PopSugar Reading Challenge 2021 discussion

How are you choosing books? Are you allowing re-reads or only new books?

I usually play it by ear when choosing books. Some are internet searches, others are Kindle Cloud searches (I'm excited that the extras are all TBR things because that list is HUGE), and I like to have a little mix of re-reads and new books.

Whatever I haven’t touched on my bookshelf. I don’t normally reread a book unless it’s “Harry Potter” or one I haven’t read in a very long time. I’ve taken up going to our Half Prices Bookstore and buying whatever looks interesting. I have several stacks of books to read.

I try to do half and half. So half new books and half rereads. Some books are just so good, I honestly love rereading. But I do try to use some categories to push myself outside of my comfort zone with books and read new things!

How organized are you guys about your list of books? Personally I create a bookshelf here on Goodreads and a Collection in my Kindle Cloud being the majority of the books I read are Kindle versions.

I don’t reread books so they will all be new. I’m new for 2021 but so far I’ve been looking at some “best of” lists online & suggestions on Facebook group & finding books that fit the prompts. I mostly listen to audio books so i depend on reviews in Audible before final selections.
So far I have chosen:
Mixed Genre: Sun Down Motel (Mystery & Paranormal)
Closed Room: Guest List
American Muslim Author: A Woman is No Man
Place I Want to Visit (Curaçao): House With Six Doors (Kindle)
Women’s Prize for Fiction: The Glorious Heresies

My favorite is that like to listen to books when I’m sewing - I also listen in bed (falling asleep & when i wake up in middle of night)...

I don’t usually do re-reads. For the TBR advanced prompts, I am using books in my Audible and Kindle libraries. I don’t keep a list of TBRs, bug I figure if I bought them, I must have meant to read them.

Re-reads would totally count of they fit the prompt! I'm actually trying to read fewer books this year and to read/clear my physical shelves. So I'm not sure if I'm going to succeed this challenge, but Goodreads discussions, storygraph, booktube, etc are all good sources for ideas.

I have a lot of books on my Kindle and stacks of them around the house that I have not read. I will start there and see if any of them fit the categories.

I do not re-read books. I feel like I subconsciously pick a book because of its pertinence to my life in the moment.

I LOVE the Advanced portion of this year's challenge, it's really going to help me clear my "shelves", as it were.

I went through my TBR list and assigned them to prompts (both the advanced part and the regular part). Also, my dad and I will be meeting to listen to audiobooks together (like a mini book club!) , so some of my books will come from those selections. So excited!

I'm doing a local challenge sponsored by the newspaper and library, so I will see which categories on the popsugar they fit into! I will be re-reading some books for the challenge. I typically will re-read a book if it has been years in between (with exceptions for in the classroom!)
I will choose books as I find them or from suggestions from the group!

This is my first of these book challenges. I'm going to try not to do re-reads. I have a plan to map out my selections ahead of time. My strategy is to select at least 5 or 6 books ahead for my queue.

I don’t re-read books because there are so many books and so little time. I plan on sorting my bookshelves into read and TBR and starting there. And I’ll use my TBR list in Goodreads. I’m very excited for a lot of the specific prompts on this list! Specifically a book set outdoors, a magical realism book, a book where the main character works at my dream job (step #1 what is my dream job?), and a different format book-graphic novel for me!

I’m going for all new because I need to step up my game this year.

All new. Finding books based on favorite authors and genres, recommendations, and random searches. Try to fit books I want to read into the categories for the challenge.

LaKrystal wrote: "All new. Finding books based on favorite authors and genres, recommendations, and random searches. Try to fit books I want to read into the categories for the challenge."

I love this approach! I'm doing the same. Sometimes you learn new things about favorite authors like what month they were born in haha

I do this with friends at work and was told no re-reads for them :)

I’m counting rereads. Are you all counting YA? Most of the other challenges I’m in (me? Too many challenges to cope with how 2021 is already going? Never...) only count adult books and I’m definitely looking for a place to celebrate my love of YA and all the good releases I’m looking to this year.

T wrote: "I’m counting rereads. Are you all counting YA? Most of the other challenges I’m in (me? Too many challenges to cope with how 2021 is already going? Never...) only count adult books and I’m definite..."

Omg if I couldn’t do YA I would never finish a challenge! I love the YA/NA genre and yes I do count them.

Would the Midnight Library work as a genre hybrid? Thanks all!

T wrote: "I’m counting rereads. Are you all counting YA? Most of the other challenges I’m in (me? Too many challenges to cope with how 2021 is already going? Never...) only count adult books and I’m definite..."
I love YA books - I will be counting them if they fit the category.