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Reading Challenges 2016 Wrap Up

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Last year I read 45 books. I didn’t meet my overall target (60), but I was a long way from my all time low of 21 books (2011).

To be fair to myself, I was very busy. I have been writing short stories like they’re going out of fashion (or maybe like they’re coming into fashion – I certainly hope so!). I published an online course. Reading often fell by the wayside as I scribbled down bullet points and edited videos.

So how did I do on the individual challenges?


Classics Challenge

I planned to make a proper go at this challenge, after I only managed three books in 2015. I had all the best intentions – I was going to post a video every month on my YouTube channel about the challenge. I would still really like to do videos about each of these books, but the research involved is quite time consuming so I’m going to shelve this project for a later date. This challenge was hosted by Stacey at Pretty Books.

I did not complete this challenge, though I did do better than last year. I read:

1. The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, by Nancy Mitford
2. Claudine at School, by Colette
3. Fifteen, by Beverley Clearly
4. What Katy Did, by Susan Coolidge

British Books Challenge


In 2015 I read 24 books for this challenge, which was double the amount required. I didn’t do so well on this challenge this year, but it was still quite easy to complete and even exceed the target – you can read any kind of book, as long as it’s British. It was hosted by Kirsty at The Overflowing Library.

I read:

1. The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, by Nancy Mitford

2. My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend, by Eleanor Wood
3. Love Song, by Sophia Bennett
4. London Belongs To Us, by Sarra Manning
5. Girl Out of Water, by Nat Luurtsema
6. Hacker, by Malorie Blackman
7. Rebel of the Sands, by Alwyn Hamilton
8. The Next Together, by Lauren James
9. All of the Above, by Juno Dawson
10. Blood Will Stream, by Nick Bryan
11. After the Last Dance, by Sarra Manning
12. The Girl with All the Gifts, by M.R. Carey
13. The Graces, by Laure Eve
14. Gilded Cage, by Vic James
15. The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett

Retelling Challenge

This was hosted by The Daily Prophesy. Despite a lingering sense of guilt for forgetting this challenge, and despite the fact that I acquired ever more fairytale retellings in 2016, I only managed to read one book, Poison, by Sarah Pinborough. It did remind me how much I love reading (and not just collecting) fairytale retellings, but it was too late to make much difference as I read it over Christmas!

TBR Pile Reading Challenge

I was aiming for 31-40, Sweet Summer Fling, but I only managed to read 13. This is a reflection of my low overall total, though I did read more TBR pile books (those acquired before January 1st) in the first few months of the year than later on, which is probably because I was doing the TBR Triple Dog Dare as well.

1. The Dark Days Club, by Alison Goodman
2. The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, by Nancy Mitford
3. Misguided Angel, by Melissa de la Cruz
4. Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, by Ally Carter
5. Only Ever Yours, by Louise O’Neill
6. Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover, by Ally Carter
7. This Song Will Save Your Life, by Leila Sales
8. My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend, by Eleanor Wood
9. Claudine at School, by Colette
10. Sorcerer to the Crown, by Zen Cho
11. The Next Together, by Lauren James
12. Poison, by Sarah Pinborough
13. Fables: The Deluxe Edition, Book One, by Bill Willingham

Bardathon Challenge


I didn’t do anything for this challenge. It was in the back of my mind but to get around to all the steps involved more planning than I was ultimately willing to do for a reading challenge!

Challenge Challenge

Yes, someone made a meta challenge. I signed up for five other challenges, as above, so I was going for ‘Cinco de Challenge-o’. I only completed one, so I also failed this challenge!

TBR Triple Dog Dare


I had done this every year since it first ran and this was the final dare so of course I had to take part! I only allowed myself a few exceptions and otherwise only read books on my TBR that I owned before 1 January 2016 until 1 April 2016. This challenge was hosted by James Reads Books.

In Conclusion…


I only completed the British Books Challenge and the TBR Triple Dog Dare, but honestly I don’t mind. I used to worry a lot about not completing challenges, but as I’ve said before, if it’s easy, it’s not a challenge. There wouldn’t be much point in signing up for challenges that I could complete without really thinking about it!

I’m looking forward to choosing a new selection of challenges for 2017 and getting going!

The YALC Readathon Challenge 2016

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There are two inspirations behind this bookish bonanza – traditional reading challenges, which I don’t think have been done before for YALC, and the YALC Readathon, which was previously run by Jess Hearts Books (the creator), Michelle from Fluttering Butterflies, Vicky from Books, Biscuits and Tea, and Carly from Writing from the Tub.

I originally planned to start a YALC Reading Challenge months ago, because of the sheer number of authors who are going to be at YALC (the Young Adult Literature Convention) this year. I have a LOT of reading to do. And so have you! There are some amazing people on the list with fantastic titles under their belt.

However, I then got the flu. I could barely use my computer for the best part of three weeks thanks to muscle pain and fatigue that my doctor insisted was completely normal! Sure enough, I did eventually get better, but now I’ve lost so much time I decided to combine both ideas, and host the first Readathon Challenge!

Enough about me, onto the rules:

The books that you read for the 2016 YALC Readathon Challenge must be by authors who are appearing at YALC this year. You can see the list of authors who have been confirmed so far here. I also run the annual YALC Goodreads list, where you can vote for your favourite reads.

If you’re unable to attend YALC this year, you can still take part in the challenge – there will be a lot of livetweeting during the convention! If you’re not in the UK, why not sign up and sample some of the finest authors the British Isles have to offer, as well as some internationally successful reads?

This Readathon Challenge is open from today (3 June 2016) until the final day of YALC (31 July 2016).

Decided to take part?

Step One
Choose how long you want to readathon for – a weekend, a week, a fortnight, a month, from now until the 31st July, a single evening – it’s up to you!

Step Two
Choose your level:
Convention Intention – read 1-4 books by authors who are appearing at YALC
Convention Attention – read 5-15 books by authors who are appearing at YALC
Convention Affection – read 16-25 books by authors who are appearing at YALC
Convention Perfection – read 26+ books by authors who are appearing at YALC

You can increase your level if you find yourself reading faster than you expected!

Step Three (optional)
Choose a Bonus Challenge, if you’d like, or more than one if you’re feeling brave:

Happy Historian – previously, at YALC… read two or more books by an author who has appeared at YALC in the past and won’t be there this year
Brilliant Bookswapper – read two or more books that you want to give away to another blogger or donate to the YALC bookswap
Radiant Reviewer – review two or more books by authors who are appearing at YALC

Step Four
Submit your link below!

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If you have a blog, please link to a post that says what level and bonus challenge you have chosen, or update your reading challenges list, if like me, you keep them all in one place. You don’t have to be a blogger to take part – if you don’t have a blog, you can link to your Twitter or Goodreads instead. You can use the banner above if you wish 🙂

Personally, I am going to choose the Convention Attention level, and I’m hoping to read the following:

It’s going well, I’m already part-way through Girl Out of Water and loving it!

After YALC I will do a post and link to my favourite reviews by people taking part in the challenge. You can also tweet about the challenge and share your progress by using the hashtag #yalcread

I hope you decide to take part in the YALC Readathon Challenge and have an amazing time!Edited to add, here’s a quick video in which I talk about the challenge:

 
Please note that the YALC Readathon Challenge is unofficial – I have no professional connection with Showmasters or Booktrust.