The New Year’s Resolutions Reading Challenge

I’ve been taking part in reading challenges for two years and, now, I want to try my hand at making my own. Since the challenge is starting in January (and since I can’t think of anything more appropriate), I’m going for a New Year’s Resolution theme. So, I’ve looked up some of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions (let me know in the comments if you’ve actually made any of these for 2021) and shaped them into challenge prompts.

As well as that, I’ve added some recommendations with my personal pick for this challenge in bold along with a bonus challenge for each prompt in case you want to push yourself.

Hope you all enjoy it!

Rules

• Link back to the original creator (The Corner of Laura) and link back to this page (otherwise, the original creator won’t get a notification).
• Thank whoever tagged you and link back to their post
• Tag 5 or more other people.
• Read books that fit the description. I’ve put some recommendations in the original post to help you pick but you can read anything that fits the brief.
• The deadline for the challenge is six weeks after you were originally tagged (which, statistically, is the point when 80% of people give up their New Year’s Resolutions) e.g. if you were tagged in the original tag, the deadline is 12th February.
• Post a wrap-up when you’re done to show how you got on.

The Challenge

Exercise More

This one’s pretty straightforward. Just pick a book that’s got 500 pages or more (in any edition).

Bonus challenge: Read a book more than 800 pages or longer.

Recommendations: Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland / The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty / Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield

Learn a New Skill

This’ll be different for everyone. For me, a book outside my comfort genre would be crime fiction or contemporary romance. I’ve gone for crime for the sake of recommendations but I’m not too familiar with the genre so please let me know if you can recommend any better titles.

Bonus Challenge: Read a book outside your comfort genre that was published in 2020/2021.

Recommendations: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens / When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole / The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Save Money

Now, I say ‘second hand’ but any book you didn’t pay full price for counts. I can be a second-hand book, a charity shop book or a book you bought in a sale. Just so long as you paid less than the RRP for it, it counts!

Bonus challenge: Read a library book – you don’t have to pay anything for those!

My Pick: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (bought this in the Boxing Day sale on Audible)

Reduce Stress

Another subjective one. It can be a new book or an old favourite. It can be an uplifting story or a non-fiction book on happiness. Just read something that leaves a smile on your face.

Bonus challenge: Read a happy book about reducing stress/tackles mental health problems.

Recommendations: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman / Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston / The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

Travel More

Travelling is still off the cards at the moment but, at least, books can still take us away to more pleasant places. So, pick a book that’s set anywhere outside your own country or even outside this world and enjoy the escapism.

Bonus challenge: Read a book was originally published in another language.

Recommendations: Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw / The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee / The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

Spend More Time With Family and Friends

Anything that your family or friends (online or offline) recommended will fit. Bonus points if it’s  Books you received as Christmas/birthday/any occasional presents absolutely count too.

Bonus challenge: Read a recommended book that you wouldn’t have picked up otherwise.

My Pick: Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson (got this one as a Christmas present in 2019 and still haven’t read it)

Stop Procrastinating

Scroll down to the bottom of your TBR or reach right to the back of your bookshelves and find the book that’s been sitting around for over a year. No time like the present!

Bonus challenge: Read the book at the very bottom of your TBR.

My Pick: The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Focus on Self-Care

2020 has stretched our mental health. Sometimes, it’s been stretched it to the limit and we need something to bring us back to a more relaxed state. This doesn’t have to be a non-fiction book or a self-help book. It can be a book where mental health is one of the major issues or one of the major obstacles the characters must overcome. Anything where mental health is central to the book is fine.

Bonus Challenge: Read a self-help book and try out one of the pieces of advice it gives for yourself. Let me know how it went in your wrap-up post.

Recommendations: Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig / Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan / How to Make Friends With The Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

Screw Resolutions, I Quit!

Resolutions are made to be broken and finding new books to read is hard so cosy up with an old favourite. You deserve it.

Bonus Challenge: Re-read an entire series.

My Pick: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I tag:

• Sabrina @ Notes From A Paper Plane Nomad
• Lucy @ Bookworm Blogger
• Elli @ AceReader
• Shelves of Starlight
• A Court of Coffee and Books
• snoopydoo77
• Elaine Howlin
• Brianna the Randomness Reader
• Sweaters and Raindrops
• Kira @ Kira Jeanette
• And anyone else who wants to start the year with a good reading challenge!

I hope to see you again very soon.