Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 24th Read Harder task. Sign up for our new Read Harder newsletter to get recommendations for each task delivered straight to your inbox!

Loooool, fanfic again it is!

Went from 2018-2021. These are the ones that caught my attention:

2021:

book of nature poems



2020:

natural disaster

any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author



2019:

by a journalist or journalism

collection of poetry published since 2014



2018:

about nature

social science

comic that isn't published by Marvel, DC, or Image

Dione wrote: "Loooool, fanfic again it is!"

Thank you for that! I had forgotten about the fanfic challenge :)

I'm thinking about using the task of reading something published between 1900 and 1950 (from 2017) since I want to read more classics and have a few in mind for this year from that time period.

I'm tackling either Don Quixote or Infinite Jest under 2021's list #1 "Read a Book You've Been Intimidated to Read." These super thick books have been giving me side eye from my "to-read" bookshelf for the last two decades. 2023 is the year I read (at least one of) them.

2020's Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman: Next book I have on my TBR from the Outlander series lol

Ron wrote: "Went from 2018-2021. These are the ones that caught my attention:

2021:

book of nature poems



2020:

natural disaster

any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author


..."

Ron wrote: "Went from 2018-2021. These are the ones that caught my attention:

2021:

book of nature poems



2020:

natural disaster

any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author


..."

Ron wrote: "Went from 2018-2021. These are the ones that caught my attention:

2021:

book of nature poems



2020:

natural disaster

any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author


..."

I think I will go with the journalism task. I'll read either Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Emily wrote: "2020's Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman: Next book I have on my TBR from the Outlander series lol"

Ooh, I forgot about that challenge. I've had The Priory of the Orange Tree on my shelf for so long.

I'm going all the way back to 2015 to read a 'microhistory.'

It will either be Rain: A Natural and Cultural History or The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

Can someone share a link(s) to the previous challenge lists? I’m new to this challenge/group.

NancyJ wrote: "Can someone share a link(s) to the previous challenge lists? I’m new to this challenge/group."

The link is right in the prompt for the 2023 challenges, but in case you can't find it:

My child asked if they could pick a book for me and I remembered this challenge from 2022: #16: Read a book recommended by a friend with different reading tastes. So this will work perfectly!

I decided to do this for each year, but instead of picking the prompts and then picking books for them, I'm waiting till I have a book that doesn't fit any of the 2023 prompts and then going through the old lists until I can get it to fit.

So far, I have three years covered:
2015 - An audiobook - The Messy Lives of Book People
2016 - Read a book of historical fiction set before 1900 - The Exiles
2020 - Read a book that takes place in a rural setting - The Kaiju Preservation Society

Going forward in future years, these choices will be set, and only the immediately previous year will be wide open.

I’m reading README.txt by Chelsea Manning. A memoir by someone who is trans from the 2022 challenge.

Went through the lists going back through 2016 and while I was going to do a draw since I found more than previous, I came across one that I thought would be good and it works perfectly since I'm using it in another book challenge.

The one I found here was in 2016: A book about religion.

So for this I'm going with Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth



Had I done my draw the way I planned, the choice would have been 2020: Natural Disaster.

I still might do this one as a general read and I've got a few books to choose from so we'll see.

Ron wrote: "Went through the lists going back through 2016 and while I was going to do a draw since I found more than previous, I came across one that I thought would be good and it works perfectly since I'm u..."

I like your approach. I went for fan fiction since I have a friend who's writing some at the moment; but I like the idea of a draw. Has "Zealot" been on your TBR long?

Heather wrote: I like your approach. I went for fan fiction since I have a friend who's writing some at the moment; but I like the idea of a draw. Has "Zealot" been on your TBR long?

It has. I tried to read it last year but didn't get the chance. Now I'm hoping I'll be able to sometime this year.

Prompt 23 from 2016 - A play - As You Like It by William Shakespeare

I read A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. I used the 2020 prompt - Read a book that takes place in a rural setting.

