This month’s #ArmedWithABingo feature is reader Nicole.
- How’s reading going this year?
Very well! With more free time spent at home due to the pandemic, I definitely have been reading more than usual, and have also been challenging myself to explore genres that I don’t normally read. My original reading goal for the year was 52 books, and I’m at 90 now!
- What made you join #ArmedWithABingo?
I’m friends with Ariel, so I learned about it from her! I’ve always liked the idea of reading challenges, but I don’t think I’ve done one since the library’s summer reading program when I was a kid. They can be really helpful for reading outside of your comfort zone, and the range of unique prompts appealed to me.
- When you first looked at your board, was there a prompt that you were super excited to start first or one that terrified you in some way?
A book that’s longer than 500 pages scared me! I normally read books that are around 300-350 pages, and anything longer than that really has to grab my attention to keep me interested. I ended up reading The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty for that prompt, which is 544 pages and a fantasy novel (a genre I like visually, but always struggle to read), so finishing this prompt felt like a personal victory.
There wasn’t a prompt that I was most excited for, but I was glad that some of them allowed me to re-read childhood favorites like Ramona Quimby, Age 8, the Nancy Drew book Mystery at Lilac Inn, and Little Women. I usually feel more compelled to read something new than to re-read a book, and I’m not sure I would have gone back to these this year without the prompts.
- How far along on the board are you at the moment?
I finished it at the end of July, thanks to some friends who sent me a book (I only had the “a book which was a gift/borrowed” prompt left). After completing it, I updated my board-in-progress with some of my favorites of the year so far, and it was interesting to be able to evaluate my reading through the filters of the board.
I don’t have a review blog set up yet (future goal, once I can brainstorm a name for it), but I do have a few shorter reviews on Goodreads for some of the books:
- Are Prisons Obsolete by Angela Davis
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
- Gone at Midnight by Jake Anderson
- Apart from #ArmedWithABingo, are you taking part in any other challenges?
At the moment I’m just reading whatever I want, but I had planned to complete the Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge, so I’ll probably revisit that in a few weeks.
- Apart from an avid reader, what are your other interests?
Film, travel, and being outside are three of my favorite things. Learning is also a hobby– I’ve been teaching myself to code, and started learning more about photography and embroidery this summer.
Find Nicole on: Twitter | Goodreads
Are you part of the #ArmedWithABingo community and want to be featured as you progress through the board? Let me know. 🙂 Spots are open for October and onwards!
What a varied selection!