For many book lovers, the start of the new year is a time to make resolutions in your reading life. The easiest way to do this is usually to set a quantifiable goal. Something like, I plan on reading one book a month. Or one book a week. Or one book more than I read last year. However, when your goal is based on how much you want to read, it’s easy to take shortcuts. Instead of tackling that 800-page tearjerker, you might read a few page-turners that you’re not as excited about, just so you can stay on track. And that’s fine! But I find that what I remember the most about the books I’ve read over the past year isn’t how many I read in a week or month (although I am proud when I finish a book in a single sitting). What I remember, looking back, are the books that surprised me, or triggered a strong emotion.
So instead, we want you to challenge yourself to read more broadly, read outside your comfort zone, discover something new, and have fun! The library is instituting a new Reading Challenge for all adults for the year 2022. New challenges will be updated on this page and on social media monthly. To help you read something that meets this challenge, Bibliocommons staff lists will be created each month, but there are many, many books that will meet each challenge goal – and you can pick the right book for yourself.
If you want to get a head start on the monthly challenges, you can find a fillable PDF here: Vaughan 2022 Reading Challenges.
We’ll be blogging about the challenges and posting Bibliocommons lists monthly too. Check back on this page for more information about each challenge!
The challenge for January is: Read a book about joy, or that makes you laugh. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for February is: Read a book by a Black Canadian author. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for March is: Read a book that has won or has been nominated for Canada Reads. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for April is: Read a book set in a bookstore, library, or other literary setting. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for May is: Read a book that was made into a movie or TV series. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for June is: Read a biography or book of essays by an Indigenous author. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for July is: Read a historical fiction novel that isn’t set during World War II. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for August is: Read a book set at the beach or in a warm/tropical setting. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for September is: Read a book by an author you’ve never read before. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for October is: Read a book that scares you. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
The challenge for November is: Read A Book by an LGBTQIA2S+ Author. Our blog post is here and the Bibliocommons list is here.
This sounds like a fun challenge! I find myself reading rather compulsively these days – immediately searching for the next title to fill the void once I’ve reached the end of one, oftentimes even before I’ve finished the title – so having some direction to aim for with those searches will be good.
I absolutely adored The Love Hypothesis! I can’t really pinpoint exactly what it was that made that title stand out for me among all the other light romance/comedy fiction I read last year, but it was one of my favourites.
This might be a bit of an odd choice, and I should probably actually choose something else since I read it before I saw this challenge, but reading Super Fly by Jonathan Balcombe sparked much joy in me, so if I don’t get to choosing another title for this theme, I’ll have this as my placeholder. It’s all about the wonderful and not-so-wonderful (for us humans at any rate) world of flies (did you know mosquitoes are flies?) and brought many a smile to my face, especially when Balcombe described the journey of one entomologist who purposely left a larva growing inside of his skin so he could grow it to maturity. Such dedication.
I recently finished a book that brought me (unexpected) joy! I love period and Regency romances, and having exhausted Austen and the Bronte sisters’ works, I’ve been slowly making my way through Georgette Heyer. Most of her work is fluffy but not quite gripping, but Frederica was a romp, a delight, and emotionally engaging!
Featuring a Marquis bored with life who enjoys teasing (read: annoying and subverting the demands of) his money-grubbing sisters, the titular heroine who manages her siblings with spunk and humorous frankness, absolutely hilarious and endearing little brothers, and a very beautiful if vapid (but still sweet!) younger sister who falls for a Regency himbo.
The relationship is a slow burn where the main couple develop a friendship first, and they just so genuinely like each other. Can’t recommend it enough, especially if you enjoy Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion (my two favorite Austen novels)!
I’ve been experiencing joy by listening to audiobooks of some of my favourite books while driving and shovelling. Winter driving is stressful, but a little Jane Austen for company makes the whole experience much more pleasant! So far this month, I’ve made it through Persuasion and Emma.
I also just recently finished reading The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson. This is a heartwarming story about a group of unlikely allies who come together to save a local public library from closure in a small town in England. Lots of literary references, fun characters, and a story of people coming together for a common cause. A light an enjoyable read!