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While I wait for the results of the Read Harder Wrap-Up Survey (you have until the end of the day to submit your answers!), I thought it would be fun to share my answers to the questions with you. First off, I definitely plan to finish the challenge by the end of the year: I only have one task to go!
My favorite task to do this year was #16: Read a book based solely on the title. I usually have so many books I “should” be reading that I don’t often allow myself to pick up books so casually. Even though the one I read wasn’t a new favorite, it was still fun to peruse the shelves looking solely for a title to catch my eye.
My least favorite to complete—and one the last ones I completed—was #23: Read a howdunit or whydunit mystery. The funny thing is that I suggested this task! I think howdunit and whydunit books are an interesting take on a mystery…I’m just not a big mystery fan. I find them difficult to follow. Still, it was a good opportunity to explore my reading taste, even if I just confirmed that this isn’t usually the genre for me.
As for how many books I’ve read in 2024, I’m currently at 118. I’ll probably end the year at around 130 books, though it’s hard for me to predict. I might read 20 books in December, I might read two.
Now, onto the most fun question: What was your favorite book you read for the 2024 Read Harder Challenge, and which task does it check off? I couldn’t keep it to just one, so here are my favorite eight books I read this year that checked off tasks.
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
Task #1: Read a cozy fantasy book.
I love cozy fantasy, especially queer cozy fantasy, so it’s no surprise this became a new favorite. There are some action sequences here, but it essentially reverses the usual epic fantasy ratio of battles to quiet moments of relaxation. This is also a romance, and the strength of this story is in the two realistic and charming main characters. They start this series already together, but their relationship deepens over the course of the novel. I can’t wait to continue this series!
The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, Volumes 1 & 2 by Kent Monkman and Gisele Gordon
Task #4: Read a history book by a BIPOC author. & Task #10: Read a historical fiction book by an Indigenous author.
I couldn’t decide whether to count these books as historical fiction or history: it’s mostly the history of Turtle Island from an Indigenous perspective, but narrated by the fictional character Miss Chief Eagle Testickle. I decided to use one volume for historical fiction and one for history. This is an illuminating and powerful exploration of “Canada” from an Indigenous perspective, illustrated by gorgeous full-color paintings (like the one on the cover). I can’t recommend these highly enough.
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