I think reading challenges are a lot of fun, but I've learned over the years that if I want to stick with it for the entire year and actually finish, my limit is one. So, last month I started trying to figure out which reading challenge I wanted to sign up for this year...if any.
I love Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge, but having participated in that one for the past two years, I felt like I needed a change. And Stacey @ Unruly Reader has once again come up with an enticing Reading Bingo for 2023--and I do love filling in those squares!--so I was seriously considering committing to that one.
But then I saw that Susan @ Bloggin' 'bout Books is going to host a Bookish Books Reading Challenge this year and I knew that's the one I want to do. Because I love reading books about books, bookish people, bookstores, authors, etc. And I already have a list of at least twenty bookish books on my TBR list that I want to read this year, so it feels like the perfect fit for me. If it sounds like the right kind of reading challenge for you, I hope you join in, too.
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Here are just some of the books I'm planning (hoping!) to read for this challenge this year:
- The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
- The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick
- The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson
- The Library by Bella Osborne
- The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
- The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes
- The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer
- The Book Lover by Maryann McFadden
- The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green
- Camino Island by John Grisham
There are many, many more...but we'll see how I do at getting these read first. And if you know of any amazing bookish books I should add to this list, please let me know!
Happy Reading!
Happy reading in 2023, Lark!
ReplyDeleteThank you. :D
DeleteOh. Very tempted. But I'm already doing four this year, well four and a half really (joining in with a Canadian books one on YT but not every month.) But, you know, Book about Books! And I'm even currently reading one, The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. Plus I have several on my tbr... What a dilemma!
ReplyDeleteI read The Starless Sea in December during my winter break. I loved Morgenstern's writing, and liked the story and characters, though there were times when I felt like it was taking too long to get anywhere. And I know what you mean about too many reading challenges...if I sign up for more than one these days I don't finish either. ;D
DeleteThis sounds like a fun challenge and all the more with the bookish theme. Happy reading, Lark! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm excited about the bookish books theme! :D
DeleteEnjoy.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
Thank you, Regine! :D
DeleteI feel the same. If I sign up for too many challenges, it becomes overwhelming. Good luck with this challenge. It looks like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI think it's one that I can do this year...and I already have a list of books that I want to read for it.
DeleteGood luck, Lark! I thought about signing up because I do like the 'theme', but I decided that just getting my reading back to normal is the quest this year. Maybe next year if Susan does it again. You list looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSometimes you need a year without challenges, just books and reading. Enjoy yours!
DeleteThis sounds like so much fun. I'm not doing any challenges this year, but was very tempted to sign up for this one. Happy reading! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally get not feeling like doing any reading challenges! :D
DeleteI like the looks of this challenge, Lark, and I am also considering signing up for it. Even though my original plan was to skip challenges this year.
ReplyDeleteI like that this one is so low-key and casual. And it'll help me read some of those bookish books already on my TBR list which is also a good thing. I hope you do it, too. :D
DeleteGood luck. I only go the Goodreads challenge but I wish you luck with this.
ReplyDeleteI never do the Goodreads challenge...only because I read so much I've never worried about setting a number to reach...but it's a good way to track your yearly reading. :D
DeleteI hadn't heard of this one. Tempting! I was sort of thinking of another challenge, because I don't think Back to the Classics is coming back--or I'd cheerfully do that one again.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't looking like Karen's going to do her Back to the Classics challenge this year, which is sad. It's a good one.
DeleteI didn't know the other books, but Camino Island is brilliant! I loved it. Not only the story is good, but it's about Fitzgerald's manuscript too! I reviewed it here: https://klasikfanda.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-secret-of-chimneys-and-camino.html
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading Camino Island; it sounds like a book I'll really like. :)
DeleteYay! I'm doing this challenge too! I love bookish books!
ReplyDeleteI love bookish books, too. Can't wait to see which ones you choose and read! :D
DeleteI'm looking forward to this reading challenge too! I want to read just about all the books on your list too. :-) I hope you like The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks as much as I did.
ReplyDeleteThat one sounds so good! I'm excited to read it...and to see what other bookish books you find to read this year. :D
DeleteI don't sign up for hardly any because I know I won't complete most, but this one sounds fun! I'll look into it. Good luck, Lark!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean...I'm not finished many reading challenges in the past. So now I only sign up for one, and only for one I'm in the mood to do and already have books on my TBR list that fit it. And even then I sometimes lose steam around June or July. ;D
DeleteYay! I'm so glad you're joining in. I do want this challenge to be low-key and casual, like you said above, so no one is stressing about it. It truly is just for fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB right now. It's a little slow, but I'm enjoying it. I also really liked THE MESSY LIVES OF BOOK PEOPLE. I can't wait to see what you think of all these.
Thanks so much for coming up with this fun challenge! I'm really looking forward to it...and my mom totally loved The Messy Lives of Book People, too. I'm looking forward to checking that one out. :D
DeleteWow there's so many novels with books or library in the title. Or bookshops. It's endless right? Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI love that there are so many bookish books out there; they're some of my favorite books to read. :D
DeleteI'm so tempted by this challenge but have been resisting because I'm absolutely terrible about linking up and keeping track. This looks like a great list! Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteThat's the hardest part for me about doing reading challenges...and a big reason why I only ever do one at a time any more.
DeleteI am doing Susan's challenge as well! I will also be reading The Blackout Book Club :) I am not sure how many bookish books I will read, but I am doing the challenge!
ReplyDeleteI'm excited that you'll be doing this challenge, too! I'm hoping to read between 11-15 books, but we'll see how it goes.
DeleteGood luck, Lark!! You can do it!!
DeleteI do like bookish books.
ReplyDeleteThey're always favorite reads of mine. :D
DeleteGreat books on this list and I would love to join a reading challenge but I know my TBR pile would not shrink at all, so I have decided to not participate again this year. Still, I'll follow yours.
ReplyDeleteI try and pick challenges these days that fit in with the books already on my TBR pile, so that the challenge helps me get more of those titles read, and this particular reading challenge does that for me this year. :D
DeleteI used to do that but found I still didn't get rid of many books that way.
DeleteAnyway, I absolutele loved The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. Enjoy.
I'm really looking forward to reading that one. Finally. I put it on my TBR list like two years ago.
DeleteThat's not really that long ago. I have books that are waiting more than ten years. ;)
DeleteYeah...I try not to think about those books. ;D
DeleteOh, I see, you have a new TBR pile and an old TBR pile. ;)
DeleteSounds like a great challenge! Books about books are always fun. :)
ReplyDeleteThey really are!
DeleteThis looks like a great challenge! I kind of miss doing them...
ReplyDeleteThey can be a lot of fun...but I have to be in the right mood for them, and they have to work with the books I'm planning on reading.
DeleteI love reading challenges but I'm so hit or miss on them. This one sounds so fun (and tempting!). I mean, who doesn't love books about books. Will be looking forward to your reviews!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Iliana. I'm hit and miss on reading challenges, too, which is why I limit them to just one a year...and even then I don't always finish them. :D
DeleteThis challenge sounds like a lot of fun! I have a lot of personal reading goals that I am working on so I don't sign up for any of these official challenges but I love the sound of this one!
ReplyDeleteWhen you have a lot of personal reading goals you don't have time for reading challenges, unless you find one that synchs up nicely with one of your personal goals...which this challenge did for me this year.
DeleteI probably won't do any challenges this year, but if I did, the Bookish Books one sounds like one I would love. Good luck with it!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I always love reading these kinds of books, so I'm looking forward to doing this challenge.
DeleteBooks about books is definitely up my alley. You have a great list to work from. Should be a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI think so! And low-key reading challenges do work best for me.
DeleteIt's nice when a challenge fits perfectly, right?! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice! A little bit of bookish serendipity. :D
DeleteThis challenge sounds like a lot of fun. Unique! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I intend to just have fun with this one this year.
DeleteI hope you get to The Reading List. I loved that one!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so good...and knowing you and so many others loved it makes me want to read it even more. :D
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