These are my reading goals and challenges for the year as a whole. I’ve decided not to set a Goodreads goal for this year and focus on some more specific challenges I want to join or have set for myself. I’d also like to see if I can find an IRL bookclub in my area (that reads things I might actually like), so I might being doing that too. Some of these will overlap and some will overlap with the Devour Your TBR Group or shorter readathons.
I’ve no idea if this is realistic or possible since I’d like to write more too, but I figure January is the best time for over-inflated expectations.
Discworld Reread
I’m not going for the whole series this year, but I’d like to maybe reread The Witches, The Watch and Death series’ this year and then I could do the rest in 2020.
October Daye a Month
I’ve been meaning to read this series FOREVER and I’ve yet to read a Seanan McGuire/ Mira Grant book I didn’t like. The 13th book come out late 2019, so this would pretty much catch me up.
Read 5 Classics
I’ve read so few ‘classics’ over the past few years but I spotted loads during Victober I’d love to give a try, along with some more scattered releases.
Finish 12 Series
I’m basically going to combine Dani’s A Series A Month from last year and the Finishing the Series challenge as I think doing 12 new series from scratch would be a bit much with the other challenges I want to try. So, I’ll aim to finish or catch up with 12 series, whether or not I’ve already started them.
Cornerfolds’ 2019 Retelling Bingo
I’ve no TBR for this one yet, but I’m putting together a recommendation and TBR suggestions post for sometime in January.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
This is my first time taking part in the Popsugar challenge, but it looks such fun! This is definitely more of a list of ideas rather than an actual TBR so if you’ve any suggestion you think I’d like, please let me know! The Goodreads group was great for finding a lot of these. I’m going to try and post updates for this challenge every 3-4 months.
A book becoming a movie in 2019
Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot #17) by Agatha Christie
Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
A book that makes you nostalgic
Any of the discworld books I’ll be rereading for my own goals above.
A book written by a musician (fiction or nonfiction)
Anything by Seanan MacGuire or Leigh Bardugo.
A book you think should be turned into a movie
The Dark Days Deceit (Lady Helen #3) by Alison Goodman
A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos
Carnations and Chaos (Port Danby #2) by London Lovett
A reread of a favorite book
Any Discworld book.
A book about a hobby
Most cozy mysteries would work for this, I think I’ve got a few already on my TBR or shelf.
A book you meant to read in 2018
Any of my current TBR? Or maybe any 2018 release from my TBR.
A book with POP, SUGAR, or CHALLENGE in the title
The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1) by R.F. Kuang
Poppy Done to Death (Aurora Teagarden #8) by Charlaine Harris
A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman
I might spot something else as I go.
A book inspired by myth/legend/folklore
Anything from my Mythothon Ideas post from this year, or if I make another list for 2019.
A book published posthumously
The Shepherd’s Crown (Discworld #41) by Terry Pratchett
A book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, The Jane Austen Book Club
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, Gilmore Girls
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Gilmore Girls
A retelling of a classic
Teeth in the Mist by Dawn Kurtagich
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
A book with a question in the title
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie
What would Bouudica do? by Elizabeth Foley
A book set on college or university campus
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
Maybe…? I’m not sure about what I fancy for this one…
A book about someone with a superpower
Akata Witch (Akata Witch #1) by Nnedi Okorafor
The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente
A book told from multiple POVs
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) by Leigh Bardugo
A book set in space
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Heart of Iron (Heart of Iron #1) by Ashley Poston
Sky Without Stars (System Divine #1) by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell
Tone of Voice (Xandri Corelel #2) by Kaia Sønderby
A book by two female authors
Sky Without Stars (System Divine #1) by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell
The Novice’s Tale (Sister Frevisse #1) by Margaret Frazer (aka Gail Frazer & Monica Ferris)
A book with SALTY, SWEET, BITTER, or SPICY in the title
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin E. Craig
One Salt Sea (October Daye #5) by Seanan McGuire
A book set in Scandinavia
Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A book that takes place in a single day
… I still need ideas for this one.
A debut novel
I’ll pick this out as I go.
A book that’s published in 2019.
Again, I’ll pick this as I go.
A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature
Exile (The Extinction Trials #2) by S.M. Wilson
A book recommended by a celebrity you admire
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (J K Rowling)
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (David Bowie)
A book with LOVE in the title
I thought this would be an easy one, but I’m actually really struggling to find something that appeals to me.
A book featuring an amateur detective
Any cozy-mystery novel should count for this one.
A book about a family
The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
Fog Season (Tales of Port Saint Frey #2) by Patrice Sarath
The Man of Property (The Forsyte Chronicles #1) by John Galsworthy
A book author from Asia, Africa, or South America
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in title
The Last Sun (The Tarot Sequence #1) by K.D. Edwards
Sky Without Stars (System Divine #1) by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell
Emerald House Rising by Peg Kerr
A book that includes a wedding
Erm… maybe a book about a wedding planner or one of the classics like P&P? Help?
A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
A ghost story
Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell
A paranormal cozy-mystery.
A book with a two-word title
Athena’s Champion (Olympus Trilogy #1) by David Hair & Cath Mayo
Semper Augustus by Mackenzi Lee
Courting Darkness (Courting Darkness Duology #1) by Robin LaFevers
Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1) by Emily A. Duncan
A novel based on a true story
A book revolving around a puzzle or game
Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu
Thud! (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett
Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading challenge
2017: (First book in a series) should be pretty easy.
A “cli-fi” (climate fiction) book
A “choose-your-own-adventure” book
Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore
An “own voices” book
The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson
Read a book during the season it is set in
Pretty much anything at Halloween or Christmas.
A LitRPG book
Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu
Otherworld (Last Reality #1) by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters
Any Discworld book.
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Two books that share the same title
The Lost World (Professor Challenger #1) by Arthur Conan Doyle & The Lost World (Jurassic Park #2) by Michael Crichton
The Muse by Jessie Burton & Muse by Mary Novik
Night Watch (Discworld #29) by Terry Pratchett & The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent
Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence
Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett
Courting Darkness (Courting Darkness Duology #1) by Robin LaFevers
Foxes and Fairy Tales 
Good luck! That’s a lot! 😁
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Thank you!
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I want to get into Discworld as well and set myself a goal to read 20 of the books, but I don’t know what I was thinking. I barely have time to read next to uni and I have so many other challenges. Maybe I’ll just try to do Witches and MAYBE Death? That’s 11 books if I’m counting right.
I own the first October Daye book but my January is so packed that I didn’t dare volunteer for the buddy read 😀
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Haha! No worries, but if you want to, let me know and you can join us later on.
Either of those series would be great places to start because they pretty much stand alone. The first Witches book is a little different from the others, just a heads up. 😊
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Different how? 😀
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It’s just Granny rather than the trio and the humour’s a little different. It’s still a good book but it just doesn’t feel as connected as the other books. There’s a lot of male/female gender commentary. I’m not sure how well that’ll have aged, now I think about it.
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Alright, I’m curious to see for myself how that goes 😀
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Hallo, Hallo Lou!
I’m also taking part in the [2019] Category Challenge via LibraryThing as I wanted to become more active on LT in the New Year. Most of all my reading challenges are interweaved into the challenge itself and I’ve been enjoying sorting out which books I want to read and sorting out which books to read during which month of the New Year!! You can come take a look at my List! I’m also sorting out my Pop Sugar selections on LT — I attempted the challenge in the past but it was an #epicfail. I seem to have better luck with reading challenges & RALs ever since I changed I how I approach them over the past year.
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Gosh Jorie!
I can’t figure out how to comment on LT but that list is so organised and impressive! I love how many different and varied categories you’ve got. And even moreso the books within them! You’re going to be very busy this year!!
I hope you enjoy The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. I read it this year and really liked it. I’m hoping to read The Moonstone this year at some point to. We can compare notes!
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Did you join LT, Lou? If so, you can comment directly on my page – LT is a lot like our blogs – there is a comment box at the bottom. If your not on LT you won’t be able to comment though (sadly) but at least I can share what I am doing this year! 🙂 I’ll friend you if you decide to join. I prefer LT over GR. I decided to pair down where I’m active online – so whilst I’m still working towards letting go of Riffle, I’m getting more familiar with LT and moving between LT, my blog and Twitter. My personal social reading trifecta! lol
I truly wanted to re-direct myself this coming year – not just in my reading life but in my writing life, as well. I decided to cut back even more than I did in the past three years as a blog tour hostess/reviewer… so I can read more library books, personal library books and really get into the stories I’ve been thinking about reading but get distracted from actually reading! I have two personal challenges on my blog which have been stagnant for five years too – so those are inspiring me forward.
It wasn’t til I found this Category challenge where I felt *everything!* came together for me as a reader — it really allowed me to take stock of what I wanted to read and then inked out a route of where to read next. I’m sure the list will evolve/change as it has to take into account DNFs/not my cuppa books too – but overall, I feel really confident moving into 2019!!
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Definitely! I’ll have to make a note about these two books so I remember to confer with you after I’ve read them!
PS: You can join LT on a budget; one year I want to join the lifetime level and my dream wish is to own a cuecat!! 🙂
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Thanks for the info! I think I looked at LT once but never joined… I’ll have to have a better look at it.
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You’re giving me a lot of lovely ideas for the prompts on Pop Sugar I was ‘stuck’ over sorting out! If you join LT please friend request me and I’ll accept you when I see it pop up on my Profile!! Til then, I’m now working on my PS List!!! lol (smiles)
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Happy to help! I’ll pop back over at some point and see what you’ve decided on 😊
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