Challenge and Monthly Themed Read Suggestions

[Janice, Moderator]

We are nearing the end of our first little challenge. This will be an ongoing thread where you can place your suggestions for challenges. Feel free to brainstorm here.

[Cheryl]

For a month-long challenge:

1. Read a book published the year you were born.

2. Read a book set in the season opposite this one. That is, if the challenge is in August, read a book set in Feb/March.

3. Read a book that's been on your Mt. TBR (pile of books you own but haven't read) for a long time.

4. Read a book from a genre you haven't explored before/ for a long time. For example, for some people that will be picture-books, or science-fiction, or poetry, or non-fiction. For me it'd be graphic novels or spirituality.

For a year-long challenge:

1. Read a book for each color of the rainbow. Remember ROYGBIV. Either the title has to say the color: or the cover has to have that color predominant: .

2. Read a book from each time period: a. before 1800, b. 1800-1849, c. 1850-1899, d. 1900-1949, e. 1950-1999, f. 2000 to present.

Ok, that's just off the top of my head. And of course you feel free to suggest amendments. :)

[Jenny, honorary mod - inactive]

Oooo those are great suggestions Cheryl. I like the idea of choosing a book by the colour of it's cover :D

[Janice, Moderator]

I agree, those are great suggestions.

1. Read a book from a specified listopia.
2. Read a book that has a full name in the title such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

I want to keep a cap on the number of books read in the challenge. Some people are speed readers and can read copious numbers of books in a short period of time. Others, may be lucky to get a book read in a month. I'd like to hear what people think is a reasonable cap for a month long challenge - 4, 5, 6, 10? Two month challenge could have the cap doubled? Or should there be a cap at all?

Keep the suggestions coming!!!

[Kate]

I like all of these suggestions too. I LOVE the idea of a challenge so I'd likely participate in pretty much anything.

[Cheryl]

A cap? The only challenges in which I've participated asked us to read 'a book' - I assume they meant a cap of 1.... Which seems fair to me. I'm a fast reader, but I don't want to read 6 pink books in February or anything like that.

I like your suggestions, too. :)

[Sandy]

I like previous suggestions. One that popped into my head immediately on reading your initial question was reading a book by an author with the same initials as your own.

I'm not sure I'd do a long challenge or one that involved too many books in a short period of time, though--I've got too many books on my to-read list for both recreation and work to be able to add in too many others. Maybe there could be different levels of the challenge to take into account different people's schedules/reading speeds?

[Janice, Moderator]

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "A cap? The only challenges in which I've participated asked us to read 'a book' - I assume they meant a cap of 1.... Which seems fair to me. I'm a fast reader, but I don't want to read 6 pink bo..."

One of the groups I'm in allows you to read multiple books towards a challenge. There is one woman who has already read 10 books for the challenge that started June 1st. I haven't even finished the one I started for the challenge. By the end of June 1st, she had 2 books over 400 pages each. And she's not alone. There are several readers neck to neck with her.

In the April/May challenge, if you did all the tasks you would have read 17 books in two months... and there were people who did.

It's a little off-putting. Why would I even bother to put my 1 or 2 books into the challenge when I know I can't read that kind of volume.

You say you don't want to read 6 pink books in a month. They would have a challenge that you would get bonus points for reading books by authors whose last name begin with the initials of the month:

J - Henry James
U - Laura J. Underwood
L - D.H. Lawrence
Y - Martel Yann

So that's 4 books right there.

Thoughts and preferences on a cap?

[Cheryl]

Well, my other challenges didn't give us points, either. They were purely for fun, so everyone could be comfortable participating. So, I say, a cap of one for the monthly challenges, a cap of one each for the year-long challenge (for ex. 7 books for the rainbow of covers challenge).

I didn't realize this group had other challenges besides the 'choose a book based on its cover' one. I guess I forgot to explore all the discussions back when I joined!

[Cheryl]

Never mind - I was confused - that 17 points you were talking about is in another group, right? Ok.

[Janice, Moderator]

LOL! We've only had the one challenge in the group so far, Cheryl. It's a new feature that we've started.

[Cheryl]

So, we have no precedent set. No need to be all competitive with points and multiple books and all. Or, at least sometimes we could have a challenge open to all, and sometimes we could have a more competitive challenge.

[Janice, Moderator]

I have plans for two upcoming challenges to follow the current one.

The first of the two will be a one month challenge consisting of one book. I'm going to come up with a series of points. The winner(s) will receive a jpg "badge" to put on his/her profile. I will post details as soon as I decide on the point qualifiers.

The second will be a year long, one book a month. There'll be no points. It will be a participation challenge and no prizes. Details of that will be posted prior to July 1st.

I think they'll be fun. The idea isn't to be competitive. Rather, it will be to get people reading and participating in the group. People can participate, or not, as they feel comfortable - no pressure.

[Alison]

I enjoy a challenge - and one of the good things about them is that it encourages you to pick osmehting up which might not pick otherwise, in order to fit a theme, and then you broaden your horizons a little.

[Cheryl]

I agree Alison - and yet I'm torn because my Mt. TBR is so huge, and varied, that if I don't have something that will fit already, I ought not participate until I have fewer books stuffed onto my shelves!

In any case, Janice, I look forward to participating in every challenge that suits me, and I expect most will! Thank you for all your efforts! :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Hopefully, you will find something on your TBR pile that will fit in with the challenge. :)

[Robin]

Are we still taking suggestions for challenges? What about books chosen based on title alone?

[Janice, Moderator]

Yes. We will keep taking suggestions as long as they keep coming.

I like that suggestion, Robin.

[Emily]

Some other suggestions:
*Read the book in your TBR pile that has the most pages.
*Read the book in your TBR pile where the author's last name is the earliest in the alphabet.
*Read the book in your TBR pile where the title is the earliest in the alphabet.
*Read a book with a number in the title.

[Janice, Moderator]

I love your TBR suggestions as well Emily. Awesome job. I just started reading the book on my TBR that has the longest pages - The Stand - a whopping 1100+ pages! Yikes. :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Those are both great suggestions!!

You've never read Stephen King? Wow! LOL! I've been adding in some of the Classics. There is a reason they are classics, and I've decided I need to find out why. :)

[Janice, Moderator]

I think I've seen bits and pieces of the movie, but haven't read the book. I was just thinking this morning that I should add it to my list.

[Karendenice]

Judy, Read the book first! It's really awesome! My absolute fave.

[Karendenice]

Absolutely!!!!!

[Janice, Moderator]

Ha! Thanks Judy. :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Keep those suggestions coming! I've been perusing this thread for our August challenge. I will post the challenge in the next couple of days.

[Janice, Moderator]

Judy wrote: "Perhaps, we could have a Challenge where we read 1 or 2 books on our "Must Read Before I Die" list."

Ha! I see I have you trained. :)

[Snoozie Suzie]

How about a 4 seasons challenge? 4 books to be read with 'spring', 'summer', 'autumn' and 'winter' in the title. One season in each title. For example: 'A Winters Tale' by Tricia Ashley.

Or a colours of the rainbow (as in the song) challenge. The title has to include red/yellow/pink/green/purple/orange/blue. So 7 books.

[Snoozie Suzie]

Sorry. Rainbow already suggested.

[Cheryl]

- But I like the seasons one! How long do you think we should be given to complete them? One month seems like too much pressure, but a year-long challenge already exists and might be too stretched out for 4 books anyway...

[Janice, Moderator]

It could be incorporated into our monthly challenges, maybe in conjunction with the solstices? Dec 21st is the winter solstice, so perhaps I could include it in the challenge in some sneaky way. *evil laugh*

Good suggestions, Susan. Don't worry about repeating ones that have already been made. The repeats make for good reminders.

[Cheryl]

I do like how cleverly you set up challenges, Janice!

[Janice, Moderator]

Thanks Cheryl. It's fun trying to think of ways to put a spin on things.

[Snoozie Suzie]

I have decided to do the rainbow challenge anyway so have set up my bookshelf ready. *squeals in excitement at all the books I need to read for these challenges*

[Kat]

Not a challenge suggestion (I'm a sheep, not a shepherd!), but it would be good to have a place where we can keep a log of our current challenges, particularly for those of us who are doing multiple challenges at the same time.

[Janice, Moderator]

Kat wrote: "Not a challenge suggestion (I'm a sheep, not a shepherd!), but it would be good to have a place where we can keep a log of our current challenges, particularly for those of us who are doing multipl..."

Do you mean here on You'll Love This One? How do you want to log the books? Do you just want to list the books you are reading for the various challenges? Do you want to include dates?

Sorry, I know I asked a whack of questions, but I want to make sure I understand what you are looking for.

I keep a private list. Each month, I create a note on my iPad that lists the 3 formats that I use (audiobook, ebook, and dead tree book). I then look at the challenges I'm doing and book club, and write in the books I want to read that month.

How do others track their challenges? Maybe we can come up with a format to use here on YLTO.

[Kat]

Sorry that wasn't very clear!
More of a thread where you can just track your progress in multiple challenges.
For example, I have about 4 yearly challenges on the go, and every time I finish a book, I have to go and find all those challenges and update straight away, otherwise I completely forget and can't work out what I've forgotten to update. I'd prefer to track them all on one online thread and then update the individual challenges less frequently, say once a week, or even once a month.

I track what I read in a gigantic (six tabbed!) excel sheet, and multiple shelves on GR, but I often read on my iPod where I don't have access to my spreadsheet, nor the internet to update GR.

Maybe I just need a better personal system :-D

[Cheryl]

My system resembles Amber's. I don't participate in as many challenges at Kat, though, so it's good enough for me.

[Kat]

My TBR for 2012 is about 140 books already...I could MAKE a coffee table from that, let alone put them on one.

Or I could make my coffee table into a dining table for giants :-)

[Janice, Moderator]

Kat wrote: "Sorry that wasn't very clear!
More of a thread where you can just track your progress in multiple challenges.
For example, I have about 4 yearly challenges on the go, and every time I finish a book..."

There is a folder called "YLTO Member Zone". If you want to have your own personal thread to track your challenges, you could do it there. Bonus is that it would be interactive and people could comment on your books and progress. Downside is, your TBR list will grow exponentially! :)

[Kat]

See, I didn't even know that! Teaches me for not scrolling down more often ;) thanks Janice!

Now to actually make the time to add all the books in - I swear I spend more time organising, reorganising and browsing than actually reading.

[Janice, Moderator]

All the organization is fun though. :)

[Kat]

I know! That's why I have a TBR of 700 + and a wishlist of 700+....at my reading rate that's about, oh, 13 years of my reading life completely organised now :)

[Kim]

Judy wrote: "Kat wrote: "I know! That's why I have a TBR of 700 + and a wishlist of 700+....at my reading rate that's about, oh, 13 years of my reading life completely organised now :)"

Understand the feeling..."

That's why I created a "2 read or not 2 read" shelf, to weed out books that I'm second-thinking, during the month of December. But, at 13 books, it doesn't make a dent in the 180-some books I've gathered. I'd like to see how many

[Kat]

I thought about doing something similar Kim, but my problem is that it changes from hour to hour - I'd be forever moving books back and forth!

[Kim]

oops. I realized I hit post before I finished typing! I was trying to say I'd like to see how many I get "rid of." lol Yep, and for every two or three go out, a couple come in...

[Cheryl]

I don't mind my virtual 'to-read' shelves - but all the books I own are making my apartment too cluttered. I did weed a couple dozen a few weeks ago, but then felt guilty that I'd spent money on them and now am not even reading them. On the third hand, my tastes have changed a fair bit, and those were books I really would not enjoy now.

I really need to stop getting books from the library for a while and concentrate on the ones I own....

[Jo]

Hi all - new to here, but excited by some of the suggestions. How about this for a challenge: read a contemporary novel by an author from each of the four countries that make up the UK, that give a real sense of place.

I'm trying to think of what would work. Definitely from Scotland would be Alan Warner, maybe:

#

or



Maybe for England:

?

(Not sure if Jon McGregor is actually Scots though?!)

Wales:

or by Cynan Jones

Any suggestions for Ireland?

[Alison]

Jo wrote: "Hi all - new to here, but excited by some of the suggestions. How about this for a challenge: read a contemporary novel by an author from each of the four countries that make up the UK, that give a..."
What about
Crippen

[Kim]

I initially thought that the themes were for challenges, not just the monthly group reads. I prefer to do challenges because I'm trying to read the books I already have without bringing more into the house, even if it is a library book. Besides, my library card expired years ago and I need to have it updated and our town library is horrible, so then I would need to go to another town and get another card updated.