2019 Reading Challenge

I always start the year with the intention of updating my reading challenge post, but I never seem to get past the first few months' worth of reading (I didn't update past January in 2018!). That's not going to deter me from trying again, though! And this year I have a new system: instead of double-checking on Goodreads what I've read, I have a spreadsheet set up with all of the challenges, and as I list the books I read, I can check off if it meets the challenge. Hopefully that'll help ...

2019 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge:

An epistolary novel or collection of letters

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An alternate history novel

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A book by a woman and/or AOC (Author of Color) that won a literary award in 2018

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A humor book

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A book by a journalist or about journalism

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A book by an AOC set in or about space

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An #ownvoices book set in Mexico or Central America

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An #ownvoices book set in Oceania

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A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads

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A translated book written by and/or translated by a woman

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A book of manga

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A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character

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A book by or about someone that identifies as neurodiverse

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A cozy mystery

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A book of mythology or folklore

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An historical romance by an AOC

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A business book

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A novel by a trans or nonbinary author

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A book of nonviolent true crime

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A book written in prison

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A comic by an LGBTQIA creator

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A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009

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A self-published book

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A collection of poetry published since 2014

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2018 Reading Challenge

I stopped updating my 2017 reading challenges so I should go back and see how many I actually completed ... in the meantime, I've started reading for this year's challenges!

Book Riot's 2018 Read Harder Challenge

A book published posthumously

A book of true crime

A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance)

A comic written and drawn by the same person

A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)

A book about nature

A western

A comic written or drawn by a person of color

A book of colonial or postcolonial literature

A romance novel by or about a person of color

A children’s classic published before 1980

A celebrity memoir

An Oprah Book Club selection

A book of social science

• From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty (January)

A one-sitting book

The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series

A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author

A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image

A book of genre fiction in translation

A book with a cover you hate

A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author

An essay anthology

A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60

An assigned book you hated (or never finished)


Riveted 25 Reading Goals

Read a book written in verse

Read a fantasy or science fiction novel with explicitly queer characters

Start a new series

Read a sequel

Read a YA nonfiction book

Read a debut by an author of color

Read a book (any genre) starring a queer character of color

Read a book that’s been longlisted for a National Book Award (any year!)

Read a book that’s over 500 pages long

• The Blackthorn Key #3: The Assassin's Curse by Kevin Sands (January)

Read a science fiction book with a female protagonist

Read a book that confronts or discusses sexism

Read a book that confronts or discusses racism

Read a book with a first-generation immigrant main character

Read a work of historical fiction

• The Blackthorn Key #3: The Assassin's Curse by Kevin Sands (January)

Read a sci-fi novel written by a woman

Read a book featuring a dysfunctional family dynamic

Judge a book by its cover! Read something exclusively based on how good the cover art looks.

Read a book that has a person of color on the cover

Read a romance (comedy or drama) with two PoC protagonists

Read a YA anthology (fiction or nonfiction!)

Read a book about a character who’s struggling with mental illness

Read a book about toxic friendships

Read a book based on a true story

Read a book with an interracial relationship

• Saga, Volume 8 by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (January)

Read a book where a sport is a major focus/plot element

2017 Reading Challenge

There were challenges from my 2016 lists that I didn't tackle. So I'm back with two more reading challenges for this year:

I'm going to try again to read harder this year based on Book Riot's challenge!

Read a book about sports:

• Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh (June)
• Patina (September)

Read a debut novel:

• Amina's Voice (April)
• City of Saints & Thieves (April/May)
• The Hate U Give (October)

Read a book about books:

Read a book set in Central or South America, written by a Central or South American author:

• Mama and Papa Have a Store (January)

Read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative:

• Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey (January)

Read an all-ages comic:

• Lumberjanes, Volume 5: Band Together (January)
• Mighty Jack (January)
• The Time Museum (February)
• Science Comics: Bats: Learning to Fly (February)
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 1 (February)
• CatStronauts, Volume 1: Mission Moon and CatStronauts, Volume 2: Race to Mars (March)
• Princess Princess Ever After (March)
• Real Friends (April)

Read a book published between 1900 and 1950:

Read a travel memoir:

Read a book you’ve read before:

Read a book that is set within 100 miles of your location:

Read a book that is set more than 5000 miles from your location:

• Ronit & Jamil (February)
• City of Saints & Thieves (April/May)

