Clean Your Reader: A Challenge!

'Tis the season of mulled spiced things, long books... and e-book deals. And deals. And deals. And if you're anything like me, you're a sucker for those e-book deals. Even though, let's be honest, we all have dozens of unread e-books on our e-readers already. So I'm putting out the Clean Your Reader Challenge, because my (admittedly half-assed) Google searching for a comparable short-term reading challenge yielded nothing, and I do better at these kinds of things when I can convince/bribe other people to join me in my follies.

The goal is simple: Spend January reading some of those e-books you bought because you just had to read them someday and they were only $1.99! We can do this, right?



I'm not good at managing multiple levels and all that jazz, so to sign up, link to your sign-up post using the Linky below.

Sign-Up Post


What's your e-reader of choice?
What e-books or e-book deals are you incapable of saying no to?
How many e-books are you going to try to tackle in January?
(Feel free to grab the image above to use in your post, if you want!)

I'll be posting here about my progress, and updating on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #cleanyourreader.


Along the Way

It would be awesome to hear what you think of those e-books you've been collecting along the way, but you don't need to post reviews of each title to participate (or be eligible for contest prizes... see below). Simply post at the beginning about your goals, and the end with your outcomes. Anything beyond that is invited but not required!

Prizes!

Everyone who completes the challenge (that is, links up at the end of January on how it went) will be entered to win an e-reader cover, valued up to $40, for the e-reader of their choice. Due to shipping costs, this prize is limited to US residents--but if you are international and win, I'll gift a comparably valued gift certificate so you can purchase one yourself. If you're not international but prefer an e-book gift certificate to your e-book vendor of choice instead of a new cover, that's fine too!

Questions?

Let me know.


45 comments

  1. I keep saying I'm not going to do challenges but this one IS SO COOL!

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  2. Yeah I'm ducking out of most challenges--generally because I fail at them--but I wanted to kick myself into gear on my e-books because I have SO MANY. I tried to keep it really simple, low pressure, not a lot of rules in hopes that it will be easier for others in the "I'm not doing any more challenges!" bucket. I hope you'll join me!

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  3. These are adorable! I have a book I've already cut up to make book page ornaments, so I think I'll try making some of these!

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  4. Oooo I want to do this. I probably won't this year, because I'm SUPER busy and have a bunch of bows already, but these are ADORABLE.

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  5. The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies, but I've never read the book! Someday I WILL read it, and I'd also like to listen to Cary Elwes' book on audio -- I love hearing celebs read their own memoirs.

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  6. I love The Princess Bride - both book and film!

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  7. It's hard not to love, isn't it? :-)

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  8. I just read the novel for the first time this year--it's fun how it feels SO familiar and yet so new at the same time. Cary Elwes' book is excellent and a really fun read if you're a fan of the movie. Lots of fun making-of trivia, there.

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  9. These are adorable! I will have to make some. I don't know if it's my years working in a library and seeing have fast books fall apart, but I have no issues cutting books up (or weeding them from the collection and then cutting them up).

    And I am not crafty either. At all.

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  10. I need to do this. I don't know if I will, but I really, really need to.

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  11. Great lists! I love this time of year with a Best Of list around every corner. I've been ruminating on what would be on my own list year, and of the books you mentioned, Station Eleven will probably make my list. The Roxane Gay book is my short list of backlist books to read in 2015.

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  12. This was the final straw in putting Redeployment on the library hold list! I'm definitely going to have to read it now.

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  13. Fantastic list! I still need to read Florence Gordon and Redeployment, and I love the other fiction you chose.

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  14. Oh boy, so many books I didn't know about. I read Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk this year and it was a tough one about the war but now I think I should read Redeployment as well. And An Untamed State. Oh, and The Sparrow. There goes my shrinking TBR list!

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  15. That's what I kept saying, which is why I tried to make it slightly more formal than my own affirmations that I would finally, really, actually do this this year.

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  16. Glad you'll be reading Wild! I'm finally going to see the movie next Tuesday and I couldn't be more excited. Looking forward to hearing what you think of Etta & Otto, since I have a copy of that, too (also encouraged by Nathan's raves!).

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  17. I read Snow Child last winter, and it is so perfect for the season. And A Christmas Carol is always a good choice :)

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  18. I read THE SNOW CHILD.

    THE SNOW CHILD. It doesn’t live up to all its great reviews. It is simply a retelling of a Russian fairy tale.

