Book Challenge 2015!

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Now that we've entered a new year, let's up the ante on our reading challenges, shall we?  By now you should know that I'm a big lover of keeping track of what I read - not only here on my blog, but on an Excel spreadsheet at home and on my GoodReads account (I'm waving my book geek flag high and proud, y'all!!). 

I know not everyone reads as much as I do but that doesn't mean that we can't all spread our 'reading wings' a bit and try some new books, authors or genres that we've shied away from in the past.  Maybe this will open up a whole new world for us!

Normally my method of choosing books ranges from seeing soon to be published books on NetGalley, to hearing people tell me good reads as a Library Assistant or tips from m'peeps on GoodReads to 'Oooo, that book cover looks pretty'.  I'm all over the board.  But I know there are so many authors and their writing that I haven't experienced yet and some genres that I haven't tried yet (horror, for one ... EEEK!).

I got this idea of a reading challenge from my friend Beth (who is not only one of my oldest, dearest friends but also an avid read and Library Assistant t'boot).  We've each challenged ourselves to read 85 books this year so I'm hoping that we will be able to check off a bunch of the 40 challenges I've listed below.  No stress.  This is for fun and I'm just curious to see what I (we) can accomplish this year.  

Are you up for it?  :)

1. A book set in Canada. (eg. Still Life by Louise Penny)

2. A book with a non-human main character. (eg. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien)

3. A book with more than 500 pages (eg. Roots by Alex Haley)

4. Read an e-book (C'mon.  You know you wanna try it!  Come to the dark side!)

5. A non-fiction read

6. A book written by a female author

7. A book from your library's ‘Featured Titles’

8. A book published during the year you were born

9. A book from a genre that you've never tried before

10. A book with a number in the title

11. A book written by a British author

12. An entire book trilogy/series (ie. 'His Fair Assassins' trilogy by Robin LaFevers)

13. A book of short stories  (ie. Alice Munro's 'Family Furnishings')

14. A book published this year

15. A Young Adult novel

16. A book that you’ve always wanted to read but haven’t yet

17. Re-read a book that you have read in the past and didn’t love

18. A book that you read in high school

19. Listen to an audiobook or e-audiobook (great when you're working out at the gym!)

20. Read a book that’s currently on the bestseller charts

21. A book set during a World War (eg. The Paris Architect by James Belfoure)

22. A book that was later made into a movie or mini-series (or will be a movie soon.  Many upcoming books to film choices!)

23. Read a classic novel

24. A memoir or biography

25. A book written when the author was older than 65 years of age

26. Re-read your favourite book as a child

27. A historical fiction read

28. A book with magic in it

29. A book set in a country that you’ve always wanted to visit

30. A thriller or suspense read

31. A book written by a Canadian author whom you haven’t read yet

32. A book set in the 1700’s (ie. 'Into the Wilderness' series by Sara Donati)

33. A memoir of a celebrity

34. A book that will make you cry (eg. Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer)

35. A humourous book (eg.Yes, Please by Amy Poehler)

36. A book that a friend recommends to you

37. A book originally written in another language

38. A graphic novel

39. A book written when the author was under 25 years of age

40. A guilty pleasure read

 Lots of choices!  C'mon, let's do this together!  I've put a new tab across the top of my blog where I'll tell you where I'm fairing in this challenge.  If it looks like I'm slacking off please give me a shout out and get me back on track.

Happy reading in 2015!!