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It’s been six months since I started working on the Hardest Reading Challenge You’ll Ever Do (HRCYED) 2.0. 

While I’ve been putting up reading lists for each prompt, I might not always read exactly as planned. Part of the challenge for myself is trying to do as many of these prompts as possible using the books that I already have on hand. This is my round up of what progress I’ve made so far: 

Completed Prompt: Adaptations (in December):

• The Penelopiad – Margaret Atwood
• The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Ballet)
• Jules Verne’s 20000 Leagues Under the Sea –  Carl Bower & Jose Alfonso Ocampo Ruiz (ill) (Graphic Novel) 
• Brewster’s Millions – George Barr McCutcheon
• Devil Red – Joe R Landsdale
• Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
• “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” – Washington Irving
• “We Can Remember it for you Wholesale” – Philip K Dick

Completed Prompt: Favorite HRCYED 1.0 Prompt – Garage Sale Books (in December)

• Jules Verne’s 20000 Leagues Under the Sea –  Carl Bower & Jose Alfonso Ocampo Ruiz (ill) (Graphic Novel) 
• What Abigail Did That Summer – Ben Aaronovitch
• October Man – Ben Aaronovitch

Completed Prompt: Subgenres of Choice (in August)

Completed Prompt: 24 Hour Readathon (in September)

Completed Prompt: Non-Fiction (in October)

In Progress: 

• By the Hundreds: 4/7 (1 replaceable)
• Series Staircase: 6/10
• The Last 10 Years: 4/10 or 11 if you want to earn +5 points
• Around the World: 4/7
• Spooky Creatures: 3/8 (1 replaceable)
• Become the Avatar: 1/4
• Animals: 3/5
• Queer Alphabet: 4/9
• BIPOC Authors: 4/10
• New Releases: 5/12
• Challenge Yourself: 4/??
• Readathon Challenge: 5/25
• Make a Quote: 0/6
• The Even Bigger Rainbow: 8/13 (6 replaceable)
• Translation Challenge: 1/5 (All replaceable)
• Heritage Months: 4/12
• Disability Challenge: 0/5
• TBR Game Challenge: 0/6
• Award Season: 3/7

I’ve decided to definitely double-up on books. It’s becoming a bit stressful and this is meant to be fun. I want to knock this challenge out to say that I did achieve it. To keep myself from backing out, I’ve been submitting the books along the way as well. I am looking forward to the next one though. I know I’m weird. 

I’m putting myself on a strict book buying limit for the next year(s). You know, just until I catch up a little bit. We’ll see how long that lasts.

Anyway, if you’d like to learn more about HRCYED, and join the madness, you can find the announcement here: 

It’s been five months since I started working on the Hardest Reading Challenge You’ll Ever Do (HERCYED) 2.0. 

While I’ve been putting up reading lists for each prompt, I might not always read exactly as planned. Part of the challenge for myself is trying to do as many of these prompts as possible using the books that I already have on hand. This is my round up of what progress I’ve made so far: 

Completed Prompt: Subgenres of Choice (in August)

Completed Prompt: 24 Hour Readathon (in September)

Completed Prompt: Non-Fiction (in October – Traded out Thick for Why I Hate Everything by Maggie Weber)

In Progress: 

• By the Hundreds: 4/7
• Series Staircase: 6/10
• The Last 10 Years: 3/10 or 11 if you want to earn +5 points
• Adaptations: 7/8
• Around the World: 3/7
• Spooky Creatures: 3/8
• Become the Avatar: 1/4
• Animals: 3/5
• Queer Alphabet: 2/9
• BIPOC Authors: 3/10
• New Releases: 4/12
• Challenge Yourself: 3/??
• Readathon Challenge: 4/25
• Make a Quote: 0/6
• The Even Bigger Rainbow: 7/13 (6 replaceable)
• Translation Challenge: 1/5 (All replaceable)
• Heritage Months: 2/12
• Disability Challenge: 0/5
• TBR Game Challenge: 0/6
• Award Season: 1/7
• HRCYED 1: 3/3 (All replaceable)

I’m still very much enjoying this. It’s forced me to actually read some of the stacks of books that are in the house. And I’ve been putting off finishing some series for years now. Over 14 years in one case. As of November, there was only one book left to read and it’s part of the series staircase, so it’ll be done during this reading challenge. I’ve discovered at least one new favorite author. And I know now that I was missing a whole bunch of books from another author because they were only released in England. (I got them via eBay. Yes, that costs. And no, I don’t want to think about what I’ve spent on books over the years. The library says that I’ve saved over 3K by taking books out from the library this year as opposed to buying them. That’s sort of terrifying. 

Anyway, if you’d like to learn more about HRCYED, and join the madness, you can find the announcement here: 

It’s been three months since I started working on the Hardest Reading Challenge You’ll Ever Do (HERCYED) 2.0. 

While I’ve been putting up reading lists for each prompt, I might not always read exactly as planned. Part of the challenge for myself is trying to do as many of these prompts as possible using the books that I already have on hand. This is my round up of what progress I’ve made so far: 

Completed Prompt: Subgenres of Choice (in August)

Completed Prompt: 24 Hour Readathon (in September)

Completed Prompt: Non-Fiction

For this prompt you need to read five books in five different subcategories of non-fiction. For example: Biography vs Science vs Self-Help, etc. 

I read: 

1. Thick – Tressie McMillan Cottom (May be replaced before I submit depending on whether I have time to read another non-fiction or not)
2. Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain
3. The Awful End of Prince William the Silent – Lisa Jardine
4. Dogtripping – David Rosenfelt
5. Messy – Tim Harford

In Progress: 

• By the Hundreds: 4/7
• Series Staircase: 6/10
• The Last 10 Years: 3/10 or 11 if you want to earn +5 points
• Adaptations: 6/8
• Around the World: 3/7
• Spooky Creatures: 3/8
• Become the Avatar: 1/4
• Animals: 3/5
• Queer Alphabet: 2/9
• BIPOC Authors: 3/10
• New Releases: 4/12
• Challenge Yourself: 2/??
• Readathon Challenge: 3/25
• Make a Quote: 0/6
• The Even Bigger Rainbow: 5/13
• Translation Challenge: 0/5
• Heritage Months: 2/12
• Disability Challenge: 0/5
• TBR Game Challenge: 0/6
• Award Season: 0/7
• HRCYED 1: 3/3 (All replaceable)

I am enjoying this challenge. I have decided that although I have plans to read individual books for everything, I am going to take the opportunity to double-up books. That means that I may end up changing my lists before my finalized submissions, if I have enough time, but for now, each book will count against two prompts. This will change the numbers a bit next month, I reckon. 

Anyway, if you’d like to learn more about HRCYED, and join the madness, you can find the announcement here: