readtorambleHello Hello! I hope you are all well and staying safe!
Today’s post is a little different! Holly from Holly Loves Books recently told me and our blogger pals about a challenge that would be starting in April (or whenever you wanted to start it) and would last for 12 weeks. This challenge is called The Book Tempter’s TBR Book Challenge and it was created by Runalong The Shelves, you can find the announcement post here.
This challenge is not starting on any specific date, it was just specified that it was 12 weeks long, so I’m going to be starting it on the 1st of April until the 30th of June. It is a 12 book challenge and I think that 1 book a week is a really good way to tackle the TBR!
I’d been looking for some extra challenges or readathons so I was really happy when Holly told us about this! It sounds really fun, and for once, I had a book in mind for each and every prompt! Let’s have a look at the prompts and the books I’ve chosen for this challenge.
Each book I picked was one that I had either as a physical copy here in Scotland or on my Kindle so I could get some more books read because my bookcases are starting to overflow… oops (sorry mum 😊).
Prompts and Books
BOOK 1 – The CHUNKY BOI
“We all have books that are lovely looking but HUGE. Difficult to carry will require time – well we are slightly stuck at the moment. Pick a book over 500 pages. You’ve three months to finish it.”
For this prompt, I went ahead and picked the biggest book I have here in Scotland: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. I have the bind-up version and it comes in at 1,102 pages, so I think I might need more than a week to read it, but it does have 3 full-length books inside it aha. I’ll have to see how long it takes me to read the first book within this massive book but I’m optimistic that I can manage it if I hunker down and get the fiancé to bring me snacks and drinks every hour!
BOOK 2 – The NEWBIE
“You know that habit of picking up a nice new book and you’ve not read it yet….and may never do. Stop that – the challenge is to read the newest book in Mount TBR. Nicely leading to…”
The newest book on my bookshelves is The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. My lovely friend from And On She Reads sent me her copy of this book after seeing it on my TBR, so once again thank you so much, and also thank you for sending it at the time you did so it was the last book I had gotten when this challenge came along, I’m so excited for this book, I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful!
BOOK 3 – The OLDTIMER
“If we take isolation as a chance for a change why not finally touch the oldest book in the pile. Release that first book from the imprisonment of Mount TBR and place them on the shelf of read joy or possibly the PILE of DOOM is a disappointment.”
The oldest book among those that I brought with me to Scotland is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I know that this one is already on at least 4 different challenge TBRs, but at least now I really have an excuse to read it! I’m going to try to get this one first as it’s my priority book for the Hype-A-Thon Readathon, I really hope I can actually read it, it has been on at least 5 TBRs in the past so please cross your fingers and do please shout at me if you see me lagging behind again.
BOOK 4 – THE COLLECTOR
“Hopefully you may have an anthology in book or magazine form. Why not embrace the joy of short stories – they’re delicious in small bites and will expose you to new authors for when we are freeeee. If you’ve not got any then can I suggest looking for some online sources e.g. Escape Artists, Uncanny Magazine, Tor.Com and there are many many more.”
I didn’t actually have an anthology with me, but, last month I won a giveaway for Dark Ends by Various Authors, a Dark Fantasy Anthology, and I’m so glad I remembered about it for this challenge because it sounds awesome!
BOOK 5 – DO NOT TRANSCEND GENRE
“A Liberty Hall choice – choose a random book from your favourite genre. Enjoy it, savour it and remind yourself what the genre can do.”
I got super excited when I first read this prompt and my brain started shouting FANTASYYYYY at me ahaha, but then I didn’t know WHICH ONE to pick, but I eventually went for Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, I mean, come on, if this isn’t a classic fantasy, I don’t know what is and I’m so excited to FINALLY get to this one!
BOOK 6, 7 and 8 – THREE IS COMPANY
“Ok if you’re familiar with my blog there is a lot of SF/Fantasy and lets face it the trilogy is a part of that and I suspect there may be one you have three books all yet unread. Or possibly one read part 1? Fear not here is your chance to try a trilogy in a short space of time. If you have not pick a series or sequence by an author you like.”
I already have the book for this prompt on my Hype-A-Thon TBR for April, but like The Book Thief, I thought it would be good to motivate myself. I’m going to be reading Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black, I’ve also got this in the bind-up version of this book series, so I’ll be able to read these three books one after the other without actually leaving the book!
