Kimberly’s Comments (group member since Dec 31, 2019)

Kimberly’s comments from the Chapter Adventure Reading Challenges (Formerly GXO) group.

Joosje wrote: " I'm reading Sunshine and sweet peas in Nightingale Square for January. Heidi Swain is one of my favourite authors."

I haven't read anything by her. Sounds like a good one.

Connie wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "The January Key Words are:

"Water, This, Hello, Sun, New, Six"

Please comment below with the book you are planning to read and/or give other book suggestions. Mark it CHALLENGE C..."

I was gifted this book for Christmas. Can't wait to read it!

Virginia wrote: "I just finished “This Time Will be Different” by Misa Sugiura for this one. I liked it, but didn’t love it. It was a fun read! Good history about Japanese internment made accessible to a YA audienc..."

I know someone who is doing a Japan in January personal reading challenge. I'll have to see if she's read this one.

Joosje wrote: " I hope to read this book for January, I think it fits the motif very well."

"Candycane Clause"? I love it!! Sounds like a fun book.

The Key Words for July are:

"Boy, Last, Day, Into, Dear, Summer"

Also- you're not crazy. 'Day' was also a keyword for March. Insert face palm here. I swear I triple checked my lists to make sure I didn't double up on words but it still happened. Oh well! :)

Comment below with your book choice and mark CHALLENGE COMPLETE when you've finished the book.

Here are a few suggestions from Kim & Tanya:

The motif for June is Name or Number

"Read a book in which a name OR a number is part of the title. Bonus if the title includes both a name and a number."

Comment below with your book titles and mark CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've finished them.

Here are some suggestions from us:

The Key Words for June are:

"And, Beach, Number, Wish, Down, Word"

Comment below with your book choice and mark CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've finished the book.

Here are some suggestions:

May's Motif is Author Introduction.

"Read a book written by an author who you’ve never read anything by. Bonus if its been on your TBR for more than a year."

No suggestions this month since it's up to you to pick a new-to-you author. We'd love to hear what you read in the comments! Mark CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've finished the book.

The Key Words for May are:

"Sky, Name, Blue, Book, Enchant, Is"

Comment below with what you plan to read and mark it as CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a few suggestions from us:

April's motif is Classics or Currents. "Read a book published before the year you were born (classic-ish) OR a book published between April 2019 and April 2020 (current.)"

Let us know in the comments what you plan to read. Remember- Original publication date is the key here.

Mark it CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a few CURRENT books we recommend:

April Keywords are:

"Lost, Below, City, Jewel, Night, My"

Leave your suggestions and book choices in the comments below. Mark it CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a few suggestions from The Girls:

This months motif is Sub Genre Sounds Off. "Choose a sub-genre of your favorite genre and read a book from it. Ex. Sub Genres of Fantasy could be Magical Realism, Fairytale Retellings, or Epic Fantasy to name just a few."

Comment below with the book you plan to read (or a suggestion for others) and the Sub Genre that it comes from.

Mark it CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are some suggestions from us:

(This one really fits a lot of sub genres: thriller mystery, paranormal science fiction, urban fantasy.)

(Gothic fiction)

(Science fiction-Alternate History/Reality)

(Magical Realism)

(Again, this one fits a few different sub genres: fairytale retellings, steampunk, dystopia)

(Dystopia)

(Space Opera)

(Cozy Mystery)

(Contemporary Romance)

(Romantic Comedy)

The Keywords for March are:

"Dream, Day, In, House, Luck, Friend"

Please comment below with your book choices and suggestions. Mark CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a few suggestions from Tanya and Kim:

Keywords for February are:

"Girl, Any, Love, Red, Note, Throne"

Comment below with your book choices. Mark CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a few suggestions from us:

Seeing Red is the theme for February. "Read a book with the word ‘red’ in the title OR a book with a red-ish cover. Bonus if it has both."

Comment below with your book choices and suggestions! Mark it CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a couple of book suggestions from us:

To get you started:

1. The Costa Book Awards presented each January, recognizes books written by authors based in the UK and Ireland. The prize has five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book – with one of the five winning books selected as the overall Costa Book of the Year.

A winning book from any year, in any of the Costa categories, would count for January.

https://www.costa.co.uk/behind-the-be...

Our recs are Eleanor Oliphant, Gail Honeyman is Completely Fine which won the 2017 Costa Book Award for First Novel and Life After Life, Kate Atkinson won the 2013 Costa Award for Best Novel


2. The American Library Association Awards (including the Youth Media Awards) were announced in January in 2019 … but in February in previous years!. So depending on the year you choose you would count your book for either Jan or Feb. See this list for ideas:

http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/award...

3. There are several awards, but the Alex Awards is one of Tanya's favorites to read books from. This award is given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults. From those winners she recommends the following books...

http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/alex-...



** Comment below with what you plan to read!

HOW IT WORKS

This is a MONTHLY challenge that runs all year long from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.

Your task is to read at least 1 book each month that has WON a book award in that month. EXCEPT December. Read ANY book award winner in December.

Post what you’ve read anywhere online – your blog, Goodreads and social media using the hashtag #GXOAwardReadingChallenge.

Monthly check in posts will go up on the blog [ www.girlxoxo.com ] where you can comment with the link to your review for that month.

THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAILS

~ To count for the challenge, the book read must be an AWARD WINNER.

~ The award must have been announced in the same month the book is read. e.g. For January – any book that won the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction & Nonfiction in 2019 would qualify, because it was presented on January 27, 2019 – but a National Book Awards winner would not count for that month – because that award is presented in November.

~ All types of books and genres count – Fiction, Non-Fiction, Novellas, Audiobooks, Kid-lit, Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade Fiction, etc.

The January Key Words are:

"Water, This, Hello, Sun, New, Six"

Please comment below with the book you are planning to read and/or give other book suggestions. Mark it CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book.

Here are a few book suggestions from Kim and Tanya:

HOW IT WORKS

~ This is a monthly challenge that runs all year long from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.

~ Six “key words” are given for each month. Your task is to read 1 book that includes one or more of the key words in the title.

~ The title you choose can be a variation on one of the key words. For example- your title could include the word ‘snowing’ or ‘snowflake’ even though the key word is ‘snow.’

~ Key words can be tweaked. For example- You could read “Cinder” or “Ashes” for the key word ‘Fire’. If the key word is ‘family’ then your title could include the word ‘sister’ or ‘mother.’ If the key word is ‘food’ then your title could include the word ‘cake.’ Use your best judgement and have fun with it!

~ Please link back to Girlxoxo, Tanya, or Kim any time you post about the challenge on your blog so that we can follow along with your progress!!

~ If you post what you’ve read to social media please use the hashtag #MonthlyKeyWordGXO .

~ New This Year: A check in post will be published at the end of each month where you can see what we read for the challenge and comment with the book you chose and a link to your review.

MONTHLY KEY WORDS

JANUARY – Water, This, Hello, Sun, New, Six

FEBRUARY – Girl, Any, Love, Red, Note, Throne

MARCH – Dream, Day, In, House, Luck, Friend

APRIL – Lost, Below, City, Jewel, Night, My

MAY – Sky, Name, Blue, Book, Enchant, Is

JUNE – And, Beach, Number, Wish, Down, Word

JULY – Boy, Last, Day, Into, Dear, Summer

AUGUST – Kiss, Flower, When, Happy, North, Right

SEPTEMBER – Star, Cry, She, Window, Forever, Eye

OCTOBER – Haunt, Around, Shadow, Grave, Murder, Deep

NOVEMBER – Look, Forest, Out, Color, Lock, Now

DECEMBER – Sword, Magic, Fly, Of, Silver, Crown

This month the focus is on the books setting. Choose a book set in winter or a book with a truly magical/wonderful setting.

Please comment with what you plan to read this month and/or any book suggestions you have that fit January's theme. Mark it CHALLENGE COMPLETE if you've read the book. Let's help each other find great books to read!

Here are a few book suggestions from Kim and Tanya for January:

Set in a fictional version of Prague
A middle grade novel set in an old smuggler's inn hidden on the forested cliffsides of the city port of Nagspeake.
Set in post-colonial Nigeria during the Civil War in the late 1960s.
Set in a future version of Wonderland that's turned dark and frightening.
Set on Mars where astronaut Mark Watney has found himself stranded.
Set in Iceland and based on a true story.
Set in a fictional kingdom called Lithvas which is loosely inspired by a mix of Lithuania, Poland, and Russia.