Middle Grade Madness! discussion

How it Works:
This is a very casual challenge so there aren't a ton of rules and it's not a competition more than it is a chance for you to challenge yourself!

- Try to read as many different genres as you can in the month of July.
- The books you read can be MG, YA, NA or adult. However these are not counted as genres, they're demographics.
- Graphic novels, manga and books in other languages also count towards the challenge. However these are not counted as genres, they're book formats.
- Sub-genres count as separate genres for the purpose of this challenge. (Example: urban fantasy being a sub-genre of fantasy)
- Most books belong to multiple genres, so pick one genre to add it to your list as and try not to repeat the same genre twice!
- If you're finding it difficult or just want to make it easier you can forego the sub-genres and just stick with the main genres.
- Only books read between 1st July 2022 and 31st July 2022 count towards this challenge.

Example: (from my June reads)
Red, White, and Whole - Family (sub-genre of contemporary)
The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 7 - Horror
What About Will - Mental health (sub-genre of contemporary)
Steam - Steampunk
The Accursed Inheritance of Henrietta Achilles - Humour
King of Spies - Espionage/Spy (sub-genre of action)
The Distance Between Us - High school (sub-genre of contemporary)
Every Breath - Mystery
By Your Side - Romance
Postal, Vol. 1 - Psychological (sub-genre of horror)
Beauty and the Beast - Fairy-tale retelling (sub-genre of fantasy)
The Ghost and the Goth - Paranormal (sub-genre of horror)
Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 5 - Action
Eighth Grade Bites - Urban fantasy (sub-genre of fantasy)


Try to step out of your comfort zone and read genres you don't usually read!
If you've got any questions or are looking for recommendations for a specific genre/sub-genre feel free to ask below!

The great thing about this challenge is that it gives me an excuse to collate all our wonderful recommendations scattered across the group.
I've organised this so it's grouped into the main genres and then sub-genres where necessary:

Action & Adventure:
* https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
* https://readingmiddlegrade.com/middle...

- Sub-genre: Superhero: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... (this is also a sub-genre of fantasy)

Contemporary:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Fantasy:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

- Sub-genre: Fairy-tale Retellings: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Historical Fiction:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Horror:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

- Sub-genre: Supernatural/paranormal: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... (If the supernatural elements are input into a real-world setting it's also classed as urban fantasy, a sub-genre of fantasy)

Humour:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Mystery:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Romance:
* https://readingmiddlegrade.com/middle...
* https://batchofbooks.com/2019/01/midd...

Science Fiction (Sci-Fi):
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

- Sub-genre: Steampunk: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Suspense & Thriller:
* https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
(This genre links with mystery a lot)

(* indicates recommendations that come from outside the group)

I’m in :)

ooh sounds fun!

Cool I'm in

Awesome guys! Do any of you have any particular genres you want to tackle?

I feel like lately I’ve been reading a lot of mystery and romance so I want to try and read more action and adventure and suspense and thriller instead. Those genres remind me of 2018/2019 because I read a lot of those kind of spy/superhero action type books back then.
And maybe I should read something historical fiction related because I usually avoid them. I just have to find one that doesn’t sound too contemporary...

Kadi wrote: "Awesome guys! Do any of you have any particular genres you want to tackle?

I feel like lately I’ve been reading a lot of mystery and romance so I want to try and read more action and adventure and..."

I read a ton of fantasy so Im trying to fit contemporary and scifi in there especially with having just come out.

i think i’m going to go for mystery and historical fiction, because that’s what i usually tend to avoid. it’ll be nice to branch out :)

@Aurora that book looks really awesome! If you end up reading it then share your thoughts on it!

@Grace yes mystery! It’s my fave genre! I definitely suggest checking out the links above for some great mg and non mg recommendations and I hope you enjoy whatever you decide to read for it😊

Kadi wrote: "@Aurora that book looks really awesome! If you end up reading it then share your thoughts on it!

@Grace yes mystery! It’s my fave genre! I definitely suggest checking out the links above for some ..."

Will do. Depends on if I get a copy, its not at the library.

That's a bummer but hopefully you find a copy somewhere Aurora.

I've been really struggling to decide what to read😩 I think I have some serious commitment issues that means I'm wary to start anything in case I don't love it but it's super hard to judge from the outset whether you'll enjoy a book or not. I think that's why task specific challenges are better for me than open-ended ones like this so I should do better in next month's challenge than this one but I still want to give this one a try.

I perused my shelves for an hour before I finally ended up landing on When I Was Joe which I've had a copy of for literally 2 years and always say I'll get around to but never do. It'll probably fit into crime or thriller. I'm starting it tonight!

I’m doing the last 2 ruby Redfords and with a non busy weekend so far im planning to read both. Action/Adventure is a vibe

Omg I can't believe you're finishing the series! The commitment👏🏻 Lately I've started so many new series but I read the first book and then never seem to go back to it. So much so that I've created a new shelf called "Series TBR" so I can see all the series I still haven't finished (there's a lot!)

I started 2 series this year lol.

AurorainBookland wrote: "I started 2 series this year lol."

Just last month I started 4 new series. And I loved all of them too! I don't want to ruin how much I loved them by starting the second book in each of the series and not loving them as much. I'm going to try and push past that and read some of them for this challenge though.

Soooo I've already whacked out 2 books/graphic novels for this challenge!

When I Was Joe - Crime (sub-genre of mystery)
The Whale Library - Fantasy

I gave the first one 5 stars (review) and the second one 1 star (review), talk about varied!
Next I'm reading Ninth Grade Slays for urban fantasy...

okay so much for genre July, still reading Witchlings.

I’m doing this challenge!! I will update my stats at the end but I’ve read two different books so far!

Ilsen wrote: "I’m doing this challenge!! I will update my stats at the end but I’ve read two different books so far!"

Looking forward to seeing what you ended up reading later on!

AurorainBookland wrote: "okay so much for genre July, still reading Witchlings."

😂Oh dear! That's how I felt when I spent more than a week reading my latest read. But I finally managed to finish it so you got this too!

I've read quite a few graphic novels and finished a book for this one since my last update...

When I Was Joe - Crime (sub-genre of mystery)
The Whale Library - Fantasy
Beastlands: Keepers of the Kingdom - Adventure
Nightwing, Vol. 2: Fear State - Superhero (sub-genre of fantasy)
Dreams Factory - Steampunk (sub-genre of sci-fi)
Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family - Action
Lazarus, Vol. 2: Lift - Thriller
Pride of Baghdad - Historical fiction
Ninth Grade Slays - Urban fantasy (sub-genre of fantasy)

Next I'm reading Jillian Cade: (Fake) Paranormal Investigator which will probably fit into the supernatural genre...

Kadi wrote: "AurorainBookland wrote: "okay so much for genre July, still reading Witchlings."

😂Oh dear! That's how I felt when I spent more than a week reading my latest read. But I finally managed to finish i..."

Thanks :) I have other projects and life stuff happening, happy good stuff. Excited for the Auguest challenge hoping to read 2 books for it!

I’ve finished two for this challenge so far :)

Forget Me Not - contemporary

Spy×Family 1 - action

I’m currently working my way through a mystery, and then that will probably be all I get to for this challenge. I was planning on reading a lot more, but I ended up being unexpectedly busy this month.

Finished Witchlings - fantasy

grace wrote: "I’ve finished two for this challenge so far :)

Forget Me Not - contemporary

Spy×Family 1 - action

I’m currently working my way through a mystery, and then that wi..."

Ooh what did you think of Spy Family? I love it, it's such a fun manga and has a great anime adaptation too!

@Kadi I loved spy family! I gave it 5 stars. I’m fully obsessed with the characters, even Anya which is surprising for me because I usually hate kids haha. I just love their family dynamic. I’m currently reading the second volume, and I think this series is gonna be a new favorite for me. I’ll definitely have to check out the anime as well once i’m finished reading it.

grace wrote: "@Kadi I loved spy family! I gave it 5 stars. I’m fully obsessed with the characters, even Anya which is surprising for me because I usually hate kids haha. I just love their family dynamic. I’m cur..."

Omg yes I love Anya! I really recommend you watch the anime! Watch it subbed and listen to how cute Anya is. She's so adorable!! The whole series is great as both a manga and an anime, probably one of the most universally loved out there because it's so good.

Kadi wrote: "grace wrote: "@Kadi I loved spy family! I gave it 5 stars. I’m fully obsessed with the characters, even Anya which is surprising for me because I usually hate kids haha. I just love their family dy..."

My brother recomened Spy x Family to me so now I have 2 recs going to read it next month!

AurorainBookland wrote: "My brother recomened Spy x Family to me so now I have 2 recs going to read it next month!"

Yeah it'll fit with the August MG challenge nicely! I hope you enjoy it!

Kadi wrote: "AurorainBookland wrote: "My brother recomened Spy x Family to me so now I have 2 recs going to read it next month!"

Yeah it'll fit with the August MG challenge nicely! I hope you enjoy it!"

Cool. Thanks!