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December 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

We made it!

52 books in 52 weeks and our annual challenge is once again drawing to a close. This year was a fun one with categories like, “an ugly cover,” “a book about time travel,” and, “a beach read.”

In just a few days, we will launch the 2020 Challenge! This challenge will look the same as the previous two years: 52 different categories to check off and read throughout 2020. With brand new categories and a thriving Facebook group for ideas, suggestions, and accountability — this is the book challenge to participate in this year!

And in case you’re still not convinced, here are a few more reasons why YOU should join next year’s challenge:

  1. It’ll help you read MORE! I recently posted an article on 12 Ways to Read More — one of which is “reading challenges.” If you’re looking for motivation, tracking your reads and setting an attainable goal is always a good first step.
  2. It might be time to mix up your reading. Let’s be honest, we all fall into reading ruts from time to time. We all get comfortable with our favourite authors and genres. But maybe this year, it’s time to try something new. With 52 different categories, this challenge invites participants to expand their regular reading and pick up books they might not otherwise read. Who knows, you might just find a new favourite or two?
  3. It’s a TON of fun! One of my favourite parts of this challenge is lining up which books fit which categories. I love researching books and looking beyond my usual line up. I also love the community of readers who participate in this challenge every year — with bookworms from around the globe, your “to be read” pile will only grow!

So, what do you think? You in?

While I let you decide, here’s a look at my final reads for 2019:

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November 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

We’re in the home stretch. There is now officially one month left in our 2019 Reading Challenge! And, I don’t know about you, but there is something very satisfying about getting these last few categories checked off.

With the release of the 2020 Challenge earlier this month, many of us are already eagerly planning out potential reads for the new year. (If you want to participate, be sure to join our Facebook group! It’s the perfect place for book suggestions, encouragement, and all-round “bookiness.”)

Until then, I have a few more categories left for 2019. Here are my November reads:

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The 2020 Reading Challenge: 52 Books in 52 Weeks

It’s here!

Many of you have been eagerly anticipating the release of this year’s challenge, and the good news is — it’s finally here!

This is my third year creating and hosting this annual reading challenge and I am so excited by the amazing group of readers we’ve collected along the way. (If you’d like to meet the best group of bookworms on the internet, join our challenge Facebook page!)

The format for this year’s challenge is the same as in the past: 52 different categories to be met over the course of the year. These are fresh categories that can each be interpreted in a variety of ways, so pick a book that you think fits and start reading!

This 2020 challenge will officially begin January 1, 2020! (The challenge is released in November, in order to give you plenty of time to start planning and preparing!) 

Ready? Here we go!

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October Book Reviews: 52 Books in 52 Weeks

October has been a CRAZY, busy month for me.

If you’re following along here or on social media, you’ve likely seen numerous posts about my new book, Embrace (available now, where ever books are sold!) So many of you have already purchased books and I am incredibly grateful for your support. Writing has been a dream since I was a little girl in pigtails and it’s surreal to see a book of mine nestled in the living room shelf. In fact, I’m still pinching myself — I’m an author? Really?

So to celebrate, I may have included my own book in this month’s reads. (It makes this whole book thing feel even MORE official.) 😉

And, EXTRA exciting news, the new 2020 Reading Challenge will be released NEXT month. Check back here mid-November to plan ahead for 52 brand new categories!

But for now, here’s my October reads:

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September 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

Fall is finally here!

I don’t know about you but autumn is one of my favourite times to read. There’s nothing like the sound of rain hitting the windowpanes as you curl up with a good book and a knit blanket. And this September, “Raincouver” has lived up to its name.

So, without further ado, here are my rainy-day reads for the month!

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August 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

So this may be the “August reads” but if I’m being entirely truthful, half of these books were read last month. This month has been busy as I’ve been focused on my writing and haven’t had a ton of time to read. (In case you haven’t heard, I have some exciting book news on my own!)

But, that’s part of the fun of the challenge, right? Navigating life and squeezing in moments to read — even if that means it’s only a paragraph or two at a time. Hopefully, I’ll get back on the book track for September, but for now, here are my “August” reads:

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July 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

We’re over halfway through this year’s reading challenge and I think I can safely say that I’ve found my favourite book of the year.

But honestly? This was a good book month. Aviation history, time travel to one of my favourite eras, the story of an incredible life, and a fun alternate-reality style novel — I would happily recommend each of these reads.

So which one was the favourite? You’ll just have to keep reading to find out.

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April 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

Anyone else love the smell of a book?

There’s just something about the way ink meets paper that brings such extra depth to a book. Not all books have the right kind of smell, but when they do, it’s almost magical.

We’re a third of the way through the 2019 Reading Challenge, and I have to say, this year’s challenge is a fun one! Reading a book a week has been a bit of a stretch lately (this avid bookworm can’t even believe she’s saying that) but my motto for this year has been quality over quantity — and hopefully, I’m achieving that.

So while you peruse these reviews, I’m going to get a headstart on my May reads.

If you need me, I’ll just be over here inhaling books. Read more

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March 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

Another month of books checked off!

For those following along with the challenge, we are just finishing up Week 13 — which means that we are already a quarter of the way through this challenge. Can you believe it?

I feel like I’ve barely had any time to read this month, but I did manage to write up a few reviews for these lovelies. So, without any further introduction, here are my March reads:

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February 2019: Reading Challenge Reviews

So, BIG news this month.

**Drumroll….**

I have now learned that you can rent library books directly onto your e-reader!

(Haha, you should see the look of disappointment on your face right now. Like, Liz, come on! That is definitely NOT big news. Quite the opposite. We’ve been renting books for years!)

Fine. Not big news for you but it is HUGE for me. This discovery resulted in me finally tip-toeing out of the “paper books only” camp and casually crossing over into the “e-readers are okay too.” As a die-hard, “readers are for overseas travel only,” sort of person, this was a big deal.

And since it’s February and I didn’t feel like tramping through the snow to the library, I therefore promptly stole my husband’s Kobo and irritated the heck out of him by messing up his reader stats. (Honestly, he should just be grateful I improved his reading speed.)

Long story short, guess who ended up with a new Kobo reader for Valentine’s Day?

This girl.

So while I figure out my new device (and spend way too much money on “bargain books,”) here are four of my February reads. As always, this is part of my 2019 Reading Challenge: 52 Books in 52 Weeks. It’s not too late to join us, so check out the Facebook Group and get reading!

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2019 Reading Challenge + FREE PRINTABLE

It’s that time again!

After the huge success of last year’s challenge, I am beyond excited to announce that the 2019 Reading Challenge is here!

This year’s challenge will take on the same format as last year as we attempt to read our way through 52 books in 52 weeks. In the graphic below, you will find fifty-two different categories. Some of my favourites from this year include: “a one-word title,” “an author who uses a pseudonym,” and “a family member’s favourite book.” Many of these categories were suggested by readers who participated in last year’s challenge and I can’t wait to dive in!

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52 Books In (A Little Less Than) 52 Weeks

This year I was super excited to introduce a new reading challenge on my blog! I called it “The 2018 Reading Challenge: 52 books in 52 weeks” and was blown away by the reaction. With hundreds of shares on Facebook and thousands of re-pins on Pinterest, the response to this challenge has been phenomenal and staggering at the same time. This was my most viewed post of 2018 (so far) and I’ve been super excited to see so many people passionately dive into reading!

A book a week sounds daunting to some people but the goal of this challenge was really to inspire people to read more and to read different. With fifty-two different categories, I hoped that participants would stretch out of their comfort zones and pick up books that they might not ordinarily read. Many of those who have been participating have excitedly shared new authors and new genres that they’ve discovered and were surprised by.

So far, my personal book tally for this year is hovering in the 120’s. Not all the books I read were for the challenge and I tried to limit myself to just one challenge book each week. However, with a new baby on the way, I knew that my reading time was going to be limited over the next few months and wanted to make sure I finished before October.

With that being said, I have completed my 52 challenge books for the year and wanted to share them you. There’s probably only two or three books on this list that I didn’t enjoy and wouldn’t necessarily recommend. (Cough, cough, Three Cups of Tea, cough…) But even so, this was a really fun challenge and I hope YOU ALL join me in the upcoming 2019 MommyMannegren reading challenging.

That’s right. A 2019 Reading Challenge is on it’s way! The full challenge and details will be released in NOVEMBER! So be sure to stay tuned!

I am also taking category suggestions for the new challenge. If you haven’t already joined the 2018 Reading Challenge Facebook Group, I encourage you to do so! If you have a brilliant idea for next year and want to see your category included in the 2019 challenge, the Facebook group is the place to share it!

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