After reflecting on the year and looking ahead to 2018, I decided one challenge simply was not enough for me. I have been participating in style challenges for years so last year when a friend showed me a reading challenge I was stoked to try it out. It really amped up my reading -- I more than doubled the amount of books I was typically reading per year just from participating. I enjoy reading, of course, but sometimes I need some direction to help me choose what to read. This is where the challenge prompts come in. As I was picking out some of the books I am planning to read in 2018, I was not coming across some of the prompts I had hoped to see. The ones that really peaked my interest, or got me to step outside of my box. That's when I decided to create my own -- #LibLooksReadingChallenge.
The rules are simple: Read however many books you want, whenever you want, using these prompts as a guide. I just want to encourage reading!
1. A book you borrowed from a library. My site name should have given this away. As a library assistant and huge supporter of libraries, of course I encourage borrowing over buying when possible!
2. A book that involves politics. We are living in interesting political times right now and while I oftentimes wish I could escape hearing about it all.the.time. I think a book that is in some way relating to politics could be beneficial.
3. A book by an author who uses initials. A quick Google search will uncover a great deal of initial authors, but I am willing to bet you know more of them than you think. F. Scott Fitzgerald, E.E. Cummings, J.D. Salinger, J.K. Rowling, C.S. Lewis, H.G. Wells, J.R.R. Tolkien, just to name a few!
4. A book that has the word "missing" in the title. If I am being completely honest, this stems from my obsession with mystery/suspense/thrillers. Seriously love them. A quick title search on Goodreads kicked back over 9000 results. I read All the Missing Girls this year and really liked it, if you are searching for a personal recommendation. If these types of books are not your thing, I did come across several books that were about missing someone (Missing You, Missing Mom, etc.)...or if you really want to go in another direction there is always this one.
5. A book with an animal on the cover. So I probably just threw this in here so I could read yet another book with a cat on the cover, like Dewey. I found this great list of books with various animals on the cover if you are not a crazy cat lady like me.
6. A book consisting of less than 200 pages. A few years back, Barnes & Noble released a list of the Twenty Best Books Under 200 Pages and is sparked my interest. After looking over the list to refresh my memory, I noticed that many of them would also work for other prompts (initial author, banned book, one-word title, Rory Gilmore, etc.) and thought maybe we should go for it. If none of them are jumping out at you, Goodreads has a more extensive list.
7. A book that has sold more than one million copies. When I decided to move forward with this challenge, I searched "best selling books of all time" for inspiration. When I came across this page and this list AND this slideshow, I knew I had to include something about best sellers. This also ties in with quite a few of the other prompts.
8. A book published in a year ending in 8. Moving into a new year, I wanted to make sure I left myself room for newly published books. However, older books -- published in say 1988, 98, 08 -- would all work too!
9. A book you found in the clearance section. I am sucker for the Barnes & Noble clearance section. I rarely make it out of the store without snagging a bargain book or two, not even if I am only running to the cafe! Some of my favorite books have come from bargain warehouses, like BookOutlet, so don't knock it 'til you try it!
10. A book with a one-word title. This one is easier than you think, I promise. Goodreads has you covered with this list if you cannot think of one off the top of your head (I couldn't).
11. A book that Rory Gilmore read. As a H U G E Gilmore Girls fan, I loved what a reading nerd Rory was. And she had great taste, I must add. If you did not memorize the series in it's entirety, Buzzfeed put together an extensive list of all 339 books. Again, this could easily overlap with other prompts.
12. A book by an author under 25 or over 50 years old. I have to admit, I was surprised by some of the titles on this 25 under 25 list. If you are looking to go in the other direction, BookRiot lists a few and then Goodreads has a list of authors over 65 (which is still over 50 so I guess we're good to go).
13. A book set in high school. I know what you are thinking, "A book set in high schools is probably YA and you already have that prompt." Yes and no. Yes, YA is a separate prompt and yes, most of the books probably fall into that category. Goodreads has a lengthy list of HS settings, which I did not read in it's entirety to know whether they are all YA or not. I do know, however, that I read One Perfect Lie this year which was not only set in a high school but not even remotely YA. Also part of The Time Traveler's Wife was set in HS.
14. A book that has been banned or challenged. Working in a library, Banned Books Week is like a legitimate holiday for me. I am adamantly against censorship; knowledge is power. Speaking of knowledge, it is important for you to know (if you do not already) that this still goes on today -- it is not an age-old practice, but one that school boards specifically deal with year in and year out. ALA provides extensive lists of frequently challenged books -- top 10 by year and top 100 by decade.
15. A book from the YA genre. Young Adult is that genre that is not really new anymore, but always feels new. It seems that each year this group of books keeps growing larger and larger. I know this is not everyone's favorite, but I promise they are not all bad. Sure, the writing is sometimes juvenile but that is the whole point! Time released a slideshow of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. While it did not make the list, I read Before I Fall this year in preparation for the movie (which I have yet to see, btw) and enjoyed it.
16. A book that you chose based solely on the cover. This one is simple! Choose a cover that speaks to you -- it is bright, it has an attractive person on the front, it is covered in coffee stains, the title is written in really cool font. I know you are not suppose to judge a book by its cover but we all do it (at least I do), so let's really do it for this prompt.
17. A book by an author you have never read before. Another easy one. Pick an author, any author...as long as you have not read anything else they have written. This applies to people who write under multiple names too (*cough* I am talking to you, JK Rowling fans). Branch out and try something new!
18. A book that was a National Book Award winner or finalist. Any year, any genre, winner OR finalist...it is as simple as that! I am eyeing up a few of the 2017 winners/finalists for myself, but some of the older ones grabbed my attention too.
19. A book recommended by a family member. It is safe to assume that we all have at least one family member who reads, so find out what they have been reading lately and give it a try.
20. A book that is part of a series. I am not a fan of series myself, truth be told. I had a conversation with one of my students last semester about how I think it is a generational thing because they are all reading series and I am just over here thinking "Yeah, I just want to one and done it." I typically do not feel the need to follow the same character around book after book, not to say I haven't done it in the past. I have been reading a series each summer for the past few years, Chris Grabenstein's Ceepak mysteries, and am now working on Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series.
Be sure to snap a photo of the cover & post it on Instagram with the hashtag #LibLooksReadingChallenge. I love to see what others are reading and take inspiration from their shelves. I cannot wait to see the pages waiting for us in 2018!
The rules are simple: Read however many books you want, whenever you want, using these prompts as a guide. I just want to encourage reading!
1. A book you borrowed from a library. My site name should have given this away. As a library assistant and huge supporter of libraries, of course I encourage borrowing over buying when possible!
2. A book that involves politics. We are living in interesting political times right now and while I oftentimes wish I could escape hearing about it all.the.time. I think a book that is in some way relating to politics could be beneficial.
3. A book by an author who uses initials. A quick Google search will uncover a great deal of initial authors, but I am willing to bet you know more of them than you think. F. Scott Fitzgerald, E.E. Cummings, J.D. Salinger, J.K. Rowling, C.S. Lewis, H.G. Wells, J.R.R. Tolkien, just to name a few!
4. A book that has the word "missing" in the title. If I am being completely honest, this stems from my obsession with mystery/suspense/thrillers. Seriously love them. A quick title search on Goodreads kicked back over 9000 results. I read All the Missing Girls this year and really liked it, if you are searching for a personal recommendation. If these types of books are not your thing, I did come across several books that were about missing someone (Missing You, Missing Mom, etc.)...or if you really want to go in another direction there is always this one.
5. A book with an animal on the cover. So I probably just threw this in here so I could read yet another book with a cat on the cover, like Dewey. I found this great list of books with various animals on the cover if you are not a crazy cat lady like me.
6. A book consisting of less than 200 pages. A few years back, Barnes & Noble released a list of the Twenty Best Books Under 200 Pages and is sparked my interest. After looking over the list to refresh my memory, I noticed that many of them would also work for other prompts (initial author, banned book, one-word title, Rory Gilmore, etc.) and thought maybe we should go for it. If none of them are jumping out at you, Goodreads has a more extensive list.
7. A book that has sold more than one million copies. When I decided to move forward with this challenge, I searched "best selling books of all time" for inspiration. When I came across this page and this list AND this slideshow, I knew I had to include something about best sellers. This also ties in with quite a few of the other prompts.
8. A book published in a year ending in 8. Moving into a new year, I wanted to make sure I left myself room for newly published books. However, older books -- published in say 1988, 98, 08 -- would all work too!
9. A book you found in the clearance section. I am sucker for the Barnes & Noble clearance section. I rarely make it out of the store without snagging a bargain book or two, not even if I am only running to the cafe! Some of my favorite books have come from bargain warehouses, like BookOutlet, so don't knock it 'til you try it!
10. A book with a one-word title. This one is easier than you think, I promise. Goodreads has you covered with this list if you cannot think of one off the top of your head (I couldn't).
11. A book that Rory Gilmore read. As a H U G E Gilmore Girls fan, I loved what a reading nerd Rory was. And she had great taste, I must add. If you did not memorize the series in it's entirety, Buzzfeed put together an extensive list of all 339 books. Again, this could easily overlap with other prompts.
12. A book by an author under 25 or over 50 years old. I have to admit, I was surprised by some of the titles on this 25 under 25 list. If you are looking to go in the other direction, BookRiot lists a few and then Goodreads has a list of authors over 65 (which is still over 50 so I guess we're good to go).
13. A book set in high school. I know what you are thinking, "A book set in high schools is probably YA and you already have that prompt." Yes and no. Yes, YA is a separate prompt and yes, most of the books probably fall into that category. Goodreads has a lengthy list of HS settings, which I did not read in it's entirety to know whether they are all YA or not. I do know, however, that I read One Perfect Lie this year which was not only set in a high school but not even remotely YA. Also part of The Time Traveler's Wife was set in HS.
14. A book that has been banned or challenged. Working in a library, Banned Books Week is like a legitimate holiday for me. I am adamantly against censorship; knowledge is power. Speaking of knowledge, it is important for you to know (if you do not already) that this still goes on today -- it is not an age-old practice, but one that school boards specifically deal with year in and year out. ALA provides extensive lists of frequently challenged books -- top 10 by year and top 100 by decade.
15. A book from the YA genre. Young Adult is that genre that is not really new anymore, but always feels new. It seems that each year this group of books keeps growing larger and larger. I know this is not everyone's favorite, but I promise they are not all bad. Sure, the writing is sometimes juvenile but that is the whole point! Time released a slideshow of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. While it did not make the list, I read Before I Fall this year in preparation for the movie (which I have yet to see, btw) and enjoyed it.
16. A book that you chose based solely on the cover. This one is simple! Choose a cover that speaks to you -- it is bright, it has an attractive person on the front, it is covered in coffee stains, the title is written in really cool font. I know you are not suppose to judge a book by its cover but we all do it (at least I do), so let's really do it for this prompt.
17. A book by an author you have never read before. Another easy one. Pick an author, any author...as long as you have not read anything else they have written. This applies to people who write under multiple names too (*cough* I am talking to you, JK Rowling fans). Branch out and try something new!
18. A book that was a National Book Award winner or finalist. Any year, any genre, winner OR finalist...it is as simple as that! I am eyeing up a few of the 2017 winners/finalists for myself, but some of the older ones grabbed my attention too.
19. A book recommended by a family member. It is safe to assume that we all have at least one family member who reads, so find out what they have been reading lately and give it a try.
20. A book that is part of a series. I am not a fan of series myself, truth be told. I had a conversation with one of my students last semester about how I think it is a generational thing because they are all reading series and I am just over here thinking "Yeah, I just want to one and done it." I typically do not feel the need to follow the same character around book after book, not to say I haven't done it in the past. I have been reading a series each summer for the past few years, Chris Grabenstein's Ceepak mysteries, and am now working on Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series.
Be sure to snap a photo of the cover & post it on Instagram with the hashtag #LibLooksReadingChallenge. I love to see what others are reading and take inspiration from their shelves. I cannot wait to see the pages waiting for us in 2018!
No comments:
Post a Comment