2020 Reading Challenges

After thinking about my 2019 reading challenges, I’ve decided to go a completely different direction this coming year. In 2019, I signed up for a ton of challenges with so many reading slots. I do like variety. And I upped by Goodreads challenge number to 250. Things went well, but in November I started thinking about the amount of stress and anxiety I was putting on myself. I found that I was focusing on books to fill challenge slots as opposed to the books that I really wanted to read. Everything worked out fine, but I need to shake things up this year. So…

No more reading challenges! Okay. Not completely true. I am not going to sign up for any specific reading challenges (scif, romance, etc). I am not going to sign up for any varied reading challenges (Modern Mrs. Darcy, Popsugar, etc). I’m going back to basics and focus on mood reading and my own shelves. But I am going to have a small list of personal challenges:

2020 Reading Challenges

• Picture Books

• Goodreads Challenge

• Perpetual Books

• UnRead Shelf

• Library Books

• Ebooks

• Goodreads To Read Random

• TBR Jar Random

• Tournament of Books

• Monthly Themes

Picture Books (100) - I’m not following an outside reading challenge, but just creating my own. We are shooting for 26 books A to Z Authors, 26 book A to Z Titles, and 48 random books.

GoodReads Challenge (200) - In 2019, I started with 175 books and then quickly upped it to 200, then 215, and ended with 250 books. I sped through so many books last year. I’m going to continue making a lot of time for reading, but will be lowering my goal just a bit. For 2020, I’m hoping to read 200 books.

Perpetual Books (30) - So many books I want to get to on these lists. I’m hoping to read 30 books.

UnRead Shelf (50) - I really need to focus on my unread shelves. I’m hoping to read 50 books from the physical shelves. As of January 1st, I have 120 books sitting in the TV room to read. Any physical books that I acquire (e.g. Book of the Month selections) will be added to these shelves. Kindle and ebooks are not counted in this total. UnRead Shelf Top 10:

1. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

2. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

3. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

4. In the Hurricane’s Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick

5. Scandalous Women of the Ton Series by Nicola Cornick

6. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomikas Adeyemi

7. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

8. Well Met by Jen DeLuca

9. Swamplandia by Karen Russell

10. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Library Books (50) - Obviously I will be continuing to utilize the local library. I’m going to set a 50 books challenge on library books.

Ebooks (50) - I have way too many ebooks sitting in Books and on my Kindle app. I really need to read some of these. I’m shooting for 50 ebooks.

Goodreads To Read Random (12) - I currently have ____ books listed on my Goodreads To Read shelf. That’s just way too many. There’s so many that I forget what’s even on there. On the last day of every month, I’m going to use a random number generator to pick a book of the list. (Obviously if the pick is part of a series, I will read the first book [or whatever number I am currently on] and not read the one picked) That’s 12 books (at least) for this challenge.

TBR Jar Random (12) - Similar to the Goodreads To Read Random challenge, I have a cute little TBR jar that I have placed book titles into. These titles can be books I run across on podcasts, bookpages, etc, from my own shelves, in ebook form, or from the perpetual lists. I’m going to random pull out a title the last day of every month.

Monthly Themes (72) - Overall I want to move back to mood reading, but I do want to include some fun themes throughout the year. I’ve gone through and picked two themes for each month of the year. For each theme, I am hoping to read three relevant books. So that’s six theme books a month for a total of 72 books for the year. Books selected for this can cross over to other challenges.

• January - Dystopian/Apocalypse Reads; Focus on a Person (fiction or nonfiction)

• February - Romance; Black History Month

• March - Women’s History Month; Mysteries

• April - Graphic Novels and Comics; New Books (published in 2019/2020)

• May - Fairy Tales; Classics

• June - Historical Fiction; Young Adult

• July - Fantasy; Set in Other Countries (England and US excluded)

• August - School Stories; Science Fiction

• September - Banned Books; Hispanic Heritage Month

• October - Spooky Reads; About a Family

• November - Nonfiction Reads; Native American Voices

• December - Holiday Themed Reads; Last Chance Reads

Here’s hoping to a more relaxed reading year in 2020!

2019 Reading Challenge Roundup - Completed

Modern Mrs. Darcy
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. Book I’ve Been Meaning to Read - How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)

2. Book About a Topic that Fascinates Me - Eruption by Steve Olson (2/23/19)

3. Book in the Backlist of a Favorite Author - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (3/14/19)

4. Book Recommended by Someone with Great Taste - The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (4/12/19)

5. Three Books by the Same Author - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (4/27/19)

6. Three Books by the Same Author - Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green (8/25/19)

7. Three Books by the Same Author - Paper Towns by John Green (3/15/19)

8. Book You Choose for the Cover - Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (6/5/19)

9. Book by an Author Who is New to You - Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (5/6/19)

10. Book in Translation - The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury (5/7/19)

11. Book Outside Your (Genre) Comfort Zone - A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (3/18/19)

12. Book Published Before You Were Born - Persuasion by Jane Austen (12/23/19)

For the Love Ebooks
Goal: 30/30 Books 100%

1. And the Rest is History by Jodi Taylor (1/16/19)

2. Craven Manor by Darcy Coates (2/8/19)

3. A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang (2/22/19)

4. Heart-shaped Box by Joe Hill (2/20/19)

5. Growing Season by Melanie Lageschulte (3/27/19)

6. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3/30/19)

7. The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown (4/6/19)

8. The Winter Duchess by Jillian Eaton (4/19/19)

9. The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy (5/7/19)

10. A Curve in the Road by Julianne MacLean (5/22/19)

11. Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler (6/7/19)

12. Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor (8/17/19)

13. The Tower Formerly Known as Sears by Lisa M. Lilly (10/2/19)

14. Life Among the Dead by Daniel Cotton (10/8/19)

15. The Second Deluge by Garrett P. Serviss (11/6/19)

16. When a Rogue Loves a Woman by Samantha Holt (11/12/19)

17. Waiting for a Rogue Like You by Samantha Holt (11/19/19)

18. What’s a Rogue Got to Do With It by Samantha Holt (11/19/19)

19. The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane (11/22/19)

20. A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (11/26/19)

21. The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller (11/25/19)

22. Christmas Lovebirds by Rachelle Ayala (11/29/19)

23. My Christmas Curse by Joan Gable (11/29/19)

24. Christmas with the Black Sheep by Natalie-Nicole Bates (11/29/19)

25. Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken (11/28/19)

26. Unexpected Endings by Elena Aitken (11/28/19)

27. Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman (12/4/19)

28. Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman (12/7/19)

29. A Kiss of Christmas by Jillian Eaton (12/8/19)

30. This Christmas by Jeannie Moon (12/14/19)

Monthly Motif
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. January: New to You Author - Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon (1/24/19)

2. February: Cover Love - A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang (2/22/19)

3. March: Royalty, Kingdom, Empires, Governments - A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (3/18/19)

4. April: Crack the Case (Mystery) - Tulle Death Do Us Part by Annette Blair (4/9/19)

5. May: One Sitting Reads - The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo (5/17/19)

6. June: Diversify Your Reading - Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey (6/18/19)

7. July: Through the Years - The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes (7/9/19)

8. August: Mode of Transportation - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (8/4/19)

9. September: Animal, Number, Color, Name - The Girl in Red by Christina Henry (8/27/19)

10. October: Tricks and Trades (theater, amusement park, circus, or involving magic) - Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine (10/11/19)

11. November: Seasons, Elements, and Weather - The Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay (11/24/19)

12. December: Last Chance - 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander (12/13/19)

Monthly Keyword
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. January (Snow, Winter, Year, Jewel, Hat, Dance, Top, Car, Why) - A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh (1/22/19)

2. February (Red, Love, Heart, Rose, Candy, Hope, Bottom, Walk, Who) - Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2/20/19)

3. March (Shamrock, Luck, Irish/Ireland, Pot, Gold, Faith, Emerald, Carry, What) - Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix (3/19/19)

4. April (Shower, Time, Bunny/Hare, Basket, Cross, Hunt, Parade, All, Where) - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (4/27/19)

5. May (Mother, Daisy, Memorial/Memory, You, Mountain, Day, Wind, Sky, When) - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5/29/19)

6. June (Dress, Father, Man, Woman, Flag, Happy, Some, Bride, How) - The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (6/26/19)

7. July (Fire, Work/s, Stream, Lake, Field, Family, Cloud, Bear, Because) - The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick (9/7/19)

8. August (Sand, Swim, Hot, Ride, There, Few, Sad, Camera, They) - The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (9/17/19)

9. September (Book, Here, Back, School, Speak, Train, Leave, Paper, Them) - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (9/10/19)

10. October (Fall, Wolf, Ghost, Witch, Halloween, Scare, Night, Creature, He) - Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (10/4/19)

11. November (Leave/s or Leaf, Thanks, Food, Family, Share, Dream, Live, Have, She) - The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal (11/20/19)

12. December (Star, Night, Christmas, Angel, Gift/Present, Tree, Wise, Dear, It) - Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler (12/11/19)

Random TBR Pick
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. January - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (1/30/19)

2. February - An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor (2/27/19)

3. March - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (3/14/19)

4. April - Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (4/17/19)

5. May - The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg (5/27/19)

6. June - Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (7/5/19)

7. July - Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (7/6/19)

8. August - Ayesha at Last by Usma Jalaluddin (8/24/19)

9. September - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (9/10/19)

10. October - Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven (10/19/19)

11. November - The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Griesbrecht (11/15/19)

12. December - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (12/10/19)

Horror
Goal: 10/10 Books 100%

1. Craven Manor by Darcy Coates (2/8/19)

2. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2/20/19)

3. The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay (3/8/19)

4. Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (4/17/19)

5. Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell (4/28/19)

6. Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler (6/7/19)

7. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (6/26/19)

8. The Girl in Red by Christina Henry (8/27/19)

9. Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist (9/2/19)

10. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (10/30/19)

Graphic Novels
Goal: 52/52 Comics 100%

1. Saga Vol. 9 (1/15/19)

2. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 7 (1/12/19)

3. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 8 (5/4/19)

4. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 9 (10/25/19)

5. Rat Queens Vol. 5 (1/13/19)

6. Rat Queens Vol. 6 (10/16/19)

7. The Walking Dead Vol. 30 (1/15/19)

8. The Walking Dead Vol. 31 (7/17/19)

9. Low Vol. 2 (1/25/19)

10. Low Vol. 3 (1/26/19)

11. Low Vol. 4 (1/26/19)

12. The Exile by Diana Gabaldon (1/12/19)

13. The Autumnlands Vol. 1 (1/25/19)

14. Lumberjanes Vol. 1 (2/2/19)

15. Lumberjanes Vol. 2 (3/4/19)

16. Lumberjanes Vol. 3 (6/12/19)

17. Lumberjanes Vol. 4 (6/12/19)

18. Lumberjanes Vol. 5 (7/20/19)

19. Lumberjanes Vol. 6 (7/25/19)

20. Lumberjanes Vol. 7 (7/26/19)

21. Lumberjanes Vol. 8 (8/13/19)

22. Damsels Vol. 1 (2/15/19)

23. Damsels Vol. 2 (2/15/19)

24. Lady Mechanika Vol. 1 (2/26/19)

25. Lady Mechanika Vol. 2 (2/26/19)

26. Lady Mechanika Vol. 3 (4/21/19)

27. Exquisite Corpse by Penelope Bagieu (2/16/19)

28. Paper Girls Vol. 5 (3/5/19)

29. Paper Girls Vol. 6 (10/12/19)

30. Road to Riverdale Vol. 1 (3/12/19)

31. Road to Riverdale Vol. 2 (3/12/19)

32. Road to Riverdale Vol. 3 (3/12/19)

33. Alex + Ada Vol. 1 (3/16/19)

34. Alex + Ada Vol. 2 (3/16/19)

35. Alex + Ada Vol. 3 (3/16/19)

36. The Beauty Vol. 1 (3/13/19)

37. The Beauty Vol. 2 (3/13/19)

38. The Beauty Vol. 3 (3/13/19)

39. The Beauty Vol. 4 (3/13/19)

40. The Beauty Vol. 5 (5/5/19)

41. Umbrella Academy Vol. 1 (4/13/19)

42. Umbrella Academy Vol. 2 (6/15/19)

43. Umbrella Academy Vol. 3 (10/9/19)

44. Heathen Vol. 1 (5/3/19)

45. Heathen Vol. 2 (10/5/19)

46. Giant Days Vol. 8 (5/4/19)

47. Coffin Hill Vol. 1 (6/16/19)

48. Coffin Hill Vol. 2 (6/20/19)

49. Coffin Hill Vol. 3 (6/22/19)

50. Gumballs (7/29/19)

51. The Mental Load (7/30/19)

52. East of West Vol. 9 (9/21/19)

Library Love
Goal: 60/60 Books 100%

1. Coffee Talk by Morton Satin (1/12/19)

2. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (1/19/19)

3. Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand (1/18/19)

4. Open House by Elizabeth Berg (1/23/19)

5. Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand (1/23/19)

6. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon (1/24/19)

7. Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (1/28/19)

8. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (2/6/19)

9. Visualizing the Beatles by John Pring and Rob Thomas (2/6/19)

10. American War by Omar El Akkad (2/16/19)

11. The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (2/10/19)

12. Skirting the Grave by Annette Blair (1/30/19)

13. Code Girls by Liza Mundy (1/31/19)

14. The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (2/20/19)

15. And Then You Die of Dysentery by Lauren Reeves (3/7/19)

16. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (3/9/19)

17. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (3/23/19)

18. The Library Book by Susan Orlean (4/4/19)

19. Atlas of the Unexpected by Travis Elborough (4/5/19)

20. The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (4/12/19)

21. Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy by Anne Boyd Rioux (4/16/19)

22. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (4/20/19)

23. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (4/26/19)

24. How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)

25. Escaping from Houdini by Kerry Maniscalco (5/14/19)

26. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo (5/17/19)

27. Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins (5/18/19)

28. Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen (5/23/19)

29. The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (5/25/19)

30. A Brief History of Nebraska by Ronald Naugle (5/27/19)

31. Watching You by Lisa Jewell (5/28/19)

32. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (6/5/19)

33. If, Then by Kate Hope Day (6/8/19)

34. Craftfulness by Rosemary Davidson and Arzu Tahsin (6/14/19)

35. Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (6/11/19)

36. Cities by Monica L. Smith (6/13/19)

37. City of Light by Rupert Christiansen (6/19/19)

38. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (6/23/19)

39. Zoo Nebraska by Carson Vaughan (6/27/19)

40. Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan (6/29/19)

41. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (6/30/19)

42. Furious Hours by Casey Cep (7/1/19)

43. The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes (7/9/19)

44. The River by Peter Heller (7/10/19)

45. The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (7/12/19)

46. Little Beach Street Cafe by Jenny Colgan (7/16/19)

47. The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson (7/19/19)

48. Less by Andrew Sean Greer (7/24/19)

49. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (7/27/19)

50. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (7/28/19)

51. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (8/4/19)

52. Columbine by Dave Cullen (8/6/19)

53. I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott (8/9/19)

54. Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey (8/10/19)

55. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (8/7/19)

56. Recursion by Black Crouch (8/16/19)

57. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth (8/20/19)

58. Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald (8/21/19)

59. You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld (8/23/19)

60. A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell (8/26/19)

Historical Fiction
Goal: 10/10 Books 100%

1. A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang (2/22/19)

2. The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (5/10/19)

3. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (5/15/19)

4. The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (5/25/19)

5. The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (5/30/19)

6. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (6/5/19)

7. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (6/24/19)

8. The Huntress by Kate Quinn (6/28/19)

9. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (7/5/19)

10. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (7/27/19)

Picture Books
Goal: 70/70 Books 100%

1. Title Beginning with A - Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat (March)

2. Author Beginning with A - Sir Simon by Cale Atkinson (April)

3. Illustrator Beginning with A - Octopus Escapes Again! illustrated by Laurie Ellen Angus (January)

4. Title Beginning with B - Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton (April)

5. Author Beginning with B - Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach (January)

6. Illustrator Beginning with B - Book! Book! Book! Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke (April)

7. Title Beginning with C - Chimpanzees for Tea by Jo Empson (April)

8. Author Beginning with C - What Planet are You From, Clarice Bean? by Lauren Child (January)

9. Illustrator Beginning C - The Truth About My Unbelievable Summer illustrated by Benjamin Chaud (march)

10. Title Beginning with D - The Dinosaur Expert by Margaret McNamara (January)

11. Author Beginning with D - Dinosaur Dig! by Penny Dale (January)

12. Illustrator Beginning with D - If You Were a Times Sign illustrated by Sarah Dillard (February)

13. Title Beginning with E - Elmer and Butterfly by David McKee (January)

14. Author Beginning with E - Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert (April)

15. Illustrator Beginning with E - Do NOT Bring Your Dragon to the Library illustrated by Andy Elkerton (January)

16. Title Beginning with F - Farmer Dale’s Red Pickup Truck by Lisa Wheeler (March)

17. Author Beginning with F - Lost in the Library by Josh Funk (January)

18. Illustrator Beginning with F - My Daddy is a Pretzel illustrated by Sophie Fatus (July)

19. Title Beginning with G - Giraffe Problems by Jory John (June)

20. Author Beginning with G - Revenge of the Dinotrux by Chris Gall (April)

21. Illustrator Beginning with G - Dino-Dancing Illustrated by Barry Gott (January)

22. Title Beginning with H - How to Be a Viking by Cressida Cowell (January)

23. Author Beginning with H - Stegothesaurus by Bridget Heos (January)

24. Illustrator Beginning with H - Construction Kitties illustrated by Shari Halpern (January)

25. Title Beginning with I - I Love Cats by Sue Stainton (January)

26. Author Beginning with I - Did You Eat the Parakeet? By Mark Iacolina (April)

27. Illustrator Beginning with I - Boom Boom Go Away illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (July)

28. Title Beginning with J - Jack and the Beanstalk by Tony Ross (January)

29. Author Beginning with J - The Hueys in None the Number by Oliver Jeffers (March)

30. Illustrator Beginning with J - Unlike Other Monsters illustrated by Colin Jack (April)

31. Title Beginning with K - Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning (July)

32. Author Beginning with K - Alpha Oops! The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis (February)

33. Illustrator Beginning with K - Old MacDonald Had a Truck Illustrated by Eda Kaban (January)

34. Title beginning with L - Little Bear’s Big House by Benjamin Chaud (March)

35. Author Beginning with L - Will Sheep Sleep? by Hilary Leung (April)

36. Illustrator Beginning with L - There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover! Illustrated by Jared Lee (May)

37. Title Beginning with M - Marlo and the Dinosaurs by Christopher Browne (March)

38. Author Beginning with M - Elmer Takes Off by David McKee (January)

39. Illustrator Beginning with M - Music Is… illustrated by Amy Martin (April)

40. Title Beginning with N - Now I’m Big by Karen Katz (June)

41. Author Beginning with N - Author Beginning with N - Milky Way by Mamta Nainy (April)

42. Illustrator Beginning with N - Once Upon an ABC illustrated by Christopher Nielsen (July)

43. Title Beginning with O - Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Jane Cabrera (January)

44. Author Beginning with O - Bigfoot Does Not Like Birthday Parties by Eric Ode (April)

45. llustrator Beginning with O - If You Monster Won’t Go to Bed illustrated by Zachariah Ohora (April)

46. Title Beginning with P - Pete the Cate and the Treasure Map by James Dean (February)

47. Author Beginning with P - Dinosaur Farm by Frann Preston-Gannon (February)

48. Illustrator Beginning with P - A Winter Wonderland illustrated by Anne Passichier (February)

49. Title beginning with Q - The Quilt by Ann Jonas (June)

50. Author or Illustrator beginning with Q - My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero (July)

51. Title beginning with R - Race! By Sue Fliess (April)

52. Author beginning with R - The Subway Mouse by Barbara Reid (February)

53. Illustrator beginning with R - Hamsters on the Go! illustrated by Kass Reich (January)

54. Title beginning with S - Stanley the Mailman by William Bee (March)

55. Author beginning with S - Standroid and Dandroid Make a Mess by Michael Slack (March)

56. Illustrator beginning with S - Trucks Galore illustrated by Bob Staake (January)

57. Title beginning with T - The Three Little Pigs Count to 100 by Grace Maccarone (March)

58. Author beginning with T - Help! We Need a Title! by Herve Tullet (April)

59. Illustrator beginning with T - How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow illustrated by Feronia Parker Thomas (January)

60. Title beginning with U - Up Above and Down Below by Paloma Valdivia (April)

61. Author or illustrator beginning with U - Monster & Mouse Go Camping by Deborah Underwood (April)

62. Title beginning with V - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (January)

63. Author or illustrator beginning with V - Max the Brave by Ed Vere (April)

64. Title beginning with W - Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burglar by Emily MacKenzie (January)

65. Author beginning with W - Dino-Racing by Lisa Wheeler (February)

66. Illustrator beginning with W - Thelonious Mouse illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf (April)

67. Title with an X ("ex") - Max’s Dragon by Kate Banks (July)

68. Author or illustrator -- more than one author, more than one illustrator (turning x into +) - A Bunny is Funny by Harriet Ziefert and Fred Ehrlich (April)

