Happy New Year (or better late than never)!

I have had so many New Year posts half written out and then scrapped. I was even going to take part in a hosted post. However, it would seem I have been lazy in my posting the last few weeks and not quite satisfied with what I had written. I am back at uni tomorrow and so have decided just to go ahead and post something before my blog dies away.

So 2011 I read 132 books and 2012 I read a measley 99. Well, not really measley since it was a lot more than I expected. My initial challenge for myself was 60 books and when it looked like it wasn't challenging enough I upped it to 80. That's this years challenge too. It sounds as though this term is going to be busier than ever. This of course is followed by a summer of placement before I move into my final year. Basically I will be lucky if I read 80.

Enough of that though. Here are some of my favourite books from last year;

I've picked just one from each month although that was difficult. There were some months I read very little and then others where there were too many good ones to choose from. These I think represent a rounded selection.

The book I disliked the most isn't actually that difficult to choose. It is of course Fifty Shades of Grey. Bad writing and very little story. What there was of it was extremely dull. Mind you I had a couple of unfinished books last year too. One of which was Posession by A. S. Byatt. Far superior in it's writing but bogged down in prose when I just wanted it to get on with the story.

2011 I failed at the only challenge I signed up for. 2012 was a big success as I managed all four (granted one of those just lasted the one month). I was quite proud of myself of that since I thought I was going to fail the last two in December.

The year ahead I am just planning on working on my tbr pile. I have got it under 20 but they are mostly rather chunky books. So the only challenge for me this year is to finish those. I think I can manage that. I will still read classics but not sure if I will read them on a monthly basis. I am hoping to discover more authors and read more of my favourites through not signing up for set challenges.

Hope everyone had as good a year as I did and hope everyone has an even better 2013.

Month and Year Ahead

First of all Happy New Year everyone. I hope you all had a great time. I have to say, unlike most Scots, I'm not a huge fan of celebrating New Year. I definitely prefer Christmas. My sister is exactly the same so we usually spend it together. We did that this year watching DVDs and stuffing our faces. We did have a wee drink too. It was all very classy, drinking champagne in our PJs whilst watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit. We were happy and it's been years since we watched that film.

Anyways, I promised you to reveal all about my reading plans for 2012 so here it is. Not terribly exciting I'm afraid. I think you all know my challenges for the next year. I have two personal challenges. The first is to read 60 books. Not that adventurous considering I read 132 last year. I think though that since I am now studying full time that 60 is an okay number. Lets hope I manage it.

The second is to continue with my one classic a month. I very much enjoyed it last year. I tried lots of classic authors I had never read before and I hope to do the same again this year as well as visiting some old. I have planned John Steinbeck, Elizabeth Gaskell, Charlotte Bronte, Iris Murdoch to name a few. First up is Elizabeth Gaskell with Cranford. I also want to re-read some, especially Austen. It feels a little like cheating though to include it in my classic a month.

I have signed up to do four challenges. I am fairly confident I can do them. The Shakespeare Challenge lasts only for this month and since I have most of it off I'm not too worried. The first play I am planning for this is Antony and Cleopatra. Looking forward to that. It's being hosted by Allie of A Literary Odyssey. The Sci Fi challenge is hosted by Ellie of Curiosity Killed The Bookworm. The challenge is to read one sci fi book a month. Each month Ellie is going to highlight a particular sci fi book although you are welcome to read a different title if you want to. I shockingly read only two science fiction books last year. It's shocking as this used to be my main reading staple. The first book up is Zoo City by Lauren Beukes. I decided to go with Ellie's choice as this had such great reviews last year.

The third challenge is the Mixing It Up 2012 hosted by  another Ellie of Musings of a Bookshop Girl. The idea is to read out of your comfort zone. There are a list of  genres for you to chose from and you read one book from each. I picked 12, one for each month, and I plan on making it a little harder for myself by picking authors I have never read before. The first one is a classic and I am going to join that with my Classic a month choice for January, Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. Lastly there is the League of Extraordinary Gentleman challenge hosted by Hannah of Booking In Heels. The idea is to read the books which starred the main characters from the film. I also plan on reading the graphic novel. First up is King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. There are a number of books on that list which will be re-reads and two of them I didn't enjoy the first time round. However, I was surprised by one re-read last year so maybe these will surprise me too.

That's basically it for my plans. I would like to read more non-fiction among other things but I have to realistic. I can't do everything. I don't have any special plans for my blog either other than to continue posting, reading other blogs and taking part as much as time will allow.

You now also know my plans for January;

Shakespeare
King Solomon's Mines - H. Rider Haggard
Zoo City - Lauren Beukes
Cranford - Elizabeth Gaskell

What are your plans for 2012?