Day 3214 – Reading Challenges Update

I was gathering my thoughts on what to write this morning, and thought, oh hey, I haven’t done a reading challenge update in a while….turns out I haven’t updated since February. Whew doggie, I have a lot to update. I finally added some new shelves for each reading challenge on my Goodreads account. Given that I have so many to share with y’all, you’re just getting titles today! 😀

As you’re looking through and see a book you want to buy, please use my Amazon shopping link. This will give us a small percentage of what you order at no additional cost to you. It’s a super small percentage too, so just think of it as funding out Krispy Kreme doughnut runs. Or if all y’all buy, a road trip!

Links to all of the reading challenges are below.

Book #24 – My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown – this fulfilled a memoir or biography about a person who doesn’t look like you on the #bewellread challenge.

Book #25 – Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer – this fulfilled a book with a weather element in the title in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #26 – The Edge of the World: A Visual Adventure to the Most Extraordinary Places on Earth – this fulfilled a book set in a country you want to visit in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #27 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – this fulfilled a book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #28 – Edible Ensembles: A Fashion Feast for the Eyes, from Banana Peel Jumpsuits to Kale Frocks – this fulfilled a book that’s published in 2018 in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #29 – The Color of Pixar – this fulfilled a book chosen solely by its cover in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #30 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – this fulfilled a book with over 600 pages in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #31 – Rover: Wagmore Edition – this fulfilled a book with non-human characters in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #32 – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 – this fulfilled a book that is a stage play or musical in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #33 – The Book Thief – this fulfilled a book that’s more than 500 pages in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #34 – Where’d You Go, Bernadette – this fulfilled a book set in a country that fascinates you in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. This was so fun to read, since I work for Lori Gross of The Antarctic Experience. I enjoyed it so much, that I made her read it too. 🙂

Book #35 – Great Lies to Tell Small Kids – this fulfilled a book with a six word title in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #36 – Loads More Lies To Tell Small Kids – this didn’t fit in any of my challenges, but was super funny.

Book #37 – Sober Mercies: How Love Caught Up with a Christian Drunk – this fulfilled a book about mental health in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. This was such a great book about alcoholism and being a Christian too. I’ve tried to read memoirs about alcoholism for inspiration for my memoir, but none of them really stuck, this one did.

Book #38 – DROPKICKromance – this fulfilled a book recommended by someone with great taste in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #39 – The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One – this fulfilled a book by a favorite author in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #40 – T-Rex Trying and Trying: The Unfortunate Trials of a Modern Prehistoric Family – this didn’t fit in any challenge.

Book #41 – Poorly Drawn Lines: Good Ideas and Amazing Stories – this didn’t fit in any challenge.

Book #42 – Random Illustrated Facts: A Collection of Curious, Weird, and Totally Not Boring Things to Know – this didn’t fit in any challenge.

Book #43 – Uglies – this fulfilled the first book in a trilogy in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #44 – Let’s Get Visible: How To Get Noticed And Sell More Books – this fulfilled an e-book in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #45 – Pretties – this fulfilled a science fiction novel in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #46 – Specials (Uglies, #3) – this fulfilled a book with a one-word title in the #bewellread challenge.

Book #47 – Peter Pan – this fulfilled a classic you’ve been meaning to read in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #48 – @NatGeo: The Most Popular Instagram Photos – this fulfilled a book about nature in the Read Harder Challenge.

Book #49 – Let Me Lie – this fulfilled a book about death or grief in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #50 – Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? – this didn’t fit in any challenge, but I had to read it cus it was illustrated by one of my fav illustrators, Liz Climo.

Book #51 – Every Note Played – this fulfilled a book published in 2018 in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #52 – Everything, Everything – this fulfilled a book that’s been on the New York Times Bestseller for more than 10 weeks in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #53 – Herding Cats – this fulfilled a book about a topic you’re passionate about in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #54 – What’s It Like in Space?: Stories from Astronauts Who’ve Been There – this fulfilled a book recommended by a librarian in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #55 – Creative Pep Talk: Inspiration from 50 Artists – this fulfilled a memoir, biography, or a book of creative nonfiction in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #56 – Afterworlds – this fulfilled a book with characters who are twins in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #57 – The Spark and the Grind: Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity – this fulfilled a book already in your bookshelf in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #58 – The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain – this fulfilled a historical non-fiction book in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #59 – Take Me with You – this fulfilled a book recommended by a librarian or indie bookseller in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #60 – You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth – this fulfilled a book by an author with the same first or last name as you in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #61 – Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir – this fulfilled a memoir or biography about a person who doesn’t look like you. This was a fantastic graphic novel about Stan Lee. If you’re into comics, check this bad boy out.

Book #62 – Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World – this fulfilled a book with a cover you hate in the Read Harder Challenge. I have to say, this might be one of the best books I’ve read this year. I love Tim Ferris and everything he puts out. I highly recommend this book, if you want to pick up a copy, use this link, it will give us a little percentage.

Book #63 – You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life – this fulfilled your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenges in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. I picked a book with a subtitle.

Links to all of the reading challenges:
The 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

Again, if you want to check out and buy any of these books, please use my Amazon shopping link. This will give us a small percentage of what you order, and it encourages me to write super long book posts like this. 😀

Here are my current stats:
Books read – 63
Pages read – 16,024
2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge – 8/12
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge – 4/12
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge – 18/50
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge – 4/24
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge – 22/52

I’ve learned a lot about myself, my businesses, how to view the world, and childlike wonder about things through my readings. You might be thinking, “holy crap, does she do ANYTHING but read?” But here’s the thing. I don’t feel like I read that much. I read out of three books in the morning for about 15-30 minutes as part of my morning routine. I might read a fiction book during the day, if I’m really into it. I’ll listen to audiobooks while I drive. I’ve started to listen to audiobooks in the evenings when I’m playing games on my phone. THIS is a game changer right here. I knocked out book #63 SO fast because of this new habit. Depending on the day and my brain capacity for more information, I’ll spend an hour or two reading at the end of my work day and evening. Since we don’t watch TV and have little to care for in our home, we have more time to focus on things like this. One thing I’m working on this year is ruthlessly saying no to things so I can say “oh heck yea” like Jenna Marbles for the precious few. Reading gives me wings (no Red Bull needed). It shows me worlds and personalities and thoughts I wouldn’t have experienced on my own. It gives inspiration to my blog, my books, my social media posts, and my life. It shows me what is possible. Having reading challenges to do also pushes me to expand my scope even more. I hope that this post gives you even a taste for reading and opens your eyes to what’s possible. And that you really do have time to read.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
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Day 3143 – The Year Of 300 (Errrr, Maybe 200??) Books Update!

Whew, I have been behind in this blog post! But I suppose once a month is a good time to give an update.

First, while I am not giving up hope that I will read 300 books this year, I have officially changed my Goodreads goal to 200. I found I was NOT enjoying my reading times. I was looking at my pile of books like I did my school reading assignments. The worst was when my Goodreads was like, um, you are behind 2 books, you are behind 5 books, you are behind a million books even though your goal is 300. It felt too much like work, and not at all what I want my reading to be. I am still a little behind (2 books) at the moment….but I’ve been focusing on rereading the Harry Potter series, and while only 1 book at a time, it’s totally pumping my page read count up.

Without further ado and preamble, here are my recently reads. See below for links to each reading challenge.

Book #14 – The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware – this fulfilled a book set at sea for the Popsugar challenge. I have to say, this was a great book to get me back into reading. I had JUST said to Bret I wished I had a book that I could tear through. This was just that. Whew, I read that one fast!

Book #15 – The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch – this fulfilled a book that makes you cry for the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge. This was just a wonderful read. I highly recommend it and think it should be required reading for all. Lots of great gems for how to live.

Book #16 – Comics for a Strange World: A Book of Poorly Drawn Lines by Reza Farazmand – this fulfilled a comic written and illustrated by the same person for the Read Harder challenge.

Book #17 – You Look Better Online: Your Life in 150 Unfiltered Cartoons by Emmet Truxes – this fulfilled a one-sitting book for the Read Harder challenge.

Book #18 – Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story by Debbie Tung – this fulfilled a book you can read in a day for the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.

Book #19 – The House That Pinterest Built by Diane Keaton – this fulfilled a book that inspires you for the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.

Book #20 – Secret Lives of Walter Mitty and of James Thurber by James Thurber – this fulfilled a book that has been made into a movie for the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.

Book #21 – Harry Potter and the Goblet by J.K. Rowling – this fulfilled a book with a green spine for the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.

Book #22 – Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris – this fulfilled a book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist in the Popsugar challenge. This was a really fun one to listen too!

Book #23 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling – this fulfilled the next book in a series you’ve started in the Popsugar challenge.

The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

I can’t wait to finish the Harry Potter series and get crackalackin on the rest of my huge to be read list!

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget.
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 3114 – 19 Days Into 2018 – 13 Books Read – 300 Books In A Year Status

Alright, confession time….I may have set the bar a little too high. Last year, I read 300 books, but 200 of them were children’s picture books. Seriously, what was I thinking? But, I am not about to give up so soon. I noticed that I was reading out of obligation and it was really really really not enjoyable. Oh my friends, that cannot be. For me, reading is a balm to my soul. It encourages me to see the world through another’s eyes. It makes me think about things I normally wouldn’t think about. It challenges me to grow. So, I press on. Even if I don’t meet my goal of 300, I’m still going to read and not see this as a chore. At one point I felt like I was back in school, reading the things I didn’t want to read.

One thing I’ve increased this year is photography/art books. This helps increase my read count, but honestly, it has already pushed me out of my normal read zone. Last night I finished A Beautiful Ghetto by Devin Allen. His work is stunning, it gave me a deeper love for a city so close to home (being a born and bred Marylander), further opened my eyes to struggles right next door, and a reminder of things that aren’t normally talked about.

