2013 Reading Challenges ACCEPTED - Bring It!

For 2013, we are going to try to push our reading even more than we did in 2012. We are truly looking forward to all the reading and book-related fun in store in 2013! The beginning of the new year always means new challenges to look forward to! Here's what we'll be up to in 2013!

Donalyn and other Twitter friends were recently talking about gaps in the reading - books that they haven't read that it seems like everyone else in the whole entire world has read. She proposed a Book Gap Challenge on Nerdy Book Club recently and we are totally on board with this challenge! 

Kellee:  Looking at my stats from last year, I definitely need to finish more professional books 

(I start many, but never make them through) and I, like Donalyn, 

need to commit to series and read more sequels. 

My goal for this year is to read more professional novels than last year. 

In 2012, I read only 2 complete books, so I hope to read more than that. 

For sequels, I want to read at least 20 off of my TBR list. 

As of right now, this is the 20 I plan to read though there can be alternates: 

1. Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm

2. Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome by Marissa Moss

3. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Vol. 2 (Manga) by Darren Shan

4. Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick by Jennifer L. Holm

5. In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

6. The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers by Dav Pilkey

7. Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel

8. Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

9. Rebel Heart by Moira Young

10. Island of Silence by Lisa McMann

11. Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

12. The Kill Order and The Death Cure by James Dashner

13. Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

14. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

15. Fever by Lauren DeStefano

16. Outpost by Ann Aguirre

17. A Million Suns by Beth Revis

18. Unsung and Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

19. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

20. Crossed by Ally Carter

Jen: Here are books I'm challenging myself to read for the Book Gap Challenge:

(I'm kind of going for classics here...just because they were the ones that came to mind.)

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

2. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

3. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

4. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

5. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

6. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

 We also are challenging ourselves to keep reading more non-fiction books. We joined Kid Lit Frenzy's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge in 2012 and have decided to carry this over into 2013. 

Our goal is to continue to review a non-fiction book every Wednesday. 

We also are going to partake in the 2013 Reading Challenge. 

Kellee: This last year I read 397 books (419 including rereads) and had only challenged myself to 300. This year I think I am going to challenge myself to 333 (a little less because I want to read more novels) and see how far I can get. Here's to hoping I hit and overtake it! 

Jen: I realize this might be crazy and far-fetched and hair-brained but a challenge is a challenge, right? Who said it's supposed to be easy? I'm going to challenge myself to read 365 picture books this year - one a day - and then to read 213 non-picture books this year. That makes a total of 578...and I kind of want to round to 600...but I'm not that out of my mind. I'll stick with 578.

Part of my 578 books will be focusing on reading more early readers/chapter books this year. In 2011, I focused on upping the non-fiction books I read and last year, I (tried to be) all about poetry. With Peanut in kindergarten this year, I think it's time I really get extra intense and serious about easy reader/early chapter books. I'm not going to set a specific number for these books because they'll be part of my 578 but I'm going to start by checking out all the Cybils nominees for Easy Readers/Early Chapter Books. From there, we'll see what else I discover on my own!

What do you have in store for 2013? 

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