Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

My name is Patty and this challenge seemed perfect for me. I know I got here late, but it would be good to get out of my reading ruts.

I am a semi-retired librarian who loves to discuss and recommend books. I write a review of everything I read here at Goodreads.

I would like to know who I am reading with and why you thought this challenge was a good choice for you. It has been great reading through other people's choices for this challenge.

Hi, Patty. I am Bea, a retired nurse. I heard of this challenge on another Goodreads group - The Seasonal Reading Challenge. I love challenges but so often get too many going at once to complete them all. This one represented only two books a month with a variety of reads, which appealed to me. So I joined. Right now I have completed 10 books, which puts me right on schedule with my plan.

I am Robin and a book addict. I work in finance/customer service and belong to several groups on Goodreads, which I think is where I was introduced to Book Riot. I like tracking my reading and being recognized for what I've done. I'm doing this challenge at the same time as one with a Bingo theme. A lot of the categories overlap so I feel like I'm getting 2 acknowledgments for 1 book. And I'm also working on a challenge over a period of 3 years that involves reading a book written in each year of my life. I feel quite triumphant when I find a book that can count for all 3 challenges!

Hello! My name is Laura. I've been a fan of Bookriot for about a year and so when I was looking on Goodreads for some groups to join, I saw this one and knew I had to join! I'm excited to begin this challenge (though with a a little bit of a late start!)

Hi! I'm Mary Sue. I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. I was introduced to this challenge hear at Goodreads and it sounded like a great way to get me to try some things that are outside of my usual genres. I am also doing the Pop Sugar challenge and like Robin there are a few overlaps between the two.

Robin - I love the idea of reading a book written in each year of your life - maybe I'll start that one next year :-)

Hey I am ChaNee, I am pretty late to the challenge but I just decided to get into Goodreads wholeheartedly as well get back into my love of reading. This is my first time looking in the group section and the name Book Riots caught my attention and then to find out there is a unique challenge that will help with my 2015 Book challenge. It's unique to me because it will introduce me to new authors and genres. One becomes in a rut when reading the same authors. I am looking forward to experiencing what this challenge offers.

Nice to meet you all. I like knowing some of the folks taking this challenge. I will cheer you on!

Robin - I like your challenge about reading a book from each year. I may try it - I should start soon since I have a lot of years to catch up.

Hello everyone, I'm Iona and the name of this book group caught my eye. When I read what was involved it made me go "Phew, let's have a bash at that" so here I am. I'm late in joining, but will give it my best shot. I'm really looking forward to the discovery of new authors and subject matter.

Hi I'm Tamara and I found the challenge through a friend. It looked like a great way to work on some books I own that I haven't read yet. The only draw back is I look at what other people are reading and add them to my TBR list as well so my TBR is growing not shrinking.

Hi. I am Emily and I teach 7th grade Language Arts. I read so much middle grade and YA (which I dearly love) that I needed something to kick my butt into reading actual books written for adults. I have loved some of the books I have read, which I am not sure I would have got to if not for this challenge and Book Riot.

Hi I'm Lisa and I have been listening to Book Riot for a while. When I heard about this challenge I wanted to join even though I was already doing the PopSugar challenge this year. Challenges make me read out of my comfort zone which is where I tend to stay with books. There are a few categories on this challenge that I would never have picked up on my own such as the micro history,and sci-fi. As it turns out a lot of the books I am reading fit into both challenges and I am almost halfway there in the Read Harder Challenge.

Hi I'm Rainey, and I have been a BookRiot fan for quite awhile. I liked the idea of reading outside my comfort zone for titles that I would never read - like comics, YA and Sci-Fi. I read pretty much everything else.

My only pet peeve is that no one from BookRiot has been keeping up and deleting all of the duplicate posts etc.,which is making this site so cumbersome to navigate; So I no longer visit this section and am keeping track of my reads manually - I have 9 completed so far.

Hello everyone, I have just completed my first read so far; just wondering which category to go for next and of course I am waiting on one of my books coming in the post today. I do so love getting a new book.

Hi. I'm Karen. I don't remember where I came across Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge but it was somewhere here on Goodreads. I also like challenges that get me reading genres I normally wouldn't seek out. I plan to re-read Ivanhoe for my pre 1850 book and I would have put that off indefinitely if not for this challenge! I remember reading it in 9th grade and loving it. Now, these many years later I'd like to read it again.

Speaking of which, I am also part of a "Birth of a Reader" challenge over at Wacky Reading Challenges and I believe there is a "Read Your Age" challenge at Crazy Challenge Connection - both of which are read a book a year for every year of your life. I decided to make mine a kiddie lit challenge and all - gulp - 60 books are childhood favorites and more recent juvenile lit.

Sounds like I need to look into this Pop Sugar challenge! I'm about half way through the Read Harder Challenge.

Hi. I'm Katie. I also came across the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge on Goodreads. I've never done a book challenge before, so I wanted to try one and the Book Riot Challenge looked like a great way to start. I also picked up the Pop Sugar Challenge as well LOL I'm about halfway through both!
Here's the link to my blog where I record my books:
https://bookmouseblog.wordpress.com/a...

