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AROUND THE YEAR IN 52 BOOKS CHALLENGE-1. A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy- Thief's Magic byTrudi Canavan Completed 18th Jan 2019 ***
2. A book with one of the 5 W's in the title (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
3. A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and Y-Bella Mafia by Lynda La Plante Completed 5th Jan 2019 **
4. A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc)-Queste by Angie Sage Completed 28th March 2019 **** and a half.
5. A book by Shakespeare or inspired by Shakespeare-If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. Completed 8 Aug 2019 *
6. A book with a dual timeline- The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton Completed 30th June 2019.
7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1- Magyk by Angie Sage Completed 26th Feb 2019 **** and a half
8. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2- Flyte by Angie Sage. Completed 10th March 2019 **** and a half
9. A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)-We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Completed 16th Sept 2019 ** and a half.
10. A book featuring an historical figure
11. A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject)- Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase. Completed 4 Aug 2019 ****
12. A book about reading, books or an author/writerThe Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
13. A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks list- Circe by Madeline Miller.
14. A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical term- StarChaser Completed 9th May 2019 ***
15. A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country
16. A book told from multiple perspectives
17. A speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia)- Spark by John Twelve Hawks Completed 7th July 2019.
18. A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik Completed 9th September 2019 *
19. A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR
20. A book featuring indigenous people of a country-There There by Tommy Orange- Completed 15th Sep 2019.
21. A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes- Book about a cult-Daughter of Gloriavale: My life in a Religious Cult by Lilia Tarawa Completed 4th Feb 2019 ** and a half
22. A book with a number in the title or on the cover
23. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something Old-Fyre by Angie Sage Completed 12th April 2019 ****and a half.
24. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something New-PathFinder by Angie Sage Completed 20th April 2019 *** and a half.
25. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something Borrowed- The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton Completed 9 Aug 2019 ** and a half.
26. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something Blue- Syren by Angie SageCompleted 4th April 2019 *****
27. A book off of the 1001 books to read before you die list- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Completed 17 May 2019 *
28. A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)
29. A book published before 1950
30. A book featuring an elderly character- Physik by Angie Sage Completed 21st March 2019. *****
31. A children’s classic you’ve never read- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Completed 17th May 2019 *
32. A book with more than 500 pagesAngel of Storms by Trudi Canavan Completed 31 Jan 2019 ** and half
33. A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet- Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng Completed 2 Aug 2019 *** and a half.
34. A book with a person's name in the title- Washington Black by Esi Edugyan Completed 31 July 2019 ***
35. A psychological thriller
36. A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year list-Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz.
37. A book set in a school or university-One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus Completed 6 Aug 2019 ****
38. A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc)- Favourite Poems of England by Pavilion Books. Completed 1st January 2019 **
39. A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life-The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Completed 4th October 2019 **** and a half.
40. A book you stumbled upon-The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Completed 13th August 2019 ****
41. A book from the 2018 GR Choice Awards-Vengeful by V.E. Schwab Completed 15 June 2019 ***
42. A book with a monster or "monstrous" character-Successor's Promise by Trudi Canavan Completed 10th feb 2019 *
43. A book related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) [fiction or nonfiction]- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Completed 7th Feb 2019 ****
44. 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.)- Darke by Angie Sage Completed 7th April 2019 **** and a half
45. A multi-generational saga-The March Of The Foxgloves by Karyn Hay Completed 16th Feb 2019 *
46. A book with a (mostly) black cover
47. A book related to food (i.e. title, cover, plot, etc.)
48. A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Completed 22 July 2019 ****.
49. A book written by a Far East Asian author or set in a Far East Asian country.
50. A book that includes a journey (physical, health, or spiritual)- SandRider by Angie Sage Completed 28th April 2019 ****
51. A book published in 2019
52. A book with a weird or intriguing title-All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye by Christopher Brookmyre Completed 24th MAy 2019 *
SHADES OF BLUEDuration: February 1 - 28, 2019
Our theme for February is "Blue" and for this challenge, we will be collecting as many shades of blue in our books as possible. You may use books with blue covers and books with blue shades in their titles.
Aim 3
Message 23
1) Daughter of Gloriavale by Lilia Tarawa (blue cover)
2) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (blue cover)
3) March of the Foxgloves by Kathryn Hay (blue cover)
4) Magyk-Angie Sage (Blueish cover)
GLOBETROTTERDuration: April 1 - June 30, 2019
1. Wanderlust: Read a travelogue.
2. Diaspora: Read a book where the protagonist is living away from their homeland.- SandRider by Angie Sage
3. Exophony: Read a book by an author writing in a language other than their native language.
4. See The World Through Another's Eyes: Read a book that features interracial relations.-PathFinder by Angie Sage.
5. Walk in Another's Shoes: Read a memoir by an author whose ethnicity differs from your own.
6. Global Capitalism: Read a book about a multinational business enterprise or the effects of globalization- Spark by John Twelve Hawks
7. Other Worlds in Other Words: Read a translated work of literary or genre fiction.
8. Fictionalized History: Read a historical fiction about a culture you're unfamiliar with. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
9. Borderlines: Read a book about social, cultural, geopolitical, or other boundaries Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
10. Flaneuse: Read a book about strolling or exploring a place on foot. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
11. Transnational or Transcultural Adoption: Read a story about an adoption that occurred across national or cultural lines.
12. Transcontinental Cruising: Read a book that takes place in more than one continent.
13. Multi-linguist: Read a book that that includes text written in two or more languages (not translated).- Darke by Angie Sage Completed 7th April 2019.
14. World Traveler: Read a book that takes place in a country that you have not lived in or traveled to before.- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
15. Global Reader: Choose a book written by an author from a country other than your own. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
16. Home Away From Home: Read a book that takes place in an area you have visited more than once. The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton.
17. Minority Voices: Read a story by an author who is an ethnic minority in the country where they reside. There There by Tommy Orange
18. Traversing the Terrains: Read a story that takes place on a terrain that is different than ones you are most familiar with. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.
19 & 20. Our Little Corner of the World: Read 2 or more books that take place in countries that border each other (one book per country).
21. I Am Here: Read a story that takes place in a state with limited recognition.
SUMMER CHALLENGE:JUNE
1. In the Summertime
One of the best-selling singles of all time, this song by Mungo Jerry is perfect summer listening.
☀️ Read a book with a title beginning with a letter in SUMMERTIME- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
☀️ Read a book that appears on one of the Goodreads staff summer reading lists
☀️ Read a book which appears on this list of best-selling books of all time
2. June, July, August
☀️ Read a book by an author whose first or last name starts with J or A- Spark by John Twelve Hawks
☀️ Read a book that was first published in June, July or August of any year. The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton.
☀️ Read a book with 6, 7 or 8 in the number of pages (eg 157 pages; 650 pages; 282 pages) Vengeful by V.E. Schwab (480 pages)
3. Bloomsday
16 June is Bloomsday, a celebration of the life of James Joyce. His book Ulysses takes place entirely on 16 June.
☀️ Read a book with a main character whose name begins with a letter in LEOPOLD BLOOM -The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
☀️ Read a book by an author who has the same first and last initials - Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
☀️ Read a book set in Ireland or by an Irish author
4. Beach reads
Who doesn’t love sitting on the beach or by a swimming pool soaking up the sun and enjoying a good book?
☀️ Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title appears in BEACH or SWIMMING POOL-
☀️ Read a book with the sun, sea or a swimming pool on the cover OR a book with a mostly yellow or blue cover
☀️ Read a book from one of these lists of great beach reads: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
🏖 The 100 greatest beach reads ever
🏖 Text on the beach - the 50 best summer reads ever
🏖 The 25 best beach reads of the year so far
JULY
1. Summer in the City
Another famous summer song, this was top of the charts for three weeks in summer 1966.
☀️ Read a book by an author whose first and last initials appear in SUMMER IN THE CITY- Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng.
☀️ Read a book set in a capital city
☀️ Read a book first published in the 1960s or set in the 1960s- Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase
2. Travel the world
Summer is the perfect time for travelling and exploring new places, or “visiting” new places by reading about them.
☀️Read a book set in a country other than the one you currently live in- If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
☀️ Read a book with a map on the cover or in the book
☀️ Read a book set in a fictional location-Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
3. Nelson Mandela Day
Held on 18 July, this day honours the legacy of Nelson Mandela.
☀️ Read a book with a main character whose name begins with N or M.
☀️ Read a book by an African author or a book set in an African country
☀️ Read a book you added to your TBR in 2018
4. Winter Wonderland
Let’s not forget readers in the Southern Hemisphere who will be in the middle of winter during this challenge.
❄️ Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title appears in WINTER WONDERLAND
❄️ Read a book set in or by an author from a country in the Southern Hemisphere
❄️ Read a book from one of these winter reading lists:
⛄️ Best books to read when the snow is falling
⛄️ 20 books for the cold dark months
⛄️ TED’s winter reading list
AUGUST
1. Summer Nights
One of the most famous songs from the musical Grease, Summer Nights was a hugely popular song in summer 1978.
☀️ Read a book published in a year that includes any two of the numbers 1, 9, 7, 8 (eg 1955, 2017, 1802, etc) Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.
☀️ Read a book where an event that’s important to the plot takes place at night We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
☀️ Read a book with a main character who shares a first or last name with a character or actor from the movie Grease
2. Summer is too short for bad books
So pick a book you’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy.
☀️ Read a book in a series you enjoy -The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
3. International Beer Day
Held on the first Friday in August, this day encourages people to enjoy a beer with friends and sample new beers from other countries.
☀️ Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title appears in INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY -There There by Tommy Orange.
☀️ Read a book where the characters drink beer or visit a bar.
☀️ Read a book that is the first book you have read by an author from that country (example: I’ve never read a book by a Sudanese author so I could count a book by Tayeb Salih for this prompt.)
4. Back to school
Summer always goes by so quickly. Before you know it the days are getting shorter, it’s edging towards autumn and for students it’s the start of a new school year.
☀️ Read a book by an author who is new to you - One of Us Is Lying by [author:Karen M. McManus|15127507
☀️ Read a book from this list of books often read in high school
☀️ Read a short book, defined as 200 pages or less.
SUMMER CHALLENGE: Beginners
Good as gold: Read a book that won a Goodreads Choice Award.
The book is better: Read a book being adapted for TV or film this year. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
Short & sweet: Read a book with less than 100 pages (or a book you can finish in one sitting). Spark by John Twelve Hawks.
On the bandwagon: Read one of the most read books right now on Goodreads. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Actually want to read: Read a book that's been on your Want to Read shelf for more than a year. Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase
Not from around here: Read a book set in a different culture from your own. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan.
In the friend zone: Read a book that a friend has recommended-The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton.
It takes two: Read a coauthored book. The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton.
Wheel of format: Read a book in a format that you don’t normally read in (a graphic novel, poetry, a play, an audiobook, etc.).
New voices: Read a debut novel. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Past love: Reread a book you loved when you were younger.
Armchair traveler: Read a book set in a destination you want to visit. (CANADA) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
Expert-Level Additions
Stay awhile: Read a book with more than 500 pages.
Stranger than fiction: Read a nonfiction book published this year.
Tongue-tied: Read a translated book.
No place like home: Read a book that appears in your Goodreads newsfeed. If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
Continental drift: Read a book set on every continent.
Genre explorer: Read a book from a genre you've never read before.
Reading roulette: Read the third book you see on your Want to Read shelf.
Primary reading: Read a book with a number or color in the title.- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Back to school: Read a book about a subject you don't know much about. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
INDEPENDENT READINGDuration: 1 July - 31 July 2019 (message 78)
1) The Clockmaker's Daughterby Kate Morton.
2) Sparkby John Twelve Hawks
3) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
4) Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
KARMA'S A BEACH:Duration: 1 August - 31 August 2019
Message 50
1. Island Time. Read a book set on an island.
2. On the water Read a book that occurs on the ocean.
3. Beach bliss Read a book that takes place on or near a beach.
4. Lake effect Read a book that takes place near a lake. If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio.
5. Beach Read Read a book that has been listed either by Goodreads, Amazon, or some other book contributor as a good beach read. - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
6. Sand in between my toes Read a book that has the word "sand" in the title or features sand on the cover.
Autumn / Fall Reading Challenge - Prompts & TasksSeptember
1. To Autumn
To Autumn by John Keats is one of the most admired poems in the English language. Keats composed the poem on 19 September 1819 after taking a walk on an autumn evening.
🍁 Read a book first published in a year that includes at least two of the numbers 1, 8, and 9 - eg 1899, 1920, 1975, 1998, 2018 -Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.
2. Fall into Autumn
This season is known as autumn in most English-speaking countries, except for the US where the word fall is used instead. English emigrants in the 17th century took the word fall with them and continued to use it while in Britain the word autumn gradually replaced fall in the 18th century.
🍁 Read a book by an author whose first or last name starts with A or F- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
3. Rugby World Cup
Taking place in Japan this Autumn, the tournament sees the top international teams compete to win the Webb Ellis Cup. The Cup is named after William Webb Ellis who is (somewhat dubiously) reputed to have invented the game of rugby.
🍁 Read a book set in any of the 20 countries who have qualified for the tournament
🍁 Read a book by an author with a three word name - eg Gabriel García Márquez, Louisa May Alcott, Alexander McCall Smith
🍁 Read a book where the main character is a professional sportsperson (nonfiction books about a sportsperson or team would also count)
4. Abbey Road
This album by The Beatles is 50 years old this year, having been released on 26 September 1969. It’s widely considered one of the greatest albums ever and its cover image has prompted generations of Beatles fans to visit and attempt to recreate the iconic zebra crossing scene. It also includes one of the first examples of a hidden track.
🍁 Read a book where a secret or hiding place is important to the plot (Please say what the secret is when registering this task as complete, but if it’s a plot spoiler than please be sure to use spoiler tags in your post.) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
October
1. Poem in October
This beautiful poem by Dylan Thomas is set in the Welsh village of Laugharne where the poet lived at the time.
🍁 Read a book with a picture of any living thing, setting or object mentioned in the poem on the cover (eg birds, sailing boat, harbour, owls, garden)
🍁 Read a book set in a location that begins with a letter found in the word LAUGHARNE
🍁 Read a book by a Welsh author
2. Dictionary Day
Dictionary Day is celebrated on 16 October in honour of Noah Webster who compiled the first American English dictionary.
🍁 Read a book with the number 1 or 6 in the page count (eg 150, 256, 621, etc)
🍁 Read a book in which one of the most frequently looked up words appears anywhere in the text. (Please quote the sentence when registering this task as completed.)
🍁 Read a book with a title or subtitle that includes a word of 10 letters or more.
3. The Booker Prize
One of the most prestigious literary awards, the Booker Prize is awarded to what the judges consider the best novel written in English and published in the UK. The 2019 winner will be announced on 14 October.
🍁 Read a book first published in October (of any year)
🍁 Read a book by an author whose initials appear in BOOKER PRIZE
🍁 Read a book that has won or been included in the shortlist for the Booker Prize
4. Halloween
Halloween is celebrated around the world on 31 October. Traditional Halloween activities include trick or treating, apple bobbing, telling ghost stories, and watching horror films. Usually followed by lying awake in bed all night convinced that every sound you hear is a ghost.
🍁 Read a book where the first letter of every word in the title appears in TRICK OR TREAT (titles must be at least two words long to count for this one) There There by Tommy Orange
November
1. No sun, no moon! No morn, no noon ... November!
This humorous short poem was written by Thomas Hood, a nineteenth century English poet and author. He lived in London where he wrote for literary magazines and complained about the city’s weather through the medium of verse.
🍁 Read a book whose title begins with a letter in NOVEMBER (A, An and The may be ignored)
🍁 Read a book set in or first published in the nineteenth century (1800 - 1899 inclusive)
🍁 Read a book of poetry.
2. George Eliot
One of the leading novelists of the Victorian era, George Eliot was born on 22 November 1819. After working as an editor and literary critic under her given name Mary Ann Evans, she later published seven novels under the pen name George Eliot.
🍁 Read a book with a repeated number in the page count (eg 115 pages; 422 pages, 338 pages, etc)
🍁 Read a book by an author who has published at least seven novels.
🍁 Read a book published under a pen name or pseudonym (please give the author’s real name and pen name when registering this task as complete)
3. NaNoWriMo
November is National Novel Writing Month. Participants in the project aim to write a novel of at least 50,000 words during the month of November. Since the project was launched in 1999 thousands of writers have participated and over 400 novels have been published, including The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
🍁 Read a book first published in 1999 or later.
🍁 Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title appears in NANOWRIMO (title must be at least two words long to count for this option)
🍁 Read a book that began as a NaNoWriMo novel
4. The Longest Journey
Towards the end of Autumn many species of birds migrate to warmer climates where they will spend the winter. The longest journey of all is taken by the Arctic tern which is thought to make a round trip of up to 56,000 miles a year.
🍁 Read a book in which a main character goes on a long journey (please say where they travelled to when registering this task as complete)
🍁 Read a book where all the letters in ARCTIC TERN can be found in the title and/or subtitle
🍁 Read a book from one of these lists of popular travel books:
🌍 Goodreads: Popular travel books
🌍 Best travel memoirs to inspire Wanderlust
🌍 BookRiot: 30 of the best travel memoirs
reply | flag *
HARVESTING KNOWLEDGEDuration: 1 September - 30 September
Message 54
For many, September marks the beginning of the school year, and for those in the northern hemisphere, the harvesting season. Combining the two, let's gain some knowledge!
1. Nonfiction - Read a nonfiction book that covers at least two subjects (science, history, language, etc.)
2. On time for class - Read a book set in a school
3. Teacher's Pet - Read a book where the main character is a student or a teacher
4. Teacher Knows Best - Read a book written by a professor
5. Geography Lesson - Read a book set in a country you know little about- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
6. Foreign exchange student - Read a memoir by an author whose way of life differs from yours (gender/social/economic/race/ethnicity) There There by Tommy Orange
7. Recess Read a book written from the point of view of a school-age kid We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
8. Reading Assignment - Read a book you were supposed to read in school and/or ask a kid what they are reading for school
9. Mathematics - Read a book with a number in the title or featured on the cover.
10. Extracurriculars - Read a book in a genre that is either new to you or read a book about a topic new to you.
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)
The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)
The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)
The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Katherine Arden (other topics)Katherine Arden (other topics)
Katherine Arden (other topics)
Katherine Arden (other topics)
Katherine Arden (other topics)
More...
Duration: January 1 - January 31, 2019
Message 34
Aim-4 books
1)Favourite Poems of England by Pavilion Books.
2) Bella Mafia by Lynda La Plante
3) Thief's Magic by Trudi Canavan
4) Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan