UPDATED 01/06/2019 with even MORE challenges! There may be another update with a few challenges that I may have missed and to introduce the 2019 reading challenges tracker.
The Master List of 2019 Reading Challenges
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+ 52 Books in 52 Weeks. The goal is to read 52 books. In the graphic (free printable) there are 52 different book categories – find a book that meets the criteria and check it off! The goal is to stretch ourselves to beyond our regular reading.
+ Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks. The goal is to read 52 books this year. How you get there is up to you, but there are a variety of challenges including a new 52 Books Bingo as well as A to Z, Chunky, Dusty and Feed Your Muse to assist us in our reading adventures.
+ 52 Ways to #KillYourTBR. A fun way to get through all the unread books you have on your shelf (or eReader) – go through this list with 52 themes.
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+ A to Z Reading Challenge. Read at least one book for each letter of the alphabet. There’s a kidlit and Adult version, plus throughout the year, there will be mini challenges, read-a-thons, Twitter parties, and giveaways.
+ All About the Trope. Basically pick a trope…and read it as much as you can.
+ Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge. Fill your bowls with one book for each letter of the Alphabet.
+ Alphabet Soup – Author Edition Reading Challenge. The challenge is to read one book that has an author whose first name or last name starts with every letter of the alphabet.
+ The Audiobook Challenge. The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios this year.
+ Audio Books Reading Challenge. Listen to as many audiobooks as you can.
+ Aussie Author Challenge. Your challenge is to read and review books written by Australian authors. Choose from three different levels: Wallaby, Wallaroo, or Kangaroo.
+ The Australian Women Writers Challenge. The AWW challenge was set up to help overcome gender bias in the reviewing of books by Australian women. The challenge encourages avid readers and book bloggers, male and female, living in or outside Australia, to read and review books by Australian women throughout the year.
+ #Ampersand2019 Reading Challenge. There are There are 52 reading prompts in total (one for each week) but you don’t need to read every single book on the list to feel like you’ve “won”; just read what you like, when you like. If it happens to fit into a prompt, it’s a bonus.
+ Aussies Rule Challenge. Readat least one book for each prompt.
+ Austen Challenge. A low key challenge to read Jane Austen books throughout the year. You choose which ones and how many you want to read.
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+ Back to the Classics. To encourage readers to discover and enjoy classic books they might not have tried, or just never got around to reading. Check out the different categories.
+ Backlist Reader Challenge. Read books that have been published before 2017 AND are already on your TBR list or pile.
+ Bad Boys of Romance Reading Challenge. Read books that feature a bad boy hero: Rock stars, MC members, street fighters, assassins, mafia, loners, geeks, etc. Only romance series are accepted.
+ Beat the Backlist. This challenge is focused on knocking off titles that have been on your TBR for a while, or even ones that get pushed aside for new releases.
+ Birth Year Reading Challenge. What books were published the year you were born? This challenge encourages you to find out, and then read some of them.
+ Blog All About It. There’s a word each month and any time during the month you can blog about that word. In any way you want. Review, recipe, photos, stories, etc.
+ Blogger Shame. This is a way to cheekily catch up on review request copies that have been languishing on your review pile for at least 6 months and are way past due to the author or publisher.
+ Bloom Where You’re Planted Reading Challenge. Check out the graphic and select a title to read for each category.
+ A Book A Week with the Pingel Sisters. There are 52 categories for you to select from. To make it more manageable, there will be monthly reading challenges and a book club!
+ Book Blog Discussion Challenge. To encourage our fellow book bloggers to not only read more (since there are already lots of challenges for that), but talk more too.
+ Book to Movie Challenge. Read books being made into movies or tv series. Choose from the list on the site or add you’re own if it’s not there yet.
+ Book to Screen Challenge. This isn’t just a reading challenge but a watching challenge as well. Read the books and watch the movie or tv show – in whichever order you prefer.
+ Books ‘N’ Tunes. This challenge is just a fun way to match music to books and share what you have with other readers.
+ Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge. There are 24 tasks that will invite new genres, new authors, and new worlds, both real and imaginary, into your reading life.
+ #Bookiary2019. Read and review up to 52 books, so one book per week or ca. four books per month. But there will be monthly goals to reach, and a little prize is waiting for you if you finish all tasks!
+ Bookish Resolutions Challenge. This challenge is about setting New Year’s Resolutions for books, book blogging and writing.
+ Brit Trip Adventure. Follow the Roman Road through England with the intent of reading a book from each of the 45 counties.
+ British Crime Classics Challenge. Read stories that were written in the late 1800s to mid-1900s, and, as a participant of this challenge, you are expected to make at least two posts per month.
+ By the 100th Page Book Challenge 2019. There are 12 challenge prompts for you to find books for.
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+ Calendar of Crime Challenge. Read 12 mystery books, each from of the categories in the month on the Calendar of Crime.
+ Charity Reading Challenge. Read for a good cause! Buy books at a charity shop, or, even a friends of the library book sale, or, donate a certain percentage of money for each book you read for the challenge. You can choose your own goal of how many books to read, what charity you’ll be donating money towards, how much money, etc.
+ Clean Out Your E-Reader Challenge. Read Your E-Reads! Every book you read MUST be in an electronic format, meaning E-Book or Audiobook. And the books must be FREE or NEARLY FREE!
+ Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge. Read any book that is from the mystery, suspense, thriller, or crime genre.
+ Cloud of Witnesses. Read Christian Non Fiction material by authors who are “the cloud of witnesses” i.e. that authors have passed away.
+ Color Coded Reading Challenge. Choose books where the color may either be named in the title or it may appear as the dominant color for the cover of the book in the categories / colors provided.
+ Connect 5 Books Reading Challenge. Look for connections between books you read. When you have five that connect in whatever way you are able to group them then link up.
+ Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge. The goal is to read as many Contemporary Romance books as you’d like.
+ Continental Reading Challenge. Read at least one book for each of the seven continents.
+ Craving For Cozies. Read cozy mystery books
+ Creativity Reading Challenge. This challenge is about reading books on creativity, art, crafts, writing, film making, photography and any other topic that helps you live a more creative life.
+ Cruisin’ Thru The Cozies. Read only cozy mysteries of your choice or read through the different sub-genres of cozy mysteries .
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+ Dancing with Fantasy and Sci-Fi Reading Challenge (+ Bingo). This reading challenge consists of 3 sections. Fantasy, Sci-Fi and General for a total of 52 prompts which comes down to about 1 book a week.
+ Diversify Your Reading Challenge. Each month, pick a book to read from the genre listed. 12 genres – 12 books.
+ Diversity Reading Challenge. Challenge yourself to read more diversely!
+ Diversity Reading Challenge. Read as many diverse books as you can, and also complete a read for the monthly theme.
+ Dread & Read Challenge. This challenge sweetens the deal for list readers who have books they’d rather not read–but have to finish to accomplish their goal of reading all the books on their list. Face your dread! Name the book(s) you’re going to knock off this year and what kind of treat you’d like when you’re finished.
+ Dystopia Reading Challenge. Read and review dystopian books.
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+ eBooks Reading Challenge. Complete as many eBooks as you can. Either list them in advance or as you go.
+ Epistolary Reading Challenge. The challenge is to read books written in the form of letters, diaries, blogs, e-mails and such, either completely or partially written this way.
+ European Reading Challenge. Tour Europe through books. The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from).
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+ Family Tree Reading Challenge. Read a book from the birth year of selected family members with a minimum of 3 books (and three family members).
+ Fanfiction Reading Challenge. As the name implies, this challenge is all about reading fanfiction.
+ Finishing the Series. This challenge is focused on finally finishing those series that you’ve started but not yet completed.
+ For The Love Of Ebooks. Read all those unread ebooks you own!
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+ Georgian Reading Challenge. Read a minimum of 4 books set in the Georgian Era.
+ The Grand World of Books Bingo. Complete a BINGO by reading from the categories on the board provided.
+ The Good Rule Reading Challenge. Set your reading goals and make sure to include a balance of reading new and old books (that’s the inspiration for this challenge after all).
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+ Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Read historical fiction books from sub-genres like 20th Century, Victorian Reader, Renaissance Reader, Medieval, Ancient History and Prehistoric fiction.
+ The HSL 2019 Reading Challenge. If you, too, are looking for a way to organize your (endless) reading lists for 2019, consider this reading challenge bingo.
+ Humor Reading Challenge. Read books that you consider funny or humorous.
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+ I Spy Reading Challenge. This reading challenge is all about discovering books to read which match I SPY clues. There are 50 categories. Participation can be via blog, tweeting, Pinterest, or the I SPY Goodreads group.
+ The Island Reader Reading Challenge. Read books from the 14 categories on the list, e.g. a debut novel from a romance author, novel by a Caribbean author.
+ Indie Reading Challenge. Complete the Bingo challenge with books published by independent publishers or self-published. You can also just pledge to buy more independently published books than you currently.
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+ Just the Facts, Ma’am (Vintage Mystery Challenge). The objective is to answer all the important questions of Who, What, When, Where, How and Why to complete cases in either the Golden or Silver Mystery Eras (or for the more adventurous, both) using the Detective Notebooks.
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+ Learn Something New Challenge. Read at least 3 books on a topic you would like to learn more about.
+ Lets Read Indie Reading Challenge. Read as many Indie authors as you’d like, i.e. books by self-published authors or published by small indie publishers.
+ Library Love. The goal is to read at least 12 books from the library.
+ Linz 2019 Reading Challenge. There are different levels, and different categories in each level. There are a lot of options but this reading challenge will also help challenge you to come out of your comfort zone. Get reading!
+ Literary Escapes Challenge. Try to read 1 book set in each of the 50 states + the District of Columbia.
+ Literary Loners Reading Challenge 2017. Read books featuring a character identified as a loner, outcast, recluse, wallflower, or introvert AND / OR read works written by writers known to have been lonersor recluses.
+ Literary Pickers Reading Challenge. How keen of an observer are you? This challenge is just a fun way to see if you can find a list of items as you read no matter what romance style you pick up.
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+ Memoir Reading Challenge. Read a minimum of five memoirs from any of the categories listed. One book can only count for one category.
+ Mental Health Reading Challenge. Read any book related to mental health – fiction or non-fiction.
+ Middle Grade Reading Challenge. Read a minimum of 6 MG books. Read any books you like, or focus on one author, or select a category from the checklist provided.
+ Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge. Choose between different checklists: Reading for Growth and Reading for Fun.
+ Moody Reader Reading Challenge. For this challenge – target backlisted books, sort them into genres that I will focus on during the year.
+ Monthly Keyword Challenge. Your task is to read one book each month whose title includes one or more of the keywords for that month.
+ Monthly Motif Reading Challenge. Read a book that corresponds to a different theme or motif each month. This challenge is hosted here at Girlxoxo!
+ Mount TBR Reading Challenge. Knock out some of those books you OWN that have been waiting in the wings for weeks … months … even years.
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+ The NJM Book Challenge. There are 25 items to tick off by year’s end, and with some books likely to satisfy more than one category, it shouldn’t be too difficult for most readers to accomplish.
+ Newbery Reading Challenge. Challenge yourself to read more Newbery and Caldecott Award Winning books.
+ Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge. Tackle your review books, stumble upon new ones, and get your Netgalley percentage to the desired 80%!
+New Releases Challenge. Read books released in 2019.
+ Nonfiction Reading Challenge. Set yourself a goal to read non-fiction books. Plus, every quarter, all challenge participants will be invited to vote on a group read.
+ Non-Fiction Book Bingo Challenge. Challenge yourself to get a BINGO or complete the entire board, with non-fiction reads.
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+ Outdo Yourself Challenge. The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more in 2019 than you did in 2018.
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+ Pages Read Reading Challenge. This challenge isn’t about how many books you read but rather how many pages.
+ Pick-a-Theme Reading Challenge. Choose a theme each month and read books that fit that theme.
+ Picture Book Reading Challenge. Read 6 picture books of your choice, or select from the checklist of categories provided.
+ Polywogg Reading Challenge. A bingo style reading challenge.
+ Popsugar Reading Challenge. There are 50 book prompts. These include the standard 40 book challenge prompts plus 10 “advanced” prompts for those overachievers out there who are looking for even more ways to push their reading boundaries.
+ Print Only 2019 Reading Challenge. Read your printed hardcovers and paperback books on your shelves.
+ The Purrfect Reading Challenge. Read mysteries that have cats as main characters.
+ Putting Wings on Words Reading Challenge. There is a graphic with 30 reading prompts total – 5 lists with 5 prompts each and a bonus prompt list. Use #pwowreadingchallenge19 to follow along on social media.
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+ Rad Reading Challenge. Read books for the 10 categories.
+ Ragdoll Reading Challenge. Read a book in each of the 24 categories provided – or go for the light challenge (12 books) … or the serious book-dragon edition.
+ Read it Again, Sam Sign-ups. Re-read your favorite books.
+ Read My Name Reading Challenge. Read books with your first, middle or last name as an author name, character name, place name or is about someone of that name. You choose your goal # of books.
+ Reading Assignment Challenge. You’ll be registering for classes that fit your reading goals – only registering for a semester at a time! The spring semester is January – May 2019. Join Professor AuthorLuv and pick a favorite author and commit to reading a certain number of books by that author each month. Or Professor Genre who is all about choosing a genre/theme … OR Professor Mix-It-Up where you’ll commit to reading a certain number of books from a list that you create in the first month of the course.
+ Reading Challenge 2019. There are 27 themes to choose a book to read from. #readingwithsavoredgrace or #savoredgracebookclub.
+ Reading Challenge Throwback. Find old blog posts, lists, Twitter promises, etc. in which you said “hey, I will totally do that reading challenge”. Compile those books into one list and start reading! As you read, cross off those books on the old reading challenge.
+ Reading Women Challenge. The goal is to complete as many challenges as you can from the list provided. All the books must be written by women.
+ Resist Reading Challenge. The Resist Reading Challenge is a year long challenge that encourages you to read books about history, politics, activism, and social change. You can also participate by doing the Resist Reading Bingo Card and using the suggested reading list.
+ Retellings Reading Challenge. Check out the Retellings Bingo and choose books to read based on the category.
+ Review Writing. Set a goal of how many reviews you want to write in 2019.
+ Royal Reading Challenge. Read books that have a Royal theme. It can be the main character or even a little inconsequential side plot, it all counts.
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+ Series Reading Challenge. Finish all those series you’ve started but haven’t finished yet.
+ Series That Never Ends Reading Challenge. Read books from those long series everyone raves about, but you’ve fallen behind on.
+ Share-a-Tea reading challenge. Love drinking tea? Love reading books? Love reading a book while drinking tea? Then this is the reading challenge for you.
+ SpaceTime Reading Challenge. Choose your book, from any part of the science fiction genre universe – hard scifi, military, scifi romance, space opera, first contact, time travel, etc.
+ Strictly Print Reading Challenge. Join in this challenge to whittle down your reading list one book at a time.
+ The Sweet Southern Reading Challenge. The overall goal of the reading challenge is to read written works of fiction primarily set in the southern United States (aka the American South or the South).
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+ The Official TBR Pile Challenge. The goal is to finally read 12 books from your “to be read” pile (within 12 months). Each of these 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or “To Be Read” list for AT LEAST one full year.
+ TBR (To Be Read) Challenge. Pull out long neglected books from your “to be read” list, following the theme of the month – and read.
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+ Untouched Bookshelf Challenge. The purpose of the challenge is to encourage its participants to read all the physical books they own.
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+ Victorian Reading Challenge. Read a minimum of four books form the Victorian era.
+ VIRTUAL Mount TBR Reading Challenge (sister site to Mount TBR) for all those folks with mile-long “wish-list” of TBRs who would like a chance to climb as well.
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+ What An Animal Reading Challenge. Read books where animals play a major role.
+ What’s in a Name. Read a book for each of the categories listed.
+ When Are You Reading Challenge. The complete challenge will include 12 books from different eras.
+ Where Are You Reading. Read a book set in a location for each letter of the alphabet. This one counts cities, counties, and fictional locations too.
+ Where in Canada are You Reading? Read books featuring a location in Canada.
+ While I Was Reading Challenge. There are 12 categories – read a book from each.
+ Whodunit Bookology. It’s time to get out your magnifying glasses and prepare to look for clues as we follow in the footsteps of detectives, sleuths, and private eyes. Our spelling challenge this year is all about the characters and how they perceive the world and solve the riddles and mysteries of the crooked and crafty.
+ World At War Reading Challenge. Get at least 1 Bingo from the Bingo Card which focuses on books set during a certain time period or about certain Wars.
+ The Write Tribe Reading Challenge. A 3-part challenge – read a minimum of 24 books in 2019 + read a minimum of 12 books based on the prompts given + review one book a month.
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+ A Year in Anthologies. Pick one or two maybe 6 anthologies that you want to read this year and get them read and reviewed.
+ The Year of Reading Women Writers. Read books written by women writers corresponding to the categories on the list.
+ The Yellow Book Road Reading Challenge. Read a book a month from one of the twelve categories until you’ve read them all.
+ You Read How Many Books? You’ll have all year to read your books so go ahead and stretch yourself. Select a level but remember, you can move up to a more challenging level, but not down.
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// Comments //
Annemieke
<3
Ramona Mead
Thanks for including me! 2019 will be my second annual challenge.
Jemima Pett
Thanks, Tanya!
Sarah Elizabeth Coller
Thanks so much for this fabulous list! Here’s my challenge, if you’d like to add it: http://www.belleslibrary.com/2018/12/2019-victorian-reading-challenge-with.html
Tina Woodbury
Thank you so much for compiling this master list of challenges! Such a great idea!
My reading challenge went live today and I would love if you could include it – https://readingbetweenthepagesblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/10/netgalley-edelweiss-reading-challenge-2019-sign-ups/
Thank you!
Robin McCormack
Thank you for creating this master list. It is greatly appreciated. the 2019 Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks is live now and can be found at this link:
http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/2018/12/2019-read-52-books-in-52-weeks.html
Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and there will be a variety of challenges including a new 52 Books Bingo as well as a Whodunit Bookology spelling challenge to assist with our reading adventures.
The goal is to read 52 books. How you get there is up to you.
Gilion
Hi Tanya! Thank you, again, for doing this. I think your index is the only comprehensive reading challenge index going these days. Those of us hooked on challenges appreciate your hard work! I’ll go tweet about your list some more.
The 2019 European Reading Challenge went live today. The main challenge page with information and sign up list is here: https://www.rosecityreader.com/p/2019-european-reading-challenge.html
Thanks!
Kristilyn (Reading In Winter)
Thanks for this, Tanya! I was just wondering where I could find challenges for next year and up popped this post. 😉
Sophia Rose
Howdy, Tanya!
We are hosting a handful of reading challenges at Delighted Reader blog. If you would like to post them in your list, it would be great (no worries if you can’t).
1. Literary Pickers : http://delightedreader.com/literary-pickers-reading-challenge-sign-up-2019/
2. Books N Tunes: http://delightedreader.com/books-n-tunes-challenge-sign-up-for-2019/
3. The Series That Never Ends: http://delightedreader.com/the-series-that-never-ends-challenge-2019-sign-up/
4. Review Writing: http://delightedreader.com/2019-review-writing-challenge-sign-up/
5. Bad Boys of Romance: http://delightedreader.com/the-bad-boys-of-romance-reading-challenge-2019-sign-up/
Thanks for your consideration!
Kathleen
I’d love it if you’d include my challenge, thanks!
http://smsnonfictionbookreviews.com/2018/11/learn-something-new-2019-reading-challenge/
Kimberly Lynne
Hi Kathleen. We’ve added your challenge to the list! Thanks.
Kelly
Thanks so much for sharing the Diversify Your Reading Challenge! I look forward to kicking it off in January 🙂 And now I’m adding a bunch of these to my list, as well!
Bex
What a great list! We’re hosting the 2019 Indie Challenge to encourage people to read more books from independent publishers! https://www.ninjabookbox.com/single-post/2018/11/24/A-New-Challenge-for-2019
Tanya Patrice
@Bex thanks for letting us know. I’ll add it this week.
Jo @ Booklover Book Reviews
Thank you so much for hosting this fantastic resource Tanya!
Our Aussie Author Challenge will be celebrating its 10th birthday in 2019. New homepage is now live and taking sign-ups >> http://bookloverbookreviews.com/reading-challenges/aussie-author-challenge-2019
Tanya Patrice
@Jo thanks! I’ll add it.
Helen Murdoch
Thank you so much for compiling a list of challenges; it really helps! I’m going to participate in your Monthly Motif Challenge again this year.
Kimberly Lynne
Yay! Glad to have you back on board Helen.
LuAnn Braley
Excellent list! I’m trying not to go through and sign-up for ALL of them in a single day! :p
Tanya Patrice
@LuAnn me too!
Meredith Dochterman
This is great! Thank you so much for sharing!
cinzia
A lot of interesting challanges!! What about the monthly motif?? There will be a 2019 edition?? 😛
Kimberly Lynne
Yes! We hope you join us again Cinzia!
Kristina
Harry Potter and the Order of the Planners (Facebook Group) runs a book club… HPOOTP-Flourish and Blotts (also on Facebook)
The 2019 “Golden Trio” challenge has been announced! Read 12 prompts for “Ron” level, 24 for “Harry” level, and all 52 prompts for “Hermione” level!!!
Kimberly Lynne
Hi Kristina- Do you have links for these so we can add them?
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks
What a great idea 🙂
Lizzy @ Bent Bookworm
I love reading challenges! I’m usually not very good at keeping up with them, sadly. This year I cut WAY back on the ones I was *officially* taking part of, and I think I might only complete one of those!
I really appreciate your list, regardless of my inability to stick to challenges…I used it a lot last year!
// Trackbacks & Pingbacks //
[…] If you’re looking to participate in a reading challenge in 2019 and don’t know where to start, check out this master list of 2019 reading challenges! […]
[…] This post is going to be the first in a series of posts about reading challenges. A lot of those will be curated lists of books that fit a genre, or maybe a theme, or even a specific challenge. Maybe some of them will inspire you to join some challenges and read some new and fabulous books in 2019. If you are looking for challenges, Girl XOXO has an awesome master list here! […]
[…] is another one, styled The Master List of Reading Challenges 2019 by Girl XOXO, which looks prettier, but I haven’t spotted any different ones […]
[…] The Master List of 2019 Reading Challenges tracked by Girl XOXO […]
[…] @ Girl XOXO shares a list of 2019 reading challenges, if you want to plan out your reading year […]