Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

When does the next year's list usually get announced?

I was just introduced to this and can't wait to start with next year's list. This idea is so neat!

December 15 is when they released the list these the past two years. Although since I'm four books shy of finishing (unlike last year, when I was already done by this point) I'm trying not to think about that too hard.

Thank you! I am definitely going to join the challenge in 2017.

How do we go about making suggestions? I have two...

1. Read a book by OR about a stand-up comedian. (The Nerdist Way by Chris Hardwick, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer)

2. Read a novel by a Hugo or Nebula winner. (Octavia E. Butler, Paolo Bacigalupi, Ursula K. Le Guin)

Patty wrote: "How do we go about making suggestions? I have two...

1. Read a book by OR about a stand-up comedian. (The Nerdist Way by Chris Hardwick, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The Girl with the Lower Back T..."

I like the Hugo/Nebula winner idea. The book about a comedian is also fun, but I think it would be a bit more accessible if it got expanded to a humor book.

Here's my wishlist:

1.) Fantasy novel
2.) Mystery novel
3.) Latin-American author
4.) Journalism book
5.) A book of literary analysis or analyzing another book
6.) Since a lot of books have become musicals (the Chernow Hamilton biography, The Color Purple, Les Miserables, etc.), I think a challenge where we read a book and then listen to the soundtrack of the musical would be fun.

I would love to see

A memoir of addiction
A book (F or NF) set during a war other than WWI or WWII
A biography of a world leader
A book focused on a political issue or concern and written prior to 2000
Poetry translated from the original, and originally written in a language you do not speak
Book by a Chinese author written after 1980 (the date by which there was normalized relations with most of the West)
A Regency romance
A book written by a winner of either the Nobel Prize, the Neustadt Prize. or the Kafka Prize (all prizes for bodies of work rather than specific books)

Popsugar also has a book challenge that they just published. It's harder because it's 52 book so one a week basically.

Heidi wrote: "Popsugar also has a book challenge that they just published. It's harder because it's 52 book so one a week basically."

Thanks for letting us know. I will take a look. I don't think I would do a 52 book challenge though. I generally read about that much, this year I am at 76 but its been an unusual year and I expect to be around 60 for 2017. Even though I read a lot, I like to have some books I don't have to ft into the defined list, things I just want to read. A list of 52 would really limit that flexibility.

Heidi wrote: "Popsugar also has a book challenge that they just published. It's harder because it's 52 book so one a week basically."

I've done the Read Harder and PopSugar the last two years. There has been a decent amount of category cross-over both years.

Isn't Popsugar's challenge 40 books, with the option to add on 12 more? 40 is less daunting than 52.

Looking forward to next year's challenge, although this year's was troublesome for me... and will have much less time next year, as had a baby six weeks ago :3

Does anyone do any other challenges? Maybe genre specific ones?

I did my county library's and Bustle's challenges. There was enough overlap I didn't get overwhelmed. I saw a Cozy Mystery and a Romance challenge when I was looking for next year's options. November is a bit early for that, I know. I was jonesing.

Brenna wrote: "Heidi wrote: "Popsugar also has a book challenge that they just published. It's harder because it's 52 book so one a week basically."

I've done the Read Harder and PopSugar the last two years. The..."

I joined Popsugar for 2 days and the number of updates made me anxious. I think I will stick with Bookriot.

A book involving any sport.
A story from the frozen north (or south)
Something something but please include South America already

Heidi wrote: "Popsugar also has a book challenge that they just published. It's harder because it's 52 book so one a week basically."

That sounds fantastic, but I know that I could not finish a book a week. I wish I could! Thanks for sharing

Mona wrote: "In terms of suggesting possibilities, I don't think you can in a formal way. But they may take a look at this post and add something they like.

On one of the podcast episodes (I want to say Get Bo..."

Very cool! I hope they let us know which authors chose which challenge category.