Read a fantasy novel:

• The Bone Witch (February)

Read a nonfiction book about technology:

Read a book about war:

• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part One: 1783-1953 (May)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part Two: 1953-1984 (May)

Read a YA or middle grade novel by an author who identifies as LGBTQ+:

Read a book that has been banned or frequently challenged in your country:

Read a classic by an author of color:

Read a superhero comic with a female lead:

• The Unstoppable Wasp, Issue 1 (January)

Read a book in which a character of color goes on a spiritual journey:

Read an LGBTQ+ romance novel:

Read a book published by a micropress:

Read a collection of stories by a woman:

Read a collection of poetry in translation on a theme other than love:

Read a book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color:

• The Sellout (January)
• March: Book Three (February)
• A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (March)
• City of Saints & Thieves (April/May)
• The Underground Railroad (May)
• Homegoing (August)

My second challenge is POPSUGAR's challenge:

A book recommended by a librarian:

A book that's been on your TBR list for way too long:

A book of letters:

An audiobook:

A book by a person of color:

• The Sellout (January)
• Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen (January)
• The Bone Witch (February)
• March: Book Three (February)
• Hello, Universe (February/March)
• A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (March)
• The Round House (April)
• Amina's Voice (April)
• My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (May)

A book with one of the four seasons in the title:

A book that is a story within a story:

A book with multiple authors:

An espionage thriller:

A book with a cat on the cover:

• Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey (January)
• CatStronauts, Volume 1: Mission Moon and CatStronauts, Volume 2: Race to Mars (March)

A book by an author who uses a pseudonym:

A bestseller from a genre you don't normally read:

A book by or about a person who has a disability:

A book involving travel:

A book with a subtitle:

• Unf*ck Your Habitat: You're Better Than Your Mess (January)
• Snail and Worm: Three Stories About Two Friends (January)
• Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey (January)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part One: 1783-1953 (May)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part Two: 1953-1984 (May)

A book that's published in 2017:

• Unf*ck Your Habitat: You're Better Than Your Mess (January)
• Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen (January)
• The Last of August (February)
• The Time Museum (February)
• Science Comics: Bats: Learning to Fly (February)
• Ronit & Jamil (February)
• The Bone Witch (February)
• Olga and the Ugly Thing from Nowhere (February)
• Hello, Universe (February/March)
• City of Saints & Thieves (April/May)
• Saga, Volume 7 (April)
• Real Friends (April)
• Amina's Voice (April)
• Brave (May)
• The Dark Days Pact (May)
• Patina (September)
• The Hate U Give (October)

A book involving a mythical creature:

• Lumberjanes, Volume 5: Band Together (January)
• Sticker Girl (February)

A book you've read before that never fails to make you smile:

• Snail and Worm: Three Stories About Two Friends (January)

A book about food:

• Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen (January)

A book with career advice:

A book from a nonhuman perspective:

A steampunk novel:

A book with a red spine:

A book set in the wilderness:

• Manifest Destiny, Volume 4: Sasquatch (January)

A book you loved as a child:

A book by an author from a country you've never visited:

A book with a title that's a character's name:

• The Last of August (February)
• Ronit & Jamil (February)
• Olga and the Ugly Thing from Nowhere (February)
• Amina's Voice (April)
• City of Saints & Thieves (April/May)

A novel set during wartime:

A book with an unreliable narrator:

A book with pictures:

A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you:

• The Sellout (January)
• Ronit & Jamil (February)
• Hello, Universe (February/March)
• A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (March)
• The Round House (April)
• Amina's Voice (April)
• Patina (September)
• The Hate U Give (October)

A book about an interesting woman:

• Rad American Women A-Z (January)

A book set in two different time periods:

• The Bone Witch (February)
• A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (March)

A book with a month or a day of the week in the title:

• The Last of August (February)

A book set in a hotel:

• A Gentleman in Moscow (July)

A book written by someone you admire:

A book that's becoming a movie in 2017:

• Everything, Everything (August)

A book set around a holiday other than Christmas:

• Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen (January)

The first book in a series you haven't read before:

• Scythe (January)
• Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen (January)
• The Time Museum (February)
• The Bone Witch (February)
• My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (May)

A book you bought on a trip:

Advanced challenges:

A book recommended by an author you love:

A bestseller from 2016:

A book with a  family-member term in the title:

