That’s what the Goodreads Reading Challenge is all about. Of course, I’m sure they have some sort of mission statement that includes language about motivating yourself to Read!Moar!Books! But let’s be honest: we are keeping track of what we are reading, sure. But mostly we are showing off our numbers. And judging people who have a lot less.
There has been only one inherent flaw in this plan since the Reading Challenge was adopted in 2011 … your book count doesn’t reflect re-reads. Goodreads has historically only allowed you one date for when you read a book, and as we all know sometimes you pick up Devil in Winter once, twice or three times a year for no good reason. But according to your Reading Challenge feed, it looks like you were doing NOTHING from February 6th to the 17th and July 22nd to 24th of last year when everyone SHOULD KNOW you were just revisiting and reevaluating your love for St. Vincent.
It’s not fair.
Re-readers Rejoice!
But praise be to the Gods of Braggadocious Romance Novel Readers for Goodreads has heard our cries and updated their Books Read functionality with AS MANY DATES AS YOU WANT.
That’s right, nerds. You can now input every single week (month) that you spent with Jamie and Claire Fraser over and over (and over and over – because we know that’s all you read) until it finally starts to embarrass even you that you haven’t read anything else.
I’ve already expressed to you lovely TN readers that I have a re-reading problem. I don’t really consider it something I want help for. I like it. I like revisiting Middle Earth every summer for decades. Even though I make fun, I’m obviously enjoying our re-read of Voyager for In the Waterweeds. I not-so-secretly LOVE the build up of proper regency tension that leads to that perfectly charged letter reading moment in Persuasion.
But now, thanks to Goodreads hearing our cries, I get to remember – and maybe even keep track of – all those numerous re-reads. Do I really read the Lumatere Chronicles as often as I think I do? Do I get to count my re-reads of Harry Potter and the Narnia books with my kids in my Reading Challenge Count now too? How many times in just a couple of years am I going to go back to the Captive Prince series?
Probably a super lot.
Here’s how it works:
Just open the review tab of the book you are re-reading and select “Add Read Date.” More drop down fields will appear for you to fill in. You can even add Recommendations or Private Notes that the author will never see (like I HATED THIS THE SECOND TIME AROUND WHAT WAS I THINKING GIVING CITY OF ASHES 4 STARS IN 2010????). Normal stuff.
What Are You ReReading in 2017?
So now, even though there are more than enough new books and new authors and new series out there to keep you busy until you die, you can delve back into those familiar waters and re-read a favorite and STILL GET THE CREDIT HOURS you deserve.
Here’s what I’m picking up pretty soon …
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Eleanor and Park
The Neighborly Affection Series
Luck in the Shadows
… and probably a lot of smut.
What about you? What old favorites are you putting back in your TBR pile now that you know you can brag about them?
