That’s the million dollar question. I started the year mapping out what books I wanted to read for two of Anne Bogel’s (Modern Mrs. Darcy) Reading Challenges. Like the organized planner that I can be at times, I was proactive and wrote them all down in my 2017 Leuchtturm Bullet Journal. I also have some pages devoted to the selections that fall into my reading genre love…thriller, suspense and mystery. More times than not, I grabbed for that type of lighter reading over the course of the year.

So now as we inch closer to the end of the year, there are some holes in my being able to complete the reading challenges: “Reading for Fun” and “Reading for Growth.”

For Reading for Fun, I  still need to read:

• an ‘Already Read’ book, which will be “The Keep;” and
• an ‘Excited to Buy or Borrow But Haven’t Read Yet’ book, which will be “Benediction.”

For Reading for Growth, I still need to read:

• a ‘Newberry Award or Honor Winner’ book, which will be “From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler“
• a ‘Book with More Than 600 pages’ book, which will be “Dragonfly in Amber” (back-up would be “The Goldfinch“)
• a ‘Book of Poetry, Play or an Essay Collection’ book, which will be “Other Wordly“
• a ‘Book Published Before I was Born’ book, which will be “The Little Prince” (back-ups are “Animal Farm” or “Anne of Green Gables“); and
• Three Books by the Same Author (Rainbow Rowell), which I only have one more to read and it will be “Landline.”

I think it is doable, mainly because three of the picks are really short…specifically in the Reading for Growth challenge. But then again, I still have a 600+ book to read. And do believe I will leave that one for last so there would be a better sense of accomplishment.

When trying to decide on a book selection that was published before I was born, my husband was quite shocked that I never read “The Little Prince,” “Animal Farm,” and “Anne of Green Gables.” (I did not disclose the fact that I also never read “Lord of the Flies.” My English teacher in high school was always going rogue and I did not have an English comp class as a requirement in college so there are some holes in classic required reading  pantheon.)

Nevertheless, at least I surpassed my Good Reads Challenge of reading 62 books this year. If I complete both reading challenges I will be closer to a 75 total.

Wish me luck!