It seems a combination of the 40-hour (sometimes 48-hour) work week, extra freelance work, and putting some really thick books on my reading list took its toll on my ability to complete my 2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge.

As you may remember from last year, I wrote a post about my 2015 victory, which included a list of books I wanted to read in 2016. In 2015, I successfully read 12 books. For 2016, I pledged 15.

I knew this challenge was going downhill when I realized I couldn’t keep my eyes open long enough to finish reading a page while riding in the backseat on road trip vacations with my parents.

Of the 15 books I pledged, here are the ones I actually got to finish:

Yeah, 6 of 15. I failed hard.

My favorite of the books I got to read was Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I’d heard such great things about it, and it definitely lived up to all the praise. I’m a sucker for a good romance novel, and this one made me want to read more of Rowell’s work.

For my 2017 Goodreads Challenge, I’m just going to pick up where I left off. I’m still in the process of reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (a book of over 700 pages that I’m trying really hard to finish by the end of January) plus 8 other books that are carrying over from last year equals 9 books.

Sounds doable.

Here’s the list:

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (started at end of 2016, currently on pg. 109 of 773)

Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Helen Keller in Love by Rosie Sutlan

What Pretty Girls Are Made Of by Lindsay Jill Roth

The Unexpected by J Sheley

Taming Cross by Ella James

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Subject to Change by Alessandra Thomas

If you’d like to, feel free to add me on Goodreads to see my progress, and please scold me in the comments on my recent activity if I’ve spent more than 30 days on one book!