Book By Book: 2019 Reading Challenges

Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2019 hosted by My Reader's Block

I am again signing up for the Mount Vancouver level this year and aiming to read at least 36 books from my own shelves. Last year I almost made it and read 33!

I have an entire TBR bookcase (that now has double rows on every shelf!), so I really need this challenge. Note that the host says its OK to count e-books and audio books, but I tend to count only print books, as those are the ones physically piling up!

There are monthly summary link-ups (I will try to remember!)

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall by Drew Weing
Form of a Question by Andrew Rostan and Kate Kasenow
True Enough by Stephen McCauley
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
Deogratias by J.P. Stassen
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Leading Men by Christopher Castellani
Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
True Grit by Charles Portis
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin
The Desert Sky Before Us by Anne Valente
The Likeness by Tana French
Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel
This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
The Outsider by Stephen King
Old Souls by Brian MacDonald and Les McClaine
The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Threatened by Eliot Schrefer
The Midwinter Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag
Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld
Grimoire Noir by Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott
An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography by Paul Rusesabagina
Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe by Jane Goodall
Sunny Rolls the Dice by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
Stargazing by Jen Wang
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The Seventh Voyage by Jon J. Muth
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

2019 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge hosted by Girlxoxo.

I enjoy this challenge every year! I only missed one monthly motif last year, so I will try to hit them all in 2019! This also has monthly review link-ups.

JANUARY – New to You Author
Read a book by an author whose writing you’ve never read before - Less by Andrew Sean Greer

FEBRUARY – Cover Love
Yes. We’re giving you permission to judge a book by its cover and read a book with a cover that really caught your eye. The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh

MARCH – Royalty, Kingdoms, Empires, Governments
Read a book in which the character is involved in a ruling or governing body in some way. My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

APRIL – Crack the Case
Read a mystery, detective story, true crime, cozy mystery, or book involving a puzzle to solve. Lives Laid Away by Stephen Mack Jones

MAY – One Sitting Reads
Read something that is short enough you could get through it in one sitting- try a graphic novel, comic book, short story, essay, or short collection of poetry. On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

JUNE – Diversify Your Reading
Read a book with a character (or written by an author) of a race, religion, or sexual orientation other than your own or read about a culture you want to learn more about. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, which had plenty of significant black characters (though it was, of course, not diverse by modern standards and a product of its time but still gave insights into what life was like).

JULY – Through The Years
Read a book involving time travel, a book with a ‘time’ setting such as The Great Gatsby (20s), read a historical fiction/nonfiction, or choose a book published in your birth year. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

AUGUST – Mode of Transportation
Read a book where the mode of transportation plays a role in the story (ex. Murder on the Orient Express or The Boys in the Boat) The Desert Sky Before Us by Anne Valente (driving - road trip!)

SEPTEMBER – Animal, Number, Color, Name
One of those things needs to be in the title of the book you choose (ex. Water for Elephants, Red Queen, Fahrenheit 451, Rebecca, Harry Potter) The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth

OCTOBER – Tricks and Trades
Read a book set in a theater, an amusement park, a circus, or a book involving magic, illusions, or characters with special powers. The Midwinter Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag

NOVEMBER – Seasons, Elements, and Weather
Embrace a winter wonderland setting, pick a beach read, or read about a natural disaster. As long as a season, element, or the weather plays a key role in the story or is part of the title, it counts. (ex. Little Fires Everywhere, The Snow Child, On The Island) FAIL - none of my nonfiction reads for November fit this category.

DECEMBER – Last Chance
Finally read that one book that you’ve been meaning to get to all year long.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Back to the Classics hosted by Books and Chocolate.

Another one I am returning to this year. For the last two years, I aimed to read 6 classics and managed just 5, so I am once again setting my goal at 6 classics. Here are the categories:

1. 19th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1800 and 1899.

2. 20th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1900 and 1969. All books in this category must have been published at least 50 years ago. The only exceptions are books that were published posthumously but were written at least 50 years ago.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

3. Classic by a Woman Author. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

4. Classic in Translation. Any classic originally written in a novel other than your native language. You may read the book in your native language, or its original language (or a third language for all you polyglots!) Modern translations are acceptable, as long as the book was originally published at least 50 years ago. Books in translation are acceptable in all other categories as well.

5. Classic Comic Novel. Any comedy, satire, or humorous work. Humor is very subjective, so if you think Crime and Punishment is hilarious, go ahead and use it, but if it's a work that's traditionally not considered humorous, please tell us why in your post. Some classic comic novels: Cold Comfort Farm; Three Men in a Boat; Lucky Jim; and the works of P. G. Wodehouse.

6. Classic Tragic Novel. Tragedies traditionally have a sad ending, but just like the comedies, this is up for the reader to interpret. Examples include The Grapes of Wrath, House of Mirth, and Madame Bovary.

7. Very Long Classic. Any classic single work 500 pages or longer, not including introductions or end notes. Omnibus editions of multiple works do not count. Since page counts can vary depending on the edition, average the page count of various editions to determine the length.

8. Classic Novella. Any work of narrative fiction shorter than 250 pages.

True Grit by Charles Portis

9. Classic From the Americas (includes the Caribbean). Includes classic set in either North or South America or the Caribbean, or by an author originally from one of those countries. Examples include Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (United States); Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (Jamaica); or One Hundred Years of Solitude (Columbia/South America).

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

10. Classic From Africa, Asia, or Oceania (includes Australia). Any classic set in one of those continentss or islands, or by an author from these regions. Examples include Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt); The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki (Japan); On the Beach by Nevile Shute (Australia); Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria).

11. Classic From a Place You've Lived. Read locally! Any classic set in a city, county, state or country in which you've lived, or by a local author. Choices for me include Giant by Edna Ferber (Texas); Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser (Chicago); and Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann (Germany).

12. Classic Play. Any play written or performed at least 50 years ago. Plays are eligible for this category only.

Monthly Keyword Challenge hosted by My Reader's Block

I was looking for something new and interesting for 2019, and this one caught my eye. Here's how it goes:

"Your task is to read at least one book for each month whose title includes one or more of the key words for that month. For instance, for January you might read Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie. A full chart of all key words for the year - "

Sounds like fun!

This one also has link-ups for monthly reviews.

Oops - not a single book with the keywords in the title for 8 months straight! Not a good start...but then I hit September:

September: Crimes Against a Book Club by Kathy Cooperman
October: The Midwinter Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag

2019 Nonfiction Reading Challenge hosted by Doing Dewey.

I read 17 nonfiction books last year, which was much more than usual, so I think I will shoot for 15 this year...and maybe more!

Form of a Question by Andrew Rostan
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea
Deogratias by J.P. Stassen
Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman
Lost Child: The True Story of a Girl Who Couldn't Ask for Help by Torey Hayden
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott
An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography by Paul Rusesabagina
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe by Jane Goodall (Tanzania) - nonfiction
Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt

2019 Diversity Reading Challenge hosted by Lukten Av Trykksverte

I usually count these up myself anyway at the end of the year, so I thought it would be fun to join a challenge and track it as I go. Last year, I read 22 books (25%) that counted as diverse books (though I might have had a few more, using this criteria - it's pretty broad). So, I will aim for 25 diverse books for 2019 (but hope for much more!). This one also has monthly review linkups.

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall by Drew Weing
The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
The Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
True Enough by Stephen McCauley
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea
Deogratias by J.P. Stassen
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (for the Native Americans included in the story)
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Leading Men by Christopher Castellani
Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais
Lives Laid Away by Stephen Mack Jones
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Book of M by Peng Shepherd
If You Want to Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais
The Desert Sky Before Us by Anne Valente
Old Souls by Brian MacDonald and Les McClaine
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Threatened by Eliot Schrefer
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Midwinter Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography by Paul Rusesabagina
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
Stargazing by Jen Wang
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The Census by Jesse Ball

Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge hosted by Mom's Small Victories, one of my favorite blogs. I signed up for this one back in 2014, so this is a continuation (it's a perpetual challenge) - I can't wait to see what places I visit in books in 2019! Last year I read 31 books set in other countries/cultures (30 different countries/regions - I read a trip-around-the-world memoir at the end of the year!), so I hope to do even better this year (though that will be hard to beat).

Less by Andrew Sean Greer (Mexico, Germany, France, India, Japan)
The Rent Collector by Camron Wright (Cambodia)
The Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice (Canada)
Deogratias by J.P. Stassen (Rwanda)
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (Morocco)
A Good Enough Mother by Bev Thomas (UK)
Leading Men by Christopher Castellani (Italy)
Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais (South Africa)
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (Scotland)
If You Want to Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais (South Africa)
Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman (Netherlands)
The Likeness by Tana French (Ireland)
Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel (Russia...and another planet!)
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (UK)
Threatened by Eliot Schrefer (Gabon)
Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land (UK)
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Korea, Japan)
Lost Child: The True Story of a Girl Who Couldn't Ask for Help by Torey Hayden (Wales)
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson (Germany)
An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography by Paul Rusesabagina (Rwanda)
Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe by Jane Goodall (Tanzania)
The Woman I Was Before by Kerry Fisher (UK)
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (UK)

2019 Literary Escapes Challenge hosted by Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book.

I love tracking where I read! Last year, I read books set in 25 different states for this challenge last year, so I hope to do even better this year.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea
Arkansas True Grit by Charles Portis
California Crimes Against a Book Club by Kathy Cooperman, Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, Guts by Raina Telgemeie, Stargazing by Jen Wang
Colorado All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
Connecticut Inheritance by Dani Shapiro, A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Delaware Less by Andrew Sean Greer, Sunburn by Laura Lippman
District of Columbia Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt
Florida Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
Georgia The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Becoming by Michelle Obama
Indiana
Iowa Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine The Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice, The Guest Book by Sarah Blake, Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
Maryland
Massachusetts Form of a Question by Andrew Rostan and Kate Kasenow, Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, True Enough by Stephen McCauley, Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson, Last Day by Domenica Ruta, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Michigan Lives Laid Away by Stephen Mack Jones
Minnesota
Mississippi Mudbound by Hillary Jordan, Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire The Den by Abi Maxwell
New Jersey Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
New Mexico
New York My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, Leading Men by Christopher Castellani, The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio The Widows by Jess Montgomery, The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
Oklahoma The Outsider by Stephen King
Oregon The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld
Pennsylvania Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen, Sunny Rolls the Dice by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Rhode Island
South Carolina The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
South Dakota Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
Tennessee
Texas The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh, The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin, Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
Utah The Desert Sky Before Us by Anne Valente
Vermont Tangerine by Christine Mangan, Soon the Light Will Be Perfect by Dave Patterson
Virginia The Book of M by Peng Shepherd, Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Bookish Bingo hosted by Chapter Break - not really a challenge per se, but a fun game that I play each month! Stop by to print out this month's Bingo card and play along!

Big Book Summer Challenge hosted by Book By Book (me!)

Starting at the end of May. I usually aim to read 6 Big Books (400+ pages) during the summer for the challenge. All are welcome to join the fun! I'll post the sign-up page at the end of May.