One of my favorite things about starting a new year is selecting the reading challenge categories I will use in my annual Posse Reading Challenge. When I first started the challenges back in 2020, I hoped it would be a fun way to engage my fans in my Posse Facebook Group. I never expected that I would come to love it so much just for myself.
As a book lover, you would think that making time to read is never a challenge for me. But you’d be wrong. With a day job, a writing career, family and church activites, and all the normal business of life, reading often ends up taking a back seat in my schedule. Which is terrible! I love books. That’s the whole reason I got into writing. These reading challenges have held me accountable to read at least one novel every month and have helped me fall in love with reading all over again!
At first, I resisted reading challenges. I am a notoriously picky reader, and I worried that I’d be stuck reading books I didn’t like, and with so little reading time, I worried that would make reading a chore and suck the joy out of it. But then I realized that if the challenge was broad enough, any number of books/genres/authors could fulfill the monthly challenge if one showed a little creativity. Surely, I could make this work.
Hence, every reading challenge we tackle in my Posse contains broad categories or themes that readers should be able to achieve easily, no matter their reading preferences.
Now I adore reading challenges because they give me an excuse to dig through my TBR piles and Kindle folders to find the perfect book for the month. Books that have languished unread for weeks or months are suddenly prized possessions moved to the top of the pile! For example, this month I’m reading The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham, a book I’ve been wanting to read for quite some time. It has an elephant on the cover (an elephant! don’t you love that?) which makes it the perfect fit for our January challenge, and it is a delightful read!
If you are interested in joining our Posse Reading Challenge, click here to join the Posse. At the end of each month, I create a post where everyone can share what they read. Also, we send out reminders at the first of each month about that month’s challenge. And if it is one that might be a little tricky, we ask for recommendations and get tons of wonderful book suggestions.
Other groups do reading challenges as well. The Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group is doing one too.
You can find more details in their post here.
Each of their themes have a more specific challenge attached. Here are a few samples:
- January – Celebrate Winter = Read a CF book that has winter sports in it.
- Februrary – By the Fire = Read a CF book with a fireplace, bonfire, or wood stove featured in the story or on the cover.
- March – Royalty Rules = Read a CF book with royalty featured in the story.
- April – Small Potatoes = Read a CF book published by a small press or indie author.
I’m taking notes for a future Posse challenge!
Baker Book House offers a free reading guide with 52 categories for weekly book inspiration all year long. Learn more here. I’ve seen people make Reading Challenge Bingo boards which look fun too. Your local library might be another place to find reading challenge ideas.
Have you ever participated in a reading challenge?
What challenge categories are most interesting to you?
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I love this! I’ve never participated in one of these kinds of reading challenges, but I think I’m up for it this year and yours looks really fun! Thanks for sharing it!
Yay! With as much as you read, I bet you’ll have no trouble with this challenge, D’Ann. Excited to have you join us!
I love the Posse reading challenge for just the reasons you mentioned – broad enough to find books I already own that will fit, and I own LOTS of books. I have not missed a month since the challenge began. Although I “joined” several challenges, the only other one I am active with monthly is the What’s the Dickens classic book group. Thank you for setting this up! And happy reading!
I’m so glad that this annual challenge has been as fun for you as it has been for me, Betty. 🙂 And what a cute name for your classic book group – What the Dickens? Love it!
It’s run by Kristy Cambron, Sarah Ladd, and Katherine Reay.
I saw The Posse reading challenge last year and used it for the first time. I’m not on Facebook, so didn’t officially participate. Does this require you to read books you already own or do library books count? Last year for the challenge I did manage to read books that I already own, but I was never clear on that rule.
So fun you joined us, even offline, Sylvia. Yay! I’m all about making things as easy as possible so there are very few, if any, rules. You can read books you own, new books, library books, audio books, e-books, print books, whatever you find to fit the challenge. It’s all for fun and to celebrate the love of books.
Thank you!
I’m a member of the Posse and really enjoy the reading challenge. The book list for What the Dickens group looks interesting so I’m going to try to read at least some of those too. I also participate in a book club each month.
I’ never join those because I’m worried I won’t like the book, etc. buy yours sounds easy enough