Book challenges. From Popsugar.com to Book Riot’s Read Harder, there’s one for any bibliophile willing to invest time, money, and/or energy into completing them. I adore them. To track my books, I use Goodreads.
However…
I like variety. So, I’ll share a secret. I do not follow a reading challenge to the tee. I tend to take reading prompts from challenges I enjoy or create and mesh them into one. Freedom towards reading inspires me. I never want to see reading become a chore. It’s not a race or a hindrance. But, a hobby and a lifestyle that brings me joy yearly.
Thus, I complete a prompt, I check it. Done. Finito. Out of my way. When a prompt grinds my gears, I recharge, while finding my competitive nature piquing, and return to the list, adding books I did not expect to read.
Thankfully, I find titles I never expect to cross. Nonfiction? Ugh. I used to skip with impunity. Now, it’s on my yearly list. Graphic novels/comics? What? I changed my mind and added them.
More so, book challenges push us (or rather, they should push us) to read harder, stronger, and more diverse. While I have favorite genres, I discover books fueling my love farther than expected.
I cannot wait to see what this year’s challenge presents. Take a peek!
Livey’s 2019 Book Challenge *59 Prompts in Total*
Popsugar Book Challenge
Regular Level
- A book that makes you nostalgic
- A book written by a musician (nonfiction/fiction)
- A reread of a favorite book
- A book about a hobby
- A book you meant to read in 2018
- A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover
- A book told from multiple character p.o.v.s
- A book by two female authors
- A book with a title that contains, “Salty” “Bitter” “Sweet” or “Spicy”
- A debut novel
- A book that should be turned into a movie
- A book published in 2019
- A book recommended by a celebrity you admire
- A book with “love” in the title
- A book featuring an amateur detective
- A book about a family
- A book with a two-word title
- Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Book Challenge (“A Book You Bought on a Trip”)
- A ghost story
- A book with a question in the title
- A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
- Includes a wedding
- A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America
Advanced Level
- An “Own Voices” book
- A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters
- Read a book set in the season it is set in
Book Riot Read Harder
- A book by a woman and/or AOC that won a literary award in 2018
- A comic by an LGBTQIA creator
- A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009
- A collection of poetry published since 2014
- A humor book
- A cozy mystery
- A historical romance by an AOC
Around the Year in 52 Books
- A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)
- A book about reading, books, or an author/writer
- A book with a number in the title or on the cover
- A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)
- A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet
- A children’s classic you’ve never read
- A psychological thriller
- A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc.)
- A book you stumbled upon
- A book with a weird or intriguing title
- A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.)
- A book with a (mostly) black cover
Random (Prompts I Always Liked)
- A title with a color included
- A book by an author new to you
- A book about a topic that fascinates you
- Three books by the same author
- A book you chose for the cover
- Set in a country you’ve visited
- A teen as a main character
- A graphic novel
- A Re-telling
- A beach read
- Ugly cover
- One-word title
- A short story anthology
- A book with a person of color on the cover
- Read a book depicting mental health
Are you participating in a book challenge this year? What’s your favorite? Do you create your own? Feel free to share in the comments. Whatever you choose, enjoy!
Peace, Love, and Reading Nooks
First Image: vi.kisspng.com
Second Image: christart.com