A book that takes place over a character's life span:

• A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (March)

A book about an immigrant or refugee:

A book from a genre/subgenre that you've never heard of:

A book with an eccentric character:

A book that's more than 800 pages:

A book you got from a used book sale:

A book that's been mentioned in another book:

A book about a difficult topic:

• The Sellout (January)
• The Heart (February)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part One: 1783-1953 (May)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part Two: 1953-1984 (May)
• My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (May)

A book based on mythology:

And I'm back to doing my local library system's reading challenge:

A book originally published in a language other than the one you normally read in

• The Heart (February)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part One: 1783-1953 (May)
• Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations, Part Two: 1953-1984 (May)

A book that is at least 100 years older than you are

A book you originally read in school (or as a child)

A book set in your home state or country:

• The Sellout (January)

A travel book or travel memoir

A book that’s been on your “to read” list (mental or physical) for more than a year

A book with a viewpoint different than your own

A book you started and never finished

• Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?

A science fiction or fantasy book

• Scythe (January)
• The Time Museum (February)
• ApocalyptiGirl: An Aria for the End Times (February)
• The Bone Witch (February)

A book of essays or short stories

Two or more connected books (duology, trilogy, series, etc.)

A book with a cover that is green

• Mighty Jack (January)
• Saga, Volume 7 (April)

2016 Reading Challenges

I'm going to attempt two challenges this year, mostly because these seem more doable than last year's Book Riot Challenge. As much as possible I won't choose picture books to fulfill the challenge but I will double (or triple) up if a single book meets multiple challenges; these books are denoted with an asterisk.

My local public library system's reading challenge:

A book by a local author or set in the DC / MD / VA area:

• Cook Korean! A Comic Book With Recipes by Robin Ha (July)*

A book from a genre you don't typically read:

• The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyen (April)*
• The First Fifteen Lives of Henry August (June)*
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (August/September)
• The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore (October)*
• Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell (Simon & Schuster Audio) (October)*
• Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley (November)*

An audiobook (CD, e-audio, etc.):

• After the Funeral by Agatha Christie (Harper Audio) (July/August)
• Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell (Simon & Schuster Audio) (October)*

A graphic novel or comic book:

• Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks (January)*
• SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki (March)
• Trashed by Derf Backderf (March)*
• The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 2: Squirrel You Know It's True by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (March)
• Manifest Destiny, Vol. 3: Chiroptera & Carniformaves by Chris Dingess, Matthew Roberts, and Owen Gieni (March)*
• Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (ongoing, reading single issues as they come out)*
• Pretty Deadly by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Ríos (ongoing, reading single issues as they come out)*
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (volumes 1, 7, and 8 in English, volume 2 in Japanese) by Hayao Miyazaki (April)*
• Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (April)*
• The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks (April)*
• Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley (May)*
• Space Battle Lunchtime by Natalie Riess (ongoing, reading single issues as they come out)
• Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier (read the ARC in May)*
• Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean by Maris Wicks (May)*
• Templar by Jordan Mechner, LeUyen Pham, and Alex Puvilland (May)*
• Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova (June)
• Lumberjanes, Volume 3: A Terrible Plan by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Carolyn Nowak, Maarta Laiho, Aubrey Aiese, Brittney Williams, Aimee Fleck, Faith Erin Hicks, Rebecca Tobin, Felicia Choo, and T. Zysk (June)*
• Lumberjanes Gotham Academy by Chynna Clugston Flores and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell (ongoing, reading single issues as they come out)
• Princeless, Volume 3: The Pirate Princess by Jeremy Whitley, Rosy Higgins, and Ted Brandt (June)*
• Saga, Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (July)*
• Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci (July)*
• Cook Korean! A Comic Book With Recipes by Robin Ha (July)*
• Princeless, Volume 4: Be Yourself by Jeremy Whitley, Emily Martin, and Brett Grunig (July)*
• Lumberjanes, Volume 4: Out of Time by Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooke Allen (July)*
• Sweaterweather: & Other Short Stories by Sara Varon (July)
• Ms. Marvel, Volume 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (August)*
• Ms. Marvel, Volume 5: Super Famous by G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa, Adrian Alphona, and Nico Leon (August)*
• New Super-Man by Gene Luen Yang and Viktor Bogdanovic (ongoing, reading single issues)*
• Kingsway West by Greg Pak and Mirko Colak (ongoing, reading single issues)*
• Batgirl and the Birds of Prey, Issue #1 by Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, and Claire Roe (September)
• Compass South by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock (September)*
• The Worrier's Guide to Life by Gemma Correll (September)
• Mirror, Volume 1: The Mountain by Emma Ríos and Hwei Lim (October)*
• NewsPrints by Ru Xu (read the ARC in November)*
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (November)*
• Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (December)*
• Rutabaga the Adventure Chef, Book 2: Feasts of Fury by Eric Colossal (December)*

A book by an author whose race, religion, or ethnicity is different from your own:

• My Name Is Jason. Mine Too.: Our Story. Our Way. by Jason Reynolds, Jason Griffin (April)
• Welcome to Braggsville by T. Geronimo Johnson (April/May)*
• Princeless, Volume 3: The Pirate Princess by Jeremy Whitley, Rosy Higgins, and Ted Brandt (June)*
• Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci (July)*
• Princeless, Volume 4: Be Yourself by Jeremy Whitley, Emily Martin, and Brett Grunig (July)*
• Tru & Nelle by G. Neri (August)*
• Ms. Marvel, Volume 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (August)*
• Ms. Marvel, Volume 5: Super Famous by G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa, Adrian Alphona, and Nico Leon (August)*
• How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture by Tonya Bolden (September)*
• Ghost by Jason Reynolds (October)*
• The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (October)*

A book published this year:

• Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (read the ARC in January)*
• Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler (read the ARC in January/February)*
• The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman (March)*
• When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin (read the ARC in March)
• The Inn Between by Marina Cohen (March)
• Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers (March/April)
• Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (April)*
• The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks (April)*
• When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (read the ARC in April)*
• The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kell (April)*
• Poison is Not Polite (Wells and Wong #2) by Robin Stevens (May)
• Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley (May)*
• Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban (May)*
• Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier (read the ARC in May)*
• Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean by Maris Wicks (May)*
• Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach (read the ARC in May)*
• Lumberjanes, Volume 3: A Terrible Plan by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Carolyn Nowak, Maarta Laiho, Aubrey Aiese, Brittney Williams, Aimee Fleck, Faith Erin Hicks, Rebecca Tobin, Felicia Choo, and T. Zysk (June)*
• Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd (Flavia de Luce #8) by Alan Bradley (read the ARC in June)
• Saga, Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (July)*
• Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet (read the ARC in July)*
• Cook Korean! A Comic Book With Recipes by Robin Ha (July)*
• Lumberjanes, Volume 4: Out of Time by Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooke Allen (July)*
• Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (read the ARC in July)*
• Weekends with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban (July)*
• Tru & Nelle by G. Neri (August)*
• Ms. Marvel, Volume 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (August)*
• Ms. Marvel, Volume 5: Super Famous by G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa, Adrian Alphona, and Nico Leon (August)*
• Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley (August)*
• The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye (August/September)*
• Compass South by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock (September)*
• The Blackthorn Key #2: Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands (September)*
• Mirror, Volume 1: The Mountain by Emma Ríos and Hwei Lim (October)*
• Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey (October)*
• Ottoline and the Purple Fox by Chris Riddell (October)*
• The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore (October)*
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (October)*
• Ghost by Jason Reynolds (October)*
• The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (October)*
• Up From the Sea by Leza Lowitz (November)
• Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley (November)*
• You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras (read the ARC in October/November)*
• Appetites: A Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain (November)*
• Bad Girls of Fashion: Style Rebels from Cleopatra to Lady Gaga by Jennifer Croll and Ada Buchholc (read the ARC in November)*
• Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (December)*

A nonfiction book:

• Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge (February)
• The Tortoise and the Soldier: A Story of Courage and Friendship in World War I by Michael Foreman (March)
• Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean by Maris Wicks (May)*
• Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach (read the ARC in May)*
• The World of PostSecret by Frank Warren
• Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci (July)*
• Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet (read the ARC in July)*
• Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (read the ARC in July)*
• Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson (August)*
• How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture by Tonya Bolden (September)*
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (October)*
• Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell (Simon & Schuster Audio) (October)*
• You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras (read the ARC in October/November)*
• Appetites: A Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain (November)*
• Bad Girls of Fashion: Style Rebels from Cleopatra to Lady Gaga by Jennifer Croll and Ada Buchholc (read the ARC in November)*

A memoir, biography, or autobiography of someone who is still alive:

• Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (February)*
• Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley (May)*
• Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci (July)*
• Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (read the ARC in July)*

A book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, children to adults:

• Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks (January)*
• Puppy Pool Party!: An Underwater Dogs Adventure by Seth Casteel (read the ARC in April)
• When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (read the ARC in April)*
• Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean by Maris Wicks (May)*
• Cook Korean! A Comic Book With Recipes by Robin Ha (July)*
• Hot Pink Flying Saucers and Other Clouds by Gavin Pretor-Pinney (August)
• How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture by Tonya Bolden (September)*
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (October)*

A book that has been made into a movie:

• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (volumes 1, 7, and 8 in English, volume 2 in Japanese) by Hayao Miyazaki (April)*
  

A book recommended by another person or organization (like your library!):

• Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (February)*
• Trashed by Derf Backderf (March)*
• When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (read the ARC in April)*
• Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill and Francis Vallejo (April)
• Space Battle Lunchtime, Issue #1 by Natalie Riess (May)*
• Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban (May)*
• Templar by Jordan Mechner, LeUyen Pham, and Alex Puvilland (May)*
• Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet (read the ARC in July)*
• Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (read the ARC in July)*
• Weekends with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban (July)*
• Ghost by Jason Reynolds (October)*

An award winner:

• The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyen (April)*
• Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (April)*
• Welcome to Braggsville by T. Geronimo Johnson (April/May)*
• The First Fifteen Lives of Henry August (June)*
• Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson (August)*
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (August)
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (August/September)*
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (November)*

BONUS: A book that takes place in the future:

• New Super-Man by Gene Luen Yang and Viktor Bogdanovic (ongoing, reading single issues)*

Book Riot's 2016 Read Harder Challenge:

Read a horror book:

• Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (ongoing)*

Read a nonfiction book about science:

• Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks (January)*
• Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean by Maris Wicks (May)*
• Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach (read the ARC in May)*
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (October)*

Read a collection of essays:

Read a book out loud to someone else:

Read a middle grade novel:

• Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (read the ARC in January)*
• Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler (read the ARC in January/February)*
• When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin (read the ARC in March)
• The Inn Between by Marina Cohen (March)
• Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson (April)
• When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (read the ARC in April)*
• The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kell (April)*
• The Blackthorn Key (The Blackthorn Key #1) by Kevin Sands (April)*
• Poison is Not Polite (Wells and Wong #2) by Robin Stevens (May)
• Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban (May)*
• Lou Lou and Pea and the Mural Mystery by Jill Diamond and Lesley Vamos (read the ARC in June)
• Weekends with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban (July)*
• Tru & Nelle by G. Neri (August)*
• Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong by A.J. Low, Adan Jimenez, Felicia Low-Jimenez, and Drewscape (September)
• The Blackthorn Key #2: Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands (September)*
• Ottoline and the Purple Fox by Chris Riddell (October)*
• Ghost by Jason Reynolds (October)*
• First Class Murder (Wells and Wong #3) by Robin Stevens (November)
• Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krishnaswami (November/December)
• My Happy Life by Rose Lagercrantz (December)
• The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue (December)

Read a biography (not a memoir or autobiography):

• Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (February)*
• Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet (read the ARC in July)*
• Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson (August)*
• Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell (Simon & Schuster Audio) (October)*

Read a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel:

• Mirror, Volume 1: The Mountain by Emma Ríos and Hwei Lim (October)*

Read a book originally published in the decade you were born:

Listen to an audiobook that has won an Audie award:

Read a book over 500 pages long:

• Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley (August)*
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (August/September)*
• The Blackthorn Key #2: Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands (September)*

Read a book under 100 pages:

• The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems, Tony DiTerlizzi (May)
• How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture by Tonya Bolden (September)*

Read a book by or about a person that identifies as transgender:

• I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings, Shelagh McNicholas (April)
  

Read a book that is set in the Middle East:

• Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci (July)*

Read a book that is by an author from Southeast Asia:

• The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyen (April)*
• The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kell (April)*

Read a book of historical fiction set before 1900:

• Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix (January)
• Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler (read the ARC in January/February)*
• The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman (March)*
• The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands (April)*
• Templar by Jordan Mechner, LeUyen Pham, and Alex Puvilland (May)*
• The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye (August/September)*
• Compass South by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock (September)*
• The Blackthorn Key #2: Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands (September)*
• Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey (October)*

Read the first book in a series by a person of color:

• Ghost by Jason Reynolds (October)*
• The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (October)*
• NewsPrints by Ru Xu (read the ARC in November)*

Read a non-superhero comic that debuted in the last three years:

• Manifest Destiny by Chris Dingess, Matthew Roberts, and Owen Gieni (ongoing)
• Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (ongoing)
• Mirror by Emma Ríos and Hwei Lim (ongoing)*
• Pretty Deadly by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Ríos (ongoing)
• Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (April)*
• The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks (April)*
• Goldie Vance, Issue #1 by Hope Larson, Brittany Williams, and Sarah Stern (April)
• Space Battle Lunchtime, Issue #1 by Natalie Riess (May)*
  
• Kingsway West by Greg Pak and Mirko Colak (ongoing, reading single issues)*
• Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson (December)*
• Rutabaga the Adventure Chef, Book 2: Feasts of Fury by Eric Colossal (December)*

Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie. Debate which is better:

• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (volumes 1, 7, and 8 in English, volume 2 in Japanese) by Hayao Miyazaki (April)* 
  

Read a nonfiction book about feminism or dealing with feminist themes:

• Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (February)*
• Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley (May)*
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (October)*
• Bad Girls of Fashion: Style Rebels from Cleopatra to Lady Gaga by Jennifer Croll and Ada Buchholc (read the ARC in November)*

Read a book about religion (fiction or nonfiction):

• Templar by Jordan Mechner, LeUyen Pham, and Alex Puvilland (May)* Kind of?

Read a book about politics, in your country or another (fiction or nonfiction):

• The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyen (April)*

Read a food memoir:

• Cook Korean! A Comic Book With Recipes by Robin Ha (July)*

Read a play:

Read a book with a main character that has a mental illness:

• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (August/September)*

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA

It's the last Monday in January but I'm hoping to get back into posting my weekly reads. The reason I haven't been posting recently is because I got a job in early October and I just haven't had the time to blog.

It may not be every week, but my aim is to not abandon this project entirely. So, here goes for what I've read since the beginning of 2016 ...

[To rehash the concept :: post what you read last week, what you're reading now, and what you plan to read this week. If you have a review of the book(s), great! If you have a picture of the book(s), wonderful! If you have a book giveaway, fantastic! If you just list the title(s) of the book(s), not a problem! Make it as simple or as complex as you need it to be. At least, that's the message I got. This version of the meme is hosted by Jen and Kellee of Teach Mentor Text, which, in turn, was inspired by Sheila over at Book Journey, who hosts the original It's Monday! What Are You Reading?]

WHAT I READ SINCE JANUARY 1:

Apple blossom the Possum by Holly Goldberg Sloan, illustrated by Gary A. Rosen

The Babe & I by David A. Adler, illustrated by Terry Widener

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

A Day at an Indian Market by Catherine Chambers

Frederick's Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass by Doreen Rappoport, illustrated by London Ladd

Going Places by Peter and Paul Reynolds

Good Night Owl by Greg Pizzoli

(publication date: April 19, 2016)

Grandma in Blue with Red Hat by Scott Menchin, illustrated by Harry Bliss

Hip & Hop, Don't Stop! by Jef Czekaj

Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks

I Yam a Donkey! by Cece Bell

Let Me Finish! by Minh Le, illustrated by Isabel Roxas

(publication date: June 7, 2016)

Ling & Ting #3: Twice as Silly by Grace Lin

Madame Eiffel by Alice Brière-Haquet, illustrated by Csil

My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison

(publication date: August 9, 2016)

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix

Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson by Sue Stauffacher, illustrated by Greg Couch

The Not So Quiet Library by Zachariah Ohora

(publication date: July 19, 2016)

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recyling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Please, Open This Book! by Adam Leherhaupt, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

(publication date: April 12, 2016)

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Mike Holmes

Sophie's Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi

Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 1: Squirrel Power by Ryan North, illustrated by Erica Henderson

What James Said by Liz Rosenberg, illustrated by Matt Myers

WHAT I'M READING NOW:

Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler

(publication date: June 15, 2016)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

WHAT I PLAN TO READ THIS WEEK:

Trombone Shorty by Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier