As we’re more than three quarters into 2024, here’s how I’m doing on my reading challenges this year. I always struggle with reading for enjoyment versus reading with intention, and I try to balance the two as much as I can.
My priority has been Ozathon 2024, which I’m cohosting with my friend Lory at Entering the Enchanted Castle. I’ve read the first ten books in order, which has been a lot of fun and a great way to revisit old favorites. I’ve also learned a lot in the process about how Baum’s life impacted different aspects of his books. There are four books remaining, two favorites and two that I didn’t love.
Another challenge is the 52 Book Club, a set of 52 book prompts, similar to Read Harder or Pop Sugar. I’ve completed most of the prompts, but finishing it is the hard part. I’d love any recommendations for the categories I have left:
- Locked room
- Academic thriller
- Booker Prize nominees
- Written by a ghostwriter
- Set in a landlocked country
- Nonfiction recommended by a friend
- Set during a holiday I don’t celebrate
- Author debut in the second half of 2024
For Book’d Out’s Nonfiction Reader Challenge I set out to complete 6 of the 12 categories, which I’ve done. But I’d still like to be reading more nonfiction and suggestions are welcome (I expect to get a lot of ideas in Nonfiction November). I’ve really enjoyed all the books on this list and recommend them.
- History: Master Slave Husband Wife
- Memoir/Biography: Congratulations, the Best is Over!
- Science: Brave the Wild River
- Health: A Living Remedy
- Culture: Making it So (really a memoir but quite a bit about theater and performing)
- Published in 2024: Repacking for Greece
- True Crime
- Food
- Transportation
- The Future
- Pets
- Architecture
I’ve been tracking my backlist reading with two challenges, Beat the Backlist at Austine Decker and Backlist Reader at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard. I’ve defined “backlist” as published in 2022 or earlier, on my TBR before January 1, 2024, and I’ve tried to make a special effort to read books that are sitting physically on my shelves. Still, I find myself reading mostly books published in 2023 and 2024, so my progress on this challenge has been disappointing. Here are some of the backlist books I read this year:
- Under a Veiled Moon by Karen Odden
- Kiss Her Once for Me by Allison Cochrun
- A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Cana
- Horse by Geraldine Brooks
- Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
- Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
- Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
- Passing by Nella Larsen
Finally, I set myself a goal to re-read old favorites, in addition to the Oz books. Here’s what I re-read this year:
- Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
- Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (reading)