Hi I'm Sara! I have just started listening to Book Riot podcast and i love the idea of a reading challenge. I have never done a reading challenge before and this looked like an excellent way to start.

Can someone tell me what the Pop Sugar challenge is?

The "book published in each year of your life" challenge is from another group but there hasn't been much activity on it, so I don't know how many others are doing it. It is prorated so that if you are in your 20's, you get one year to complete it and for each additional decade of your life, you get 6 more months. With my advanced age, I get 3 years total and I'm about 1 year into it. I am using it as a way to get through my piles of books acquired at library sales, as it turned out I already owned books published in most of the years. (You can easily search on GR for books published a certain year or if, like me, you have already input into GR your unread books you can sort them by year published.)

I'm bianca from rotterdam in the netherlands. I tend to read a lot of books in the same categories and I think it might be good too read something else for a change. I could do it on my own of course but this more fun!

I'm Maureen from Northern New York. This is the first challenge I have attempted. I have lost track of where I first saw this, here on GR, on FB or in an email newsletter. I buy A LOT of books, mostly used, or cheapies on Kindle, and I tend not to read many of them, or know where to start. This has been an excellent way to get me to read some of the books I already own by trying first to fill the category from something I already have. It's been fun!

Carrie wrote: "I'm Carrie, a librarian in the Chicago suburbs. This challenge caught my eye, because I try to read books that I normally wouldn't. This challenge has so many categories that I never even think of."

That is part of what I liked also.

Robin wrote: "Can someone tell me what the Pop Sugar challenge is?

The "book published in each year of your life" challenge is from another group but there hasn't been much activity on it, so I don't know how ..."

I went into Groups and typed in Pop Sugar and came up with this... https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Not sure that's what everyone is talking about but there were a few other links too.

The Read your Birth Year challenge that I'm in doesn't have a deadline. I hope!

Karen wrote: "Robin wrote: "Can someone tell me what the Pop Sugar challenge is?

The "book published in each year of your life" challenge is from another group but there hasn't been much activity on it, so I d..."

Here is the link to the Pop Sugar web site:

http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-...

There is also a Goodreads group called 2015 Book Challenge where some of us are tracking what we are reading in the categories.

Thanks for the info. The Bingo challenge I am doing seems to be drawn from that list so it's similar.

What a great post to start. My name is Tina & I am a nurse from the Chicagoland area. Reading has been my favorite pasttime since I was a little girl. I was drawn to the suggestions because I like reaching beyond my comfort zone. I am currently planning my wedding so I am not sure how far I will get. My fiance knows about the challenge & that I "grounded" myself from buying any more books. He also knows books are my true weakness. He enables me so he is no help at all.

Hello. I run a library in rural Manitoba, Canada. I first heard about this from a podcast from Book Riot and thought it might be interesting. For the past two years my library has run a Book Bingo so I'm working on that as well. Plus I thought this might give me ideas for future bingos. I am trying to read separate books for both challenges even for the categories that are the same. I'm not a fast reader so come then end of the year I might need to break that rule. I am sharing my reading adventure with my library patrons.

Hi, I am Ellie and have been trying to broaden my reading horizons from trashy scifi, this looked like a good way to read more mindfully. I will definitely be reading more Pulitzer and other prize winning books which I probably wouldn't have attempted before this.

Tara wrote: "Hello. I run a library in rural Manitoba, Canada. I first heard about this from a podcast from Book Riot and thought it might be interesting. For the past two years my library has run a Book Bingo ..."

The book bingo for the library sounds wonderful. Also I hope your patrons are enjoying reading along with you for this challenge.

Ultra wrote: "Hi, I am Ellie and have been trying to broaden my reading horizons from trashy scifi, this looked like a good way to read more mindfully. I will definitely be reading more Pulitzer and other prize ..."

Don't apologize for your taste in reading. Trashy SF is better than no books at all. Good Luck.

Patty wrote: "Tara wrote: "Hello. I run a library in rural Manitoba, Canada. I first heard about this from a podcast from Book Riot and thought it might be interesting. For the past two years my library has run ..."

I was going to start a new book club and a patron suggested it be based on the reading bingo. I think I might try it out. At worst it'll be the two of us.

Patty wrote: "Ultra wrote: "Hi, I am Ellie and have been trying to broaden my reading horizons from trashy scifi, this looked like a good way to read more mindfully. I will definitely be reading more Pulitzer an..."

I agree with Patty. If a book brings you pleasure than it's a great book. I tell all my library patrons that anything they read is great as long as they are reading. That being said it's also fun to explore new genres.

Thanks, but when I read a whole series of books about a man saving us from the aliens by being able to talk to dogs, I decided it was time for a change.

I enjoy some "trashy" romance, fantasy, etc. but it is like candy. If I binge on just that, it loses some of its pleasure. If it intersperse it with more hearty fare, I appreciate both kinds of reading more.

Ultra wrote: "Thanks, but when I read a whole series of books about a man saving us from the aliens by being able to talk to dogs, I decided it was time for a change."

I want to know what the series is - it sounds great!

Robin wrote: "I enjoy some "trashy" romance, fantasy, etc. but it is like candy. If I binge on just that, it loses some of its pleasure. If it intersperse it with more hearty fare, I appreciate both kinds of rea..."

So well said.

Hi! I'm Mariec and I've just discovered Book Riot. But had heard about the challenge from somewhere on the web some time ago. I decided last night to participate online, and not just on my lonesome ;o)

If you consult my list, you might realise that I have put quite a few books written in French, it's because I live in a middle-size city in the Province of Québec, and have rediscovered our littérature in the last couple of years.

And sorry in advance for any vocabulary and grammatical errors I might make, I am as French as the books I mentionned earlier ;o)

I'm Jayne, and I am a special education teacher who loves to read. I spend most of the school year reading books because I have to. Fortunately, I get to spend my summers in Vermont, where I read because I want to! I have access to several wonderful independent bookstores, and the first week of my vacation I visit them all and ask, "What should I be reading?" The Book Riot Read Harder Challenge has been another great way to expand my reading horizons.

Marie Claude wrote: "Hi! I'm Mariec and I've just discovered Book Riot. But had heard about the challenge from somewhere on the web some time ago. I decided last night to participate online, and not just on my lones..."

I'll be interested to look at your list. I studied French language and literature years ago and now I get to use it in my job talking to people in Quebec. But it's sometimes hard to find out about current books.

I have tried book clubs in the past, but found that reading an 'assigned' book was drudgery (to me, at least). Doing the Challenge, I could pick and choose what would interest me, though not necessarily in my chosen genre. So, some of the books have challenged me, and some have been easy. But it was interesting finding books in the categories, and I have liked (so far) most of what I've read. Have finished 19 of the categories to date, and am on target to finish by the end of the year.

Hello~.

My name is Lydia and I joined this group because it seemed like an interesting challenge and a way to read more diversely.

I decided 2015 would be the year that I read different books - and this seemed like a really neat challenge to test myself.

I always like hearing about other people's recommendations, too!

I like short story collections, cult classics, graphic novels / memoirs, world literature and feminist texts. c: Hello~.

It has been good to meet all of you. Hope your reading is going well.

I am enjoying figuring out how any book I pick up might fit into this challenge. Given my reading habits there are some categories, like audiobooks that I could check off over and over.

Hello! My name is Leslie, and I am already participating in a reading challenge given by Popsugar and the Ladies & Literature Goodreads group. I can't remember how I stumbled across Book Riot's reading challenge, but figure, what's one more challenge?

Hello everyone! My name is Jeanette and I am trying to diversify the genres I read . I am subscribed to the book riot channel, and found about about the group challenge through youtube. I was concerned about joining so late into the year, but I had already read some books that would qualify. This challenge sounds right up my alley. Glad to be here!

Hi. I was intrigued by the variety of the list. Being able to choose what suits me to fit a category is great. I didn't find this challenge until the end of june. I am able to satisfy 13 of the 24 so far, but that is with a couple of titles doing double duty. I hope to have only one book per category by the end of the year. So far the only thing I'm dreading is the romance, but I'm going to be a good sport.

Been in the group for awhile but never posted here.

I am Elizabeth. I follow Book Riot on facebook and when I saw this challenge I couldn't resist. I have really been wanting to diversify my reading habits and it seemed like this challenge list was diverse and would help me meet that goal. I feel like it has already pushed me in new and interesting directions. I joined the group to help give myself some accountability for actually completing stuff on the list. So far I have completed ten of twenty-four, and I'm in the midst of another that meets one of the tasks.

Storm wrote: "Hi. I was intrigued by the variety of the list. Being able to choose what suits me to fit a category is great. I didn't find this challenge until the end of june. I am able to satisfy 13 of the 24 ..."

Storm - what is it about romance that you dread? I might be able to help you find something. People are stretching this category in all sorts of ways - maybe you should just read a book you love. ;>)

Patty wrote: "Storm wrote: "Hi. I was intrigued by the variety of the list. Being able to choose what suits me to fit a category is great. I didn't find this challenge until the end of june. I am able to satisfy..."

Yes, many classics could be considered romance, from Romeo and Juliet through much of 19th century. Also there are many humorous books that contain some romance. It doesn't have to be a cheap paperback with a heaving bosom.

Hi everyone,

I'm Jen, I'm hoping this challenge will help me read outside my comfort zones. I'm currently doing a couple of challenges with other book groups (around the world and genre-based) and am finding them a lot of fun. I'm especially interested in the variety of this challenge, there's definitely some categories where I'll have a choice already lined up in my tbr...and some which will be entirely new to me (: looking forward to it.

Jen wrote: "Hi everyone,

I'm Jen, I'm hoping this challenge will help me read outside my comfort zones. I'm currently doing a couple of challenges with other book groups (around the world and genre-based) an..."

Hope you have fun.

Hi, I'm Matt. I discovered Book Riot a couple months ago. Listening to the site's various podcasts encouraged me to expand my reading horizons to include more diverse writers. So, anything that keeps me pointed in that direction is a good thing. And that's why I'm joining.

My name is Rachael and I like that this challenge will help me read outside my usual picks. I'm especially excited to read books about places and by people outside the United States.