In December I

• read and reviewed The lost art of gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith  My review * Goodreads
• read and reviewed Just one night: The stranger by Kyra Davis  My review * Goodreads
• Read and reviewed Murder is binding by Lorna Barrett  My review * Goodreads
• DNF’ed Murder Unleashed by Elaine Viets  Goodreads
• read and reviewed Chapter and Hearse by Lorna Barrett  My review * Goodreads 
• read Fix-it and Forget-it Holiday Main Dishes and Sides by Phyllis Pellman Good  Goodreads

Additionally I

• watched some Dickens movies for Dickens in December
  The Muppet Christmas Carol
• Blackadder’s Christmas Carol
• A Christmas Carol (BBC)
• participated in the Book Bloggers Holiday Card Exchange and got this lovely card and gift in return.

This month I am planning to

• try to finish the Grass Crown which I hope to enter in Birgit’s 2013 chunkster challenge (in reality the challenge has a nicer name than that)
• finish all my other “currently reading” books which would be really great. I’d love to start the new year all clean and tidy.

As for the challenges I participated in…

Mount TBR Challenge:
I didn’t read all of the ten books that I first planned to read (in fact I read two), but nevertheless I reduced my TBR pile considerably. So I call it a success.

Narnia Reading Project:
FAIL! My own project, too. But, after the first book I gave up. I suppose you have to read Narnia for the first time as a kid and not as an adult.

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge:
My goal was 56 book minimum and I read 62. Success.

Venice in February Reading Challenge:
Started one book and DNF’ed it. Fail.

Tea & Books Reading Challenge:
Planned to read two books and finished one. Fail.

If you would like to see what challenges I joined for 2013, go here.

My TBR pile and the book buying ban:
When I started the ban in June I had 65 books waiting to be read that I owned already. Today that number is 43. I haven’t read all of those in the meantime, but I purged the pile a bit more and got rid of some books that I know I won’t read. Apart from some gifted books and a few swapped ones I haven’t acquired a single book since June. I am proud of myself.

I additionally created a “read maybe” shelf on Goodreads which is exclusive, where I put books I might read in the future and don’t want to forget about, but I don’t consider seriously just yet. The to-read books include 22 books on my wishlist.

Goodreads status now:

I am pretty happy with this.

How about you? How did your challenges / buying bans go?