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You are missing categories in this year's challenge? Some seem unclear or biased (female vs. male author)?

Here is your chance to help create a great new reading challenge for next year: recommend anything you would think interesting and don't forget to point out the categories that you like from the 2015 challenge and would like to keep.

My recommendations for possible categories for 2016:

* Business book
* Book related to your job/daily occupation (stay-at-home mum? read about child education/psychology or motherhood)
* Self-help book
* Book from the NYT bestseller list

*A book with LGBT subject matter or character(s).
*A sports-related book
*A book recommended to you by a friendly librarian
*A history book (can be both fiction and non-fiction, grand history or a memoir)
*A book your favorite author loves (should be easy to find, they are often interviewed about that stuff)
*A book about death
*A book about politics
*A controversial book (better twist on the "bad reviews" category)
*A fairytale or fairytale collection
*A how-to book
*A book set during New Years Eve
*A spin-off book (either from a movie, a show or another book)
*A poetry book

Then there are categories from this year's list that I really love. Colors, numbers, one-word title, magic, based on a true story, set in high school, a trilogy, short stories, became a movie...

The Pulitzer Prize category is interesting, but there are other prizes that can be drawn from. The Hugo, for example.

*A book by a Nobel Prize winner
*A book with the point of view of an immigrant
*A western-themed book
*A book set in Victorian England
*A vampire book
*A book about a monster
*A book about unrequited love
*A book about food
*A dead author's last book

My girlfriend also thinks that "A book by a female author" isn't enough, that it should be at least ten books by women :)

Wow, Thomas, you really have some fantastic ideas!!! Love your categories. Definitely second your 'food book' category! Regarding female author I think we could add another level saying that of all the books you read for the 50 +/- categories minimum 5 need to be written by women.

Also what I would find interesting:

* The first book you see when entering your book store/library
or
* The book you see when entering your book store/library, going straight for 2 steps into the first aisle and look right

*A book about music
*A book about philosophy/thinking
*A book you think you will dislike (opening our minds here)

I'm loving all the ideas so far! Definetely second the fantasy, victorian england and historical book! Also, I would love if there was a mythology category! But not greek/roman mythlogy, but celtic, egyptian, maybe japonese or chinese mythology would be very interesting!

This are the categories i would definitely keep

a book with more than 500 pages
a book published this year
a book with a number in the title
a book written by someone under 30
a book with a one-word title
a book of short stories
a popular author's first book
a book from an author you love that you haven't read yet
a book a friend recommended
a book based on a true story
a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't
a book you can finish in a day
a book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
a trilogy
a book set in high school
a book with a colour in the title
a book with magic
a graphic novel
a book set during Christmas
a book you started but never finished


Catagories i would delete or change

a book at the bottom of your to read list

a book set in your hometown
i would change this one to a book set in your country
because it is really hard or even impossible to find such a book if you live in a small city

a book by a female author - i think this catagory is so unnecessary. I really don`t care if the author is male or female. I would atleast add a book by a male author.


a book written by an author with your same initials
i don`t like this topic because i still have not found a book i want to read... My Initials are A. V.. I would be really greatful is someone could recommend a book to me.

I would add

a duology
a debut novel
a book written by someone older than 50/60/70/80 or something like that
a book written by someone your age

I would also like a different award winner. The Hugo is a good one.

Other ideas:
- Book by author that writes under more than one name
-Author from your own state (or country, if you are not from US)
-Poetry
-Science Fiction
-Historical Fiction (as said before, little different than based on a true story)
-Fantasy
-Self Help
-Biography
- Cozy Mystery
--Dystopia
-Classic Children's book
-book with a month name in the title
-a book by a new author/debut book
-a non-fiction book about art/music
-a fairy tale-or based on a fairy tale
- romance (not the classic like Austin...but, the kind like Danielle Steel)

Out of my comfort zone that my local library has done

-Steampunk
-Western
-Horror

Would not enjoy a book about death, but perhaps a book about religion that could include that might be interesting. Myths could fall under this as well.

Agree, controversial book would be better idea than bad reviews.

Categories I liked from the one we had

-Book that became a movie
-Book published this year
-Book with number in title
-Book with color in title
-mystery
-book based on cover
-Book that came out year you were born (Or could be the year you were married, had first kid. Major life event)
-a book with magic
-book by new author to you
-a play
-Book you own but have not read
-General non-fiction

Ones I did NOT like
-banned book
-schoolhouse shame
-book with author having same initials...V is not easy
-book with hometown
-book Mom loved (hard when parent has passed) Might be easier for book loved by member of your family.
-book that made you cry (hard to choose something like that!)
-book that scared you. (Again, hard to know until you actually read!)

I like the challenge of the 'scavenger hunt' feel for some of the prompts, but do not want to make this like the Bataan Death March! I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone, but I want to enjoy reading the book!

I noticed your post and that you were looking for an author with your initials and I happened to come across books by Ann Vanderhoof. It may be a possibility.

Angela wrote: "This are the categories i would definitely keep

a book with more than 500 pages
a book published this year
a book with a number in the title
a book written by someone under 30
a book with a one-wo..."

I'd like to see the following categories:

a book that gives a sense of one of the four seasons (the whole book may be set during the summer months or, in just a few pages the author conveys what winter is like);

a book set during a particular time and place (Paris in the 1920s, for example).

Great ideas everyone!

Angela wrote: a book written by an author with your same initials

i don`t like this topic because i still have not found a book i want to read... My Initials are A. V.. I would be really greatful is someone could recommend a book to me.
"

Andrew Vachss
Abraham Verghese

Abraham's books look interesting, but I do love biographies.

Categories I'd like to see:

a book written by a man in a woman's voice (or vice versa)
A book based in a country/state/place you'd like to visit some day
a book a child/teen/someone younger than you loves

"I like the challenge of the 'scavenger hunt' feel for some of the prompts, but do not want to make this like the Bataan Death March! I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone, but I want to enjoy reading the book!" This!

Personally I am not overly fond of some of the suggestions - book based on occupation for example, I get enough of that at work last thing I want is to read about it in my spare time as well!

Also I don't want to get too specific 'Victorian England' easily fits in under Historical fiction or I don't know something like 'period of history that interests you' rather than pinning it down.

One of my favourite things in this challenge is that most of the categories you can interpret however it suits you, whatever the new list ends up being I don't want to lose that.

I don't want to be the negative one as I do like a lot of the suggestions *tries to think up something that hasn't been suggested yet*

-A book about/set by the Sea?

Angela wrote: "i don`t like this topic because i still have not found a book i want to read... My Initials are A. V.. I would be really greatful is someone could recommend a book to me."

Many good ideas on your list. If you want more suggestions on the 'same initial' category Angela have a look here
All authors with last names starting with V and plenty of A as first name's first letter, too. Good luck :)

Frogli wrote: "One of my favourite things in this challenge is that most of the categories you can interpret however it suits you, whatever the new list ends up being I don't want to lose that."

Frogli, I completely agree. And it seems quite a lot of other people, too. It seems to be always those 2 points: a list with quite 'vague' categories that make you explore and chose to read what you like and enjoy VERSUS getting pushed out of ones comfort zone by more specific categories - which however is complicated as sci-fi would certainly push me while a classic romance might be new to others...

In the end it will always depend on you and what your goal is - mine is to have fun ;)

Categories from this year that I would like to keep:

A book that became a movie
A book published this year
A book with a number in the title
A funny book
A book of short stories
A book set in a different country (from which you live)
A non-fiction book
A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet
A book a friend recommended
A book based on a true story
A book based entirely on its cover
A memoir
A book from your childhood
A book with a color in the title
A book with magic
A book by an author you’ve never read before

Some new categories:

A Horror book
A Science Fiction book
A Crime/Detective book
A book with Mythology
A Fairytale book
A Mystery book
A Romance book
A Classic
A Western (Old West)
Poetry
A Chic Lit Book
A Young Adult Book
A True Crime Book
Biography
A Fantasy

Tats wrote: "My recommendations for possible categories for 2016:

I like the NYT bestseller list as well

I would also like to see a Biography added as a category. I have never read a biography that didn't surprise me in some way. People who are well known always have more of the story to tell.

