I love POPSUGAR. It is a great lifestyle website that has some really good articles, especially when it comes to books. Their annual reading challenges are pretty popular with avid and casual readers alike. These reading challenges help introduce people to some different books that they might not normally think to look at. For me, I always check out the challenge but never stick to it.
This year, I will.
The 2016 reading challenge is filled with some pretty interesting categories, a few that I’m not necessarily excited about, but that’s the whole point. As I go through this challenge and check each item off of the list, I hope that my outlook changes and I start to look forward to the new and different. Poetry? Yeah, not really my thing. Graphic novel? I think that’s like a comic book but sure, why not. Maybe I will learn to appreciate all that the literary world has to offer, not just my little slice of it. Maybe I won’t. But as the saying goes, you won’t know until you try it.
For myself, I’ve already set my Goodreads Reading Challenge for the year at 100 books. Some people may look at that number and balk, thinking I’m a crazy person for setting such an outrageous goal. However, by doing reading challenges like POPSUGAR’s, that number starts to look somewhat reasonable. It’s giving you a goal, driving you to pick up that book to finish your challenge, rather than watch another episode of The Real Housewives (guilty as charged!). For my book reviews, if a particular book helps check off any items on the list, then I will be sure to let you know. Everyone enjoys a hint, right? I’ve already gotten to check off 2 items – A book that’s over 600 pages (thanks Drums of Autumn!) and a dystopian novel (hello, Ready Player One!).
Reading is supposed to be a journey, an escape. It takes you out of your comfort zone and brings your imagination to life. So join me in this year’s challenge. You never know where it could lead you.
Our wonderful friends over at POPSUGAR even included this amazing printable so that you can check off each item as you finish it. How nice of them!
So, are you in?
Wonderfilled Reads 
This is such a good post! I like this idea. There’s so many categories though. Wow! I don’t think I could do it. There’s all kinds of stuff on there I know I would never read. Now your TBR makes sense. You’ve got a lot of reading to do. I think I could do all of them except self help, political memoir, and the celebrity book. Some of them I could check off already. Hmm.. I’ll have to think this one over. Maybe I could push myself to read the 3 I know I’d have the most trouble with.
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Thanks! Yeah, there’s quite a few that I’m going to have to purposely make myself do like the self-help and poetry. But that’s the whole point – to push yourself out of your comfort zone. And a lot of the categories I fill without even realizing it which really helps!
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I think I’ll give it a shot. Maybe it will broaden my horizons. I think I’ll read a comedians book for the celebrity one so at least it will be funny. Maybe Mindy or Amy Poehler. I’ve done so many of these this year, too, without even realizing it until I looked at the checklist. Is there a group for this or do it at your own leisure?
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Nope, there’s no group. This is a strictly do on your own type thing! They have a new challenge every year and it’s just up to you if you want to do it or not. 😊
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I think I’ll give it a try just to see if I can branch out a little more.
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