though others think that The Fallen series is trashy, I like the star-crossed lovers story. I am a sucker for exactly that kind, and I’m a hopeless romantic, so you get the idea. Hmm perhaps you could try some books in the list. If we are friends in Goodreads, you can see which books I rated high and you can take it from there.
Wow!!! You guys are so awesome! I’m getting a flood of e-mails in my inbox. “Impressions of A Princess New Comment!” lol. I’m like, wow, I gotta go see what they’re all talking about! Such great conversation.
I haven’t had a chance to set a reading goal as much as a writing goal. I have been reviewing a few books, but I don’t think I’ll have the time to read 25 books while writing the rest of my series. haha. You guys are so great for reading so much!
Thanks for subscribing, Theresa. It is understandable if you read less than us. You have something more special – writing novels! I am looking forward to read the rest of the series.
I am thoroughly impressed. I am aiming for 50 books in one year. That would be about a book a week. Wonderful that you met your reading challenge. Reading and writing keeps our minds open and continues to inform and inspire. It is a wonderful goal to read as much as possible.
Thank you. You are correct and the two are connected. When we read, we are inspired to write. For this year, I am also aiming for 50 books only.
This is very impressive!!!! 50 in six months–I couldn’t do it.
Thank you. I think others can do better than this. Try reading more this year and experience the magic of being with the characters in a book.
Hi Monica, Last night I typed The End to the third book in my series with characters from Reconstructing Charlie. Second came Sin of Omission and now The Catch. When you have the time and inclination, check out Reconstructing Charlie. She’s a teen. Read how she grows into a remarkable woman full of love and spirit, much like you.
I too love to read and this is really inspiring to get more into it this year! I wonder how many books I’ve read? Now I have to find out!