2020 Monthly Challenge

[Edwina]

Last year I posted one reading challenge per month on Facebook, I've decided to continue doing that this year.
I thought that I would also post the monthly challenge on here, just in case any of you would like to join in the fun.
You never know what random idea I'm going to come up with next but I'd like you to join me as we get 'em read and get 'em moving.
To join just post the month and the book title, see my post below for an example.

Edited to add: The goal is to finish all monthly challenges by the end of 2020. So if you don't finish the book or books by the end of the month then, no worries, you have until year end.
Late sign-ups are welcome, you can join in July if that's when you see this post.
Happy Reading!

[Edwina]

Reading Challenge - January Edition
Theme: Out with the old and in with the new.
Read the last book that entered your home in 2019 AND
Read the first book that enters it in 2020.
No adding them to Mt. Toobie - Get 'em read and get 'em movin'!

[Edwina]

January

Last in was The Ghost Map - Steven Johnson.
This one was so boring that I didn't think I'd ever finish it, but I finally did. Whew!

First in was In My Brother's Shadow - Uwe Timm - Finished!

February challenge

Romance book - Enchanted Dawn by Barbara Faith - Finished
Romance word - Mind Tryst by Robyn Carr - Finished

March challenge

Be Nasty Day - A Nasty Piece of Work and Other Ghost Stories
by Lance Salway - Finished

Old Stuff Day - The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Finished

April

Weather - A Fair Wind for Love - Andrea Gray - Finished
Flowers - Orchids for Heather - Beverly Marshall - Finished

May

Shelf 1 - Love in a Goldfish Bowl - Jack Sher - Finished
Shelf 2 - Drop City - T.C. Boyle - Finished
Shelf 3 - Code Name: Bikini - Christina Skye

June

1. Summer's Child - Luanne Rice - Finished
2. Summer of Roses - Luanne Rice - Finished
3. Ya-Ya's in Bloom - Rebecca Wells - Finished

July

Chill Out
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - Finished

Celebrate
July 18 - World Listening Day - Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner (Audiobook) - Finished
July 24 - National Cousins Day - The Age of Innocence
by Edith Wharton - Finished

August
1. Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! - The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - Finished

2. Dog Days of Summer - Dry by Augusten Burroughs (drought) -
Finished

3. Gone But Not Forgotten - R is for Rocket by Ray Bradbury

September

1. Labor - The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart - Finished
2. Love - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson - Finished
3. Banned - The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney - Finished

October

Boo - Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined - Stephenie Meyer - Finished

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Wicked: by Gregory Maguire - Finished

Bonus -

November

1. Thanks - A Light In the Window by Jan Karon
(Because I'm so thankful that DST has come to an end - at least for a few months, anyway.)

2. Kind - Random Acts of Kindness - Conari Press - Finished

3. Listen - Apollyon: The Destroyer is Unleashed by Tim LaHaye, and Jerry B. Jenkins - Finished

[Mandy]

Mt Toobie, Ha Ha! I like that...
Have already read the first in.. The Last wish by Rachael Johns as it was picked up from a book swap while on holidays
Last in for 2019 was Kiss Me, Kill Me by J.S.Carol... will endeavour to read that one after my current..

[Cheryl]

I buy books in batches, so I have choices!
From a thrift store last week, The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook. From the friends of the libary booksale a few months ago, Schooled.

(And yes, I'm looking at that, all impressed that I managed to go, erm, at least three months w/out bringing new books into the house!)

[K M]

My last book into the house in 2019 was a book I bought for my husband, but I am reading it first! Descendants of Cyrus: Travels through Everyday Iran The first book that entered the house in 2020 was Naked Came the Florida Man. It's a library book, though.

[Edwina]

K M wrote: "My last book into the house in 2019 was a book I bought for my husband, but I am reading it first! Descendants of Cyrus: Travels through Everyday Iran The first book that entered th..."

Library books count, as you will be moving it back to the library once you've finished it.

[Cheryl]

Well, that makes sense. For me, though, I'm not counting library books, as my ongoing mission is to get books that I own out of the house. :)

[Carole888]

I can't name the last book to enter the house last year as a parcel of books from a dear friend, arrived and there was more than one book inside, ... so I'll say "Running in the Family" by Michael Ondaatje which I started reading as soon as I cast my eyes over it!
The first book to enter the house this year is "Home Fire" by Kamila Shamsie and it will have to be quickly read as it's from the Library!

[Cheryl]

I did it! Those two books are ready for PBS!
Looking forward to February's challenge. :)

[Edwina]

Cheryl wrote: "I did it! Those two books are ready for PBS!
Looking forward to February's challenge. :)"

Congratulations and well done!
I've not even started either one of mine yet. lol
I'd best be getting busy with them, this month seems to be flying by.

[Cheryl]

:smiles: I'm behind on my other January reads, but I really wanted to join in on this month-by-month adventure.

[Tineke]

Oh, this is fun. I think I've bought some books at the same time halfway in December and those were probably the last books for the year. I will read The hobbit by Tolkien for this challenge, so that I can finally watch one of the films on Netflix.
In 2020 I haven't had any books yet (except for a few rings, but I don't count those).

[Cheryl]

Ok, I have to ask, just curious, why not count rings?

[Edwina]

Cheryl wrote: "Ok, I have to ask, just curious, why not count rings?"

For the January challenge you can count rings, rays, library books - if the first book to enter your house in 2020 comes from the Spring Library Book Sale in May then you can count that, just come back and edit your post.

[Cheryl]

Cool! I like how you're all about the spirit of the idea, not strict rules.

Tineke, I thought of something. Maybe you're not counting rings for the same reason I'm choosing not to count library books, because those books will go back out anyway, and we're trying to use this challenge for "dusty" books. Am I right?

[Edwina]

Cheryl wrote: "Cool! I like how you're all about the spirit of the idea, not strict rules.

The most important thing, to me, about my challenges on here is that people have fun doing them. I don't want anybody to stress over it. Enjoy the book you are reading. If you don't finish the challenge, so what? Try again next month.
It's all about the love of reading and the added bonus of maybe moving a few books out along the way.
Happy Reading!

[Tineke]

Cheryl wrote: "Ok, I have to ask, just curious, why not count rings?"
Because they will leave my house within a month and so I don't see them really as part of MTBR.
So yeah you're right. I'm just counting the books that are in danger of languishing here, because they don't have a destination.

[K M]

Lifelong Kindergarten...I like that idea. Sounds like an interesting book, Tracy.

[Cheryl]

K M wrote: "Lifelong Kindergarten...I like that idea. Sounds like an interesting book, Tracy."

I agree... I'll be looking that up, too.

[Edwina]

Opinions requested

Which would you rather have - a new thread every month or just continue the game here?

[Cheryl]

I vote: Just continue here.
(but if I'm out-voted that's ok)

[K M]

I'm fine with continuing here.

[Bookguide]

Found it! Too late for January. I’ll wait for February’s challenge.

[Edwina]

*****************************************************************
Reading Challenge - February Edition
Theme: Love is in the air.

I know that some people don't like or read Romance books so this month I'm offering you a Reader's Choice challenge.
Pick one of these, or both!

1. Read a romance novel that has been on Mt Toobie for at least a year.
2. Read any book with a romantic word in the title.
Can be a romance or a completely different genre.
(Examples: Mommie *Dearest*, *Kiss* the Girls, Fire *Lover*,
*Flowers* in the Attic, etc.)

*******************************************************************

[Edwina]

Posted challenge 1 day early so you can start looking for your next read. Please don't actually start reading your book or books until tomorrow.

[K M]

The only book I could find among my TBRs that even comes close is Marrying Mozart, which I registered on BC on 2/20/2006. "Marrying" is romantic, yes? Unfortunately, I only finished one of my January challenge books,Naked Came the Florida Man, which was the 1st book to enter my house in 2020.

[Cheryl]

Marrying is romantic for sure. And, well, if it weren't too late, you coulda read "naked" for Feb... ;)

[Nancy]

January challenge: Last in was Chris Rodell's Growing Up in the REAL Mister Rogers Neighborhood and first in was Spartan Destiny by Jennifer Estep (must admit I bought it as a pre-order). The Rodell book has been read (and even sent on) and am working on the Estep novel. Spartan Destiny read and sent on.

February challenge: a romance on the shelf for more than a year is The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn (been on my shelf for a long time since the BCID# is only 6 digits starting with an eight). I might even try to find a second book with a romantic word in the title as well. Read the Quinn novel as well as a few other romances.

March challenge: Books to match up with March celebrations, at least two if possible
I also have some holdovers from 2019: Neverwhere by Neal Gaiman, Fool Me Once by Fern Michaels, and The Snow Garden by Christopher Rice.

[Edwina]

February challenge

Romance book - Enchanted Dawn by Barbara Faith - Finished
Romance word - Mind Tryst by Robyn Carr - Finished

[Cheryl]

Reading Challenge - February Edition
Theme: Love is in the air.

1. Read a romance novel that has been on Mt Toobie for at least a year.
Not a novel, oops. But I read First Love. Cute. Would have helped me be stronger, braver, when I was a teen, but now it's (I hope) dated.

2. Read any book with a romantic word in the title.
Book sale find that I couldn't resist though I don't know who Durbin is beyond googling and I don't like mysteries... Deanna Durbin and the Feather of Flame. "Flame" as in "I still dream of my old flame.: Again cute.

Both books will be offered up on paperback swap unless any of you in the US are feeling nostalgic; I'll ship to you for free. :)

I did also read Love Among the Walnuts which is a novel and does have a romance as a sub-plot, but I'm not sending that out yet; it's just too precious to me. It is avl. to read on openlibrary.org for free if you want a recommendation for a funny, clever, light, joyful read.

[Inge (Inge1990)]

how fun!

I think I will join, however I have no clue which book entered my home last, and I didn't get any new books yet as I'm on a book ban.

So how I will do the january challenge I will still need to think about...

[Edwina]

Reading Challenge - March Edition
Theme: March (Book) Madness.

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreho...

Scroll down until you see the list of "Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days." See how many books you can read that will match up with a Holiday - try for at least two.
Happy Reading!
(P.S. I've posted this challenge a few days early to give you time to find the appropriate books. Please don't start to read them until March 1st.)

[Tineke]

I've read Where Would I Be Without You? by Guillaume Musso which is classified as a romance.
It wasn't on my MTBR for at least a year, but I'm counting it anyways.

[Edwina]

March challenge

Be Nasty Day - A Nasty Piece of Work and Other Ghost Stories
by Lance Salway - Finished

Old Stuff Day - The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Finished
(I've had this book since I was about 12 years old. A neighbor gave me a box of books ... and my Mother wouldn't let me read this one! LOL - She finally gave it back to me when I grew up and left home - many, many years ago - and it has been in several different houses and bookcases over the years!)

[Diane]

Just joined Challenge *WAVES*

Reading Challenge - January
Theme: Out with the old and in with the new.
*Read the last book that entered your home in 2019 - Smile by Raina Telgemeier (library book picked up on 12/30/19) - read 1/8/20
*Read the first book that enters it in 2020 - Guts by Raina Telgemeier (library book picked up on 1/5/20) - read 1/10/20

******************************
February challenge

*Romance book - Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (received as a Christmas gift in 2016) - read 2/24/20

*Romance word - Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris - read 3/12/20

[Edwina]

Welcome to everyone who has signed up to play in the stacks with me!
Please see message #35 for the March challenge.
Happy Reading!

[Diane]

Hi! I'm new to this challenge so not exactly sure how it works. These are the books I'm going to try to read this month ... unless they don't fit the category. Please let me know. -- Diane

March challenge

*Old Stuff Day - A Light in the Attic - Shel Silverstein - finished 3/6/20

*If Pets Had Thumbs Day - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou - finished 3/8/20

[Edwina]

Hi Diane and welcome!

Sure, you can use Pretty as a romantic word - Pretty Woman was one of the best romantic comedy movies ever, in my opinion.

I am curious about using Peter Pan for Middle Name Pride Day.
The author was James Matthew Barrie but he used J.M. Barrie so that doesn't make me think he was overly fond of his middle name.
Granted, it's been a long time since I've read Peter Pan, was his middle name Pan and he dropped his last name?
I'm all kinds of confused on this one.
Oh, is your middle name something like Pandora?
That would be so cool!!!

[Diane]

I was going to read Me Talk Pretty One Day this month and wondered if it counted.

No problem with Peter Pan. I was thinking Peter could be a middle name. I was going to see if any of my grandfathers' middle names were Peter but haven't transferred genealogy to new laptop yet.

If the other two fit the category, then I'll use them. No problem I have a humongous Mt. TBR to choose from. So I'll catch on, I'm sure. Thanks for these challenges and my dear hubby thanks you too. As he would say "ANYTHING" to get the books out of the house. LOL

[Edwina]

You can use Me Talk Pretty One Day.

Do you happen to have any of these authors on your TBR for the middle name day:

Edgar Allan Poe, Hans Christian Andersen, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson. I'm sure there are others but these are off the top of my head.

[Diane]

Ahhh! Now I'll see what you mean by middle name ..... author's middle name. Thanks for the help. I'll take a look on my many shelves.

[Nancy]

Okay, got a few questions here.
Does Beautiful Joe's Paradise qualify for Joe day and/or Puppy day and/or Pets and thumbs day (three for one) or can I choose another book about pets to make it go for two reads?
Does any green covered book count for Girl Scouts Days as green is the color of the uniforms, etc?
In other words, if we can we rationalize a fit for a chosen day/month, will it count?
Inquiring minds want to know, Edwina!

[Edwina]

"In other words, if we can we rationalize a fit for a chosen day/month, will it count?"

Yes, Nancy, you can use those.
If I hadn't already read 50 Shades then I would probably have read it for Be Nasty Day. lol
Part of the fun of this challenge is to use our imagination and to see what we can come up with to link a random day with a random book.

[K M]

Update


January:
last book entering house in 2019:
Descendants of Cyrus: Travels through Everyday Iran (finished)
1st entering in 2020:  Naked Came the Florida Man (finished)

February:
Romance book:  Anne's House of Dreams (Anne & Gilbert are newlyweds, which is romantic, no?)(finished)
Romance word: Marrying Mozart (finished)

March:
International (Working) Women's Day (3/8):  The Giver of Stars (finished)
World Sparrow Day (3/20): Mindful Thoughts for Birdwatchers: Finding awareness in nature (finished)

April: weather: Snow Falling on Cedars (finished)
flowers: Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire (finished)

May:
Shelf 1 - Peter Camenzind (finished)
Shelf 2 - Hemingway (finished)
Shelf 3 - One Small Candle: The Pilgrims' First Year in America (finished)

June:
59th on shelf: The Screwtape Letters(finished)
Summer: Prodigal Summer (finished)
Father's Day: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(finished)

July:
Chill out -
Literature from the 'Axis of Evil': Writing from Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and Other Enemy Nations (fininshed 1/18/21)
Harry Potter's Birthday - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (finished)

August:
1. Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! - Invisible by James Patterson, about an serial killer/arsonist (cover looks like flame & smoke) (finished)
2. Dog Days of Summer - Scented Gardens for the Blind, by Janet Frame ( for driven mad)(finished)
3. Gone But Not Forgotten - The Invisible Man(finished)

September:
Labor & Banned - The Jungle(finished)
Love & Banned - Winnie-the-Pooh (finished)

October:
Boo -The Haunting of Hill House (finished)
Something Wicked This Way Comes - The Southern Haunting of Truman Capote(finished)

November:
1. Thanks - Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers (Anne Lamott) (finished)
2. Kind - Humankind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time (Brad Aronson) (finished)
3. Listen - Jacob's Room(Virginia Woolf)(was about 1/3 through listening when taken back from my e-reader by the library. Now it's on hold, with a 6 week wait! ) Therefore, I'll be listening to:
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)finished

(finished a bit late 1/18/2021)

[Cheryl]

March... I needed to take up four books to feel ok to get credit for three :

1. Be Nasty Day Murder Can Be Fun by Fredric Brown (not releasing ;)
Brown wrote some terrific mysteries and SF but this is not one of his best.
(2. Middle Name Pride Day Short Friday by Isaac Bashevis Singer Could not finish, but it's a book I've been carrying around for years and finally am going to release!)
3. Mom and Pop Business Day A Jar of Dreams, three stars for me, recommended for children.
4. I Want You to Be Happy Day, The Happiest Ending, sequel to Jar of Dreams, also 3* from me.

[Diane]

Excited for the April challenge! What should I read this month? lol

[Edwina]

Reading Challenge - April
Theme: April Showers Bring May Flowers

1. Read a book with some type of weather in the title.
(Examples: storm, hot, cold, rain, snow, etc.)

2. Read a book with flowers in the title.
(Examples: Flowers in the Attic, The Orchid House, Snowflower and the Secret Fan, The War of the Roses, Princess Daisy, etc.)

Happy Reading!

[Edwina]

This list might be helpful for your flowers book:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...

[Edwina]

And, here are some weather books, though not all of them fit the challenge, for instance, In a Sunburned Country does not.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...