To reading challenge or not to reading challenge...

It’s that time of year again. That time when I ask myself the question—to reading challenge or not to reading challenge?

I’ve gone back and forth over the years with reading challenges. Some years, I’ve simply set a total number goal in the Goodreads annual challenge. That’s basically a gimme for me. I know I’ll read at least 50 books in a year. But I like setting the goal because Goodreads gives you that nice little badge at the end of the year when you complete it. So I know I’ll do that one this year as well.

In other years, I’ve gotten more creative, making up my own challenges. My most long-running challenge has been the Read Wide Challenge. I’ve really enjoyed that one over the years and missed it the year I didn’t do it (and ended up adding it back a few months into the year.) However, in 2023, I did not finish my Read Wide challenge. In fact, I bombed the romance column/category—confirming that I have definitely been in a romance reading slump. I also bombed the YA category. That’s out of character for me, but it has me reluctant to do a Read Wide challenge in 2024.

In 2023, I also tried to do a backlist challenge, focusing on reading from my enormous pile of unread books (with a specific focus on my unread Book of the Month and Aardvark book club books.) I had planned to read 12 backlist books and I only made it to 6. So another incomplete challenge. Gah.

So that has me wondering what to do this year. Reading challenges usually bring me joy, but if they didn’t last year, should I continue?

I’ve given it some thought, and I think that, for now, I need to avoid challenges that are overly prescriptive. I don’t need challenges that assign genre since my reading moods have been all over the place.

However, I really do still have a backlist problem. I have SO MANY books in ebook, audio, and physical format that are sitting there untouched and ignored. I know there are wonderful, amazing stories just waiting for me to discover them. Plus, good money has been spent on those books. I hate feeling like it was wasted money.

So, my main reading goal for 2024 is going to be tackling the books that I already own. This will be a challenge because every time I listen to a bookish podcast or open a bookish email, I want all the new, new, new!

However, I’m going to try to find a book “like” whatever new book I heard about on my own shelves—because I guarantee there’s something I already have that fits the bill. My TBR on Goodreads is over 1000 books—no joke. Some date back 10 years.

Does that mean I’ll buy no new books this year? No, of course not. Let’s not talk crazy. :) But I do plan to give this backlist issue some focus.

Here are some gentle guidelines I’m hoping will help me:

1. When I’m in the mood for a certain genre or vibe, I’ll shop my shelves first.

2. If I need a book for writing research that I don’t have, I will “shop” by library sources first before purchasing.

3. When I get excited about a new book, I will add it to my wishlist instead of immediately buying it. That way I don’t forget about it and can get it in the future but it doesn’t add to the towering pile.

4. I will do random searches and sorting on my Kindle (like sorting by title or author or publication date) so that I can “see” the older books that I may have forgotten about—because many times I’ve just forgotten what’s there.

5. I will feature backlist books that I like here on the blog and in my newsletter so that you can benefit too!

6. I will remind myself why backlist is awesome:

   • usually easier to find with no holds at the library

   • you know if it’s survived the “new release buzz” and stood the test of time (meaning, the reviews are more representative of the general reading public than the early excitement reviews)

   • you get more variety instead of whatever is on trend in your favorite subgenre

I think that’s it for now. We’ll see how I do, but I’m excited about it!

Do you have any reading goals for 2024 or have you joined any reading challenges?

The 2021 TBR Backlog Reading Challenge

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I love a reading challenge. Since 2014, I’ve done a challenge I created called the Read Wide Challenge (originally called the Push Your Boundaries challenge.) I’ve loved doing this challenge, and it’s worked!

My original goal for the challenge was to expand my reading horizons because I had gotten so homogeneous with my reading, only reading a select number of genres and types of books. I didn’t want to end up writing the same story over and over because I kept putting the same input in. I wanted to have a variety of fodder for my writing brain. And looking back over these last few years, I’ve really accomplished that using this challenge. Yay for it actually helping me achieve what I set out to do!

The completed challenge in my reading journal

But…I realized that I’ve now hit the point of over-correction with this goal lol. Too many years of the same challenge in a row, I think. Of the 72 books I read in 2020, only about 10-11 are romance, which is kind of not great for my favorite genre, lol. Also this year, for the first time, I felt a little stressed about finishing the challenge. (I did but by the skin of my teeth.) I blame 2020 for some of that angst, but I don’t want to be stressed by a challenge. I want it to be fun.

