Tag: reading challenge

Just writing

Reading Challenge Fulfilled

nhpureandsimple

At the beginning of 2026, I set my reading challenge target to sixty books.

A month or two later, I reduced it to thirty.

I thought it was better to achieve the target than to lose track of it.

This wasn’t cheating, was it?

But at least, I’ve been honest with myself.

So over the last two, no three, days, I finished a wonderful book, and it happened to be the thirtieth one. 

This means my 2026 reading challenge is officially fulfilled.

Now I can read more, without any pressure.

My best reading challenge score was seventy-eight books in 2023, 

and I was so happy with that big harvest. 

But honestly, I’m not sure if I had followed the same strategy back then.

I mean if I had started with a target of thirty and ended up finishing seventy-eight books.

Things didn’t work with the same enthusiasm over the last few years, though.

Why? I wonder sometimes.

But, I do know why.

Mainly because of my stubbornness.

Once I set my mind to read a book, I want to finish it; even if I don’t like it, even if it gives me a headache, and even if it bores me to tears.

And I discovered another reason; the high target I set for myself.

Whenever I planned to read more books, I ended up reading far less than expected.

But we do learn from our mistakes.

So, I will stick to my old strategy; start with less and end up reading more.

And perhaps, for stubbornness, I’ll pretend to forget about the books I don’t like until the end of the year. Then I can say, “sorry but your time is out.”

So… well done, me, for achieving my reading target in August. 

And I will let you know how many more books I finish by the end of this year.

Or you can simply have a guess.

With happy- reading thoughts,

Nahla

Daily thoughts

Reading Update

nhpureandsimple

I’ve just finished the second book on my reading list for this month. 

Such a big achievement after a few months of slow reading rhythm.

At the beginning of 2026, I lowered the number of books I hoped to read.

It feels better to meet the target than to miss it. 

So, for my reading challenge, I decided to keep my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds.

Soon, I will announce the good news of fulfilling my reading-challenge goal.

But of course, I will keep reading.

I’ve returned to fiction over the last two months.

Fiction is intriguing and interesting but that always depends on the book.

When you read a good book, you reach for more by the same author.

And if most of the books turn out to be so good, it becomes hard to turn to another author.

But then, at some point, you have to pause and tell yourself that it’s enough.

It’s time to discover a different world with a different author.

I’m already happily stuck with Lisa Wingate, and I don’t think I’ll turn away any time soon.

With reading-update thoughts,

Nahla

P.S.

Even cats love reading.

The photo is from the Cat Café in Malaysia.

Just writing

Reading Challenge: From Plan to Result

nhpureandsimple

I haven’t finished it yet, and I have only myself to blame. 

Do you know why? 

Imagine you decide to join a marathon even though you know you’re more of a walker. You’re not slow, but you simply like to take your time, enjoying the scenery and your surroundings. 

So I began my 2025 reading marathon with a plan to finish 60 books.

Of course, at the start line, I was full of enthusiasm, energy, and dedication, but things always happen.

A few months later, the target began to feel unrealistic, especially as doubt started whispering logic into my head, equipped with sensible calculations and reasons. 

I dropped my challenge to 50 books, and slowed down running.

Halfway through the year, a few complicated books challenged my target, and made me feel as if I were running up a steep hill. And don’t forget, I’m not really a runner. So, I changed to jogging instead, and dropped my challenge to 40 books.

Now, it’s almost the end of the year, and I have no plan to drop the number again.

My score is so far 33 books.

If I make it, I make it.

If not, I’ll make a sensible plan for 2026.

At least that’s what inspired me to write this post.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

P.S.S

Please don’t be disappointed or discouraged by this post. I hope as much that you will read it as I hope you will fulfil your own reading challenge target. 

holidays

The Easter Holiday– Part Two

nhpureandsimple

So, as I spent a few days coughing and sneezing, I decided to pause writing until I felt better. My decision was not approved by my mind. We started a fight–I insisted on pausing, while my mind, full of rage, making my headache even worse, kept pushing ideas into my head even invading my dreams. I ignored it, and when I turned my attention to other things, it surrendered.

First, I began with my French lessons. I noticed that I had been awarded a three– day Duolingo Max trial for my hard work. It offered real–life conversation practice which turned out to be such a great fun. Do you know why? Because when you’re having a bad cold, all your letters sounded hilariously different. In my case, with this terrible, awful cold, not only my pronunciation was affected, but also my hearing. So, the real–life conversation practice turned into a comical episode. We would start talking about one thing and end up talking about something totally different, with many words lost in between.

However, I was shocked by my poor performance during this real–life conversation practice. I thought I was doing very well–which is true for reading, partially true for listening, and average for writing. But when it came to actual conversations, my Arabic, English, and French clashed with each other. The outcome was so funny, so poor.

Next, I checked my reading challenge progress, which is moving at a turtle’s pace. But I don’t really mind as I am not planning to break the Guinness World Record for reading speed. So, I decided to finish the book I started at the beginning of this month: Sixpence in Her Shoe. I came across this book while reading another. Piqued with curiosity, I wanted to see how it tackled the topic of being a housewife.

The book turned out to be good and enjoyable to read though, to be honest, I skipped many parts that had so many details– sections about furniture, houses prices and locations, housekeeping, food recipes, kitchen equipment, and more aspects of life from the sixties of the last century. However, overall, it provides both amusing and expressive arguments about what it is like to be full-time housewife and why it is considered the best profession for women. Thank God the book didn’t disappoint me.

By the way, if you decide to switch off your social media accounts, say, for a few days, do you think you’d miss much?

I wouldn’t, and  this exactly how I feel about being a full–time wife and mum. I believe I haven’t missed much, but I know I would have if I hadn’t.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Just writing

Reading Challenge

nhpureandsimple

It’s almost the end of the year, and I am running our of time to finish the 50 books I had planned to read this year. Actually it’s not that bad, I  read 47 books so far. By the way it’s thanks to my WordPress friend Arlene for starting this experience in the first place. I can’t remember exactly when I did, but I was inspired by her reading challenge experience.

Before the coffee gets Cold, is the most recent book I have finished, and here’s my book review for it.

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2024/12/05/before-the-coffee-gets-cold/

Please have a look. Hope you’ll like both the book and my review.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla