2016 Reading Challenge

I loved to read when I was a kid. I used to devour books. But at some point during college — whether from a hectic schedule or from textbook fatigue I’m not entirely sure — I stopped reading other than what I had to for school. When I would try to pick up a book to read, I would quickly get bored or find myself too busy thinking about my growing to-do list to actually enjoy the book.

But here I am, almost two years after graduating from college, deciding to take on a personal challenge of reading 52 books this year. Maybe a little ambitious after not much reading over the past 5 years, but even if I don’t reach 52 I’ll have read way more books than the last few years combined most likely.

It started with my yoga training. When I started my training, I had quite a few books I needed to read for the course. As I dove into my reading homework, I found my desire to read returning. And when I completed my assigned books, I was itching to get another book in my hands (not an ebook fan). My friend send me Popsugar’s 2016 read challenge, and I decided that it would be a fun way to get myself back into reading with a variety of types of books. Then somehow I got it into my head that I wanted to read 52 books this year. So my goal for 2016 is to read 52 books while completing Popsugar’s challenge:

POPSUGAR 2016 READING CHALLENGE

✓A book based on a fairy tale

✓A National Book Award winner

✓A YA bestseller

✓A book you haven’t read since high school

☐A book set in your home state

✓A book translated to English

✓A romance set in the future

✓A book set in Europe

✓A book that’s under 150 pages

✓A New York Times bestseller

✓A book that’s becoming a movie this year

☐A book recommended by someone you just met

✓A self-improvement book

✓A book you can finish in a day

☐A book written by a celebrity

☐A political memoir

☐A book at least 100 years older than you

✓A book that’s more than 600 pages

☐A book from Oprah’s book club

✓A science-fiction novel

✓A book recommended by a family member

☐A graphic novel

✓A book published in 2016

☐A book with a protagonist who has your occupation

✓A book that takes place during summer

✓A book and its prequel

☐A murder mystery

✓A book written by a comedian

✓A dystopian novel

✓A book with a blue cover

☐A book of poetry

☐The first book you see in a book store

☐A classic from the 20th century

✓A book from the library

✓An autobiography

☐A book about a road trip

✓A book about a culture you are unfamiliar with

☐A satirical book

✓A book that takes place on an island

✓A book that’s guaranteed to bring you joy

At the end of January, here’s where I’m at [UPDATED Sept. 7]:

Rogue Squadron by Michael Stackpole
Awe by Paul Tripp
wild by Cheryl Strayed
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Wedge’s Gamble by Michael Stackpole
The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Miraculous Movements by Jerry Trousdale
The Kill Order by James Dasher
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman
Living with Less by Joshua Becker
The Krytos Trap by Michael Stockpile
A Praying Life by Paul Miller
Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Serpent of Paradise by Erwin W. Lutzer
Stolen by Katariina Rosenblatt
Infected by Scott Sigler
Inferno by Dan Brown
Breathe by Keri Wyatt Kent
Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth
Contagious by Scott Sigler
Cinder by Marissa Meyers
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Community by Brad House
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Overcoming Trauma through Yoga by David Emerson and Elizabeth Hopper
Redeployment by Phil Klay
The Sacred Romance by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge
Pandemic by Scott Sigler
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Lost Women of the Bible by Carolyn Custis James
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling
What Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft
Tracks by Robyn Davidson
The Alchemist by Paula Coelho

Know any good books that I can add to my list or that will fulfill one of the Popsugar Challenge books? Comment below or recommend it to me on Goodreads! And you may or may not get a message from me asking to borrow it if the library doesn’t have it 😉

2 Comments Add yours

Michael Borneman says:

February 6, 2016 at 9:05 pm

One second later is a good book. I just finished it over Christmas. Unfortunately it is on my Kindle so I can’t lend it

LikeLiked by 1 person

1. Kayla Sheely says:
  
  February 6, 2016 at 10:17 pm
  
  I will have to add that to my list! Thanks!
  
  LikeLike