69. Title with a Z - Zuzu’s Wishing Cake by Linda Michelin (July)

70. Author or illustrator beginning with Z - Monsters Go Night-Night by Aaron Zenz (April)

Romance
Goal: 10/10 Books 100%

1. The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh (1/17/19)

2. The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown (4/6/19)

3. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (4/10/19)

4. Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (4/14/19)

5. The Winter Duchess by Jillian Eaton (4/19/19)

6. The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli (5/2/19)

7. Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins (5/18/19)

8. Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (6/11/19)

9. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (6/23/19)

10. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (6/30/19)

Women Authors
Goal: 30/30 Authors 100%

1. Mary Balogh (3/20/19)

2. Leigh Bardugo (5/17/19)

3. Elizabeth Berg (1/23/19)

4. Annette Blair (4/3/19)

5. Rhys Bowen (5/23/19)

6. Chanel Cleeton (5/15/19)

7. Jillian Eaton (4/19/19)

8. Lyndsay Faye (4/24/19)

9. Elizabeth Gaskell (4/28/19)

10. Jenny Han (2/12/19)

11. Deborah Harkness (3/29/19)

12. Rachel Hawkins (5/18/19)

13. N.K. Jemisin (1/30/19)

14. Lisa Jewell (5/28/19)

15. Martha Hall Kelly (3/30/19)

16. Melanie Lageschulte (3/27/19)

17. Sonya Lalli (5/2/19)

18. Christina Lauren (6/23/19)

19. Rachael Lippincott (4/10/19)

20. Julianne MacLean (5/22/19)

21. Tahereh Mafi (4/8/19)

22. Seanan McGuire (2/6/19)

23. Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/2/19)

24. Kate Morton (1/11/19)

25. Mallory Ortberg (5/27/19)

26. Eva Pohler (6/7/19)

27. Kate Quinn (6/28/19)

28. Diane Setterfield (3/10/19)

29. Jennifer E. Smith (6/11/19)

30. Beatriz Williams (5/25/19)

2019 Reading Challenge Roundup - Failed

Perpetual Lists
Goal: 11/30 36.7%

1. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (FanPro)

2. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (FanPro; Teen; 365)

3. Peony in Love by Lisa See (FanPro)

4. Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist (9/2/19)

5. Bird Box by Josh Malerman (NPR Horror)

6. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (NPR Horror; Lit Won)

7. White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi (NPR Horror)

8. The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs (NPR Horror)

9. The Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn (NPR Romance)

10. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (NPR Romance; Teen; 365)

11. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle (NPR Scifi/Fan; Teen; Lit Won)

12. Feed by MT Anderson (11/13/19)

13. Asylum by Madeleine Roux (365)

14. A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis (365)

15. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Lit Won)

16. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (2/12/19)

17. Paper Towns by John Green (3/15/19)

18. Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix (3/19/19)

19. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (4/8/19)

20. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (6/26/19)

21. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (8/25/19)

22. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo (10/29/19)

23. Songbook by Nick Hornby (11/8/19)

24. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (12/17/19)

25. TBD

26. TBD

27. TBD

28. TBD

29. TBD

30. TBD

Unread Shelf Project
Goal: 21/50 Books 42%

1. Zorro by Isabel Allende (1/29/19)

2. America’s Constitution by Akhil Reed Amar

3. The Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis

4. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

5. Ghostland by Colin Dickey (4/7/19)

6. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye (4/24/19)

7. The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

8. Drink of Me by Jacquelyn Frank

9. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

10. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

11. The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (8/12/19)

12. Hand of Isis by Jo Graham

13. The General’s Mistress by Jo Graham

14. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4/29/19)

15. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris

16. Frida by Hayden Herrera

17. The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

18. The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman

19. The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

20. Booknotes edited by Brian Lamb (8/30/19)

21. 1776 by David McCullough

22. John Adams by David McCullough

23. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (1/11/19)

24. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

25. Sepulchre by Kate Mosse

26. Eruption by Steve Olson (2/23/19)

27. In the Hurricane’s Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick

28. The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (5/30/19)

29. The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

30. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

31. The Boundaries of Her Body by Deborah Rowland

32. Contact by Carl Sagan

33. A Great Improvisation by Stacey Schiff

34. Duchess by Susan Holloway Scott

35. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield (3/10/19)

36. Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides

37. Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott

38. Kate Chopin by Emily Toth

39. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

40. The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh (1/17/19)

41. A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh (1/22/19)

42. Dark Angel / Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh (2/24/19)

43. A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh (3/20/19)

44. Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell (4/28/19)

45. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5/29/19)

46. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (8/14/19)

47. The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams (9/14/19)

48. The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn (9/20/19)

49. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn (9/25/19)

50. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (11/23/19)

Popsugar
Goal: 35/40 Books 87.5%

1. Book becoming a movie in 2019 - Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (4/10/19)

2. Book that makes you nostalgic - The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (4/26/19)

3. Book written by a musician -

4. Book you think should be turned into a movie - The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli (5/2/19)

5. Book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads - The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo (10/29/19)

6. Book with a plant in the title or on the cover - Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3/30/19)

7. Reread of a favorite - Persuasion by Jane Austen (12/23/19)

8. Book about a hobby - The River by Peter Heller (7/10/19)

9. Book you meant to read in 2018 - Open House by Elizabeth Berg (1/23/19)

10. Book with “pop,” “sugar,” or “challenge” in the title - Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (12/17/19)

11. Book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover - Zorro by Isabel Allende (1/29/19)

12. Book inspired by mythology, legend, or folklore - Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (7/6/19)

13. Book published posthumously - I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (9/11/19)

14. Book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie - Songbook by Nick Hornby (11/8/19)

15. Retelling of a classic - Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye (4/24/19)

16. Book with a question in the title -

17. Book set on a college or university campus - The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (4/20/19)

18. Book about someone with superpowers -

19. Book told from multiple character POVs - The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay (3/8/19)

20. Book set in space -

21. Book by two female authors - The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (1/19/19)

22. Book with a title that contains “salty,” “sweet,” “bitter,” or “spicy” - The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (7/12/19)

23. Book set in Scandinavia - Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist (9/2/19)

24. Book that takes place in a single day - They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (9/27/19)

25. Debut novel - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4/29/19)

26. Book that’s published in 2019 - The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (5/10/19)

27. Book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature - Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (10/30/19)

28. Book recommended by a celebrity you admire - The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (6/24/19)

29. Book with “love” in the title - P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (3/23/19)

30. Book featuring an amateur detective - The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (2/10/19)

31. Book about a family - Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (5/15/19)

32. Book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America -

33. Book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title - The Huntress by Kate Quinn (6/28/19)

34. Book that includes a wedding - A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/2/19)

35. Book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (2/20/19)

36. Ghost story - Craven Manor by Darcy Coates (2/8/19)

37. Book with a two-word title - Watching You by Lisa Jewell (5/28/19)

38. Novel based on a true story - Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (7/5/19)

39. Book revolving around a puzzle or game - Code Girls by Liza Mundy (1/31/19)

40. Fave prompt from a past challenge - Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan (6/29/19)

Finishing the Series
Goal: 6/10 Series 60%

1. Chronicles of St. Mary’s ✓

   • #7.7 Desiccated Water (1/16/19)

   • #8 And the Rest is History (1/16/19)

   • #8.1 Markham and the Anal Probing (1/16/19)

   • #8.5 A Perfect Storm (1/16/19)

   • #8.6 Christmas Past (1/19/19)

   • #9 An Argumentation of Historians (2/27/19)

   • #9.5 Battersea Barricades (3/21/19)

   • #9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump (3/22/19)

   • #9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different (4/11/19)

   • #10 Hope for the Best (8/17/19)

2. Vintage Magic Mystery ✓

   • #4 Skirting the Grave (1/30/19)

   • #5 Cloaked in Malice (4/3/19)

   • #6 Tulle Death Do Us Part (4/9/19)

3. Her Royal Spyness

   • #5 Naughty in Nice (5/23/19)

   • #6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas (8/3/19)

   • #7 Heirs and Graces (11/27/19)

   • #8 Queen of Hearts

   • #9 Malice at the Palace

   • #10 Crowned and Dangerous

   • #11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service

   • #12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

   • #13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs

4. Stalking Jack the Ripper ✓

   • #2 Hunting Prince Dracula (4/17/19)

   • #3 Escaping from Houdini (5/14/19)

   • #4 Capturing the Devil (10/15/19)

5. Dark Angel

   • #1 Dark Angel (2/23/19)

   • #2 Lord Carew’s Bride (2/23/19)

   • #3 The Famous Heroine

   • #4 The Plumed Bonnet

   • #5 The Ideal Wife (1/17/19)

   • #6 A Precious Jewel (1/22/19)

   • #7 A Christmas Bride

   • #8 Christmas Beau

6. Winter ✓

   • #3 Winter Storm (1/18/19)

   • #4 Winter Solstice (1/23/19)

7. All Souls

   • #1 A Discovery of Witches (3/29/19)

   • #2 Shadow of Night (10/4/19)

   • #3 The Book of Life

8. Shatter Me

   • #1 Shatter Me (4/8/19)

   • #1.5 Destroy Me (4/8/19)

   • #2 Unravel Me

   • #2.5 Fracture Me

   • #3 Ignite Me

   • #4 Restore Me

   • #4.5 Shadow Me

   • #5 Defy Me

9. River of Teeth ✓

   • #2 Taste of Marrow (6/18/19)

   • #3 American Hippo (short story) (6/18/19)

10. Rogues of Redmere ✓

    • #2 When a Rogue Loves a Woman (11/12/19)

    • #3 Waiting for a Rogue Like You (11/19/19)

    • #4 What’s a Rogue Got to Do With It (11/19/19)

Alphabet Soup: Authors
Goal: 22/26 Authors 80.8%

1. A - Zorro by Isabel Allende (1/29/19)

2. B - A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh (3/20/19)

3. C - The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (4/26/19)

4. D - If, Then by Kate Hope Day (6/8/19)

5. E - American War by Omar El Akkad (2/16/19)

6. F - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (12/10/19)

7. G - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (3/14/19)

8. H - P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (3/23/19)

9. I - A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (3/18/19)

10. J - The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (2/13/19)

11. K - The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (5/10/19)

12. L - The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy (5/7/19)

13. M - Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (5/14/19)

14. N - Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix (3/19/19)

15. O - Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (5/6/19)

16. P - The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (5/30/19)

17. Q - The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (6/24/19)

18. R - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5/29/19)

19. S - Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield (3/10/19)

20. T - Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor (8/17/19)

21. U

22. V

23. W - The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (4/20/19)

24. X

25. Y - Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (4/14/19)

26. Z

Literary Escapes
Goal: 25/51 Books 47.1%

1. Alabama - Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber (11/5/19)

2. Alaska

3. Arizona

4. Arkansas

5. California - A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/2/19)

6. Colorado - The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller (11/25/19)

7. Connecticut - Cloaked in Malice by Annette Blair (4/3/19)

8. Delaware

9. District of Columbia

10. Florida - Paper Towns by John Green (3/15/19)

11. Georgia

12. Hawaii

13. Idaho

14. Illinois - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (8/7/19)

15. Indiana - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (4/27/19)

16. Iowa - Growing Season by Melanie Lageschulte (3/27/19)

17. Kansas

18. Kentucky - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Ricardson (11/23/19)

19. Louisiana - Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey (6/18/19)

20. Maine - Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (7/28/19)

21. Maryland

22. Massachusetts - Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (4/14/19)

23. Michigan

24. Minnesota - Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (10/22/19)

25. Mississippi

26. Missouri

27. Montana - Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman (12/7/19)

28. Nebraska

29. Nevada

30. New Hampshire - The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay (3/8/19)

31. New Jersey - Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum (8/22/19)

32. New Mexico

33. New York - Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (6/30/19)

34. North Carolina

35. North Dakota

36. Ohio - Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey (8/10/19)

37. Oklahoma

38. Oregon - If, Then by Kate Hope Day (6/8/19)

39. Pennsylvania

40. Rhode Island - A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (11/26/19)

41. South Carolina

42. South Dakota

43. Tennessee

44. Texas - The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown (4/6/19)

45. Utah

46. Vermont - The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (10/18/19)

47. Virginia - The Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay (11/24/19)

48. Washington - Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler (12/11/19)

49. West Virginia

50. Wisconsin

51. Wyoming - Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman (12/4/19)

Non-Fiction Bingo
Goal: 17/25 Books 68%

1. Made into a movie -

2. Baillie Gifford award winner - Peacemakers; 1599; Into the Silence; How to Survive a Plague

3. About feminism -

4. Religion or Spirituality - Ghostland by Colin Dickey (4/7/19)

5. Essay Collection - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (2/20/19)

6. Self-help title - I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott (8/9/19)

7. Celebrity or public figure memoir - Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (1/28/19)

8. Nature or the environment - Eruption by Steve Olson (2/23/19)

9. Pre-2000 Title - The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (9/17/19)

10. Food, wine, or cooking - Coffee Talk by Morton Satin (1/12/19)

11. Indigenous author -

12. True crime - The Library Book by Susan Orlean (4/4/19)

13. Free space - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (3/9/19)

14. Medical condition - Rabid by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy (11/9/19)

15. Set outside of North America - City of Light by Rupert Christiansen (6/19/19)

16. Biography - Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy by Anne Boyd Rioux (4/16/19)

17. Author of color -

18. 2019 release - Cities by Monica L. Smith (6/13/19)

19. 5-star read for a friend - Columbine by Dave Cullen (8/6/19)

20. Goodreads winner - I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (9/11/19)

21. Canadian author -

22. Science and technology - Code Girls by Liza Mundy (1/31/19)

23. Parenting or relationships -

24. Travel - Atlas of the Unexpected by Travis Elborough (4/5/19)

25. Translated -

Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction
Goal: 21/52 Books 40.4%

Fantasy

1. Classic Fantasy - How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)

2. Magic School -

3. Necromancers -

4. PTSD -

5. Dragons -

6. Fairytale (Retelling) - Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (5/6/19)

7. Grimdark -

8. Ghosts - The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (1/11/19)

9. Uncommon Fantasy Creatures - Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (7/6/19)

10. Shapshifters -

11. Gods -

12. Animal Companion -

13. Maternal Heritage - Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber (11/5/19)

14. Set in our World - The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (8/12/19)

15. Witches - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (3/29/19)

16. Magical Law Enforcement - Shadow of Night by Deborah Harnkess (10/4/19)

17. Thief -

18. Pirates -

19. Portal Fantasy -

20. Warrior

Science Fiction

1. On a Different Planet - Alien: Echo by Mira Grant (9/4/19)

2. Utopia - The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (7/12/19)

3. Space Ship -

4. Steampunk - Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine (10/11/19)

5. Time Travel - Recursion by Blake Crouch (8/16/19)

6. Artificial Intelligence POV -

7. Proto Sci-Fi - The Second Deluge by Garrett P. Serviss (11/6/19)

8. Hive -

9. Alien - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4/29/19)

10. Virtual Reality -

11. Super Powers -

12. Science - American War by Omar El Akkad (2/16/19)

13. Replicate -

14. Space Colonization -

15. Mecha -

16. Space Creatures / Beasts -

17. Teleportation -

18. Space Western -

19. The Moon -

20. Invasion -

Generic

1. Satire - Feed by M.T. Anderson (11/13/19)

2. Under 500 Pages - The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (2/13/19)

3. Over 800 Pages -

4. Novella - Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan (6/29/19)

5. Finish a Series - The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (4/12/19)

6. Mental Health -

7. Disability -

8. Published Before 1990 -

9. Set in Africa -

10. Library - The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg (5/27/19)

11. By a Woman of Color - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (1/30/19)

12. One Word Title -

Mystery
Goal: 9/25 Books 36%

1. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon (1/24/19)

2. The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (2/10/19)

3. Tulle Death Do Us Part by Annette Blair (4/9/19)

4. The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen (8/3/19)

5. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth (8/20/19)

6. The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick (9/7/19)

7. Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen (11/28/19)

8. The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan (12/19/19)

9. Bewitched and Betrothed by Juliet Blackwell (12/21/19)

10. TBD

11. TBD

Creativity
Goal: 2/10 Books 20%

1. Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (1/28/19)

2. Craftfulness by Rosemary Davidson and Arzu Tahsin (6/14/19)

3. TBD

4. TBD

5. TBD

6. TBD

7. TBD

8. TBD

9. TBD

10. TBD

2019 Reading Challenges Update #3

After 2018’s amazing reading numbers, I decided to capitalize on my momentum and really ramp up my numbers and my challenges. And so I have committed to 22 different challenges and a total of 250 books read for this year. Let’s check out my progress at the end of the first quarter.

• Perpetual 7/30 23.3% *

• UnRead Shelf 20/50 40% *

• Library Love 60/60 100% **

• For the Love of Ebooks 14/30 46.7%

• Random TBR Pick 10/12 83.3%

• Picture Books 70/70 100%

• Popsugar 30/40 75%

• Modern Mrs. Darcy 11/12 91.7%

• Finishing the Series 4/10 40%

• Alphabet Soup 21/26 80.8%

• Women Authors 30/30 100%

• Monthly Keyword 10/12 83.3%

• Monthly Motif 10/12 83.3%

• Literary Escapes 17/51 33.3% *

• Nonfiction Bingo 16/25 64%

• Graphic Novels 52/52 100% **

• Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction 18/52 34.6% *

• Horror 9/10 90%

• Cloak and Dagger 6/25 24%

• Romance 10/10 100% **

• Historical Fiction 10/10 100% **

• Creativity 2/10 20%

Total Challenges 5/22 22.7%

Total Reading Slots 437/639 68.4%

* - Needs Work
** - Doing a Great Job

Comments: Overall I think I’m doing really well this year. I signed up for a ton of reading challenges and had really big plans. I knew things would fall short, but I’m excited about the progress. In this last two months I’m hoping to finish at least three more challenges.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2019 Reading Challenges Update #2

After 2018’s amazing reading numbers, I decided to capitalize on my momentum and really ramp up my numbers and my challenges. And so I have committed to 22 different challenges and a total of 250 books read for this year. Let’s check out my progress at the end of the first quarter.

• Perpetual 5/30 16.7% *

• UnRead Shelf 14/50 28% *

• Library Love 50/60 83.3% **

• For the Love of Ebooks 11/30 36.7%

• Random TBR Pick 7/12 58.3%

• Picture Books 70/70 100%

• Popsugar 27/40 67.5% **

• Modern Mrs. Darcy 10/12 83.3% **

• Finishing the Series 2/10 20%

• Alphabet Soup 20/26 76.9%

• Women Authors 30/30 100%

• Monthly Keyword 6/12 50%

• Monthly Motif 7/12 58.3%

• Literary Escapes 12/51 23.5% *

• Nonfiction Bingo 12/25 48%

• Graphic Novels 45/52 86.5% **

• Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction 13/52 25%

• Horror 7/10 70%

• Cloak and Dagger 3/10 30%

• Romance 10/10 100%

• Historical Fiction 10/10 100%

• Creativity 2/10 20%

Total Challenges 4/22 18.2%

Total Reading Slots 373/639 58.4%

* - Needs Work
** - Doing a Great Job

Comments: Oh man! I’ve knocked out a ton of books and reading challenge slots so far this year. But… I really need to focus on my owned books and books from my perpetual challenges.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2019 Reading Challenges Update #1

After 2018’s amazing reading numbers, I decided to capitalize on my momentum and really ramp up my numbers and my challenges. And so I have committed to 23 different challenges and a total of 225 books read for this year. Let’s check out my progress at the end of the first quarter.

• Perpetual 4/30 13.3%*

• UnRead Shelf 12/50 24%

• Library Love 24/60 40%

• For the Love of Ebooks 8/30 26.7%

• Random TBR Pick 4/12 33.3%

• Picture Books 59/70 84.3%**

• Popsugar 16.40 40%

• Modern Mrs. Darcy 7/12 58.3%**

• Finishing the Series 2/10 20%

• Alphabet Soup 12/26 46.2%

• Women Authors 17/30 56.7%**

• Monthly Keyword 4/12 33.3%

• Monthly Motif 4/12 33.3%

• Literary Escapes 8/51 15.7%*

• Nonfiction Bingo 10.25 40%

• Graphic Novels 29/52 55.8%**

• Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction 8/52 15.4%*

• Horror 5/10 50%**

• Cloak and Dagger 3/10 30%

• Romance 5/10 50%**

• Historical Fiction 1/10 10%*

• Creativity 1/10 10%*

Total Challenges 0/23 0%

Total Reading Slots 243/624 . 38.9%

* - Needs Work
** - Doing a Great Job

Comments: So far, I’ve read 100 different books this year! I can’t even believe I’ve read that much. Even though some of the challenges are lagging, I feel really good about reading across the challenges. Hoping to keep it up for the next quarter.

Next up on the TBR pile:

RC 2019: Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction

From A Dance with Books:

How to Play

This reading challenge consists of 3 sections. Fantasy, Sci-Fi and General for a total of 52 prompts which comes down to about 1 book a week.

1.  You can do 1, 2 or all 3 sections.

2. With each section you are allowed 1 Double-Up. Double-Up means you can use 1 book for 2 prompts. Preferred is not to at all but if for some reason you are struggling with time or a prompt you can.

3. In the general sections you can use both fantasy and sci-fi books but not other genres.

4. Graphic novels, comics, audiobooks and novella’s are allowed. It is all reading in my book.

5. Rereads count.

6. You can move the books around throughout the year if things fit better elsewhere and all.

7. You can step into this reading challenge at any point. I’m starting it in January 2019 but in reality this is a reading challenge you can fit for yourself in anyway you like. If you want to start in May and end April the year after, that is totally fine.

Graphic

Sign-Up

I don’t know if people want to join me but I would love to interact with each other if you do. You can participate anyway you like, with goodreads, twitter, instagram or your blog. I don’t require a sign-up post but I would appreciate if you boosted this.

If there are a nice group of people we can see if we can do a twitter dm group or an fb group or something to chat with each other on how to fill the prompts. 

The widget won’t go into the post because wp sucks so here is the direct link.

I was looking for a fantasy and science fiction challenge and this one looks like fun!

RC 2019: Women Authors

My last random created by me challenge for the year. I wanted to read and highlight some women authors, but the challenges I found were very specific as to time periods, author locations, etc. I wanted a more general challenge. And so, I want to read at least 30 different women authors. I started the year off with Kate Morton and her newest book, The Clockmaker’s Daughter (review pending). I hope to read her backlist, but for this challenge, she won’t be repeated.

RC 2019: TBR Pick

Another one of my own random challenges. I have a long TBR Pile on GoodReads (currently around 580 books), but I often forget about the reads on there. So for this challenge, I’m going to pull a random book out each month using a random number generator and read it! I’ve already pulled the number for January and it resulted in The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. A book I’ve been dying to read, but somehow keeps getting pushed down the pile.

RC 2019: Graphic Novel

Joining this challenge once again. I love reading comics! I going to shoot for 52 comics this year.

RC 2019: Modern Mrs. Darcy

From Modern Mrs. Darcy:

RC 2019: Unread Shelf Project

I heard about this project on an episode of What Should I Read Next and am very keen to jump onto this. I counted the unread physical books that have been unpacked at this house and came up with the number 107. (This does not count all the Kindle and ebook reads; not going there right now) I created a separate bookshelf on Goodreads just for this project. From those shelves, I am vowing to read 50 books in 2019. I’m not going to make a specific TBR list as I can just pull from the shelves at will.

RC 2019: Romance

I didn't find a romance reading challenge that appealed to me (too many restrictions usually), so I decided to do my own simple one. I want to read 10 Romance Novels in 2019. They can from any time period, featuring any trope, in any format. I have boxes of romance paperbacks, so I imagine most of my 10 will come from those. But I may end up picking up a few from the library.

RC 2019: Horror

I ended up not finding a horror related challenge that I liked, so I’m going to do my own simple challenge. I want to read 10 horror books in 2019. Most will be pulled off of NPR’s Top 100 Horror books (on my Perpetual Challenges page), but I imagine I will pick up a few random ones from the library.

RC 2019: Monthly Motif

From Girl XOXO:

Welcome to the 2019 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge! This challenge runs from JANUARY 1, 2019 – DECEMBER 31, 2019 ~ For this challenge, each month of the year is assigned a motif or theme. Your task is to read one book per month that fits in with the assigned motifs…

2019 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge

JANUARY – New to You Author

Read a book by an author whose writing you’ve never read before.

FEBRUARY – Cover Love

Yes. We’re giving you permission to judge a book by its cover and read a book with a cover that really caught your eye.

MARCH – Royalty, Kingdoms, Empires, Governments

Read a book in which the character is involved in a ruling or governing body in some way.

APRIL – Crack the Case

Read a mystery, detective story, true crime, cozy mystery, or book involving a puzzle to solve.

MAY – One Sitting Reads

Read something that is short enough you could get through it in one sitting- try a graphic novel, comic book, short story, essay, or short collection of poetry.

JUNE – Diversify Your Reading

Read a book with a character (or written by an author) of a race, religion, or sexual orientation other than your own or read about a culture you want to learn more about.

JULY – Through The Years

Read a book involving time travel, a book with a ‘time’ setting such as The Great Gatsby (20s), read a historical fiction/nonfiction, or choose a book published in your birth year.

AUGUST – Mode of Transportation

Read a book where the mode of transportation plays a role in the story (ex. Murder on the Orient Express or The Boys in the Boat)

SEPTEMBER – Animal, Number, Color, Name

One of those things needs to be in the title of the book you choose (ex. Water for Elephants, Red Queen, Fahrenheit 451, Rebecca, Harry Potter)

OCTOBER – Tricks and Trades

Read a book set in a theater, an amusement park, a circus, or a book involving magic, illusions, or characters with special powers.

NOVEMBER – Seasons, Elements, and Weather

Embrace a winter wonderland setting, pick a beach read, or read about a natural disaster. As long as a season, element, or the weather plays a key role in the story or is part of the title, it counts. (ex. Little Fires Everywhere, The Snow Child, On The Island)

DECEMBER – Last Chance

Finally read that one book that you’ve been meaning to get to all year long.

The Nuts and Bolts – IMPORTANT!

Below is a participation linky (the blue button.) Please use it to sign up and/or link up to your Monthly Motif Introduction blog post. If you don’t write a blog, link up to your Goodreads profile page, your Instagram, etc.

We’d love for you to post to social media (if you use it) using the hashtag #monthlymotifgxo.

Just before the first of each month we’ll be checking in with you and putting up a new linky for you to link your reviews for that month to. You will have until the 10th of the next month to add your link. After that the linky will be closed. You can still link up after that, you’ll just need to message me.

You can find our latest Monthly Motif post in the blog sidebar.

Thanks for joining and have fun!

I haven’t done this challenge in a few years, I’m in!

RC 2019: For the Love Ebooks

From As Told By Tina:

Announcing For The Love Of EBooks Reading Challenge! I had join EBooks Reading Challenge hosted by Book Dragon’s Lair but she hasn’t been active since 2017. So I decided to do my own spin on her challenge hence For The Love Of EBooks was born!

I receive daily BookBub emails to let me know of eBooks that are on sale. I tend to find one interesting and on sale (major bonus!) so I go to buy it only to find out, I’ve owned it for like 2 years. I’ve been meaning to read more of the books I’ve purchased instead of buying tons of new ones only to be lost in the sea of books on my Kindle. I’m hoping For The Love of EBooks can help me out!

For The Love Of EBooks is very simple. Read eBooks! It can be books you’ve purchased, eARCs, or library books! As long as it is an eBooks, it counts!

For The Love Of eBooks Reading Challenge Details:

• For The Love Of EBooks starts on January 1st to December 31st and you can sign up any time.

• Every book must be an eBook. (EBooks, eARCs, library eBooks etc.)

• All genres count.

• Re-Reading and crossovers for other challenges are encouraged.

• You don’t need to be a blogger to join. You can just share that you are joining on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Just spread the word.

• If you are a blogger, I’d love for you to make a sign up post (you can include other challenges you’re joining too, I don’t mind), just to help spread the word.

• Use the hash tag #ForTheLoveOfBooks19 to keep up with everyone’s progress.

• I’ll have a link up open every last Wednesday of the month, so you can link up your reviews. (I’m not sure if I’ll have a prize yet due to my current financial situation).

For The Love Of Ebooks Level Details:

• Phase 1 – 1-10

• Phase 2 – 11-20

• Phase 3 – 21-30

• Phase 4- 31-40

• Phase 5- 40+

I have so many ebooks sitting on my iPad. I really need to start reading these and bringing my number down. I’m going to sign up for Phase 3 with a goal of 30 books.

RC 2019: Library Love

From Angel’s Guilty Pleasures:

Details:

Runs: January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019. You can join any time.

• Put a sign up post on your blog or (dedicate a Goodreads shelf or LibraryThing) and link it in the linky below. Make sure it’s public.

• The goal is to read at least twelve (12) books from the library, but you can read more. While twelve is the minimum, there is no maximum limit. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you.

• Any format will work for this challenge (prints, ebooks, or audios); as long as you checked it out from the library, it counts.

• Books can be any genre (fiction, nonfiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller, horror, etc.).

• Crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed, including re-reads. The goal is to support your local library and save money.

• As an added bonus: I’m offering up a GIVEAWAY with this Challenge. Winner will be picked at the end of the year!! Their are a few freebie entries just for signing up to join the challenge and then the main entries throughout the year will be the direct links to your book reviews. You will have until Jan. 4th, 2020 to enter your reviews in the Linky/Rafflecopter. Go here to enter your reviews & the giveaway: 2019 Library Love Challenge Review Link-ups.

• (Optional) Mid-Year Library Check In: This year (2019) I plan on posting a Mid-Year Library Check In Post sometime in June or July. This post is to showcase what you have done so far in the Library Love Challenge. I’ll be offering up a separate giveaway for the Mid-Year Library Check In.

• (Optional) Reviews: Write a review to enter the giveaway – 2 sentences or an essay, whatever works for you, but there is a minimum of 2 sentences. Not sure what to write? How about something like, “The plot was a delight, but the characters didn’t capture me.” “I enjoyed the story and really liked the characters.”

• Please use #LibraryLoveChallenge when sharing your reviews, library pictures, etc…

Levels:

• Dewey Decimal: Read 12 books

• Thrifty Reader: Read 24 books

• Overdrive Junkie: Read 36 books

• Library Addict: Read 48 books

• Library Card on Fire: Read 60+ books 

Once again I’m going for the Library Card on Fire level of 60+ books!

RC 2019: Finishing the Series

From Celebrity Readers:

We’re back for another year!!  This challenge is focused on finally finishing those series that you’ve started but not yet completed.  It was previously hosted by Bea’s Book Nook, but we’ve been hosting it since 2018.

Guidelines:

While we’re pretty lax about how you wish to set up this challenge for yourself, we do have a few guidelines to follow.

• The challenge will run from January 1st, 2019 to December 31st, 2019.  Books must be read during this time frame to count.  Sign up is open from now until December 1st, 2019, so you may join even just for the last month of the year.

• Series can be already completed as well as still ongoing.  For ongoing series, the goal is to catch up to the most recent book published by the end of 2019.

• We don’t care if you have only 1 book or 10 books to read in order to finish your series, as long as you’ve started the series before 2019 (ie read at least one book in the series), it counts.  Re-reads are not required.

• Any format and length of book counts – print, ebook, audio, ARC, etc.

• Series can be any length (even if it’s just a Duet).

• Crossovers from other challenges are totally acceptable!

• Reviews are not required, but highly encouraged.

How to Play:

• Declare your intentions to participate in this challenge somewhere on the internet!!  You do not need to be a blogger to participate, there are many ways to declare.  You could write a blog post, create a reading challenge page, create a Goodreads shelf containing series you hope to finish, post about it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

• Some things you could include (but that aren’t required):

  • A link to this page so that others may find us and join the fun as well (feel free to download the button at the top to use in your posts).

  • A list of series you hope to read for this challenge.  You could even get fancy and list the length of the series, or the books you’ve already read, etc.

  • The level you are aiming for.

• Sign up for the challenge using the link up below, and link directly to where you’ve declared your intentions (ie to the specific blog post, the goodreads shelf, the facebook post, etc).

• We will be posting monthly link ups for you to add links to your reviews or any wrap-up/overview posts you wish to share.

• Go forth and READ!!  And have fun!!

• Use the hashtag #FinishingTheSeries2019 on any social media to keep up with other participants!

The Reward:

Uh…your own sense of pride in achieving a goal?  Sorry folks, we’re not actually that motivated by prizes ourselves, so we’re just offering bragging rights.  But we can offer you some pretty graphics to either declare your goal or to use as a badge once achieved!

The Levels:

We offer you 3 different “Celebrity” levels of achievement for this reading challenge.

I’m going to try this challenge again and go for the B-List Series Finisher of 5-8 series.

RC 2019: Non-Fiction Book Bingo

From Reading in Winter:

As 2018 is coming to a close, I realized that only 9% of my reading this year has been non-fiction books – NINE PERCENT. I had planned to read a lot more non-fiction this year and did pretty good at the beginning of the year and then slowly fell off track as the year went on. I was quite disappointed with myself come December and tried to pick up more non-fiction titles but despite the three titles I picked up, it just didn’t pick up the slack from the whole year.

Searching for non-fiction challenges didn’t bring up a whole lot, but I did come across a few BINGO challenges for non-fiction reading … from about 5 years ago. So I just decided to make up a BINGO board for myself and put it up here in case anyone else wanted to play along!

This isn’t an official challenge – more of a personal challenge I’m just extending to my lovely readers. I will update my reading quarterly and you can share your reading then, too, but there isn’t going to be monthly check-ins, hashtags, prizes, or anything. This is just a way to not only try and read more non-fiction, but to diversify it a bit.

I love reading nonfiction and this board looks perfect to diversify my reads. I’m in!

RC 2019: Cloak and Dagger

From Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!:

I can’t believe it’s time for another sign up!  I hope everyone who participated this year read a lot of great mystery, suspense, and thrillers. I know I did and I found a lot of new series!

I don’t know about you but I have plans to real lots of mysteries, especially cozies because I made a list of all the series I have going in the cozy mystery genre and OMG! I need to widdle that list down and catch up on some series! It may just be the YEAR OF THE COZY!  Can’t wait to see what sort of mystery/thriller plans you have for 2019!

We still have our facebook group so if you haven’t joined we would love for you too!  Here is the groups link:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/350512171977943/ It’s a closed group so just ask to join and we shall let you in. 

Challenge Rules:

• You can read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres.

• You don’t need a blog to participate but you do need a place to post your reviews to link up. (blog, goodreads, booklikes, shelfari, etc.)

• Make a goal post and link it back here with your goal for this challenge.

• Books need to be novellas or novels, please no short stories. (At least 100 pages +)

• Crossovers into other challenges  are fine.

• The Challenge will  be from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st. (Sign up ends March 15th)

This year we are doing the link up a little different. Both Barb and I keep forgetting to do the link ups each month so I thought it would be easier on us if we did Quarterly link ups, so there will be four review link-ups. (Jan-March, April-June, July-Sept and Oct-Dec)

There will be a monthly link up so that others can check out your progress and look at your reviews. At the halfway mark and at the end we will have a giveaway for those participating.

If you tweet about your progress or reviews please use the hashtag #CloakDaggerChal so others can see it.

Levels:

5-15 books – Amateur sleuth

16-25 books – Detective

26-35 books – Inspector

36 – 55 – Special agent

56+ books – Sherlock Holmes

I’m going to sign up for the Detective Level and set a goal of 25 mysteries for myself this year!