So, I realized it was time for a fresh challenge. I love reading challenges so I don’t want to not do one this year, but I needed something new and different for 2021. I brainstormed on what that could look like and about what I wanted from my reading life this year. What goal would make me feel good and give me a satisfied feeling if I complete it by the end of the year?

I scrolled through my Goodreads account, seeking inspiration, and there it was, staring me in the face. The endlessly scrolling TBR pile. Some people have a TBR pile and some people have a TBR skyscraper. I’m one of the latter. I don’t add a book to my Goodreads TBR unless I own it. Currently, my Want to Read pile is…819 books. That seems ludicrous. At the rate of reading 70 books a year, it’d take me 11.5 years to get through it if I never bought another book. And y’all know I’m not going to stop buying books so…what to do?

Enter the 2021 TBR Backlog Reading Challenge.

When I scrolled to the bottom of my TBR and worked my way back up, I saw so many books that I really wanted to read but forgot I had. That recency effect is real. Plus, my memory is already crap so that’s working against me too. I felt bad for these neglected books just waiting to be read. Dusty and forgotten, filled with stories they want to tell and no one to listen. Yes, I’m anthropomorphizing my books, but you know what I mean.

So I decided I needed a challenge to tackle the TBR. I’ve tried this in a general, loose way before—i.e. making a goal to read more books I already own. But that didn’t stick. Loose doesn’t work for me (except in my writing process.) I need structure in a challenge. That’s why the Read Wide challenge has worked so well.

Therefore, here’s what I came up with…

The 2021 TBR Backlog Reading Challenge

Read Books Based on the Year Purchased or the Year Published to Find the Books You’ve Forgotten About

Have squares or checkboxes to fill in for the year in which you purchased a book, which is tracked on Goodreads. (You could also do this by publication year if you don’t have the record of when you purchased it. Goodreads has an option to sort by publication year.) The years are going to vary based on how far back your TBR pile goes. If it’s only a year or two, you can just have more boxes for those years. Mine starts on Goodreads in 2011, so I’m starting there and doing roughly 2 books per year purchased. That gives me flexibility to pick what I want since each year has a long list of options.

Optional Customized Columns for Whatever Part of Your TBR Needs Extra Attention

I like the idea of having a few customized columns that are specific to your TBR because often there are segments that need a little extra love. Like maybe there’s a series you’ve been meaning to finish. Or maybe you want to make sure you pay extra attention to choosing diverse reads from your TBR. Maybe you’ve purchased a ton of non-fiction but never seem to get to those books. Find those dusty corners where you can shine a spotlight.

For mine, I added columns to read at least 12 of my Book of the Month club books. I love Book of the Month club and have really enjoyed many of the books I’ve gotten through my membership over the past few years, but I buy extras from them almost every month so the backlog on those has gotten long too. I want to make sure I at least read a year’s worth in 2021 because I often discover new-to-me authors to love and are exposed to a variety of genres by the nature of their picks. So that’s what BOTM stands for in my last three columns.

This chart can be expanded for however many you want to do, but I have kept the number relatively small for myself this year on purpose. To complete the challenge, I need to read 28 books as opposed to 42 for the Read Wide challenge, so it won’t monopolize my reading for the year. Since I usually read 60-70 books a year, this leaves me enough room for all the new shiny books and for chasing whims on whatever I’m in the mood to read at the moment. This is particularly important for me because I’m definitely a mood reader and that was hampered a little this year with my Read Wide challenge. So, it’s up to you to choose how few or how many you want in your challenge.

That’s it! Pretty straighforward. I’m excited. :) So, who’s with me?

Join in!

I can’t be the only one out there with a TBR skyscraper. If you want to join in, you can grab a blank template here that you can customize in Microsoft Word. It will look like the one below and will also include a list of suggested categories if you need to brainstorm the custom columns.

Hopefully, this will help us all discover some gems hidden in the pile. I’d love to hear if you’re going to give this a try. And if you do, check in every now and then and let me know if you’ve discovered any great books! I’ll try to do the same.

Happy reading and here’s to a hopefully better year in 2021!

P.S. Read Wide Challenge

For those of you who would like to continue doing the Read Wide Challenge instead or would like to give it a try for the first time, you can get all the info here and download last year’s template, which will work just as well this year! :)

The Read Wide Challenge 2020 (+ Free Printable!)

This time of the year is one of my most favorite times of the year. No, not because of the holidays, though I do love the holidays, but because it’s new planner time and…

READING CHALLENGE TIME!

If you’re anything like me, you’re currently scrambling to finish whatever 2019 reading challenges you signed up for. I hit my Goodreads challenge a while back. I set a goal for 60 books, and right now I’m sitting at 73, so I’m good there. But on my Read Wide challenge (a challenge I’ve created and done for the last few years), I’m ONE book away. So I plan to take care of that category this week.

I’ve really enjoyed doing the Read Wide challenge this year, and it definitely challenged me to try some things I normally wouldn’t pick up. Like as much as love non-fiction audiobooks, I had yet to listen to a fiction audiobook all the way through, so I had added that to my challenge this year. I ended up listening to Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes on audio, and the narration was great. It’s the second book in the YOU series, and I had watched the show, so the narrator (Joe) sounded very similar to the actor playing that part. So it felt familiar and easy to listen to. However, I think I’m just not a fiction audiobook listener. I read much faster than I can listen. I love non-fiction on audio, but I think that’s because it feels like a really long podcast.

But this challenge definitely makes me pick up things I normally wouldn’t naturally gravitate toward, and I discover great reads I would’ve missed. It also helps keep me creatively fresh. There’s nothing wrong with liking what you like, and reading what you want to read, but I do think we can get into reading ruts—when everything starts to sound the same. So, I’ll be doing this challenge again this year.

What I like about this challenge is that you can make it your own. What my chart looks like doesn’t have to be what your chart looks like. If you hate horror, swap it out for something else. If you only want to read widely in romance, make a bunch of romance subgenre categories. Play around with it. I’ll have a blank, downloadable chart below that you can use to make your list.

So, why should you join this challenge and what does it entail?

Why Read Widely?

So first, before we get into the nitty gritty of the challenge, why should you give it a try?

1. You will discover new genres to love or re-discover old favorites you used to love.

   For instance, I loved reading horror when I was a teenager. I drifted away from it sometime in college—though I did take an awesome Vampires in Literature course my sophomore year. This year I had both horror and YA horror on my chart, and I rediscovered how much I love a good scary book.

2. You will read things that will confirm that a genre or format is not for you, and you can stop worrying about missing out on those books.

   This doesn’t sound like a positive thing, but it really is. I had mystery on my list this year. This is a popular genre, and often the blurbs sound good to me, but I’ve discovered that in a “whodunit”, I really don’t care much who did it. If a mystery is part of a true crime read or part of a suspense read with a lot of tension, I’m into it. But if it’s a straight-up mystery novel, it doesn’t hold my interest. Now I know to pass those by.

3. You will give new authors a chance.

   It’s easy to stick with the authors we know (and as an author, I highly encourage that! lol) but there are a lot of authors out there that we can add to our list. We’re never going to discover them if we don’t step outside our normal reading zone. This year I discovered Taylor Adams (Horror/suspense), H.K. Choi (YA), Casey McQuiston (romance), Leigh Bardugo (paranormal), along with others.

4. You will diversify your reading.

   I always strive to read more diversely, but that focus can slip through the cracks if I’m not paying attention. So my column focused on diversity has helped me be more deliberate about seeking out POC authors and books that feature main characters who are POC, LGTBQ+, and/or neurodiverse.

5. If you’re a writer, it will feed your creativity.

   Reading widely is important for my writing. It puts fresh fuel in the engine. The reason why my books are often a little outside the norm in the romance genre like The Ones Who Got Away series is because I read from all different areas. I pull ideas and inspiration from all these different genres, which I think keeps things fresh (for me and hopefully also for my readers.) If I’m only reading in my own genre, my books will start to sound like everyone else’s.

6. It’s fun

   If you’re a person who loves to check off a to do list or complete a challenge, this is just straight up fun. It feels like a game, and there’s so much satisfaction when you get to color in those boxes. : )
   

My 2020 Challenge

How to Set Up Your Challenge

1. Pick your comfort zone columns

   First, you need to know that this is a personalized challenge. What my version of reading widely is may be very different from yours. So first, make sure you’re giving yourself your favorites. For instance, romance is my primary reading genre, and I also read a lot of YA and non-fiction, so I have three entire columns dedicated to those things and their subgenres. If you’re a big mystery reader, you may dedicate a column to that and beneath list: cozy mystery, noir, historical mystery, etc. This is about reading widely but not to the exclusion of reading the things you love most.

2. Pick your more challenging columns

   Even under your comfort columns, there may be some challenging subcategories, but pick at least a column or two that are going to make you stretch. For me, that’s the non-romance genre fiction column. Usually, I also have a column labeled “General Fiction”, but this year I’m changing it up and have included a “Format” column instead, where instead of the genre, I’m using a variety of formats/lengths. You can get creative with the subcategories (lots of suggestions below). They don’t have to be “official” subgenres that the library would list. Like in my Genre Fiction column, you’ll see “classic of its genre”—whatever genre that may be.

3. Don’t put things in it the chart that you know you hate

   This is not about torturing yourself. If you already know you don’t like epic historical fiction, it’s okay not to put it on there. This shouldn’t feel like homework. I encourage you to put things that you may not normally try but that you’re open to liking.

4. Make a bonus column for fun/silly categories

   I have suggestions below but get creative. You want some easy wins and categories that many different types of books could fit into so that it’s not too restrictive.

5. Add a diversity column

   I keep this simple. I list “Author” and “Main character” to mark books that were written by an author in an underrepresented category or that feature a main character who is. But I list categories below if you want to get more detailed with this column.

6. Print out your list or draw your own into your reading journal like I do.

   You can use my template or you can just make your own with a simple square stencil, some colorful pens/pencils, and a notebook. If you want a printable reading journal, I have a free one with my newsletter sign up. I also have a post on how to make your own journal if that’s your jam.

7. Choose your own rules.

   Will you let one book count for more than one category? That’s up to you. It’s your challenge!

8. You don’t need as many categories under each column I have.

   If you’re someone who reads 20 books a year, this chart is going to be too much. Choose fewer boxes under each column or less columns. I read around 70-75 books a year, so this chart having 42 still leaves me room for reading whatever outside of the challenge. Give yourself flexibility.

Category Ideas

Here are some ideas for what to put in the columns. You can select subgenres, formats, fun made-up categories. Don’t limit yourself. This is your challenge and needs to be personal to your tastes. Have a good time with it!

Genres/Subgenres:

Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Erotic

·      Dark

·      Romantic suspense

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Gothic

·      Old School/Retro (Romance from 70s-90s)

Young Adult

·      Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Suspense/Thriller

·      Horror

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (YA from the 70s-90s)

Genre Fiction:

Contemporary

Women’s Fiction

Suspense

Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Hard-Boiled Detective/Noir

Horror

Gothic

Paranormal

Urban Fantasy

High Fantasy

Dystopian

Sci-Fi/Speculative

Graphic Novel/Comic

Steampunk

Historical fiction

Action/Adventure

Erotica

Time Travel

Middle Grade (and all its subgenres)

Picture Book

Inspirational/Religious  

Non-Fiction:

Memoir/Biography

True Crime

Humor

Travel

Self-Improvement

Business

Productivity

Home

Health

Cookbook/Food

On Writing (or whatever your field is)

Entertainment (about music, movies, tv, celebrity memoirs, etc.)

Science

History

Politics

Essay Collection

Parenting

Social Issues

General Fiction: 

Literary Fiction

Classics

Book Club Fiction

Short Stories

Contemporary

Historical

Family Saga

Diverse Reads:

Book by POC Author

POC Main Character

Book by LGTBQ Author

LGTBQ Main Character

Book with characters whose religion is different from yours

Book in translation

Book by an author from another country

Book with a neurodiverse character

Format: 

Short Story

Anthology

Doorstop (500+ pages)

Novella

Serial

Audiobook

Translated

Trilogy

Ebook

Hardcover

Paperback

Library Book

Indie Published

Small Press

Traditionally Published

Creative Categories:

Made Into A Movie or TV Show

Award-Winning

Banned Book

Re-read From Childhood

Debut Author

First in Series 

Book From Your Birth Year

Loved By Others

Second Chance on a DNF (did not finish)

Road Trip Story

Set Outside of the U.S./UK/Canada 

Book That Intimidates You

Written By the Opposite Sex

Retro Read (published before a certain year)

Three in a Row of a Series

Book You Should’ve Read in School

Favorite Author You Haven’t Read Lately

Legendary Author I’ve Never Read

Book I’ve Owned for 3+ Years

Book Club Pick/Book of the Month Club selection

Podcast Recommendation

Recommendation from a Friend

Recommendation from a Book Blogger/

Bookstagrammer/BookTube

Recommendation from Another Author

Book I Bought for the Cover

Airport Book

Huge Bestseller

Book about Books

Book about Food

Book about TV or Movies

Beach Read

Book That Made Me Cry

Book that Made Me Laugh

Classic of a genre

Found at the Used Bookstore

Book I Received as a Gift

Holiday-themed

Book by a Local Author

Download Your Chart and Get Started!

Blank Read Wide grid (word format)

Blank Read Wide grid (PDF)

My Read Wide Challenge if you don’t want to do your own categories (PDF)

Also, as I mentioned above, if you need a printable reading journal, I offer one for free when you sign up for my newsletter. You can easily add the chart as a page. 

Let me know if you decide to join in. Happy reading!

The Read Wide Challenge 2019

Hi there! You know what time of the year it is?

Reading challenge time!

In reader land, this is the time of the year where those of us who set a challenge back in January are scrambling to finish up. This is when the posts like “Ten Short Novels You Can Finish in a Day” and “Short Stories Count for Your Reading Challenge” start popping up.

From what I can tell, most reading challenges are of the simple number variety. People choose the number of books they hope to read for the year (usually via Goodreads) and then work on that. I always do the Goodreads challenge. (This year I set a goal of 50 and I’m at 77 right now, so yay!) However, over the past few years, I’ve wanted to do something more detailed than just a number.

I’ve found that I can get in reading ruts, and I tend to stick to my comfort zone in book selection when I don’t pay attention. There’s nothing wrong with reading what you know you like and sticking with it. However, for me, especially as a writer, it can limit my creativity if I don’t branch out and step away from my comfort zone at times. So years ago, I created the Push Your Boundaries reading challenge to get myself reading more widely. Last year, I changed up the format a little bit and renamed the challenge the Read Wide Challenge.

I didn’t share my challenge officially last year, but I’ve been posting photos of my completed challenge all year. Isn’t it pretty all filled in? And a number of you have reached out wanting to know about the challenge. So here are some details if you want to do the Read Wide Reading Challenge for yourself in 2019!

Why Read Wide?

So first, before we get into the nitty gritty of the challenge, why should you give it a try?

1. You will discover new genres to love or re-discover old favorites you used to love.

   For instance, years ago I burned out on paranormal books because I read them nonstop. They were my favorite, but when you read in the same zone for too long, books start sounding the same. So for years I haven’t read paranormal. But it was on my list this year. I picked up Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, book one, and wham, I was hooked. I realized I had missed sexy paranormal romance! Love rediscovered.

2. You will read things that will confirm that a genre is not for you, and you can stop worrying about missing out on those books.

   This doesn’t sound like a positive thing, but it really is. I buy books I think sound interesting but then never quite get to them. This challenge forced me to face a few genres that I thought I liked but…really don’t. For instance, the comedic celebrity essay collection/memoir. I have impulse bought so many of these on sale because, hey, I love that comedienne! But then I never read them. This year, I had a Humor/Essay box to mark off. So I read in that genre. I quickly realized (after reading two of them) that these just aren’t for me. I like memoirs with a lot of emotional resonance. Ones focused on humor just don’t do it for me. I can now save my money and stop buying them.

3. You will give new authors a chance.

   It’s easy to stick with the authors we know (and as an author, I highly encourage that! lol) but there are a lot of authors out there that we can add to our list. But we’re never going to discover them if we don’t step outside our normal reading zone.

4. You will diversify your reading.

   I always strive to read more diversely, but that focus can slip through the cracks if I’m not paying attention. So my column focused on diversity has helped me be more deliberate about seeking out POC authors and books that feature main characters who are POC, LGTBQ, and/or neurodiverse.

5. If you’re a writer, it will feed your creativity.

   This is a big one for me. The reason why my books are often a little outside the norm in the romance genre like The Ones Who Got Away series is because I read from all different areas. I pull ideas and inspiration from all these different genres, which I think keeps things fresh (for me and hopefully also for my readers.) If I’m only reading in my own genre, my books will start to sound like everyone else’s. I got the idea for The Ones Who Got Away because I read This Is Where It Ends (YA thriller) and Columbine (true crime/non-fiction) and wondered: what happens to the people who survive a school shooting? How do they move on as adults? That was the birth of the idea.

6. It’s fun

   If you’re a person who loves to check off a to do list or complete a challenge, this is just straight up fun. It feels like a game, and there’s so much satisfaction when you get to color in those boxes. : )
   

My 2019 Challenge

How to Set Up Your Challenge

1. Pick your comfort zone columns

   First, you need to know that this is a personalized challenge. What my version of reading wide is may be different from yours. So first, make sure you’re giving yourself your favorites. For instance, romance is my primary reading genre, and I also read a lot of YA and non-fiction, so I have three entire columns dedicated to those things and their subgenres. If you’re a big mystery reader, you may dedicate a column to that and beneath list: cozy mystery, noir, historical mystery, etc. This is about reading wide but not to the exclusion of reading the things you love most.

2. Pick your more challenging columns

   Even under your comfort columns, there may be some challenging subcategories, but pick at least two columns that are going to make you stretch. For me, that’s non-romance genre fiction and general fiction. You can get creative with the subcategories (suggestions below). They don’t have to be “official” subgenres that the library would list. Like in my General Fiction column, you’ll find book club fiction, magical elements, etc.

3. Don’t put things you know you hate

   This is not about torturing yourself. If you already know you don’t like a certain type of book, it’s okay not to put it on there. This shouldn’t feel like homework. For instance, I know classics and literary fiction are generally not my thing. It’s not to say I won’t ever try one of those again, but I don’t obligate myself to it on this challenge.

4. Make a bonus column for fun/silly categories

   I have suggestions below but get creative. You want some easy wins and categories that many different types of books could fit into so that it’s not too restrictive.

5. Add a diversity column

   I keep this simple. I list “Author” and “Main character” to mark books that were written by an author in an underrepresented category or that feature a main character who is.

6. Print out your list or draw your own into your reading journal like I do.

   You can use my template or you can just make your own with a simple square stencil, some colorful pens/pencils, and a notebook. If you want a printable reading journal, I have a free one with my newsletter sign up. I also have a post on how to make your own journal if that’s your jam.

7. Choose your own rules.

   Will you let one book count for more than one category? That’s up to you. I don’t but feel free. It’s your challenge!

Category Ideas

Here are some ideas for what to put in the columns. You can select subgenres, formats, fun made-up categories. Don’t limit yourself. This is your challenge and needs to be personal to your tastes. Have a good time with it!

Genres/Subgenres:

Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Erotic

·      Dark

·      Romantic suspense

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (Romance from 70s-90s)

Young Adult

·      Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Suspense/Thriller

·      Horror

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (YA from the 70s-90s)

Other Genre Fiction:

Contemporary

Women’s Fiction

Suspense

Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Hard-Boiled Detective/Noir

Horror

Gothic

Paranormal

Urban Fantasy

High Fantasy

Dystopian

Sci-Fi/Speculative

Graphic Novel/Comic

Steampunk

Historical fiction

Action/Adventure

Erotica

Time Travel

Middle Grade (and all its subgenres)

Picture Book

Inspirational/Religious

Non-Fiction: 

Memoir/Biography

True Crime

Humor

Travel

Self-Improvement

Business

Home

Health

Cookbook/Food

On Writing (or whatever your field is)

Entertainment (about music, movies, tv, celebrity memoirs, etc.)

Science

History

Politics

Essay Collections

Parenting

General Fiction: 

Literary Fiction

Classics

Book Club Fiction

Short Stories

Diversity: 

Book by POC Author

POC Main Character

Book by LGTBQ Author

LGTBQ Main Character

Book with characters whose religion is different from yours

Book in translation

Book by an author from another country

Book with a neurodiverse character

Format:

Short Story

Anthology

Doorstop (500+ pages)

Novella

Serial

Audiobook

Translated

Trilogy

Creative Categories: 

Made Into A Movie or TV Show

Award-Winning

Banned Book

Re-read From Childhood

Debut Author

First in Series 

Book From Your Birth Year

Loved By Others

Second Chance on a DNF (did not finish)

Road Trip Story

Set Outside of the U.S./UK/Canada 

Book That Intimidates You

Written By the Opposite Sex

Retro Read

Three in a Row of a Series

Book you should’ve read in school

Favorite Author You Haven’t Read Lately

Legendary Author I’ve Never Read

Book I’ve Owned for 3+ Years

Book Club Pick/Book of the Month Club selection

Podcast Recommendation

Recommendation from a Friend

Book I Bought for the Cover

Huge Bestseller

Book about Books

Book about Food

Beach Read

Book That Made Me Cry

Book That Made Me Laugh

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Blank Read Wide grid (word format)

Also, as I mentioned above, if you need a printable reading journal, I offer one for free when you sign up for my newsletter. You can easily add the chart as a page. 

Let me know if you decide to join in. Happy reading!

6 Book Recommendations for 6 Different Moods

I can’t believe it’s November already. October went by in a whirlwind. Maybe that was because I was reading reading reading like a maniac. I had set a goal to read two books in October because I knew it was going to be a busy month, but I ended up reading NINE. All in between writing 30k words on my new book, so October was a month of lots of words for me!

But that’s good news for you because that means I have book recommendations. :-) And because I’m working on my Read Wide reading challenge, the recs fall across various genres and are pretty different from each other. So I thought it’d be fun to give recs based on the reading mood you might be in.

Ready? Let’s go!

1. I am overwhelmed, and I need an easy, page-turning read that will not stress me out and will give me the warm and fuzzy romance feeling.

Smooth-Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Maisey’s books are where I go when I need a sure thing, feel-good read. Her characters are likable, the love scenes hot, and the story fun.

2. I’m feeling a little down and I want a sweet read that’s going to make me smile.

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

This story of two teen boys falling for each other, one a Mormon, is a sweet, moving story of young love. I adored the fun voice of the main character, and it had the right amount of angst to make you worry for them.

3. I am in a really good place and can handle a beautiful, epic read that’s going to rip my heart out and (kind of) put it back together again. (Or I’m in need of a good, hard cry.)

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Okay, y’all. ALL the warnings here. If you are in any way feeling down or depressed, don’t pick up this book yet. It’s an emotional wringer. I’m glad I read it on a sunny vacation in Phoenix to offset the heartbreaking story. Having said that, it was a beautiful, amazing story. And the setting of the Alaska in the 1970s was so well drawn that I felt like I was there. It’s one of those books that I’m happy I read but that I couldn’t read again, if that makes sense. It gutted me. The ending is hopeful. I wouldn’t recommend one with a completely tragic ending, but don’t go in looking for an “Ahh” feeling happily ever after. (Also trigger warnings for domestic violence.)

4. I’m looking for something totally different, and I have time to listen to a story during a commute or during chores.

Dead Air by Gwenda Bond, Carrie Ryan, and Rachel Caine

Now for something a little different…Dead Air is on the new platform/app for serial stories Serial Box. The story is told in episodes and has full sound effects and such, so it’s different from a straight up audiobook.

I was curious about the format so I started listening to Dead Air while I was washing dishes and driving. I got hooked after probably two episodes, and that’s saying something because, though I listen to a lot of non-fiction in audio, I have yet to get into fiction audiobooks. This one held my attention. And I didn’t figure out the mystery ahead of time. There’s also a new adult romance mixed into the story. I believe you can try the first episode free if you want to see what it’s like. If you like it, you can buy the whole season for the price of a book.

5. I’m already missing Halloween, and I’m looking for a scary book that will have me peeking out my windows to check that no one’s out there.

The Surviving Girls by Katee Robert

I happened to be reading this book the same week that I saw the new Halloween movie. This book and that movie have a lot in common. It’s about a survivor (or survivors) going up against a human monster that ruined their lives in a tragic way when they were teens. In this case, two women who survived a sorority row slaying are being hunted again by the killer (or are they?) This is a thriller, but it also has a strong horror feel to me. There is a minor romance in it as well.

(This one is free in Kindle Unlimited if that’s your jam.)

6. I’m in the mood to learn something.

Overdressed by Elizabeth L. Cline

I got this in audiobook from my library, and I found it really eye-opening. If you ever wonder why those tops at the store can be sold for five dollars (or wonder if they should be that cheap) and why pretty much any clothing you buy these days falls apart after a few washes, this book will answer those questions. Be warned, it’s one of those topics you can’t “unsee” once you know about it. It’s made me look at clothes shopping through a whole new lens. Also, if you get this in audiobook, the narrator takes a little getting used to.

All right, those are the six picks I have for you today. What have you read lately that you loved? Are you a mood reader?