June certainly jumped straight into roasting summer. I didn’t get too much reading in this month, but I do have reviews written for everything I read. That’s the first time this has happened in a long time. I also made some good progress on a few challenges. I’m actually on time with a couple of them!
Reading Challenge Progress
I’m on schedule for the “New to You” and “New Release” challenges! A bit behind on the other two though. At this point I’m just aiming to get my TBR pile down to 150 by the end of the year, rather than down to 100. I’m putting myself on a book buying ban until the end of the year to help with that. The only exceptions to the rule are for titles I already had on pre-order.
2016 Goal: 25 “New to Me” Authors
Total Goal Progress: 12/25
- January
- John Scalzi (Redshirts)
- Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows)
- Sarah J. Mass (A Court of Thorns and Roses)
- February
- Naomi Novik (Uprooted)
- Goldy Moldavsky (Kill the Boy Band)
- Garth Nix (Newt’s Emerald)
- April
- J.D. Salinger (Catcher in the Rye)
- Julian Barnes (Flaubert’s Parrot)
- Lawrence Weschler (Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder)
- May
- D.B. Reynolds (Jabril)
- June
- Grady Hendrix (My Best Friend’s Exorcism) Review coming soon
- Ruth Ware (The Woman in Cabin 10) Review coming soon
Read My Own Damn Books Challenge
2016 Goal: Clear my TBR pile down to 100 books
TBR count at the beginning of the month: 204
TBR count at the end of the month: 193
Finally going the right way! I managed to drop my TBR pile count by 11 books. I’m also putting myself on a bit of a book buying ban until the end the of the year. The exceptions are books that I have on pre-order.
2016 Goal: 1 – 15 books – New Release Newbie
Total Goal Progress: 13/15
- January
- The Vampire’s Fake Fiancee by Kristen Painter
- February
- Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky
- Secretly Mated by P. Jameson
- March
- Shadow Mated by P. Jameson
- Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
- The Murder of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King
- May
- A Study in Sable by Mercedes Lackey
- Wild Things by Jennifer Ashley
- Double Play by Kelley Armstrong
- June
- Forevermore by Kristen Callihan
- My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix (Review coming soon)
- The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (Review coming soon)
- Big Vamp on Campus by Molly Harper (Review coming soon)
Sign-up Post:Click here
- Paranormal Romance
- Goal: Level 4 (Going for a Swim): 50 books
- Progress: 8/50
- The Vampire’s Fake Fiancee by Kristen Painter
- Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh
- Secretly Mated by P. Jameson
- Shadow Mated by P. Jameson
- Wicked Ever After by Delilah S. Dawson
- Wild Things by Jennifer Ashley
- Forevermore by Kristen Callihan
- Big Vamp on Campus by Molly Harper
- Fantasy/Urban Fantasy
- Goal: Level 1 (Sunbathing): 6 books
- Progress: 6/6 DONE!
- Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik
- A Court of Throns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Jabril by D.B. Reynolds
- A Study in Sable by Mercedes Lackey
Book Minx 
I’m very impressed that you’ve written reviews for all the books you’ve read lately! I always seem to fall behind and then never get around to it. You’re participating in so many challenges, Samantha! The Read My Own Dam Books challenge is one that I probably should partake in…but I’m weak so it’s unlikely. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Read My Own Damn Books challenge is the hardest one! That’s been an uphill battle. And thanks! I’m pretty excited that I wrote reviews for all the books I read this month. That seems to never happen.
LikeLike
It’s been warm here too although the temps moderated a bit this week- warm enough to be nice but not killer hot. Glad your challenges are going mostly good- and I’m looking forward to seeing what you think of The Woman in Cabin 10 as I’m kinda anxious for that one. It sounds suspenseful. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, this week the weather cooled off a little. It was roasting for a while there though.
LikeLike
Now I want to sign up for more challenges, as if I’m not already doing enough! I feel like my TBR has been going the wrong way this month, so I’m very impressed you got yours down by 11. Good luck with your ban!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know! I always see challenges and think “ooo that one sounds fun. I should do it too.” It’s how I got so many challenge this year. I think I’m going to have to cut back next year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Sunday Post: July 3 | Book Minx
Good luck on your challenges! For what it’s worth I think you’re doing really well, I know I am nowhere near as disciplined when it comes to chiseling down that TBR…mine only grows, never shrinks 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I’m doing a lot better with keeping up with them than I usually do. LOL Fighting the TBR pile is an uphill battle. I think I started out the year with 170 books, so it’s still grown quite a bit over the last 6 months.
LikeLike