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2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2020
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Lara Loves A Challenge - 2020 Ed.
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Monthly Totals To help track my progress
Jan: 96 books
31 booksFeb: 102 books
29 graphic novels
36 picture books
33 booksMar: 62 books
23 graphic novels
46 picture books
34 booksApr: 46 books
10 graphic novels
18 picture books
39 booksMay: 68 books
0 graphic novels
7 picture books
59 booksJun: 105 books
5 graphic novels
4 picture books
52 booksJul: 64 books
16 graphic novels
37 picture books
57 booksAug: 57 books
4 graphic novels
3 picture books
55 booksSep: 57 books
1 graphic novels
1 picture books
40 booksOct: 75 books
14 graphic novels
3 picture books
43 booksNov: 62 books
21 graphic novels
11 picture books
47 booksDec: 69 books
4 graphic novels
11 picture books
47 books
1 graphic novel
21 picture books
Total Books: 537
Total Graphic Novels: 128
Total Picture Books: 198
Grand Total : 863
A-Z Challenge Read a book beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Will try to count as few picture books as possible - read way too many of those for this to be a challenge otherwise!
Working on this in another group too (Drop Everything & Read). Like last year, this will be my main Challenge Tracking Hub... so here it is :)
A:
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I:
J:
K:
L:
M:
N:
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P:
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Z:
Historical Romance Series ChallengeGoal: Addictive
Another personal challenge through another group. Complete the sets! I'm not holding myself to just 2020 for this one. It's an ongoing one for me year to year, as I aim to finish up a few series (and probably reread a number of books in the process!)
Series: Bedwyn Saga - Mary Balogh (9 books, including side works)
Have read 2/9
0.5 One Night for Love (Bedwyn Prequel 1)
(Bedwyn Prequel 2) - read Oct 20171 Slightly Married
- read Apr 20173 Slightly Scandalous
4 Slightly Tempted
5 Slightly Sinful
6 Slightly Dangerous
6.5 Once Upon A Dream
Series: Mistress Series - Mary Balogh (4 books, including side work)
1 More Than a Mistress
2 No Man's Mistress
2.5 Now a Bride
3 The Secret Mistress
Series: Huxtable Quintet - Mary Balogh (5 books)
1 First Comes Marriage
2 Then Comes Seduction
3 At Last Comes Love
4 Seducing an Angel
5 A Secret Affair
Series: Emersons - Maureen Driscoll (6 books)
Reread the Kellington series from Maureen Driscoll this year too, so now on to the Emersons!
1 Always Come Home
2 Always True to Her
3 Always Have Hope
4 Always Believe in Love
5 Always Forever
6 Never and Always
Series: Secret Lives - Colleen Connally (3 books)
- read Mar 20182 Broken Legacy
3 Seductive Lies
Series: The Dukes of War - Erica Ridley (8 novellas)
- reread Jul 2018
- reread Jul 2018
- read Jul 2018
- reread Sep 20185 The Brigadier's Runaway Bride
6 The Pirate's Tempting Stowaway
7 The Duke's Accidental Wife
8 All I Want
Series: Cynfell Brothers - Samantha Holt (7 novellas)
- read Oct 2018
- read Nov 20183 Sinful Liaisons
4 Sinful Cravings
5 Sinful Possession
6 Sinful Temptations
7 Sinful Secrets
More series to be added as I think of them, but these should get me started!
Lara wrote: "New year, new collection of challenges!I'm a public services librarian, so I read. A lot. Last year I broke 800 titles.
Most of my reading is picture books and mid-grade, because of work, but I ..."
Wow, 800 titles! That's more than Liberty Hardy, I think. You might be our resident velocireader!
One of my favorite challenges over the last few years - reading based on cover colors. This appeals to my quirky sense of humor - what librarian hasn't had the "I can't remember the title but the cover was blue" sort of question?1. White (or ivory, cream, bone, etc...)
2. Pink (rose, magenta, salmon, etc...)
3. Red (maroon, brick, scarlet, etc...)
4. Orange (apricot, ginger, carrot, etc...)
5. Yellow (blond, chartreuse, canary, etc...)
6. Green (sage, lime, jade, etc...)
7. Light Blue (teal, sky, cerulean, etc...)
8. Dark Blue (indigo, denim, navy, etc...)
9. Purple (lavender, plum, orchid, etc...)
10. Brown (tan, mahogany, coffee, etc...)
11. Black (grey, slate, coal, etc...)
12. A Metallic color (gold, silver, bronze, etc...)
13. A book with at least 5 colors on the cover
14. A book with a color in the title
15. A book with a word describing colors in the title (rainbow, stripes, polka dots, etc...)
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2020A challenge I've included to help break me out of my usual ruts. Some of these are actually pretty challenging!
For more information: Book Riot
Read a YA nonfiction book
Read a retelling of a classic of the canon, fairytale, or myth by an author of color
note to self: Mycroft Holmes
Read a mystery where the victim(s) is not a woman
Read a graphic memoir
Read a book about a natural disaster
Read a play by an author of color and/or queer author
Read a historical fiction novel not set in WWII
Read an audiobook of poetry
Read the LAST book in a series
Read a book that takes place in a rural setting
Read a debut novel by a queer author
Read a memoir by someone from a religious tradition (or lack of religious tradition) that is not your own
Read a food book about a cuisine you’ve never tried before
Read a romance starring a single parent
Read a book about climate change
Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman
Read a sci-fi/fantasy novella (under 120 pages)
Read a picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community
Read a book by or about a refugee
Read a middle grade book that doesn’t take place in the U.S. or the UK
Read a book with a main character or protagonist with a disability (fiction or non)
Read a horror book published by an indie press
Read an edition of a literary magazine (digital or physical)
Read a book in any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author
Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading ChallengeAnother reading challenge with various prompts to get me out of my reading ruts.
From the blog Modern Mrs Darcy
A book published the decade you were born
A debut novel
A book recommended by a source you trust
A book by a local author
A book outside your (genre) comfort zone
A book in translation
A book nominated for an award in 2020
A re-read
A classic you didn’t read in school
Three books by the same author
I'm just going to start this as it's own note right at the beginning - I just read too many series and will soon run out of space!
Highlight ChallengesSome of my favorite ideas from past challenges (PopSugar, BookRiot, Modern Mrs. Darcy, etc)
A book published before you were born.
A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads
An epistolary novel or collection of letters
A book by a woman and/or AOC that won a literary award in the last 5 years
A book by an AOC set in or about space
An historical romance by an AOC
A translated book written by and/or translated by a woman
A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character
note to self: The Familiars series
A book by or about someone that identifies as neurodiverse
A cozy mystery
A book of mythology or folklore
A novel by a trans or nonbinary author
A book of true crime
note to self: The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, In Cold Blood
A book of nonviolent true crime
note to self: Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake
A book written in prison
A comic by an LGBTQIA creator
A comic written or drawn by a person of color
A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009
A book you've been meaning to read.
A book about a topic that fascinates you.
A book you chose for the cover.
A book with a cover you hate
An assigned book you hated (or never finished)
A book by an author who is new to you.
A book published posthumously
A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance)
A book of colonial or postcolonial literature
A book of social science
The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series
The next book in a series you are reading.
A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author
A book of genre fiction in translation
A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60
Megan wrote: Wow, 800 titles! That's more than Liberty Hardy, I think. You might be our resident velocireader! ."I do read a lot, but like the caveat, there's a lot of kids' books in there too - more Mo Willems and less Ken Follett! :)
Oh, a new one! And mythology related!!MYTHS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
GoodReads 2020 Challenge Group
1. Janus - Roman god of beginnings and transitions.
Read a book set in Italy, or a book with a character that starts out on a fresh beginning.
2. Fenghuang - Chinese bird, also known as the Chinese Phoenix, is a mythical bird that signifies high virtue and grace.
Read a book set in China, or a book featuring a character full of grace and virtue.
3. Brownie- Scottish mythical creature that inhabits houses and aids in tasks.
Read a book set in Scotland, or a book featuring a character that does work that is unseen.
4. Enenra - Japanese smoke creature. It inhabits bonfires and legend says can only be seen by the pure of heart.
Read a book set in Japan, or a book with a pure-hearted character.
5. Cyclops - Greek mythical one-eyed giants.
Read a book based on a Greek tragedy or a book featuring a short-sighted character.
6. Lang suir - Malaysian ghost of a woman who died in childbirth.
Read a book from Southeast Asia, or a book featuring a character who dies from a broken heart.
7. Finnish water spirit who will capture unmindful children.
Read a book set in the Nordic countries, or a book about a captured child.
8. Hippogriff - European medieval beast that is half eagle and half horse, known for being extremely fast and able to fly long distances.
Read a book about medieval Europe, or a book featuring a character who flies.
9. Wandjina - Australian aboriginal wind and cloud spirits.
Read a book set in Oceania, or a book featuring an important weather event.
10. Jumbee - Caribbean malevolent entities.
Read a book set in the Caribbean, or a book featuring a malevolent character
11. Deer Woman - a half-deer half-woman creature in Native American lore.
Read a book that features a Native American protagonist or a forest setting.
12. Anansi - trickster spider.
Read a book set in Africa or one in which one or more insects play a conspicuous (but not necessarily major) role.
13. Encantado - shapeshifting dolphin in Brazilian myth.
Read a book set in South America or about any type of metamorphosis.
14. Leprechaun
Read a book with a green cover, a book set in Ireland, or about a character who experiences very good luck.
15. Merfolk
Read a book that features a mermaid or takes place at sea.
16. Nightmare
Read a book in which dreaming or dreams play a central role, or a book which features horses.
17. Phoenix
Read a book about rebirth, or a book that features fire (because a phoenix rises from the flames).
18. Nine-tailed fox - a magical fox with nine tails that appears in East Asian legend.
Read a book about foxes or read a manga (because the epononymous Naruto manga stars a ninja who transforms into a nine-tailed fox).
19. Baba Yaga - a supernatural being in Russian fairy tales who appears as a fearsome old woman.
Read a book set in Russia or a book featuring a witch.
20. Shahbaz - a fabled bird in ancient Persian mythology.
Read a book set in Western Asia or that takes place in a desert region.
JANUARY TOTALS:31 books
29 graphic novels
36 picture books
Total Titles: 96
Books of the Month
No BOTM reads this month, but plenty of challenge reads.
FEBRUARY TOTALS:33 books
23 graphic novels
46 picture books
Total Titles: 102
Books of the Month
A Wrinkle in Time - not a GR BOTM, but still a reading list title
MARCH TOTALS:34 books
10 graphic novels
18 picture books
Total Titles: 62
Books of the Month
Reading the Detectives
Poirot Investigates
APRIL TOTALS:39 books
0 graphic novels
7 picture books
Total Titles: 46
Books of the Month
A few challenge reads, and a few for the library's YA book club, but no GR BOTM titles
MAY TOTALS:59 books
5 graphic novels
4 picture books
Total Titles: 68
Books of the Month
Catch Up Book Club
Murder on the Orient Express
JUNE TOTALS:52 books
16 graphic novels
37 picture books
Total Titles: 105
Books of the Month
Catch Up Book Club
The Secret Garden
JULY TOTALS:57 books
4 graphic novels
3 picture books
Total Titles: 64
Books of the Month
Nothing this month, but progress on some - maybe more next month?
I really love seeing the formats people have - most over 200 are pretty boring, just the book titles. This is so refreshing to look over. Proper dossier lol.
Celine wrote: "I really love seeing the formats people have - most over 200 are pretty boring, just the book titles. This is so refreshing to look over. Proper dossier lol."Thank you! It's ridiculously geeky, but I have fun with it :)
I think my favorite one is the color challenge, because it's so pretty visually, but in real life that would drive me up the wall - how would you find anything?? This lets me do it without the frustration!
AUGUST TOTALS:55 books
1 graphic novels
1 picture books
Total Titles: 57
Books of the Month
Historical Romance Series Challenge
Reread Kellington Series 1-5, leading up to reading the Emerson series by Maureen Driscoll
GoodReads Book of the Month Challenge
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
SEPTEMBER TOTALS40 books
14 graphic novels
3 picture books
Total Titles: 57
Books of the Month
Addicted to YA
Prince Caspian
Three Books by the Same Author A-M
Three Books by the Same Author N-Z
OCTOBER TOTALS43 books
21 graphic novels
11 picture books
Total Titles: 75
Books of the Month
Reading the Detectives
Peril at End House
NOVEMBER TOTALS47 books
4 graphic novels
11 picture books
Total Titles: 62
Books of the Month
none this month
DECEMBER TOTALS47 books
1 graphic novel
21 picture books
Total Titles: 69
Books of the Month
Reading the Detectives
The Big Four
The Killings at Badger's Drift
Catch Up Book Club
Dracula
GoodReads Book of the Month Challenge
Dracula
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Killings at Badger's Drift (other topics)The Big Four (other topics)
Dracula (other topics)
Wild Homecoming (other topics)
The Rose King (other topics)
More...
I'm a public services librarian, so I read. A lot. Last year I broke 800 titles.
Most of my reading is picture books and mid-grade, because of work, but I always have a Kindle book on the go, an audiobook or two for my commute and for working out, and a physical book or two to top it off. It adds up.
For 2020, I'm starting out aiming to break at least 520 - 10 books per week. I'll adjust my goal again as needed (same as the last few years). My bigger goals, more than just the numbers, are to read new books (breaking out of my usual ruts), and write more reviews (I'm hoping to break 1050 total). I'm looking forward to the monthly challenges, etc. here to help with that!