    But
    I would think that, in doing so, the author would have filled in the
    blanks, i.e., she would have made the tale seem more realistic by
    showing how the unrealistic might really have happened. And she does
    seem to be trying to do that. But the reader still needs a willing
    suspension of disbelief. The book is full of unanswered questions.

    I knew THE SNOW CHILD was based on a fairy tale. I learned that it IS a fairy tale.

    I won this book from Freda's Voice blog.

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  19. Given your obsession I'm guessing you already know this but in case you don't...wait for it...Sugar is back. She has a podcast now and so far it's good. If you didn't know I can count this as my Christmas gift to you! :)

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  20. Have a great trip! I'm excited that Wild is coming along on the ride :)


    Thanks for reminding me that I need to read A Christmas Carol today!

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  21. This book is completely amazing. It has the feel of Lewis Caroll's
    works, but with an odd, yet succinctly perfect emotional facet.
    I like this site :: San Antonio Movers website

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  22. I definitely need to do this. I'm also trying to stay away from too many reading challenges this year, but this one is perfect.

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  23. The Snow Child seems like a great winter read. The boyfriend and I just finished up Serial on our drive back this afternoon (it was a little anti-climactic, but definitely an interesting listen).

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  24. I said I wasn't going to do reading challenges in the new year but I really need to do this too; I recently realised that I bought quite the number of eBooks this past year that I should get around to. We'll see how my domain change goes in the next week before I sign up ;) Thanks for hosting this great RC! :)

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  25. It's wonderful. I'm about 50 pages from the end and savoring it as much as possible.


    Agreed on Serial being anti-climactic at the end, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. Thought-provoking on the way the justice system works, how trials run, the like. I'm excited for another season!

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  26. You are more than welcome!

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  27. I KNOW IT! I am SOOOO excited.

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  28. I'm loving it so far. Trying to slow myself down for the last 50 pages so it doesn't end!

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  29. I haven't gotten to either of these (yet!) -- our trip had more activity in it than anticipated, and less reading time. But I'm loving The Snow Child.

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  30. I know the feeling... I was going to shy away from challenges but my e-book collection has really started to get out of hand, and I never seem to remember them when I'm picking my next book! I hope you can join us; if the domain isn't working, feel free to read along anyway and I'll still enter you in the giveaway :-)

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  31. That's pretty much how I felt about most challenges this year... I always love the idea, and never manage to follow through. But the ebook collection is out of hand, so I'm hoping this can be a kick in the pants for me (and others!).

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  32. I'm glad you're enjoying them! I've got one more batch of Ireland photos (from Newgrange and the Hill of Tara) to come (still sorting and editing the good ones). I'm so jealous that you're going in May... I already can't wait to go back :-)

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  33. I still haven't read Billy Flynn but it is on my list. If you're at all interested in war fiction, Redeployment is superb.


    And what is this shrinking TBR you speak of? I've never heard of such a thing!

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  34. THEY ARE BOTH SO GOOD!

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  35. Oooooh yes you must must must read it. So powerful. So good.

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  36. Station Eleven snuck up on me in a way I didn't expect. I'd love to know what else is on your list!

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  37. I'm in! I'm not setting any finite goals, but I'm reading lots of comics on my reader, plus Station Eleven right now. So I might as well put those efforts toward something. :)

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  38. Hooray! So glad you're joining :-)

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  39. Alrighty, I decided to go for it and signed up :) Thanks re: my domain change: would you like me to let you know anyways about the new link to my sign-up post when the changeover does happen?

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  40. Awesome! Sure, let me know when the domain changes and I'll see if I can adjust the link to make sure it still works. Glad you're joining!

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  41. I loved the Rock of Cashel! A few years after visiting it with a friend, she returned there with her boyfriend (now husband) and he proposed. We checked out a distillery when we were there too, it's a must!

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  42. The Sparrow, geez I love that book so much. It was on my favorite list the year I read it. One of my top ten books this year was Doc, same author, but a completely different subject matter. The woman is just an incredible author.

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  43. Oh! That is SO fun! It's so pretty there (and we were lucky to visit on a clear day, so we could see for miiiiiles). I want to go back already :-)

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  44. The Sparrow was the first book I'd read of hers, but I am SO interested in everything else she's written. She has a new book out this year, if I remember correctly... maybe a Western-esque read? Blanking on the details now.

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  45. Oh my goodness, the Jameson distillery. I want to go to there.

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Thanks for stopping by!