Read Harder

I've always wanted to participate in a reading challenge, but I'm never going to read 50 books in a year which seems to be one of the more popular reading challenges. Even pre-bébé I don't think I could manage that, and I consider myself to be an avid reader.

Last week I came across Book Riot's 2015 Read Harder Challenge. It's only 24 books long which I see as much more manageable. Plus it's going to encourage me to read some books I would have never otherwise picked up.

To help myself complete this challenge, I'm permitting a few liberties:

a)  I started Boy, Snow, Bird last week, but I'm only a few chapters in, so I'm counting it.

b) Toronto Cooks is published by an indie Canadian publisher, and I will absolutely be reading through and making recipes from this big, beautiful book, so I'm counting it.

c) All the Light We Cannot See didn't actually win the National Book Award, but it was a finalist so I'm calling that close enough.

Here's the list and my initial thoughts on what I may read for some of the topics. These may change, and I'd love to hear your recommendations for any of the suggestions below (that's even one of the 24 tasks!). Plus, I'll add my favourites over on the Books page of this blog.  


1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 - Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65

3. A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people) - The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

4. A book published by an indie press - Toronto Cooks by Amy Rosen

5. A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ

6. A book by a person whose gender is different from your own - Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

7. A book that takes place in Asia

8. A book by an author from Africa

9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) - Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

10. A microhistory - Making Makers by AnnMarie Thomas

11. A YA novel

12. A sci-fi novel

13. A romance novel - Not sure yet but lots of suggestions on Goodreads are for books by Sarah MacLean, so I may try one of those.

14. A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.)  - Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi

16. An audiobook - The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

17. A collection of poetry - Love Poems by Pablo Neurda

18. A book that someone else has recommended to you

19. A book that was originally published in another language

20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind - Maus by Art Spiegleman

21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over) - #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso

22. A book published before 1850

23. A book published this year - Why Not Me? by Mindy Kayling

24. A self-improvement book - The Awe-manac: A Daily Dose of Wonder by Jill Badonsky

Book Riot also has a Goodreads group setup if you'd like to get or give recommendations for the different topics specific to this challenge.

Wish me luck! Even if I only get 70% finished, I'm calling it a win. The Globe and Mail recently published that only giving 70% is better for your health anyways.

#readharder
xo
Jenn