Required Reading: January

So yay, it’s the new year! January is one of my favorite months of the year, mostly because of the newness and all the possibilities of a new year. Especially in reading — don’t you like it when you see your read shelf for the year still zero and you wonder up to what number you can get to by December 31 this year? :) I know I do.

And because I had so much fun with this last year (and it really helped me knock off books from my TBR), I am going to have a go at this again. Hello Required Reading 2012! :)

Required Reading is a reading challenge that is really about getting some books off the Mt. TBR. Just as the name of the challenge meant, Required Reading is about choosing some books that must be read within the month. It doesn’t have to be the only books you read in a month, but they should be read (or at least, started) before the said month ends.

I had some rules on this last year that really applied to me, but in case other people want to join me, here are the rules:

  • Books chosen for the challenge should be in the current TBR pile as of the month of the Required Reading post. So if you decided to join at March, the books you choose for the month should be in your TBR pile as of February.
  • Galleys and ARCs can be included.
  • Posting reviews aren’t necessary (but don’t you want that out of the way, too?).
  • I’ll be posting a theme every month but you don’t have to follow that. You can choose a theme for yourself if you want to — what’s important is the books that you put there are books that you want to get to reading.
  • And since this is a TBR reducing challenge, it would be very ideal if the books you choose aren’t a part of any other challenge. Just so you can read more. But seeing as I bent this rule so many times last year, you can bend it too. :)
  • Lastly: have fun. If you don’t finish a book, it’s okay! If you finish it, then…feel free to reward yourself with something. :)

I’ll be posting a linky every month of a Required Reading post so you can leave a link to your Required Reading post there. (Not that there’s a lot of people who joined this last year…but you never know :D)

Now we are on for January. :)

Required Reading 2012: January

I love the end and the start of the year because there are so many books that I end up putting on my wish list after everyone starts making their best-of lists. Of course, that doesn’t really bode well for my book budget. :P It also makes me feel like I should READ. ALL. BOOKS., at least the ones they listed as very good that are in my TBR.

So for January, my required reading list will contain the books that I noticed were in a lot of best-of-2011 book lists among my blogger friends. Let’s call this Best-Of Catch Up. :)

  • Saving June by Hannah Harrington – “Saving June has everything that I look for in my contemporary reads…” (Chachic’s Book Nook)
  • Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park – “Loved it. You know those books where youâ€™re excited to tell the world about? I think this is one of them.Â  The more I think about Flat-Out Love the more I feel this â€œI need to pimp this bookâ€ feeling.” (Janicu’s Book Blog)
  • How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr – “From the assured writing to the authentic characters, How To Save A Life is a book that will both pluck at your heart strings and make you grin to lasting effect.” (Book Harbinger)

Oh look, all of them are contemporary books! Since I know I will probably end up going through these in a flash, I am adding two more books to the list:

So…that’s a sizable book list, don’t you think? I’ve started on one and already more than halfway on another, so at least I’ve started. :)


12 Thoughts on “Required Reading: January

  1. Tricia on January 5, 2012 at 7:35 pm said:

    Tina! Are we still having Game of Thrones book buddy read? Let’s push it on February nalang haha! Because I haven’t bought myself a copy and I can’t buy this month because I limited myself 1-2 books/month (this is a challenge!!!). Is it all right? Hehe! Good luck on Required Readings! I know how much disciplined you are in reading your lined-up books (and I can’t do it, I need intensive management and commitment to the books I have to read. I keep on abandoning them in the middle or after a few chapters haha)

    • Oh no worries! February na lang! Haha It would take a bit of investment to read that because of its length and I’m not mentally ready. Hahaha. :D

  2. Oh, here it is! I’ll write this tomorrow. :D

  3. Yay A Conspiracy of Kings! :) I’m really excited for The Queen’s Thief Week. Wish I could announce the line up but since I still don’t have the actual content, I just have to wait nearer to the event.

    • I can’t wait to see your lineup too. And I guess that’s why I didn’t get to read A Conspiracy of Kings last month, because I had to wait for that week. :) Yay.

  4. I will be joining you in this challenge, Tina. And yes, let’s do the Game of Thrones in February na lang. :) Happy new year!

    • Yes, February! BTW, when are you reading Pillars of the Earth? :D I might need a readalong partner with that too. :D

      • Maybe after I’m done with GOT? POTE looks as thick as GOT too so I don’t think I can manage to read the 2 books simultaneously. :D

  5. Whoo hoo! This post makes me feel good. Glad you are going to give FLAT-OUT LOVE a try, and I am also curious about HOW TO SAVE A LIFE and SAVING JUNE myself. And 1984 is a favorite book-I-had-to-read-for-class. :)

  6. Good luck with your January books, Tina! I really liked Saving June and How to Save a Life, I hope you enjoy them, too. SJ is getting mixed reviews, though, but I think…I THINK…you will like it!

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