BOOK 9 – FACE REALITY
“Choose a non-fiction book. Any genre in that area but just find out something new about the world we are all part of.”
I have to admit that when I first read this prompt, I did panic a bit, I thought that the whole thing would fall flat on its face, but then I remembered that in February my fiancé bought me a book I had had my eye on for a long time: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold, and I think that this is the perfect choice for this prompt! I’m really looking forward to reading it, it’s also part of my Goodreads 2019 Awards TBR challenge, so I’ll be working through two challenges at the same time.
BOOK 10 – BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS
“Read a book by someone who is not from the UK or US. Can be any genre again but you may get some new perspectives and at the moment that will always be a good thing.”
Surprisingly, I only had a few books to choose from for this prompt but I finally picked The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso. I’m so glad that one of my lovely blogger friends got this for me from my Amazon Wishlist and I’m really excited to get to this during this challenge, I’m sure it’s going to be really good, I’ve been hearing great praise for this book lately!
BOOK 11 – RANDOMMMMMM
“So indecision is something that makes TBR piles grow – everything is so shiny we never get around to it. So here is me picking the book for you – It’s the third book from the left/bottom of the second shelf in your TBR. I remove your free will this is the book you MUST pick. OBEYYYY!!”
My shelves are double stacked and I only have 2 long ones, so I went for the back row and I was actually really surprised that it was Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian. I nearly forgot about it aha! I’m so glad that this was the book I had to go with though because I’ve wanted to read it for a while but I never decided to pick it up. I read the blurb again and I’m really intrigued about it now and can’t wait to get to it.
Book 12 – TREAT YOURSELF
“You do deserve something good so for this one read your favourite book or something new by your favourite author. You deserve some quality time.”
I went for House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas. I went out and bought it the day it came out in the UK and I haven’t found a moment to read it yet, I thought that this would be the perfect time though. She is one of my favourite authors and I’m just so scared of picking up this book because I want to love it so much but I’m so worried that I won’t (I know I will, it’s just me finding excuses ahah!) so I think I’m actually going to leave this till last so it’s my treat for accomplishing all the other prompts!
So, that’s my list of books I’m going to be reading for this challenge, I’m super excited to start this as soon as possible and I’m sure I’m going to be able to read all of these books, I feel like it’s a really good TBR and I don’t even know what to start with, so why don’t you tell me in the comments?
That’s all for now, I hope you enjoyed this post, I was so happy that Holly told me about this because I think it’s the perfect challenge to do while the world is a horrible place! See you soon, stay safe,
Ellie xx
Ahh His Dark Materials, The Book Thief are both amazing!! And omg can’t wait to see what you think of The Wolf Of Oren-Yaro – it is such a brilliant read!! I look forward to seeing what you think of Assassins Apprentice, I want to read that one at some point! Good Luck with the challenge you have some excellent reads – I hope you enjoy them all! 💜💜
Thank you darling, I’m excited for all of these books, I’m sure they are going to be fab, and it’s thanks to you that The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is on my list! I’ll keep you updated!! ❤️❤️
You’re welcome, honey! Ahh yess I hope you love them all! Ooh that’s great to hear, I hope The Wolf Of OrenYaro is as good a read for you as it was for me! 🥰😊💜
I’m sure I’m going to love it! You’re welcome! ❤❤
Looks like we are going to need to put an extension on your library!!!!
Yes, I think we are!
Ooh, this sounds like a great idea to tackle the TBR! I’m reading Assassin’s Apprentice now and it’s really good. Like you, I’ve been planning to read The Book Thief for ages but never got around to it either, maybe I should give this a try so I can give it a read as well 😂
As soon as I read this challenge I knew it was for me. It’s not long but you can get a lot done! I can’t wait to read Assassin’s Apprentice and yes I really need to get to The Book Thief ahah, I just cant seem to ever have time! You should! I think it’s a great idea!
I don’t know how I missed this! I may need to make my own post soon. This is such a fun idea!
I know, I’m so glad Holly told us about it, it wasnt on my radar at all! I can’t wait to see your post!
[…] because they’re great way to get through some books and backlist books at that! Ellie from Read to Ramble posted about this and she saw it on Holly’s blog from Holly Loves Books. The Book Tempter’s […]