I am a librarian and I did the BookRiot challenge this year for the first time and LOVED it. I am in the process of creating a group that will meet once a month here at my library for the purpose of going through 2017's ReadHarder list. It would be lovely if BookRiot would release the list early like PopSugar does, so I can start creating lists of books that my library district owns that fulfill the categories. If anyone from BookRiot is listening, please send me a message!

I'd like to see a western/cowboy type book on next years, as it's a genre I know nothing about. And a sports book, maybe an epistolary novel.

Ultra wrote: "I'd like to see a western/cowboy type book on next years, as it's a genre I know nothing about. And a sports book, maybe an epistolary novel."

I like this suggestion. Western is not my genre, so that would be a great stretch. I could take a second swing at Cormac McCarthy.

Mona wrote: "In terms of suggesting possibilities, I don't think you can in a formal way. But they may take a look at this post and add something they like.

On one of the podcast episodes (I want to say Get Bo..."

I was at Book Riot Live and they discussed it there, this is correct. Rachel Manwill writes the challenge each year, however, this year she had six authors come up with one challenge each. I can't recall all of them, but I believe they included Sarah MacLean, Roxane Gay, and Daniel Jose Older.

You all here are killing it with suggestions! My idea for this year is a self-published book.

All I know is I'm really looking forward to the 2017 challenge. I've totally enjoyed doing the last two years. Wish I could get my husband to do it with me, or some other friends. But hey, I have all you fine people to discuss and get ideas from. ;)

I would love to see any of the following:

An epic poem
An author's first book/last book
A verse novel
A how-to book
A book set in your hometown
A book you started but never finished
A book you never heard of until someone gave it to you
Reread a book you read in grade school
A book that the author never finished

a book set in your hometown would be hard for many readers as there may not be books set in hometowns. I don't know of any books set in Lansing, IL. .

Bobby wrote: "I would love to see any of the following:

An epic poem
An author's first book/last book
A verse novel
A how-to book
A book set in your hometown
A book you started but never finished
A book you nev..."

I love the "started but never finished" idea!

The book that has been on your TBR list the longest

I love these ideas! Especially "a book you started but never finished" and "the book that has been on your TBR the longest."

So excited to join the 2017 reading challenge. I only discovered the Read Harder challenge back in October or November, so didn't really have time to hop on this train. Though I did retroactively fill out what I've read so far on this year's list, and did surprisingly well for not being aware of it.

I can't wait to see what the categories are this year!

Teresa wrote: "Isn't Popsugar's challenge 40 books, with the option to add on 12 more? 40 is less daunting than 52." They added an "Advanced Challenge" of another 12 books to the original 40.

Patty wrote: "How do we go about making suggestions? I have two...

1. Read a book by OR about a stand-up comedian. (The Nerdist Way by Chris Hardwick, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The Girl with the Lower Back T..."

I have another suggestion, following along with Lisa Lucas's (head of the National Book Foundation) comment, "don't just read the thing that you think is for you ... read the thing that's not," a book that represents the opposite of your religious, political, or social views.

http://www.npr.org/2016/11/14/501975656/one-way-to-bridge-the-political-divide-read-the-book-thats-not-for-you

Liz wrote: "I have another suggestion, following along with Lisa Lucas's (head of the National Book Foundation) comment, 'don't just read the thing that you think is for you ... read the thing that's not,' a book that represents the opposite of your religious, political, or social views."

I think that's a fantastic idea! No matter which side you fall on, I think many of us tend to group those who do not share our ideals as homogeneous "others" and can benefit from learning a bit more about people who differ from us.

Okay, Okay, I'm ready for the list to come out already! I just started this challenge in the latter half of the year and did as someone else mentioned and filled in some I had read already. But I was also reading the whole Harry Potter series with another group (I'd never read it before), so that cut into my challenge time. I'm really excited to do this next year and finish the whole list!

Some of the suggestions in this thread are making me tempted to create my own challenge and blog it!

There's a litsy reading challenge with some interesting challenges. There is a group on here for it

Nicole wrote: "a book set in your hometown would be hard for many readers as there may not be books set in hometowns. I don't know of any books set in Lansing, IL. ."

'Never What It Seems' and 'Autumn Leaves' by Diane Martin are set in Lansing, Il.Never What it SeemsAutumn Leaves

Amanda wrote: "Nicole wrote: "a book set in your hometown would be hard for many readers as there may not be books set in hometowns. I don't know of any books set in Lansing, IL. ."

'Never What It Seems' and 'Au..."

There are 300 people in my town. No novels, but a few little histories floating around. Author Richard Ford lived here while writing a novel, but not set here.

Nicole wrote: "a book set in your hometown would be hard for many readers as there may not be books set in hometowns. I don't know of any books set in Lansing, IL. ."

Maybe go with home state/province/region instead of hometown? That would be good. And also maybe anyplace you have ever lived. I now live someplace absolutely no one writes about (Fargo, ND) but I have lived in 2 countries and 7 metropolitan areas so that would open up a ton of options.

Bonnie wrote: "Nicole wrote: "a book set in your hometown would be hard for many readers as there may not be books set in hometowns. I don't know of any books set in Lansing, IL. ."

Maybe go with home state/prov..."

Since this is a challenge, shouldn't it open ourselves to finding a book about or set in the place, rather than finding the place with the most options? Home state is good (County even better).

I live in a county with less than 15,000 people, and I am betting that the only book that is set here is the old History of ____ County, Missouri that I've referred to when looking up my ancestry. It's a pretty dry read. I think a book set in your home state is far better, but wasn't that already one of the Read Harder challenges this year, or am I getting it confused with PopSugar's challenge?

Rebecca wrote: "I live in a county with less than 15,000 people, and I am betting that the only book that is set here is the old History of ____ County, Missouri that I've referred to when looking up my ancestry. ..."

It was not on this challenge.

The hometown challenge would be hard for a lot of people; I can see home state/province.

Rebecca wrote: "I live in a county with less than 15,000 people, and I am betting that the only book that is set here is the old History of ____ County, Missouri that I've referred to when looking up my ancestry. ..."

Definitely not on either of the Read Harder challenges. I did both of them this year and know those topics forwards and backwards. Must have been Pop Sugar's.

I too would be hard pressed to find a book written about my home town. And I'll bet the county (south of St Louis) is just like yours with the "History of . . .". Talk about a cure for insomnia.

But state should be easy, and I'm sure there are books set in St Louis, which is less than an hour drive from my home town, so it would be geographically close, at least.

Janet wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Nicole wrote: "a book set in your hometown would be hard for many readers as there may not be books set in hometowns. I don't know of any books set in Lansing, IL. ."

'Never What It..."

Maybe "A book set in your home state" would be easier to pull off?

Any day now! My wish list is...

A book by someone or about something you disagree with
A book by a South American author
The book that's been on your TBR list the longest
A book written in verse
A Printz Award winner
A book that you started but didn't finish
A banned book

One can dream right?

list ideas:

- Coffee Table Book

- Book about mothers/daughters, fathers/sons

- Book about teachers/teaching

- Book about your profession

Krista wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I live in a county with less than 15,000 people, and I am betting that the only book that is set here is the old History of ____ County, Missouri that I've referred to when looking ..."

Like you, I'm less than an hour's drive from St. Louis, but on the west side instead of the south. Howdy neighbor!

Hi Rebecca! I've migrated across the state and am now in a Kansas City suburb, but I grew up in the Hillsboro/Festus/Pevely area.

I agree with Michelle: Coffee table book and book about your profession would be super cool, in my opinion.

And I definitely think something related to South America should be on it! That was something I felt was missing from the list this year.

Tomorrow! I'm so excited!

Teresa wrote: "Tomorrow! I'm so excited!"

Me too! I'll probably finish my last book challenge task tonight just in time for the new challenge.