Pages

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Bookish Books Reading Challenge

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. 


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!

64 comments:

  1. Oh. 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I 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

      Delete
  2. This sounds like a fun challenge and all the more with the bookish theme. Happy reading, Lark! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm excited about the bookish books theme! :D

      Delete
  3. Enjoy.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I 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.

      Delete
  5. Good 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes you need a year without challenges, just books and reading. Enjoy yours!

      Delete
  6. This 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! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally get not feeling like doing any reading challenges! :D

      Delete
  7. I 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I 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

      Delete
  8. Good luck. I only go the Goodreads challenge but I wish you luck with this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I 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

      Delete
  9. I 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It 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.

      Delete
  10. I 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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm looking forward to reading Camino Island; it sounds like a book I'll really like. :)

      Delete
  11. Yay! I'm doing this challenge too! I love bookish books!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love bookish books, too. Can't wait to see which ones you choose and read! :D

      Delete
  12. I'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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That one sounds so good! I'm excited to read it...and to see what other bookish books you find to read this year. :D

      Delete
  13. I 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I 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

      Delete
  14. Yay! 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!

    I'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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 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

      Delete
  15. Wow there's so many novels with books or library in the title. Or bookshops. It's endless right? Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that there are so many bookish books out there; they're some of my favorite books to read. :D

      Delete
  16. I'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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That'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.

      Delete
  17. I 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'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.

      Delete
    2. Good luck, Lark!! You can do it!!

      Delete
  18. Great 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I 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

      Delete
    2. I used to do that but found I still didn't get rid of many books that way.
      Anyway, I absolutele loved The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. Enjoy.

      Delete
    3. I'm really looking forward to reading that one. Finally. I put it on my TBR list like two years ago.

      Delete
    4. That's not really that long ago. I have books that are waiting more than ten years. ;)

      Delete
    5. Yeah...I try not to think about those books. ;D

      Delete
    6. Oh, I see, you have a new TBR pile and an old TBR pile. ;)

      Delete
  19. Sounds like a great challenge! Books about books are always fun. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. This looks like a great challenge! I kind of miss doing them...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They 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.

      Delete
  21. I 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, 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

      Delete
  22. This 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When 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.

      Delete
  23. I 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I always love reading these kinds of books, so I'm looking forward to doing this challenge.

      Delete
  24. Books about books is definitely up my alley. You have a great list to work from. Should be a lot of fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think so! And low-key reading challenges do work best for me.

      Delete
  25. It's nice when a challenge fits perfectly, right?! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is nice! A little bit of bookish serendipity. :D

      Delete
  26. This challenge sounds like a lot of fun. Unique! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I intend to just have fun with this one this year.

      Delete
  27. I hope you get to The Reading List. I loved that one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sounds so good...and knowing you and so many others loved it makes me want to read it even more. :D

      Delete