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.

Sunday, November 29, 2020

Sign-Up for the 2021 #TBRChallenge

Thank you everyone who recently took the time to fill out my Google Form soliciting theme suggestions for the 2021 TBR Challenge.  2020 has been...difficult. What little creativity I had fled the scene months ago, with reading and blogging continuing to be a struggle. But I'm nothing if not stubborn, which means hanging on to this Challenge and looking at my blog with fresh eyes.  But that's for a later post.  For now - Let's. Talk. TBR Challenge!

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 2021?  So glad you asked!

January 20 - Comfort Read
February 17 - New-To-You Author
March 17 - Book by a Favorite Author
April 21 - Old School
May 19 - Fairytale / Folktale
June 16 - Book with One Word Title
July 21 - Secrets and Lies
August 18 - Author with More Than One Book in TBR
September 15 - Unusual (Time/Location/Profession etc.)
October 20 - Gothic
November 17 - Competition
December 15 - Festive

All of these themes, save one (yes, it's December's Festive theme....) were suggestions culled from the survey - and yes, some of these were suggested more than once.  Some of these are going to require a bit of planning on my part (for a change!), but remember - if it all seems like too much bother - the themes are always optional. The goal of this challenge isn't so much what you read, so long as you're reading something (anything!) out of your TBR.

My hope is always for this Challenge to be low-key, stress-free and fun!  So I hope you'll consider joining this year. Be like me - use this Challenge to delude yourself into thinking you're actually making some progress on your book hording 😉.  

Edited to Add: YOU GUYS! OMG! Look at this amazing graphic that @ardentlyaarya made!  If you're participating on social media, feel free to use this graphic.



28 comments:

Jill said...

Yay!I will be here, commenting. Thank you for hosting again, Wendy. I'm kind of a dithery reader so having some focus on what to read helps me.

S. said...

I want to do it again, too!
The fun for me is in trying to follow the themes. I'm having a fun time picking books.

Happy reading!

Whiskeyinthejar said...

I do something kind of similar with themed month reading to try and cull the tbr, which I try to stick to during the year.
This looks like fun focused reading and chatting, I'm going to sign-up and try to join on Wednesdays :)

Wendy said...

Jill: I'm so glad I decided to do a poll this year for new theme ideas. It saved me my own dithering :)

S.: I might actually have to do some planning this year - I have no idea what I'll read for the Competition theme LOL.

Whiskey: Woot! I added a link to your blog on the 2021 TBR Challenge Page in my blog header. We're pretty low-key, low-stress around here. Hope you enjoy the Challenge!

Louisa Bacio said...

Love these suggestions! Mine is http://louisabacio.blogspot.com

Excited for the challenge.

rebecca said...

Lol--the reading planner I just got asks for the number of books in our TBR at the start of the year; are there really people capable of coming up with an actual number for that? Let alone one that will fit on the line provided? If so, I'm not one of them, so I NEED this challenge, obvs. It will trick me into thinking I'm making progress, if nothing else. I can't promise to hit all the themes, but I'll make an effort, at least.

https://beckymmoe.com

Victoria Janssen said...

I am in for 2021! I'll be posting at victoriajanssen.com.

Wendy said...

Louisa, Victoria and Becky - welcome aboard! I've added links to your blogs on the 2021 Challenge information page.

Becky: Ha ha ha ha! Your planner is drunk and should go home. And the themes are completely optional. I've had some participants in the past who rarely read on theme.

Dorine said...

It's good to be back for another year as TheZestQuest.com, Wendy! I need a swift kick in the you-know-what. Even though I cleaned out my insane TBR during the renovation, it looks like a hoarder lives here! LOL

Good to see my GoodReads friend, Whiskey in the Jar, joining us this year! You'll love this and looking forward to chatting with you on our blogs. :)

Love the new themes!

Dorine said...

Forgot to mention - love the new graphic! Will definitely borrow that when I announce I'm joining in again. :)

Wendy said...

Dorine: Oh, I know what you mean. I did a purge when I moved 3 years ago but I'm probably due for another one. I mean, my print collection of Harlequins has it's own cabinet!

I love the new themes too! I'm so glad I asked for suggestions this year - it made my life easier. And isn't that graphic the cutest! All Aarya's doing - I think we all know I'm not nearly that creative LOL

Glad to have you back on board!

willaful said...

In, as always! www.willaful.wordpress.com

Vassiliki said...

I deeply appreciate your tenacity, Wendy. I will take part next year, if you will have me. This time, it is for real because I may have some news coming up in the next week which will mean that I have some spare time coming up in 2021....

rebecca said...

Right, Wendy?!?! I looked at that line and was like, really??? What book lover has a prayer of even estimating how many books they have? Especially once eARCs became a thing...

Wendy said...

Willaful & Vassiliki: Woot! Have you both added. Welcome back!

Rebecca: I have a good handle on my print TBR but my digital pile is a dumpster fire. Lord only knows what's lurking in there LOL

Caz said...

I'll be back ;) at Caz's Reading Room (www.bookish29.wordpress.com) and All About Romance.

Wendy said...

Hey Caz! Got you added, with links to both AAR and your blog.

eurohackie said...

I thought I'd officially signed up, but maybe not? LOL, I'm so confused.

I'll be participating via Goodreads (username: EuroHackie) and, if my choice falls into the vintage romance category, at my blog: https://vintageromancereader.dreamwidth.org/

Wendy said...

Hey Eurohackie - well you're signed up now! I added links to your GR account and blog to the information page.

C.J. Miller said...

I've posted my first pick for Comfort read! http://cjmillerwrites.blogspot.com/2021/01/tbrchallenge-january-2021-comfort-read.html

LibraryJill said...

I will try! I've already posted my January book. Glad you're continuing the blog and the challenge. I am not on twitter and still think it's for the birds. Life is too short, Wendy. Do what you want to do with your reading and blogging. And you know you have more than three people following you!

LibraryJill said...

Oh, and I'm still on Goodreads!

Kristie (J) said...

Its been a few years. Time i signed up again. Consider me in.

Wendy said...

Library Jill: Ok, maybe four followers LOL. I've got a link to your GR profile on the TBR Challenge page. Glad to have you on board again, and hope you're enjoying retirement!

KristieJ: Woot!!!! I put a link to your blog on the information page, but if you'd rather stick to GoodReads, just let me know. I can change it.

CJ: Got you added!

BevBB said...

I'm going to follow along for now. In a month or so I may do one of the books.

Fiona McGier said...

I love the themes, and I'm reading a lot, since I'm reviewing for TBR now. I do have a blog, but I'm not on twitter. Does that mean I can't participate?

Kristie (J) said...

Crap on a cracker!!! I missed letting you know before the deadline which I presumed was the end of the month. I did fulfill the challenge and posted it on GoodReads. The book I read for January’s Comfort read was Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan.

Does it matter if it was a reread?

Wendy said...

Fiona: Yes - you can participate! You don't need to be on social media. I'll get a link to your blog added to the information page.

Kristie: No problem Kristie - you don't need to let me know what book you plan to read for the challenge. I'll link to your GR profile on the info page. Feel free to shout-out the TBR Challenge in your GR reviews, if you want. Not a requirement. The idea is to read unread books out of your TBR - but the comfort read prompt did spur some folks to rereading in January :)