Welcome to Big Book Summer 2024!
The idea is simple: Use the ease of summer to tackle a Big Book (400+ pages) or two or ... however many you want! You set your own goals. You can hear more about how it started and some great Big Book suggestions in my video, Big Book Summer Challenge 2024.
And if it is the start of winter where you live, then it's your Big Book Winter Challenge! Everyone is welcome to participate.
The Details:
Hey, it's summer, so we'll keep this low-key and easy!
- Anything 400 pages or more qualifies as a big book.
- The challenge runs from Memorial Day weekend (starting May 24
this year) through Labor Day (September 2 this
year).
- Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that? You only need to read 1 book with 400+ pages this summer to participate! (though you are welcome to read more, if you want).
- Sign up on the first links list below if you have a blog or YouTube channel, to leave your link so others can find you.
- No blog? No problem! Just sign
up in the comments below or in the Goodreads group in the Sign-Up discussion thread if you don't have a blog or YouTube channel.
- If you have a blog or YouTube channel, write a post or record a video to kick things off: you can list the exact big books
you plan to read or just announce your intent to participate, but be
sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link
back to this blog page. It's fine to kick-off your Big Book Summer as part of another post or video.
- You can write/record progress or wrap-up posts/videos if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you've read ... but you don't have to. There is a separate links list (the second one) below for big book reviews, progress updates, and wrap-up posts/videos.
That's it! Go check out your shelves and your TBR list for chunksters and sign up below!
What
kind of books "count"? All kinds! Middle-grade, YA, graphic novels,
classics, all genres, all types--as long as they are at least 400 pages.
Yes, e-books and audio books count, too--just check online for the number of pages in the print edition. See my list of Big Books on BookShop for
some great ideas from my own past reading.
And if you DO have a blog or YouTube channel, you are still welcome to join the group on Goodreads for the 2024 Big Book Summer Challenge,
where we can talk about Big Books and our progress on
the challenge. It's a fun book conversation all summer long!
Check out my own list of books to read for the challenge this summer and my Big Book Summer Kick-Off Video for more on what I plan to read this summer.
And you can pick up some fun Big Book Summer products! Check out my shop on Printify (new this year with better prices) for Big Book Summer mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, notebooks, magnets, stickers, and more!
At the end of the summer, there will be a Big Book Giveaway!
After Labor Day, I'll select a name from among the participants--bloggers and booktubers who
leave a link below as well as those without a blog/video who sign-up
through
the Goodreads group or in the Comments below--and will send the winner a
BookShop or Amazon gift
certificate.
And help spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media with #BigBookSummer. You can follow me at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzanljackson/
Twitter: @suebookbybook
Facebook: the Facebook page for this blog
YouTube: SueJacksonDE
Challenge updates will be posted in all of those places.
Hope you'll join the Big Book Summer fun!
Hi Sue! This is becoming my favorite reading event on booktube. I hope this is the right place, as you suggested, here is my link of my too many possibilities:
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/9EUD0M8sym0?feature=shared
That's great to hear - thanks! Just add your link to the Sign-Up links list above (there are two links lists - the first one, with other links already added, is for sign-ups). Click the "Add Link" button there - it will help others find your video (they'll probably miss the link here in the comments).
DeleteSue, thank you for taking the time to let me know that I needed to add my link to your linky instead of leaving the link in the comments. I appreciate that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding it to the list, Deb! I shared it all over social media yesterday :)
DeleteI'm not sure where my post went last night (I can't find it), so I'm reiterating here that I'm going to join in on the challenge, starting with The Book of Love by Kelly Link. Will probably go for one or two 'big books' after that...
ReplyDeleteSounds great, Robin! Comments don't show up here until I approve them (to reduce spam), and I've been a few days behind with such a great response to the challenge so far!
DeleteAnd I found your lost post! It was on the Big Book Summer 2022 page :) Glad you found the current one!
DeleteI would love to participate. This would be my first reading challenge.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Be sure to join the Goodreads group (at the link above) - then you can chat about Big Books all season with other readers, see what everyone else is reading, and you'll be entered to win the end of season giveaway drawing. Enjoy your Big Books!
Deleteso glad that I found this challenge! I'll be participating over on Instagram. I have a goal of 12 and stretch goal of 24.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Wow, 24 Big Books in one summer? That would be amazing! Be sure to join the Goodreads group (at the link in the notes) - then you can chat about Big Books all season with other readers, see what everyone else is reading, and you'll be entered to win the end of season giveaway drawing. Enjoy your Big Book!
DeleteI’m so excited for this challenge! I plan to read at least one big book per month this summer. Jurassic Park for June, Mansfield Park for July, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for August. Thanks for putting this together!
ReplyDeleteSounds great, Kerry! Glad you're joining the fun!
DeleteThis will be my first book challenge. I will read ‘Americanah’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 588 pages
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Big Book Summer, Kecia! I've been wanting to read Americanah for ages - enjoy! Be sure to join the Goodreads group (at the link above) - then you can chat about Big Books all season with other readers, and see what everyone else is reading. Enjoy your Big Book!
DeleteHi Sue! I'm Susan. I found you and this challenge from watching Jen's video about this challenge (Jen's reading Life). I am sooo excited!!!! I love bog books...especially during the summer! I signed up also in Goodreads. I'm not very tech savvy and could not figure out how to change my comment from Anonymous! But then I figured it out so Im responding here too! Can't wait for this fun challenge!!! Thank you for hosting this!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Big Book Summer, Susan! So glad you decided to join the fun!
DeleteI am excited to do challenge! I am going to The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. I have a few others I may read. I’ll see how first one goes . Glad I found your challenge !
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Regina! I loved The Lincoln Highway - hope you enjoy it, too.
DeleteI'm not doing an announcement post, but I just started reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin which is over 400 pages, so I'm in!
ReplyDeleteNo problem, Davida - welcome back! Feel free to join the Goodreads group if you want, to see what others are reading and share what you're reading :) And I really enjoyed Tomorrow x3!
DeleteI am so excited to join this challenge. I have so many big books ready to go in my TBR. I can’t wait to see how many I can finish.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Big Book Summer, Betsy! Feel free to join the Goodreads group if you want, to see what others are reading and share what you're reading :)
DeleteHi Sue! I’m excited to join you all in reading a big book this summer!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Missi! You can join the Goodreads group if you'd like to enjoy some bookish chats all summer!
DeleteHey Sue, I found your YouTube channel a few days ago and I am excited to take the Big Book Summer Challenge!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Be sure to join the Goodreads group (at the link in the notes) to officially join the challenge - then you can chat about Big Books all season with other readers, see what everyone else is reading, and you'll be entered to win the end of season giveaway drawing.
DeleteI'm getting my post up too late for the first page of links, but I'm first on the second page! I started my books early, but am only officially signing up today. This is my favorite challenge! I love big books. They are the best!
ReplyDeleteOh, and thanks for telling me about the bad link - it's incredibly complicated to get everything posted & live at the same time on the first morning!
DeleteYou're not the last one to add your link, Laurie - take a look now! Glad you enjoy the challenge & are joining in again!
ReplyDelete