2019 Reading Challenges

I've pretty much kicked Goodreads to the curb. Too many rules and fields to fill out and too much to update on a regular basis when I already have a blog that I want to update instead. Who needs that type of pressure? I'd rather just choose one social media platform to engage others on so I can do it well.
One of these days I'll share info about my reading journal and how very much I LOVE it, but for now, let's just get down to the nitty-gritty of reading challenges.
To start off with, say hello to Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2019!

The rules are super simple.

Challenge Levels:

Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s

Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s

Mt. Vancouver: Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s

Mt. Ararat: Read 48 books from your TBR piles/s

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 60 books from your TBR pile/s

El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s

Mt. Everest: Read 100 books from your TBR pile/s

Mount Olympus (Mars): Read 150+ books from your TBR pile/s

The Rules:*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you're on a mountain-climbing roll and want to tackle a taller mountain, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade. All books counted for lower mountains carry over towards the new peak.

*Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2019.

*You may sign up anytime from now until November 1st, 2019.

*Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2019. No library books~. If you're looking for a library book challenge or one that counts books on your non-owned TBR list, then please see my new Virtual Mount TBR Challenge (click the link). 

I'm going with the Pike's Peak challenge of reading 12 books from my TBR pile this year. That should be simple enough and leave me time for innovation and creativity in what I choose to read.

1. From Barefoot to Bishop by Laurent Mbanda 
2. Henry Tilney's Diary by Amanda Grange

It'll be interesting attempting this when I can only go off books I already own. Thank goodness I purchased a copy of Bleak House last year so I can count it!

And now for the 2019 Children's Literature Reading Challenge - Middle Grade Fiction focus.

I usually try to participate in a Children's Classic Literature challenge when I'm actively blogging, but Simpler Pastimes isn't hosting that challenge anymore so I'm starting my own. Hence no link history other than my own. This is mainly for me, but if anyone else wants to participate, go for it!
My goal for this personal challenge is 15 books, more aggressive than the TBR challenge above. A dear friend of mine, Lindsay Lackey, wrote a middle-grade fiction book called All the Impossible Things that is set for publication on September 3rd.
Consider this challenge to be in mental preparation for Lindsay's book, and also because I love kid's books. It's fun to no longer limit my children's lit reading to only classic literature. There's a ton of awesome modern KidLit out there, and my list has grown even longer since Lindsay and I browsed through the kids' section of Barnes & Noble last weekend. YAY!

1. Tumble and Blue by Cassie Beasley
2. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
3. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
4. Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
5. Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
6. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
7. Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
8. The Eleventh Trade by Alyssa Hollingsworth
9. Took by Mary Downing Hahn
10. Savvy by Ingrid Law
11. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
12. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
13. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
14. All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey
15. Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

If you do plan on joining me in reading KidLit please post about it on your blog and share the link in a comment below, if you please. I would greatly appreciate it! My only requirement is that the books be Middle Grade fiction, so for children between 8 and 12.

The Back to the Classics Challenge for 2019 - hosted by Books and Chocolate

I like that I can participate in as few or as many of the choices as I want. So far I'm planning to read a classic by a female author, a comic novel, a tragic novel, a classic novella, a classic from the Americas (is it bad that makes me laugh?), and then a classic play. I may read that many or I may not. 
I haven't even decided yet on titles, but it's something to work towards since I was planning to read classics this year anyway.

1. 19th Century Classic
2. 20th Century Classic
3. Classic by a Woman Author
4. Classic in Translation
5. Classic Comic Novel
6. Classic Tragic Novel
7. Very Long Classic
8. Classic Novella
9. Classic from the Americas
10. Classic from Africa, Asia, or Oceania
11. Classic from a Place You've Lived
12. Classic Play

As of June 2019, I've also decided to participate in the Jane Austen Book Club Challenge 2019 in addition to my other reading challenges. I was planning to read some Austen this year anyway, and/or books inspired by her.

1. Henry Tilney's Diary by Amanda Grange

And there you have it! It may seem a little overzealous, but I actually read quite a bit in 2018 and recorded them in my reading journal instead of anywhere online. So I think it's doable. It gives me something to strive for anyway and I nice way to possibly engage the thoughts of others. Blessings!