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

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

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.

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

~ A Motif, or theme, is given for each month. Your task is to read 1 book that fits the motif for that month.

~ Post what you’ve read to social media using the hashtag #MonthlyMotifGXO.

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

~ New This Year: A check in post will be published at the end of each month to the blog [ www. girlxoxo.com ] where you can comment with the book you chose and leave a link to your review.

MONTHLY MOTIFS (THEMES)

JANUARY- Winter Wonderland

"Focusing on ‘wonderland’, read a book set in a truly wonderful place- somewhere you’ve always thought was beautiful, somewhere with a wonderfully rich culture, a snowy setting, or maybe even a magical realm. It’s your interpretation, so have fun with it."

FEBRUARY- Seeing Red

"Read a book with the word ‘red’ in the title OR a book with a red-ish cover. Bonus if it has both."

MARCH- Sub-Genre Sound Off

"Choose a sub-genre of your favorite genre and read a book from it. Make sure you mention the sub genre you chose in your review. (Ex. Sub Genres of Fantasy could be Magical Realism, Fairytale Retellings, or Epic Fantasy to name just a few.)"

APRIL- 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.)"

MAY- 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."

JUNE- 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."

JULY- Around or Out of this World

"Read a book set in a country other than the one you live in OR written by an author who is from a country other than your own OR read a book that takes place in space or on another planet."

AUGUST- Creature Feature

"Read a book that includes a creature of some kind on the cover or in the story. Cat, dog, dragon, werewolf – mythical or real – find a book that features a creature."

SEPTEMBER- When Text Just Isn’t Enough

"Read a book that includes more than just text. Maybe it’s a map, a family tree, illustrations, documents like emails or letters- something else that helps to paint the picture."

OCTOBER- Thrills and Chills

"Ghost stories, haunted houses, true crime, murder mysteries, a thriller keeping you on the edge of your seat- it’s up to you!"

NOVEMBER- Dynamic Duos

"Read a book with a couple of characters that make the perfect pair whether in business or in love. (Ex. Sherlock & Holmes, Elizabeth & Darcy)"

DECEMBER- Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice

"Holiday or winter themed reads, love stories and romances, happy cries, comedies; round out your year with a truly feel good read."