Mid-Year Report (Two Weeks Late)

Well, I've been back from Kentucky for almost two weeks but I'm still finding it difficult to get back into all my old routines. I'm not reading nearly my usual number of pages per day, nor am I posting to Book Chase quite as regularly as I like to do. There's just something about having the old routine broken up for a week that's making it difficult for me to get back on track.

Part of the problem, I'm sure, is that I upgraded to one of the new "smart phones" last weekend and I'm more wired in than ever before in my life. It allows me to be more in touch with friends and my two blogs, but it sure tends to cut down on reading time. Gotta fix that.

As of this week, I've read 70 books and have reviewed 69 of them, so I'm close to being where I hoped to be at mid-year (maybe 5 books or two weeks behind what I hoped for at this point). I do find it interesting that 41 of the 70 books I've read in 2009 are review copies. Normally, that might concern me, but not this year. I've been careful to accept only review books that I know I would have chosen to read anyway if I had seen them in a bookstore or a library. My only concern is that, by picking up the pace with review copies, my nonfiction reading seems to be suffering since most of what I'm offered is fiction.

I find that limiting myself to books that interest me works better for all concerned because it keeps me excited about my reading and doesn't result in me giving a bad review to the work of a first-time author or one who has gone to the expense of self-publishing a book. At the same time, though, I'm finding that my average rating has gone down a bit because I'm giving far fewer "fives" than I have in past years. I'm not sure why that is, honestly.

It's been a fun first half of the year but now I need to get back on pace for a good second half. I love to set reading goals and targets - keeps me from getting lazy.

(Photo is of my granddaughter who is, I'm happy to report, a real reader.)