Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Monday, December 9, 2019

Announcing the 2020 #TBRChallenge!

First, I want to thank everybody who weighed in and shared their thoughts about the TBR Challenge.  I was having a bit of a crisis of conscience, having hosted since 2011 and temporarily misplacing my mojo.  After your comments, and my own soul searching, the Challenge will live on in 2020 with some minor theme tweaks.

But first, the "rules:"

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: once a month pull a dormant book out of your TBR pile and read it.  On the 3rd Wednesday of the month, talk about that book.

Participation is as easy as being on social media!
  • If you're on social media all you need to do is use the #TBRChallenge hashtag - there's no need to sign-up and your participation can vary throughout the year.
  • You can use this hashtag on any day, at any time - but we're still going to concentrate on the 3rd Wednesday of every month to kick our commentary into high gear.  
  • The idea is to have at least one day a month where we can always count on there being book chatter.
Want to let your blogging freak flag fly?  If you have a blog and want to post TBR commentary there, drop me a comment on this post with a link to your blog or hit me up on Twitter.  I like to post links to the various blogs on my TBR Challenge page so those who follow along can start following you.

Sound good?  Of course it does!  So what are the themes for 2020?  So glad you asked!

January 15 - We Love Short Shorts! (shorter reads)
February 19 - Friends
March 18 - Seasons
April 15 - Freebie
May 20 - Old School
June 17 - Getaway
July 15 - Family Ties
August 19 - Backlist
September 16 - Dress for Success
October 21 - Danger
November 18 - Series
December 16 - Festive

The concept for 2020 is to have more open-ended themes. Literally, make this challenge your own!  However you want to interpret these prompts? It's all good.  But if this sort of thing isn't your jam, that's OK too.  As always, the themes are optional.  Don't like 'em, don't have to use them.  See how easy this is?  I mean really, how could you not want to join in on the fun?

24 comments:

Vassiliki said...

I'm so glad that the TBR will continue. I will lurk until June and then join in for the second half of the year! :)

willaful said...

I see the hand of ShallowReader Bingo in these themes.... :-)

I'm so glad you're keeping on, and I hope it will be less exhausting for you this year. I'll make an effort to contribute more. https://willaful.wordpress.com/

S. said...

Yay!
I'm glad you decided to keep going!!
I'm very eager to join again. http://books-reading-vice.blogspot.com/

RND said...

I’m mostly a lurker. Have always enjoyed commentary people do each month. I’m mostly reading other genres, and only occasionally picking up romance these days. I am trying to give myself incentives to pick up books from my TBR. I can’t promise to do all the themes, but I could do the TBR Challenge tag and post on the 3rd Wed of the month about what I’ve pulled from Mt. TBR. I’m lucky to come up with a sentence or two, let alone paragraphs, on what I read, but I like keeping track, and get ideas from other people’s lists and chatter. If any old book will do, you can find me at: https://readernxtdoor.wordpress.com/

Hot Sauce Reviews said...

Me doing it in 2020 too!

Wendy said...

Willaful: I had Vassiliki's blessing before I totally ripped her off LOL

RND: Yes any old book will do! I had someone who participated for a number of years who read everything except romance for the Challenge. It all counts.

Thanks for signing up everybody! I've got you added to the information page.

Dorine said...

I'm in again! Love the themes. :)

Dorine from http://thezestquest.com/

Wendy said...

Waving to Dorine! Got you added.

Meka said...

I'm so excited about this. Thank you for doing this once again. www.bookability.me

Wendy said...

Hooray Meka! I've got you added.

Vassiliki said...

You didn't rip me off, Wendy! We are librarians. We collaborated! :D

Caz said...

I'm in again, Wendy, posting at my blog (Caz's Reading Room) and All About Romance.

Wendy said...

Vassiliki: Bwhahahahaha!

Caz: Yippee! I've got you added to the Info Page.

Janet said...

Hi -I'm new. Romance makes up half my reading life, general fiction is the other half. This looks like fun! Can I sign up?

Wendy said...

Hi Janet! Yes, newbies are welcome! I just need a link on where you're planning on posting your review/commentary. If that's social media, you can simply just use the #TBRChallenge hashtag.

Kelly Gunter Atlas said...

Yay! So happy you're continuing the TBR Challenge! I want to give it another go and I'm determined to not fail in 2020. https://katlass.wordpress.com/

Wendy said...

Woot! Got you added Kelly!

scraptraci said...

glad i found you. i am going to try to do this challenge and incorporate with other challenges. I have just started a book blog. I will try to write about my books there
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspot.com/

thanks for hosting this

Wendy said...

Hi Traci! Thanks for joining - I have a link to your blog added to the information page.

Hannah said...

Super excited to have found this! My TBR pile is on the verge of swallowing my room... I'll post on my blog: https://ivycladideas.blogspot.com/

Wendy said...

Hello Hannah! I've added a link to the your blog on the information page. Welcome aboard!

Becca said...

Hi Wendy - I meant to sign up sooner but forgot, I really hope I'm not too late to join in! I'm planning to post on my blog http://readingornot.com

Wendy said...

Hi Becca,
It's never too late to join! I've added a link to your blog to the information page. Welcome aboard!

LibraryJill said...

Hi, Wendy, I may have to skip Jan and Feb as I am judging a book contest and have a bunch of books to finish and evaluate by Feb. 23, but will jump in then via Goodreads. So glad you're continuing.

I was selected as a RITA judge this year and am bummed by all the issues that erupted. Hope RWA gets their act together for 2021.