I am a little more than halfway through listening to Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade. It's tricky because I definitely can't listen to it while my kids are in the car.

Jason wrote: "I am a little more than halfway through listening to Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade. It's tricky because I definitely can't listen to it while my kids are in the car."

When I connect my phone in my car, my audiobook starts automatically. So be careful!

Stina wrote: "I decided to do this for each year, but instead of picking the prompts and then picking books for them, I'm waiting till I have a book that doesn't fit any of the 2023 prompts and then going throug..."

And now I have three more years covered:
2017 - Read a fantasy novel - The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie
2018 - A classic of genre fiction - The Birthmark
2021 - Read a historical fiction with a POC or LGBTQ+ protagonist - No-No Boy

Milena wrote: "Jason wrote: "I am a little more than halfway through listening to Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade. It's tricky because I definitely can't listen to it while my kids a..."

My new car does that, and it always catches me by surprise!

Listening to H. G. Wells The Time Machine, from the 2020 challenge to read a sci-fi or fantasy novella.

I listened to Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco from the 2019 challenge #5 A book by a journalist or about journalism.

I'm going all the way back to 2016 and an audio book that has win an audie award.
I will listen to The Deep by Rivers Solomon, which won for best science fiction in 2021.

I ended up picking from 2018's list : a book of true crime and read The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives which was... ok I guess. The story was interesing but I didn't enjoy much the writing style (or rather the structure of the book)

From 2018, A Celebrity Memoir,
I am reading "Ten Steps to Nanette" by Hannah Gadsby. I love her work and I am loving the book so far!
Also in my list for this same prompt: "I’m Glad My Mom Died" by Jennette McCurdy.

I read "I'm glad my mom died" last year and I was surprised by how good it was!

Went through the lists from 2018-2021. I don't know what I'll pick. There are so many that I can create my own challenge with.

Okay so from 2018-2023, I discovered 23 prompts that I liked so I'll see which one I go with.

There were SO many prompts I thought I could try. I was looking for ones that would fit into books I usually like to read with a twist, but also added some that would make me read harder/read some books I stumbled upon during the challenge but their prompt was already covered with another book. I had 31, but here's 16 and ideas for some.

2022
Read a romance where at least one of the protagonists is over 40.
Read a classic written by a POC.
Read an award-winning book from the year you were born.

2021
Read a fat-positive romance. I already read The Love Con, but it or many of Olivia Dade's books would work
Read a romance by a trans or nonbinary author. I read a ton of romance, so this is a mini-branch out

2020
Read an audiobook of poetry. Recently started Call Us What We Carry, just need to convert to the audiobook
Read a romance starring a single parent. More romance for me of course!
Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman. This one seems a little too ambitious for me since I'm already trying not to double up on prompts but I liked it so leaving here for someone else.

2018
A humor book. I already read David Sedaris new book and would recommend for this one.
A cozy mystery. Trying to branch out in my genres this year, this would be a nice way to do it.

2017
A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) I could also branch out or stick with romance.
A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries. I live in China right now so could be nice to read while here.
A western. New to me genre
A celebrity memoir. I'm Glad My Mom Died and You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories are on my TBR.
An assigned book you hated (or never finished). I have a few that I didn't finish, but I especially want to revisit Fight Club

2016
Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie
Debate which is better. I'd read A Man Called Ove
Read a play.

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm thinking about using the task of reading something published between 1900 and 1950 (from 2017) since I want to read more classics and have a few in mind for this year from that time period."

I recently finished Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None for the first time, which I'm using for this task.

Stina wrote: "Stina wrote: "I decided to do this for each year, but instead of picking the prompts and then picking books for them, I'm waiting till I have a book that doesn't fit any of the 2023 prompts and the..."

And the remaining two years are now covered:

2019: A self-published book - The Lost Baroness: A Regency Romance
2022: Read a book recommended by a friend with different reading tastes - Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession