2019 is going to be a great year, I can already feel it! Like 2017 and 2018, my resolution is to complete Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge, which is a brilliant way to challenge myself to read more widely, broadly, and out of my comfort zone. There are twenty-four tasks to complete over the course of the year. You can read one book to complete multiple tasks, or read one book per task. In order to get the most out of this challenge, I will be reading one book per task. Here's the list of the twenty-four challenge tasks and my proposed reading list. This year, rather than complete these in official task order, I'm going to change things up a bit:
January:
An epistolary novel or collection of letters
My choice: Only Human (Themis Files #3) by Sylvain Neuvel - I loved the first two books in this series and I'm surprised I haven't already completed the trilogy, but I just don't want it to be over.
A book by a woman and/or AOC (Author of Color) that won a literary award in 2018
My choice: The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth #3) by N.K. Jemisin - The first two books in this series were outstanding and I'm dying to see how it wraps up. I'm planning on listening to this on audiobook since the production of the previous installments was marvelous.
February:
A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads
A novel by a trans or nonbinary author
My choice: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders - I've been eyeing this fantasy novel ever since its release and now this challenge is finally giving me a good reason to try it.
March:
My choice: Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School #2) by Gail Carriger - Carriger has become one of my favorite authors and I need to get caught up on her work.
A book of mythology or folklore
My choice: The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan - I've completed three of Riordan's series and I need to finally start in on this series before I jump into The Trials of Apollo.
April:
A comic by an LGBTQIA creator
My choice: Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson - The first volume of the graphic novel series was so much fun and I'm really looking forward to continuing it.
A book written in prison
My choice: Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Mallory - King Arthur is one of my favorite characters yet somehow I've never read this classic. Plus, I had no idea that it was written in prison.
May:
A humor book
My choice: The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - I just happened to see the movie adaptation trailer a little while ago and it inspired me to look up the book. Either way, both look hilarious.
A book by a journalist or about journalism
My choice: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - This is another one I'm surprised that I haven't already read. I've seen the 1967 film adaptation and I've heard a lot it to begin with. I'm looking forward to the novel and I'm glad this challenge has given me the opportunity.
June:
A book by an AOC set in or about space
My choice: Binti (Binti #1) by Nnedi Okrafor - I loved reading Nnedi Okrafor's Who Fears Death the 2018 Read Harder Challenge and I'm looking forward to reading more from her in 2019.
An #ownvoices book set in Mexico or Central America
My choice: North of Happy by Adi Alsaid - I was really impressed by Alsaid's Let's Get Lost and I'm glad this challenge is giving me a great reason to read more of his work.
July:
A book by or about someone that identifies as neurodiverse
My choice: Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde - I've been eyeing this for awhile and it sounds like it could be a lot fun.
An #ownvoices book set in Oceania
My choice: Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina & Ezekiel Kwaymullina - This sounds like a fantastic Indigenous Australian YA mystery/ fantasy to me.
August:
A translated book written by and/or translated by a woman
My choice: The Vegetarian by Han Kang - I've been wanting to read this nontraditional literary horror story for a while now and I'm glad this challenge is giving me an excuse to finally try it.
A book of manga
My choice: Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 1 by Bisco Hatori - Not my usual choice for manga, but I want to start this series because I've enjoyed what I've watching on the anime.
September:
A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character
My choice: Watership Down by Richard Adams - I've been told so many times I need to read this classic and I'm ready to finally tackle it.
An historical romance by an AOC
My choice: My Beautiful Enemy (The Heart of Blade Duology #2) by Sherry Thomas - I read the first book in this duolgoy for 2018 Read Harder and I really surprised myself with how much I liked it (I don't know why I doubted Sherry Thomas's abilities) and I'm looking forward to reading the finale this time around.
October:
A cozy mystery
My choice: Elementary, She Read (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #1) by Vicki Delany - All I had to hear was Sherlock Holmes and bookshop!
A business book
My choice: #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso - I'm not familiar with the author of this, but it certainly sounds intriguing.
November:
A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009
My choice: Lily & Dunkin by Donna Gephart - Rainbow Booklist 2017 - This sounds like it will be a thoughtful and heartwarming read.
A book of nonviolent true crime
My choice: Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale with Stan Redding - Catch Me If You Can is one of my favorite movies and I'd love to have the opportunity to read the true crime book that inspired it.
December:
A self-published book
My choice: Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1) by Christopher Paolini - I had no clue that this massive series started off as a self published novel. I honestly have no clue how I've missed it all these years.
A collection of poetry published since 2014
My choice: The Princess Saves Herself in This One (Women Are Some Kind of Magic #1) by Amanda Lovelace - Just going on the title of this and the sequel, I think I'll like this.
Congratulations for making it this far! Have you ever taken part in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge? Have you tried any of the books on my tbr? If so, what did you think of them? As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!
Every year I am tempted to try this challenge, but there are always prompts that I'm just not interested in. But I guess that's the point! I love your choices, especially Watership Down!!! Also, I've always wanted to read In Cold Blood as well. Have fun, I'll be looking forward to your reviews😁
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tammy. I'm really looking forward to the all of them. :)
DeleteI really enjoyed North of Happy. Can't go wrong with food. I am hoping to read Lily and Dunkin as well. I loved Gephart's last book, and heard L&D is even better. Good luck with the challenge. You have some great books lined up.
ReplyDeleteGood to know about North of Happy. :)
DeleteThanks, Sam.