ReadHarder challenge is created every year by BookRiot to widen our minds and ensnare our senses 😉
This year it contains 24 tasks where one book can cover one or more tasks. I will strive to have only one book per task, but we’ll see.
Below is a summary of the task and my planned reading and options for the tasks.
Enjoy!
ReadHarder 2018
1. A book published posthumously
Northanger Abby by Jane Austen
2. A book of true crime
Currently deciding between In Cold Blood by Truman Capote or If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer by O J Simpson
It seems In Cold Blood is regarded as the first ever true crime book so I should read it, but O J Simpson’s book is also very tempting. does anyone have any advice on this, please?
3. A classic of genre fiction (I.e. mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, romance)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
4. A comic written and illustrated by the same person
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
This is an own-voice comic about growing up in Iran during the 70’s and the revolution. Its written and drawn by the author. It quite excited about this selection and can’t wait to pick it up 😁
5. A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)
6. A book about nature
Beastly Brain by Nancy F Castaldo or Into the Wild by Jack Krakauer.
7. A western
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
8. A comic written or illustrated by a person of colour
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Same as task 4.
I do kinda want to read Monsteress by Marjorie Liu. But not entirely sure if it qualifies for this task (I feel a little bit judgemental writing that…)
9. A book of colonial or postcolonial literature
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
10. A romance novel by or about a person of colour
When Dimple Meet Raish by Sandhya Menon
11. A children’s classic published before 1980
Got a few options for this one. I could read Heidi by Johanna Spyri, or Dr Doolittle by Hugh Lofting.
12. A celebrity memoir
A choice between An Autobiography of Gucci Mane by Gucci Mane, Agatha Christie’s Autobiography, and Johnny Cash’ Autobiography.
13. An Oprah Book Club selection
14. A book of social science
Empires of the World: A Language History of the World by Nicholas Ostler
This books basically explains why we talk the way we do and how history has affected our languages. Its a brick of a book, but it’s a subject is quite enjoy 😊
15. A one-sitting book
Got several options but will wait and see which ones I actually end up reading in one sitting.
16. First book in a new-to-you YA or middle-grade series
Too many options! I’ll end up having several on this one as I’m constantly starting new series.
17. A sci-fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author
In a futuristic world where love is viewed as a sickness, the main character can wait for her vaccinations. She’s seen how love destroyed her sister/aunt and doesn’t want to go through it, like ever. The only problem is she can’t get her vaccinations before her 18th birthday, and that’s a few months away.
Based on that synopsis, I’m guessing she falls in love and tries to find out why the government doesn’t want love in society. But that’s a guess only 😊
18. A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC or Image
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Same as task 8 and task 4.
19. A book of genre fiction in translation
I don’t know too. much about it apart from the fact that everyone seems to praise it highly. It is also short 🙂
20. A book with a cover you hate
This is such a tricky one. Why? I don’t want to read a book with an ugly cover, it doesn’t look interesting. But I’ve selected Lisey’s Story by Stephen King as it’s been on my shelf for years and it’s not a pretty cover.
Yes I judge books by their cover…
21. A mystery by a person of colour or LGBTQ+ author
Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree by Shamini Flint.
I’ve never read anything by Shamini Flint, but this book has been on my list since I went to Cambodia last year on holiday.
22. An essay anthology
Selfish, Shallow and Self-Absorbed. 16 writers on their dédisions not to have children. Edited by Meghan Daum.
I had some other options too, but once I found this one it was a no-brainer.
23. A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60
Again a bit tricky as a lot of “elderly” protagonist turns out to be in their 50s, which to me is not “elderly”. I already read Elizabeth is Missing last year, but I do have several options including The Lady in the Van, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and any of the Miss Marple books
24. An assigned book you hated or never finished
I went to school in Norway were the assigned reading is either self-selected or extracts. This means I either finished them because I loved them or because they were short. However, after some searching, I found a reading list for the current year which included additional reading options. I’ve selected one of those as I never read it; Hunger by Knut Hamsun.
That’s my plan for the year. Thoughts?
This seems like such fun goals! Good luck with them 🙂
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Thanks!
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Great tbr- I loved Northanger Abbey, when dimple met rishi and anna karenina!
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