Reading Challenges Announcement Post 2021

 I really was intending to cut back quite a bit on my reI'ading challenges this year, keeping up only the ones that helped me decide on books for the coming months and helped me push myself out of my comfort zone a bit. But when you start looking online, there are so many cool options and so many challenges I've enjoyed in the past. So the list for 2021 turns out to be just as long as the one for last year. 

I've set myself a few general reading goals, just to try to stop the doom scrolling and get myself motivated to do what I enjoy doing the most, reading and reviewing books. So I'm going to try to read and/or listen to books for at least 30 minutes a day. I'm going to try to read more diversely, BIPOC and LGBTQIA-authors and characters. I'm going to try to listen more to audiobooks, as it's a great way to get reading done, while I also do other things, like knitting, commute, do chores, go to the shops, and so forth. I'm also going to try never being more than five books behind on my review backlog, but I fear that by the end of January, I'm already back to my old bad habits again. Finally, I'm going to try to be better about taking notes while and/or after I finish a book, to help me remember my thoughts when I sit down to review.

My reading challenge list for 2021 - just as ridiculous as last year:

1. The Cannonball Read - read and review 52 books.

2. Double Cannonball - read and review another 52 books, bringing my total to 104. This year, I hopefully won't have to resort to doing short reviews of my DNFs of the year to find enough books. Also hoping I'll at least finish in the top ten. 

3. The Goodreads Reading Challenge - set to 100. They allow you to count re-reads now, but I've been burned in the past. 

4. The StoryGraph Reading Challenge - also set to 100. What, you don't log all the books you read on multiple sites?

5. Cannonball Book Bingo - you can bet I'm going to be aiming to fill another bingo card this year.

6. 52 Books in 52 Weeks - This challenge was relatively easy to complete last year. All books have to be more than 100 pages, and no children's books are allowed. 

7. Audiobook Challenge 2021 - I'm playing it safe and aiming for the same goal as last year. Socially awkward (don't talk to me) - how very fitting. 15-20 audiobooks, hopefully, I'll smash this goal. 

8. Beat the Backlist - Read as many books as possible from my reading lists published in 2020 or earlier. The books have to be started and finished in 2021. 

9. The Backlist Reader Challenge 2021 - I love me some challenges with an overlap. Pretty much exactly as the challenge listed above, only here the books have to be published before 2019 and earlier. 

10. Books and Tea Challenge 2021 - This is a new to me challenge with 12 prompts that looked interesting and not too fiendishly difficult to complete. So onto the list, it goes. 

11. Chunkster Challenge - this little challenge amused me, as the only goal seems to be that the books have to be 450 pages or above to be counted. As I read quite a few chunky books, it seemed like a fun one to add to my list. It'll also motivate me to not just read short books all year. 

12. Colour Coded Challenge - since it became acceptable to read both books with a cover primarily featuring the colours in question, not just books with the colour in the title, this has become one of my must complete challeges every year. It's another one that allows me to chip off my TBR list gradually.

13. Diversity Reading Challenge 2021 - this year, as with previous years, I'm setting my goal to 40 books. 

14. Fantasy Reading Challenge 2021 - This challenge gives 12 prompts (and helpful suggestions), one for each month, and will help me get more books of my ever-growing TBR list. Pretty sure the only prompt that will give me any difficulties is the "read a fantasy book from 50 years ago".

15. Finishing the Series 2021 - Once again, I'm going to have to go for the highest difficulty level, A-list finisher, 9+ series finished. 

16. Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - This is another every year challenge for me, and I'm choosing to go for "Ancient History" - 25-50 books once more. 

17. Historical Romance Book Bingo - This is another new challenge, with a high probability that I won't manage to finish it over the course of the year, I certainly don't foresee myself completing the entire bingo card, which comes to 30 different books. I haven't read that much historical romance in years, but it could be fun to try to motivate myself to read more of it. 

18. Monthly Keyword Challenge - six keywords per month, with flexible interpretations for those who need it. Probably the best way for me to keep myself motivated for reading, as it helps me find books to read every month. 

19. Monthly Motif Challenge - one motif or overarching theme per month. Also a lot of fun. 

20. Mount TBR Challenge - As always, I'm picking challenge level Mount Vancouver - 37-48 books. 

21. New Releases Challenge - Read books released in 2021. Like last year, I'm choosing level "New Releases Pro" - 31-60 books. 

22. Tackle My TBR - this is pretty much exactly the same challenge as nr 20. Two challenges with one amount of reading. Win. This one has monthly challenges as well, will try to be better about completing those this year. My goal - Field Goal - 37-48 books. 

23. What an Animal Challenge 2021 - This is a challenge I used to do all the time, as it only really required there to be an animal mentioned in the title or featured on the cover. Now, the animal has to feature prominently in the story. Luckily, it allows for all manner of supernatural beasties and shapeshifters, so I'm probably going to be just fine. I've signed up for level 2 - 7-12 books. 

24. What's in a Name 2021 - 6 different book prompts, which looked fun again this year. So I'm back for another year. I've already completed my first book for this one!

25. R.I.P. 16 Reading Challenge - won't start until September, but I'll read some spooky books that qualify. 

26. Reading Challenge Addict - Out of This World - 16+ Challenges entered and completed. I think we can all agree that I have a bit of a reading challenge problem, right?