This year I was super excited to introduce a new reading challenge on my blog! I called it “The 2018 Reading Challenge: 52 books in 52 weeks” and was blown away by the reaction. With hundreds of shares on Facebook and thousands of re-pins on Pinterest, the response to this challenge has been phenomenal and staggering at the same time. This was my most viewed post of 2018 (so far) and I’ve been super excited to see so many people passionately dive into reading!
A book a week sounds daunting to some people but the goal of this challenge was really to inspire people to read more and to read different. With fifty-two different categories, I hoped that participants would stretch out of their comfort zones and pick up books that they might not ordinarily read. Many of those who have been participating have excitedly shared new authors and new genres that they’ve discovered and were surprised by.
So far, my personal book tally for this year is hovering in the 120’s. Not all the books I read were for the challenge and I tried to limit myself to just one challenge book each week. However, with a new baby on the way, I knew that my reading time was going to be limited over the next few months and wanted to make sure I finished before October.
With that being said, I have completed my 52 challenge books for the year and wanted to share them you. There’s probably only two or three books on this list that I didn’t enjoy and wouldn’t necessarily recommend. (Cough, cough, Three Cups of Tea, cough…) But even so, this was a really fun challenge and I hope YOU ALL join me in the upcoming 2019 MommyMannegren reading challenging.
That’s right. A 2019 Reading Challenge is on it’s way! The full challenge and details will be released in NOVEMBER! So be sure to stay tuned!
I am also taking category suggestions for the new challenge. If you haven’t already joined the 2018 Reading Challenge Facebook Group, I encourage you to do so! If you have a brilliant idea for next year and want to see your category included in the 2019 challenge, the Facebook group is the place to share it!
Until then, I will leave you (my lovely readers) with my list of completed categories for 2018. Happy Reading!
Liz’s 2018 Book Challenge Completion List:
**Books marked with stars were special favourites
1. A book by a Canadian author: The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
2. A childhood favourite: James and the Giant Peach – Roald Dahl
3. A novel that is considered a “classic”: The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. A mystery novel: The Woman in Cabin 10 – Ruth Ware
5. A book you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t got to: Uninvited – Lysa TerKeurst
6. A science fiction novel: **Shift – Hugh Howey
7. An adventure / espionage novel: The Simple Truth – David Baldacci
8. A biography: **Ruined – Ruth Everhart
9. A book that challenges your viewpoint: 13 Reasons Why – Jay Asher
10. The first book in a trilogy: **Night – Elie Wiesel
11. A book with over 600 pages: Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabraldon
12. A book you can read in a day: Seasons of Waiting – Betsy Childs Howard
13. A book that has won a Pulitzer Prize – any year: The Underground Railroad – Coleson Whitehead
14. Any book from the 2017 Good Reads Choice Awards: **The Alice Network – Kate Quinn
15. A book that has been made into a movie: **The Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd
16. A book chosen solely by its cover: In a Cottage In a Wood – Cass Greene
17. A book on theology: **Knowing God – J.I Packer
18. A celebrity memoir: **Talking As Fast as I can – Lauren Graham
19. A book with a six word title: **The Scars That Have Shaped Me – Vaneetha Rendall Risner
20. A book set in a country you want to visit: A Light on the Hill – Connilyn Cossette
21. A book that makes you laugh out loud: Is it Just Me – Miranda Hart
22. A book you read in school: A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle
23. A book with a green spine: Treasuring Christ when your hands are full – Gloria Furman
24. A book with a character that shares your name: Somewhere in France – Jennifer Robson
25. A book published in 2018: Oath of Honor – Lynette Eason
26. A book recommended by a friend: The Cruelest Month – Louise Penny
27. A book recommended by a librarian: The Beloveds – Maureen Lindley
28. A book written by an author under 30: **Golden Son – Pierce Brown
29. A book written before 1920: Little Men – Louisa May Alcott
30. A book that makes you cry: **One Thousand Gifts – Ann Voskamp
31. An e-book: Morning Star – Pierce Brown
32: A book with bad reviews: Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortenson
33. A Young-Adults Bestseller: **Before I Fall – Lauren Oliver
34. A book set in Africa: **Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken heart – Tim Butcher
35. A book by Agatha Christie: The Pale Horse – Agatha Christie
36. A Historical non-fiction book: Les Parisiennes – Anne Sebba
37. A book that inspires you: Mom Enough – Desiring God Authors
38. A short story: Grantchester: Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death – James Runcie
39. A book that’s been on the New York Times Bestseller for more than 10 weeks: The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
40. Political Book (Fiction or Non-Fiction): **What Happened – Hillary Rodham Clinton
41. A book by a Scandinavian Author: **Papa’s Wife – Thyra Ferre Bjorn
42. A book with non-human characters: Charlotte’s Web – E.B White
43. A book about a topic you’re passionate about: Missional Motherhood – Gloria Furman
44. A book set in the Middle East: In the Land of Invisible Women – Qanta A. Ahmed
45. A book already in your bookshelf: **Dangerous Territory – Amy Peterson
46. A book that was once banned: All Quiet on the Western Front – Erich Maria Remarque
47. A book originally published in the year you were born: Wild Swans – Jung Chang
48. A book about travel: **My Life in France – Julia Child
49. A foreign book translated into English: The Time in Between – Maria Duenas
50. A book with the letter “Y” somewhere in the title: **Prayer – Timothy Keller
51. A book with food on the cover: Hail to the Chef – Julie Hyzy
52. A book about a current world issue: **Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town – Jon Krakauer
If you made it this far, I want to hear from you! What have been your favourite reads from the 2018 Reading Challenge? Share in the comments!
Still working on this year’s challenge, but looking forward to next year. Will be joining.
I have been thoroughly enjoying your challenge. I do read a lot although many of those books aren’t on the challenge list. I have a bit of catching up to do and will use October to do that. So many great books on your list! – many i haven’t read but hope to!
Looking forward to next year’s challenge already!
How abouy these chocies for next year:
a book recommended by your children
a book about your profession (or desired profession)
a book about a subject you know nothing about
a book about creativity
a book to help change a bad habit
Here are some category suggestions for next year:
-A title containing a possessive phrase (e.g., The Fault in Our Stars, Sophie’s Choice, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Their Eyes Were Watching God)
-A title that uses a word twice (e.g., Boy Meets Boy; Absolom, Absolom!; Rich Man, Poor Man)
-Title containing Q, X, Y or Z in it somewhere