Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

My first thought when looking at the challenge was The Color Purple will meet 6 challenges, at least for me. It would meet the requirements for 9-a book read before; 16-challenged or banned; 17-classic by author of color; 19-spiritual journey; 20-LGBTQ+ romance; &24-all pov characters people of colors.

What are some of your choices for double dipping, or triple dipping?

I'm planning to read Ms Marvel to cover both of the comics tasks. I don't know enough about it to say if it counts for anything else.

Renee wrote: "My first thought when looking at the challenge was The Color Purple will meet 6 challenges, at least for me. It would meet the requirements for 9-a book read before; 16-challenged or banned; 17-cla..."

Thanks for this post. I'm going to try (stress that TRY) not to double dip, but I do need an LGBTQ+ romance selection & now I have one!!

I am reading 'Here Comes the Sun' for both debut novel and all pov poc.
Daughter of Fortune for both Central/South America and immigration.
The Price of Salt for both book I've read before and LGBTQA romance.
I am doing four challenges this year so I am double dipping among challenges.

Stina wrote: "I'm planning to read Ms Marvel to cover both of the comics tasks. I don't know enough about it to say if it counts for anything else." Good idea! This isn't by preferred genre, so double-dipping sounds great to me.

Their Eyes Were Watching God seems to cover #7 and #24. It has been on my to-read list forever!

Renee wrote: "My first thought when looking at the challenge was The Color Purple will meet 6 challenges, at least for me. It would meet the requirements for 9-a book read before; 16-challenged or banned; 17-cla..."

Blue Highways will cover #8 and #19. I really enjoyed it.

Renee wrote: "My first thought when looking at the challenge was The Color Purple will meet 6 challenges, at least for me. It would meet the requirements for 9-a book read before; 16-challenged or banned; 17-cla..."

That's great! I haven't read that one and I have no problems with double/triple dipping. Going to add that one to my TBR.

I am so conflicted when it comes to double dipping. I did the 2015 and 2016 challenges this year. Finished 2015 a couple of weeks ago and realized I did it with 24 different books.

Technically I finished 2016 a few days ago - with 21 books. So it's the middle of December and what have I done? Started two more books for the 2016 challenge so that I'm NOT counting double on as many.

But in looking for a book set in Kansas City (within 100 miles), the one I looked at and temporarily earmarked is one that also happens to fulfill the LGBTQ romance task.

I feel like I've solved a puzzle of sorts if I manage to double-or-more dip. So far I have five books that fit two or three categories. And I haven't finished going through the list yet. :)

I don't think there is anything wrong with doing it, but I am going to try not to count a book for more than one. I like the challenge.

I generally try not to double dip, but I'm double dipping on the two comic categories also. I've tried comics and graphic novels in the previous challenges and they just don't do anything for me.

Brandyn wrote: "I generally try not to double dip, but I'm double dipping on the two comic categories also. I've tried comics and graphic novels in the previous challenges and they just don't do anything for me."

I think a big part of comics for me is not just title/subject, but art. The 2015 challenge had graphic novel on it and I read John Constantine Hellblazer volume 1. I loved the Constantine series that was on TV (and was cancelled after one season, grrrrrrrr) and that's why I picked that for the graphic novel. But I hate - hate, loathe, detest - the art style in that comic. It was a slog to get through.

Laura wrote: "Their Eyes Were Watching God seems to cover #7 and #24. It has been on my to-read list forever!"


I picked this up at the used book store. it's my 1900-1950, and a classic written by an author of color. May triple dip and use it for #24 as well!

I don't double-dip, even when doing multiple challenges. My goal with the challenges is to read more, and I don't think double-dipping would help accomplish that for me. Part of the challenge for me is finding new books and authors that I might like.

Double dipping feels to me like a fun puzzle- I had a great time last year choosing books to fit multiple categories. I am also doing the Better World Books challenge, which has 25 tasks. Realistically, I don't know if I can commit to 49 books for next year, and I want to leave myself the option of reading non-challenge books. There are a couple duplicate categories but I am also going to look for additional places where I can use a book twice.

Tracy wrote: "Double dipping feels to me like a fun puzzle- I had a great time last year choosing books to fit multiple categories. I am also doing the Better World Books challenge, which has 25 tasks. Realistic..."
Does the Better World Challenge have a Gr group? I haven't found one.

Teresa wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Double dipping feels to me like a fun puzzle- I had a great time last year choosing books to fit multiple categories. I am also doing the Better World Books challenge, which has 25 ta..."

I have not found one either- but if I do I will come back and update. I did suggest it to someone from their site, we'll see.

I just read "Serefina And The Black Cloak" for my first book. (I couldn't wait until next week to start!) For me it covered three categories: book never read before, fantasy, and takes place within 100 miles of where I live. It might cover some others if I look closely, but I don't mind only getting one category for each book.

I also don't like double-dipping. I feel like for me personally it takes away from the point of the challenge. Last year there were several that I could have used in more than one category but I wanted to expand and read different books for each task.

I also try not to double-dip, but I seriously considered it on the comics tasks. To me that is the most challenging category and there are TWO of them. However, I decided to give it a try with a one book per category. I didn't do the 2016 challenge, but did the 2015 and found that with no double-dips it took me about 15 months since I had to keep up with my book club books too.

Stacy wrote: "I feel like I've solved a puzzle of sorts if I manage to double-or-more dip. So far I have five books that fit two or three categories. And I haven't finished going through the list yet. :)"

I'm doing three challenges this year and my rule is no double dipping within a given challenge, but the same book can count in multiple challenges. It's a fun puzzle:)

I'm doing this challenge (obvs), the Popsugar challenge, and Modern Mrs Darcy.

Teresa wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Double dipping feels to me like a fun puzzle- I had a great time last year choosing books to fit multiple categories. I am also doing the Better World Books challenge, which has 25 ta..."

Here it is! They just created it: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Yay Yay Yay! Thank you for posting it.

I don't have a problem reading a lot of books. The point of taking on the challenge for me is to push myself to read and consider outside of my usual lines. For this reason, I'm okay with reading a book that meets more than one of the categories, because it means that I'm paying attention to those areas that I don't normally go outside of. On the other hand, I don't think I'll do a whole lot of "puzzle solving," trying deliberately to scratch off many categories with one book. I'm just going to be aware, and since I'm going to write in my book journal and Goodreads reviews about each of the books, I'll write about them from the perspective of responding to the challenge categories.

I'm doing multiple challenges this year so I'll likely be double-dipping. Even if I weren't, though, I like the idea of finding multiple ways to interpret the books I read. I feel that analyzing something from multiple perspectives gives me a better understanding of it (and myself).

I haven't double dipped before, although in at least one instance I read a book that could have met four or five challenge tasks—that sure would have saved time. But given that I didn't finish either the Book Riot or Pop Sugar challenges in 2016, I might ease up and let myself use a book for more than one category this year. I read a lot, and not everything I read fits a challenge category, so maybe I should just relax the "rules" and get closer to completion.

Laura wrote: "Their Eyes Were Watching God seems to cover #7 and #24. It has been on my to-read list forever!"

And #17!

I found one that will work for #11, #21, & #22 Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

I loved Binti. The next book - Binti Home comes out in the US on January 31st. $2.99

In a perfect world I wouldn't double-dip, but if I want to complete the challenges I committed to as well as read other books for pleasure that don't fit any challenge requirements, I will have to in a few cases. The double-dipping will be kept to a minimum, but it will be a "necessary evil" if this is to be kept enjoyable for me.

I read it last year, so I can't use it this year, but The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend could work for the "book about books" challenge as well as the "story about immigrant" one. And I think it was a debut as well.

Renee wrote: "My first thought when looking at the challenge was The Color Purple will meet 6 challenges, at least for me. It would meet the requirements for 9-a book read before; 16-challenged or banned; 17-cla..."

I had picked The Color Purple also and thought it met 3 categories. You just gave me two more! Thanks!

Stacy wrote: "I feel like I've solved a puzzle of sorts if I manage to double-or-more dip. So far I have five books that fit two or three categories. And I haven't finished going through the list yet. :)"

I agree! I like the challenge of trying to find a book to fit several categories.

I will use one book for two tasks in different challenges, but not for two tasks in the same challenge. For example, I am doing one challenge of reading one book by an author for each letter of the alphabet, so I will click those tasks off for books I am reading for this challenge.

I have five books that I am planning to use for two tasks in this challenge. And some of them could fit more. I am planning to read:

The Westing Game (tasks 9 & 10)
The Odes of Pindar (tasks 1 & 23)
Brave New World (tasks 6 & 15)
The Tale of Genji (tasks 11 & 17)
The Color Purple (tasks 19 & 24)

I kind of think double-dipping is a fun challenge in and of itself. Finding books to fit multiple categories makes me feel smart and accomplished.

Okay, I re-read The Color Purple, and I counted it for 6 challenges. I realized with a little stretching I could have counted it for 3 more! I used it for: 9, 16, 17, 19, 20, & 24. It could also count for 5, 11, & maybe 8.

I was mindful most of why it was challenged (16), the spiritual journey (19) and that the pov characters were persons of color (24). It was a better read this time.

Now what to read next?? Decisions.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold works for several. For me it's fitting with #4: A book set in Central or South America, written by a Central or South American author and #9: A book you have already read.

It could also work for #24: A book where all POV characters are POC, or #5: A book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative.

I think it's kind of fun to see how *few* books you can read for the challenge! ;) I will read what I read and then later in the year maybe swap out books for others that may embody or fit the challenge better. I don't like to put too many constraints on my book reading. I do it for pleasure and to escape! And I have now joined the Better World Books Challenge and the 2017 POPSUGAR Challenge. Oyyy!

LOL, Elyse!

Like playing blackout bingo?

Kirsten *I support diversity in my reading and my world!" wrote: "LOL, Elyse!

Like playing blackout bingo?"

haha yes!

For those not into comics/graphic novels, I suggest getting the audiobook. I listened to the full cast production of Nimona in December and it was phenomenal! I tried reading the Dunk & Egg (George RR Martin) graphic novels in 2014, got through one but they're just not my cup of tea.

I loved Nimona!

For my next double dip, I'm using Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, it meets 2 , a debut novel and takes place 5000 miles away from my location. . so far an excellent read..

my latest double dip:Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson , it takes place w/in 100 miles of where I live and I counted it for technology, as it deals with early weather predictions.

I've decided not to double dip except between challenges, as I'm doing 3! So I'm working my BR books into my BWB into my Popsugar. :)

Personally I think of double dipping as a harder challenge, it really gets me thinking. Now if only I could find a fantasy YA book by an LGBTQIA author published between 1900-1950.

Renee, your challenge made me snort laugh. If you manage it, please let us know!

Couldn't find one, so I went with Proxy, really good YA author who is LGBT.... It was dystopian, and there is a sequel. Only 2 more challenges!!!!

I'm done! I finished it today at 4:46 CST!