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Abandonment.  That’s a word that usually has me diving for under the covers to take to my bed like the good Southern woman I’m Not (yep, born and raised here in SoCali and me with no blonde hair Or blue eyes- can you believe such a thing?!) and hide until the monster goes away.

But in true incorrigible, defiant (See “Quotes That Speak to Me“) woman style, I’m going to take that which terrifies me (always has) and use it as I see fit.

Specifically, in this context, I am, after much thought and deliberation, abandoning the reading challenges I so happily took on at the end of last year.

Not because I’m not reading anymore.  It’s precisely the opposite in fact.

I found that it wasn’t so much writing the reviews that was turning into another “to do (although that is a problem too),” but it felt like work to match it to all the reading challenges it worked for, then find the latest challenge linky post for that challenge and link it there.  It all became too much “to do,” and sometimes I’d just rather be reading the next book (most of the time, in fact).

Plus, I found myself picking books according to if it would fit a (or more than one) reading challenge, rather than something I was really excited to open up and get lost in.  And I love reading for the escapism (yes, books are cheaper and less self-destructive than other coping mechanisms), and the education (at 46 years old, I’m learning new words in the book I’m reading now) both.  So I didn’t want something that I didn’t “have to” do spoiling my lifelong love of books.

Therefore, I am consciously abandoning my reading challenges.  I will still post Excerpts and Reviews, but only when and because I wanna, not because I committed to doing so for no necessary reason.

So, from here on out, keep your eyes peeled for my Book Excerpts and Book Reviews, which will continue to show up – when I decide and for no other reason than that.