A new thing I started this year was joining Facebook groups for some of the challenges. Oh friends, I did not know what I was missing! Getting to chat with others who love reading as much as I do AND sharing recommendations? Ah, joy. It has also helped keep me motivated to carry on.

Without further ado, here are my last 10 reads! All of the reading challenges will be linked at the end of the list for ease of reading. Titles marked with an * are Amazon affiliate links. That means we’ll get a small percentage of your order if you order something. I only link to things that I personally stand behind and have read/seen/tried/etc. myself.

Book #4 – Dog Years: Faithful Friends, Then & Now by Amanda Jones – this fulfilled a book with an animal in the title for the Popsugar challenge.

Book #5 – The Princess Saves Herself in this One* by Amanda Lovelace – this fulfilled a book of poetry, a play, or an essay collection for the Modern Mrs. Darcy challenge. I really really really enjoyed this book. Poetry isn’t something I regularly read and when I do, there are only certain types that I really enjoy. This was one of them. I absolutely loved the progression, the style, and the content. Highly recommend.

Book #6 – The Two-Second Advantage: How We Succeed by Anticipating the Future–Just Enough by Vivek Ranadive and Kevin Maney – this fulfilled a book you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t got to. I’ve had this bad boy on my phone as an audiobook for a really really really long time. Happy to finally finish it!

Book #7 – Ready Player One* by Ernest Cline – this fulfilled a book that was made into a movie in the BWellread challenge. I know it’s not in the theaters yet but I DID ask BCPL online and they said it fits. Woo! I love this book and it was just as enjoyable the second time through.

Book #8 – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, J.K. Rowling, Albus Dumbledore – this fulfilled a book made into a movie you’ve already seen for the Popsugar challenge. Oh man, this was THE hardest book to read. Oy. Now, if I had Jim Dale read it to me, I might have had a different opinion.

Book #9 – Signs of Hope: Messages from Subway Therapy by Matthew “Levee” Chavez – this fulfilled a book you can read in a day in the Modern Mrs. Darcy challenge. As a deep lover of post-it notes, it was a joy to read this book.

Book #10 – Life’s Journeys According to Mister Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way by Fred Rogers – this fulfilled none of my challenges. It could have fit into a book you can read in a day (this is on a few of my challenges), but I started it one day and finished it on another, so I didn’t feel right about putting it on one of those. Thankfully, my challenges only add up to 150 books, so that leaves me with 150 “freebies.”

Book #11 – Wild and Crazy: Photos from the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards by Paul Joynson-Hicks, Tom Sullam – this fulfilled a book that makes you laugh out loud in the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge. Oh man, this was a FUN book. Definitely made me (and Bret) laugh out loud.

Book #12 – A Beautiful Ghetto by Devin Allen – this fulfilled a book about a problem facing society today on the Popsugar challenge. See my thoughts above.

Book #13 – Mean Streets: NYC 1970-1985 by Ed Grazda – this fulfilled a book with the letter “Y” somewhere in the title in the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.

The 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

There you have it, I’m still powering through, with a renewed focus on just enjoying the journey. What are you reading right now?

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget.
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 3098 – How To Read 300 Books In A Year

Last year, I read 304 books. 200 kids books (picture books) and 104 “adult/full length” books. I was super proud of myself and learned a lot about a lot through reading so much. My previous year, I read 75 books. I like challenging myself to do more, so this year, I am planning on reading 300 books again, but all or very nearly all “adult/full length” books. I know I will read, I have to, but having a big goal is helpful. And a big shout out to Goodreads in helping to keep track of my goal….and telling me if I’m off track.

So what do I do to set myself up for success in this area?

I set aside several times a day to read. My morning tasks include reading through a book on book marketing/blog marketing/etc and reading through Tribe of Mentors. This helps me to chip away at 2 books. My evenings I want to read a little out of a non-fiction and read a fiction book as well. Since we just got back from being away, there are things to catch up on, so my evenings aren’t as open as they normally are, but in the future, I hope to spend an hour or two reading.

I keep track of my progress in Goodreads and on a sheet of paper. This serves as a double check to make sure I’ve recorded all of my books, and an easy way to count up adult vs. kids.

I use reading challenges to expand my options of books. Last year I started two challenges but they fizzled out by February. I’m not sure if I’ll complete any of the ones I’ve chosen this year, but they really help my options. This year, I’m hope to attempt the following:

The 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

There are some fantastic ideas in there (in order of the lists above):
a classic you’ve been meaning to read
a book with a one-word title
a book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
a comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image
a book with bad reviews

I listen to audio books during my longer commutes.

But most important, I won’t beat myself up if I don’t meet my goal. The reasons to read are many (authors should read a lot, reading gives you many perspectives, etc) and just the act of reading and learning new things elates my soul.

Are you doing a reading challenge this year?

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel