2017 was just horrendous when it came to reading. It even made me think if I had over-committed myself by setting a target of 52 books, one book per week, for the Goodreads Challenge. But if you really know me, you would also know that it was an easy-to-achieve goal. In a normal scenario, not a day passes by without me reading a page or two. But that was not the case last year. While I read 30 books, I knew it in my heart that it wasn’t enough- for my choice of books weren’t great. That said, I am signing up for the following reading challenges this year.
2018 Reading Challenges
Goodreads Challenge
I am again setting a target of 52 books this year. Yes, one book per week. And I am sure going to outdo last year’s number; which brings me to the next two challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge
I am aiming for better reading when compared to last year. Though the TBR has been piling up, I just couldn’t bring myself to read. With 52 books, I’m putting an end to the reading rut and also pledging to come up with one review every week, here on the blog.
52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge
Self-Explanatory 🙂
Erin’s Book Challenge
I came to know of Reading Challenges through one of my favorite bloggers – Sanch. She signs up for various challenges every year and her book recommendations always end up on my TBR list. I’m picking up this challenge from her. It runs twice a year and the prompts and my choice of books (tentative) for the period January to April are as below:
- Freebie ie. Read a book that is at least 200 pages(5 points): Chocolat by Joanne Harris
- Book that starts with the letter ‘L'(10 points): Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin
- Has a (mostly) red cover(10 points): Animal Farm by George Orwell
- With a character’s name in the title(15 points): Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard
- Book from Book Riot’s 100 Must-Read Books with Plot Twists(20 points): Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
- Book with the words “house” or “home” in the title(20 points): The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux
- By an author whose first and last name begins with the same letter(25 points): Elixir by Sinjini Sengupta
- That was originally published in a different language than your own(30 points): The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
- Book where most of the action takes place on a form of transportation(30 points): Night Train at Deoli by Ruskin Bond
- Book with a character that suffers from a debilitating physical illness(35 points): Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2018 Monthly Motif Challenge
This challenge brings to you a motif or theme for each month. All you’ve to do is pick a book that fits the bill.
- JANUARY – Diversify Your Reading: Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin
- FEBRUARY – One Word: Chocolat by Joanne Harris
- MARCH – Travel the World: Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- APRIL – Read Locally: Elixir by Sinjini Sengupta
- MAY – Book to Screen: Fault in our Stars by John Green
- JUNE – Crack the Case: Murder in the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
- JULY – Vacation Reads: TBD
- AUGUST – Award Winners: TBD
- SEPTEMBER – Don’t Turn Out the Light; TBD
- OCTOBER – New or Old: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë as Ellis Bell
- NOVEMBER – Family: Three Daughters by Consuelo Saah Baehr
- DECEMBER – Wrapping it Up: TBD
Popsugar Challenge
With over 40 (mandatory) and 12 (advanced) prompts, this challenge isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But I’m going to take it up. You can check out the prompts on their website.
“I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book”- J.K. Rowling
And that’s what I missed last year. I never liked forced reading. But then, it restricted my choices and led me to miss out so many good books. I may or may not complete all these challenges. However, this will help me read from different genres. That’s exactly what I aim to achieve by the end of this year. The books I choose may overlap with reading challenges.
Tell me, are you taking part in any reading challenges?
Let me know!
Ciao.
With all these challenges, I hope you ace the 52 books and reach 104 too. 🙂
I’m taking part in a few of your choices too. 😀 Might join the Motif Challenge. Thinking about it.
Hey thanks for that informative post. 52 books in a year … Well 52 books a month was what I used to read once upon a time. Of late I lag behind in this hobby. I hope to do justice to my reading habits .
This is a mammoth challenge and I wish you all the best 😀 I have set myself a modest target of 15 books this year on Goodreads. Mostly because I want to read more than that so a smaller target makes me believe that it possible.
Also because I find that I take time to read and savour books these days and quite enjoy that process. 20 years ago I would read 3 books in a week. 😉
I love your list and have a few from them on my TBR too so will check back to read reviews if you put them up.
Have a reading-filled 2018!
To be able to read 30 books in a year is too good from my perspective. I had set myself a conservative target of 12 books in 2017, a book per month and on the last day of the year, I felt happy that I actually managed to read 19 books. This year I am letting every reading challenge pass for a reason. Maybe next year, I will challenge myself with reading from different genres.
Good luck for 2018, Shalini.
That’s a load of challenges. I’ve set a target of 52 books this year– the hope is t exceed it by reading two books a week: a pacy genre read, and a slow, thoughtful literary pick.
Wish you all the best with your challenges, Shalini: shall look forward to the reviews!
Wow! That’s a lot of challenges but I’m sure you’ll ace them. Most of all, I hope you enjoy what you’re reading! 🙂
That’s a lot of challenges and I’m super impressed with a book a week! I don’t know if I’ll ever get to that! So good to see you joining Erin’s challenge. Big Little lies is amazing! Fault in our stars is lovely and Girl with the dragon tattoo was unputdownable too. Looking forward to seeing your reviews. Good luck with all the challenges this year!
Sanch does some wonderful reading challenges, doesn’t she? I love the fact that you have taken it up too. It feels so nice to see you so sorted regarding your choices. I would have been so torn.
This year I have only set a target of 60 books on Goodreads and no other challenge. As tempting as they look, I’ll do this the next year, maybe.
Chocolat, Big Little Lies, Animal Farm, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Murder On The Orient Express – Excellent choices! The Fault In Our Stars – I regretted reading the book. Quite a drag it was. If you have the time, I’d suggest you pick another.
All the best, Shalini!
Woah! That’s absolutely wonderful. I haven’t taken up any challenges this year other than the good reads challenge. I’ll be catching up withasf year’s backlog.
That many challenges!!!!!
Good. I wish you luck.😊I took a challenge as well…but kept the number low. Considering my other engagements.But one thing is sure I am going to read a much as I can.
😊
Come one shalu!!! uot do yourself this year… Read and read. its the best way to learn and write better too… 52 books isnt easy( though I have set a wierd goal of 100 books, dont ask me why)…
All the best.. and lovely clicks by the way 🙂
Oh, so many books here! Different ones!
I find it difficult to restrict myself when it comes to reading. I am an avid reader but I am very impatient when it comes to reading. The only reading challenge I take is Goodreads reading challenge. I couldn’t complete it last year. This year I want to read more. Wuthering Heights…I couldn’t finish, but re-trying (On Tulika’s & Sreesha’s recommendation). Let’s see if I can finish this time. I have watched Chocolat and Eat, Pray, Love and liked them. Will try to read them.
Thanks for this post. So many options!