
Reading Challenge.
How many of you love to read?
Hands up in the air!
…and wave ’em round like you just don’t care!
Woo Hoo!
As an introvert, I take great pleasure in my reading time.
Now don’t think I’m saying that extroverts don’t read.
Because I know for a fact that they do.
My mom is an extrovert and I remember her whiling away many a summer afternoon reading.
It is that memory etched into my mind that cultivated my passion for reading.
2018 Reading Challenges.
Personal Reading Challenge.
Some of you who’ve been visiting here a while know that I took on a personal reading challenge for the month of February of this year.
It was part of my “this is 40” year of monthly challenges. That post details my plans to read 3 classics for the month. I felt like I had only skimmed the surface of reading classics and that I should add in some more.
In my follow-up post of the lessons learned during the reading challenge, I shared that I actually accomplished reading 5 classics and shared which titles I read along with some lessons about the process.
Modern Mrs. Darcy 2018 Reading Challenge.
It was at that time, that I decided to participate in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s 2018 Reading Challenge. I have completed that challenge for 2018 and it looks like this:
(psst…I am Amazon affiliate, which means that the links to these books will earn me a small commission at no cost to you should you choose to purchase something at Amazon.)
Details.
A classic you’ve been meaning to read–Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austen
A book recommended by someone with great tasteThe Handmaid’s Taleby Margaret Atwood
A book in translation–The Little Princeby Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A book nominated for an award in 2018– The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancockby Imogen Hermes Gower
A book of poetry, a play, or an essay collectionCymbelineby Shakespeare
A book you can read in a day–The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald
A book that’s more than 500 pages– Women Who Run with the Wolvesby Clarissa Pinkola Estés Ph.D.
A book by a favorite authorThe Zahirby Paulo Coelho
A book recommended by a librarian or indie booksellerBehind Closed Doorsby B.A. Paris
A banned book– The Color Purpleby Alice Walker
A memoir, biography, or work of creative nonfiction–The Glass Castleby Jeannette Walls.
A book by an author of a different race, ethnicity, or religion other than your own.– The Alchemistby Paulo Coelho
And more:
Those weren’t the only books that I’ve read this year.
Off the top of my head, I can share that this year I read the four book Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard.
Last month, I read The Power by Margaret Atwood because I accidentally thought it was nominated for an award in 2018 and it was really 2017.
I am currently reading Hippie by Paulo Coelho and expect to be done with it very soon.
I may even fit in one more book before the year is out.
I also read some non-fiction books, but I didn’t write them down.
I will definitely be remedying that in 2019.
Benefits of being a reader.
Scientific Based Benefits.
We all know that there are scientific benefits of being a reader.
Just a few of them are:
- People who read books live longer (and, hello, who doesn’t want that?!). That information is according to this article at Inc., which cites Yale researchers found that people older than 50 who read for 30 minutes a day lived an average of 23 months longer than non-readers and magazine readers.
- Reading can chill you out. That’s according to this article at Huffington Post which cites research out of the University of Sussex by measuring and evaluating heart rate and muscle, it took study participants just 6 minutes to relax once they started turning pages. Ahhh, I feel more relaxed already.
- Reading can keep your brain sharp and may stave off Alzheimer’s. C’mon, this should be enough to get you reading…right now. The details and research of which are also located in that Huffington Post article.
- Reading can help with sleep. And as a mama with the stressors of raising three teenagers and keeping a household running, I can tell you straight up that anything that can help with sleep is a welcome relief. You can find the details in this article at Bustle. The basis for this is according to the same research out of the University of Sussex.
More Benefits.
Now, these are just five scientific based benefits. But if you are an avid reader, or maybe even a little less than avid, you know that there are many other benefits. Expansive vocabulary, enhanced comprehension, better critical thinking skills. I could continue, but…
2019 Reading Challenge.
On that note.
Once again I will be participating in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Reading Challenge.
This time since I’ll be joining in at the beginning of the year, I’ve officially signed up and everything for the 2019 reading challenge!!
I even threw down the gauntlet, and my husband is going to participate in that 2019 reading challenge!
I hope that you’ll participate too!
You can click on the link above and pop over to see the Modern Mrs. Darcy’s 2019 reading challenge. The challenge entails 12 different categories and you choose a book that qualifies for each category, with the goal of reading (at a minimum) 12 books for the year.
Updates.
I will be updating you quarterly on the blog to let you know how the 2019 reading challenge is going for me…and the hubby and what our book choices have been thus far.
It’s very likely that I will post updates more frequently than that over on the Bedlam & Daisies Facebook Page.
If you’d like to see those you can click the link above and like and follow the page or you can do that from the sidebar of the blog.
That way you can let me know what you’re reading as well and can fill me in on whether you are enjoying the challenge. It’ll also be helpful for anyone joining along to gain ideas for categories that they may be having a hard time finding a book with which to fill.
How It’ll Look.
I also wanted to let you know that I won’t be following the order of the categories on the 2019 reading challenge. I will jump around filling in the categories as I see fit. I encourage you to do the same if this works best for you.
As mentioned before, I will be keeping track of all the books that I read as part of my own 2019 reading challenge. I’m hoping to well surpass 12, but I’m not prepared to throw out a number (maybe in 2020). Also, I will share the books that I read that don’t fit into a reading challenge category.
More 2019 Challenges.
Many of you followed along during my year of “this is 40” monthly challenges which started when I turned 40 in September of 2017 and ran through August of 2018.
However, if you missed any of those, they can be found in the 30 day challenge category located under Wellness.
They encompassed many things covering the mind, body, and soul.
I felt like so many of those pushed my comfort zones and made me strive for growth.
And I liked that process so much that I will be bringing them back for the entire 2019 year.
Yippee!!
Some may be similar to those of old. However, some may be completely new.
But you’ll just have to check back to see.
So be on the lookout next Wednesday for the announcement for January’s Challenge.
I hope that you’ll be willing to join along on those as well.
Also, let me know in the comments if you are joining on the reading challenge!!
2019 is going to be so exciting!
Let your light shine!
Amy
What a great idea! I just went over and signed up for the challenge. Fun!
Oh yay!! I’m looking forward to it!
I might have to do this too. I need a reason to remember to read, instead of waste hours jumping down internet rabbit holes.
You should definitely do it! I spend quite a bit of time in rabbit holes, but I do love making the time to read.
Sooo many books, sooo little time….I love to read! I will reread your post and see what the challenge entails. I love new reading suggestions. I buy hard copies and ebooks and I have recently started downloading books from the library (a very limited selection from the library, unfortunately). I love your quote on how a reader lives a thousand lives. Thank you for sharing.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Erica! I think reading is wonderful… and relaxing!! I hope that you’ll join in!
I too read the Red Queen series! Loved them! I heard she’s releasing another “novella” as she lists them in May with “future” stories.
I try to make my goal to read 12 books a year. This year I hit 26 or 27. I was pretty impressed. I believe I might try my hand at the challenge as well. Good luck!
I loved the Red Queen series! I heard about it from my daughter. I haven’t read any of the novellas though. I need to put them on my list. My ever growing list. lol.
That’s great that you were able to fit in so many books this year! That IS impressive! I hope that you join in the challenge. Good luck on your 2019 reading as well!!
I signed up for the challenge:) got my kit earlier so excited
Yay!
it’s funny, if you look at my instagram it would appear that I never read! But the truth is that I read everyday. I am currently on book 7 (of 11) of the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. I love them😊
I don’t usually have book reading on Instagram either! lol. I hadn’t heard of that series, but I’ve written it down to check it out!! 🙂
I see the word ‘challenge’ and my interest is immediately piqued. I took a look at the categories and they are pretty interesting.
I started tracking my reading a couple of years ago when I got the impression that I wasn’t reading very much anymore. The result has been that I have a growing list of books I want to read, I’m reading more and becoming much more critical of the writing style and story lines of the books I read. I’m much more inclined to abandon a book that leaves me feeling bored and unengaged.
I love a good challenge. I think the categories add a good element to a reading challenge.
My list of books is growing as well, but I’m not as good at walking away from a book that I’m not engaged with. I still keep thinking…well, if I go a little farther…maybe it’ll get better.
I’ve learned from experience that a book that doesn’t engage in the beginning RARELY improves as I get deeper!
I’m such a dinosaur. I just learned this week that there is an app for using the city library ebooks and audiobooks, including tagging and rating them, and getting on a waiting list. The world of possibility has just opened up!! 🙂
Ohhh…I need to see if mine tags and rates them. I do get ebooks from the library when I travel. My waiting list is usually long, which is fine unless they all come in at once! 🙂
I also just learned that I can suspend my place in a ‘hold’. I was next in position to get a book and not ready for it so I suspended my spot. The way I understand it, you keep your position but when the book becomes available, it goes to the next person on the list until your suspension expires.
This is really inspiring Amy!! One of my big goals for the coming year is to read much more. I love how this challenge is set up- so motivating. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it Mackenzie! I’m hoping to read more than I did last year. I do love the challenge because it doesn’t force you to read a book that you “just can’t” get into. 🙂