I love reading. I’ve been reading on a daily basis for years now. Probably, it’s the only healthy exercise that I have been able to follow religiously.
I also love challenging myself, so not doing a reading challenge would almost be a crime. I have been taking up reading challenges since the last 5 years. And in these past few years, I have read a lot.
Reading challenges have pushed me to read a little more. A little differently. About different topics. I remember a time, when I was reading only romance or just thrillers. Reading challenges have definitely helped expand my reading experiences. Because of the prompts from the various reading challenges, I have stepped out of my comfort zone and read non-fiction and dystopian novels and explored some genres and authors which I was totally ignorant of. For example, I was unaware that there is a sub genre of Romance called Christian Romance in which both the hero and heroine are devout Christians and are typically focused on a chaste courtship.
I enjoyed every bit of My 2017 Reading Challenges and I am very excited about this year’s challenges which I have picked up for myself. Have a look at them…
1. Goodreads
This will be my second year for the #BrunchBookChallenge. I loved sharing my books and checking out books by other readers at Twitter for this challenge. From 36 books in 2017, this challenge is pushing the readers to read 50 books in 2018. And there’s this excitement of winning a big number of books at the end of the year with this challenge.
3. 2018 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge
This is my favorite challenge, for this one has truly expanded my reading horizons. I love exploring books for the various prompts and then buying and reading them too. Thanks to the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge, I have read such diverse books. I am excited about the prompts for this year.
I have read quite a few classics during the school days.I have been meaning to re-read some of them for a while now but never got around to do that. When I saw this challenge, I gave a whoop of joy. I am looking forward to the endless possibilities of rediscovery by reading some old classics with this challenge.
5. 2018 Read Your (Book) Shelf Challenge #ReadYourShelf
I failed miserably with the last year’s #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks 2017. Since I have become a Kindle convert, my books in my bookish cupboard are totally ignored. I have some fantastic books on my book shelves and I want to read them. In this challenge, one has to pick 12 books from their book shelves and stack them, click a picture and read one book every month in forward or reverse order. Given below is my pile of 12 books from my book cupboard which I am going to tackle this year.
6. 2018 Personal Growth Reading Challenge
Personal growth is a journey to explore and develop yourself. It helps you to develop physically, mentally, spiritually and intellectually. Through this challenge, I’d like to educate and inspire myself to be a better version of myself. In this challenge, one has to read 26 books on the given topics.
These are the reading challenges that will keep me busy all through 2018.
If you are looking for more such reading challenges, check out The Master List Of 2018 Reading Challenges
What about you – do you do reading challenges? If so, which one?
In my next post, I’d share my experiences, learnings and strategies for reading more. Stay tuned!
30 Responses
Shilpa, hats off off to you. I have just one challenge going on, Good reads. My target is 45 books in 2018. How do you get the time to read so many books? When do you sleep? 🙂 Jokes apart, you are an inspiration. Share your secret on how to go about reading so many books.
Thanks a lot for your generous words, Sulekha.
LOL 😀 I do sleep… will be sharing my tips and strategies to read more in the next post. Good luck to you for your reading challenge! Happy reading!! 🙂
All the best for the challenging challenges!
I failed miserably last year so going slow this time…
Love your diverse challenges, I might give them a try.
Thanks Inderpreet. Hope you get your reading mojo back and read some awesome books this year! Cheers 🙂
Wish you all the best. You are raising the bar every year. I have a question. Suppose you read a book by an author of different ethnicity who wrote about feminism, does that count as one or two?
Thanks a lot for your good wishes, SG. Need them 😀
That’s an interesting question… If I have two different books and the time to read on these 2 topics, I will count as two, if not, then I will mark the same book in both the prompts.
Like last year, there was a prompt— A book that’s been mentioned in another book. Eat Pray and Love is mentioned in Bossypants, and I had read both these books but I used them for different prompts and used the third book, The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza for the above prompt. 😀
Wow! That’s a lot of challenges and they are so interesting! I have only taken up the Goodreads Challenge and my target is 40 books for this year.
Thank you, Reema and all the very best to you for your challenge!! Cheers! 🙂
Your reading challenges are beyond my thinking. You are a Master when it comes to reading. I love the idea of diversification and rereading classics. I have set mine at 30 this year. I haven’t been able to complete my challenges so far. Somehow the numbers this year looks real to me. I am making it a light read this year. Starting this year’s challenge to revive my love for reading. All the best to you Shilpa. You are a book goddess.
I smiling widely! 😀 Thanks for your generous words, Jayanthy! 30 is doable, all the very best to you and happy reading!! 🙂
I love reading challenges, but am ADHD when it comes to choosing. I could have a well-researched list that gets bumped by a book someone hands me on the train. Good luck with your challenge!
I know what you mean and that happens with me too. I may read several books at a time depending on the mood and the engagement factor. Thanks a lot, Pam and you have a great time reading books this year too! Cheers 🙂
great job keep rocking
Thank you, Pushpendra!
That’s an inspiring list of reading challenges. I am joining you on 1 and 2. I love the idea of Personal Growth reading challenge. Will have a think about this one. Good luck Shilpa.
Thats wonderful, Arpita. Do join in for the Personal Growth challenge too, we could discuss our reading lists and get more inspired! 😀
Great list of book challenge, I am currently on 3 book challenges.
One interesting thing Shialpa, I have three book titles from your bookshelf on my shelf too 🙂 Coincidence :).
I do agree about Kindle, but now I feel there are some books that are better to be held in hand than virtual.
One interesting thing ShilpaI have three book titles from your bookshelf on my shelf too Coincidence :).
Aha! That’s lovely! Which titles are those?? Do share 🙂
That’s nice, Shruti! Which books are you reading?
I have become a total Kindle fan, though I would prefer to read all the books for Personal Growth reading Challenge in the physical form.
Shilpa have just one book challenge this year– on Good reads.. And I have a target of 100 books. NOt sure if I wil be able to, but still attemting it. HAts off to you for all these challenges! Best of luck and happy reading
100 is cool. All the very best to you, Ramya. I am sure, you will ace it!
Thanks for your wishes.
Shilpa, you are an true inspiration to us. I need to buckup in reading. Reading challenges will keep motivated so thinking to take up HTBrunch Book Challenge whereas Pop Sugar Challenge looks interesting 🙂
Cheers
MeenalSonal from AuraOfThoughts
Do take up the HT Brunch Challenge, Meenal/Sonal. It would be fun to share our reading lists. Thank you and have a great time reading this year!!
Such fantastic challenges, Shilpa! If I could, I’d be happy to spend all my time reading. I admire how organized you are, and how disciplined. I love a good challenge, but I never sign up for reading challenges, because I know that my pressure from within is good enough to keep me reading at least 3-4 books simultaneously. 🙂
Those challenge lists are very interesting, though. Nice way to focus better. And oh, I feel a little guilty about going digital too.
Happy reading!
I love your self motivation and positivity, Vidya!!
I love these challenges as they help me to read more and diverse genres and subjects.
I know the feeling, for once I was an ardent physical book lover and took to Kindle rather reluctantly, but now it’s Kindle only for me and I feel a bit guilty to see the pile of unread books on my book shelf. Thank you and you have a wonderful time reading this year too!! 🙂
Oh I love the Challenges you’ve mentioned. I did look at the Pop Sugar Challenge and I saved it up too but then this year I’ve resolved to finished a lot of unfinished reading. And so I’ve shut my eyes to it. Though I have to admit I periodically open it and get tempted! I loved the Classics Reading Challenge. How on earth do you manage to find such interesting ones! I also loved the Personal Growth Reading Challenge.
Thanks Tulika. I love these challenges too. Though am currently struggling to get my hands on Classics. 😐
The Master List Of 2018 Reading Challenges has all the reading challenges on the web. Link is in the post above.
Happy reading this year, Tulika 🙂
Oh My God, Shilpa, you are such passionate lover of books, truly admire you dear. I am guilty of not reading, as half my times goes in my work place and other half at services I am involved…. in between I look into books that is linked to my work, mostly books related to psychology 🙂 as we are expected to present papers and keep ourselves updated with latest mental health issues..Thank you for sharing.
YOU are doing a fabulous job, Genevive and I am in awe of your work and the way you are touching lives of so many youngsters. So, guess, that’s ok, if you are not able to devote a lot of time to books.
Wishing you the very best in your chose field, and I wish I could do my bit in helping people too 🙂