Amanda wrote: "I would also like to see a Biography added as a category. I have never read a biography that didn't surprise me in some way. People who are well known always have more of the story to tell."

What about the memoir category from this year?

How about a chategory for AI(Artificial Intelligence) / robots?

Also a category called 'the wrong book'
Explanation: There are quite a few books with identical / very similar names (e.g.The Time Traveler's Wife and The Time Traveler's Wife- just do almost any search on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ to see what I mean! You could very easily read or buy the wrong one. A recent case is the Emily Schultz book Joyland'Joylands' which has the same title as a book by Stephen King Joyland (Emily even has a blog on she received as a result).

For the challenge you could read a book with the same / or a similar title to one you've already read (or plan to read for another category).

Thought it might be fun to see what different authors do with similar titles and it would encourage us to try different genres at the same time!

Thomas wrote: "*A book by a Nobel Prize winner
*A book with the point of view of an immigrant
*A western-themed book
*A book set in Victorian England
*A vampire book
..."

My first thought when I saw 'vampire book' was 'ugghh, not again.. cheesy'. On second thoughts, it would be good to get over my pre-conceptions and actually read one. So yes, I would include this category.

Annerlee wrote: "Thomas wrote: "*A book by a Nobel Prize winner
*A book with the point of view of an immigrant
*A western-themed book
*A book set in Victorian England
*A vampire book
..."

My first thought when I s..."

Yeah, I feel the same way, but I tried to think about categories where I would go outside my usual reading. There's also classic stuff like Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Thomas wrote: "Annerlee wrote: "Thomas wrote: "*A book by a Nobel Prize winner
*A book with the point of view of an immigrant
*A western-themed book
*A book set in Victorian England
*A vampire book
..."

My first..."

Thomas wrote: "Amanda wrote: "I would also like to see a Biography added as a category. I have never read a biography that didn't surprise me in some way. People who are well known always have more of the story ..."

I guess I think of a memoir as a snapshot of someone's life, while a biography is the collage of their entire life and experiences. I do agree that they are in the same spirit.

Perhaps it could be extended to "a biography or memoir"?

They are similar, yet different. I'm fine with whatever ends up on the list. Here's a website that explains the difference:

I agree with Thomas. I think if biography and memoir were included as two separate categories we end up with 200 topics...

When it comes to vampires / AI / animals - the current challenge has one category with 'non-human characters'. Now for my taste that's enough. But obviously it would again push me and probably others out of their comfort zone. But then how many categories do you want to split this in?

'Salem's LotThomas wrote: "I tried to think about categories where I would go outside my usual reading. There's also classic stuff like Bram Stoker's Dracula

There's also Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot

Annerlee wrote: "How about a chategory for AI(Artificial Intelligence) / robots?

Also a category called 'the wrong book'
Explanation: There are quite a few books with identical / very similar names (e.g.[book:The ..."

BRILLIANT...and now I want to do that!

Been seeing a lot of comments recently about "Cozy's". Hadn't heard of that before. That would be another category to add.

Melissa wrote: "Been seeing lot of comments recently about "Cozy's". Hadn't heard of that before. That would be another categories to add."

Could you give me an example of that? Is it like a feelgood book or something?

Thomas wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Been seeing lot of comments recently about "Cozy's". Hadn't heard of that before. That would be another categories to add."

Could you give me an example of that? Is it like a fee..."

It's a mystery. Like a Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote. Here's an in depth description:

Thomas wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Been seeing lot of comments recently about "Cozy's". Hadn't heard of that before. That would be another categories to add."

Could you give me an example of that? Is it like a fee..."


There are many cozy mysteries available, but my favorite are ones that have a supernatural twist. I like Heather Webber, and Victoria Laurie. They are quick, enjoyable reads with humor.

Here is a site that does a great job of listing many of the current authors, and titles.

Ah, I've read one of those a few years ago. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers. Good times :)

Valerie wrote: "I would also like a different award winner. The Hugo is a good one.




Ugh, and please no books about work. Maybe someone else's work that you might be interested in. I read to get away from work and all it's pressures.

Ugh on self-help. That could fit under non-fiction.

Perhaps books based on our author lives in a certain continent, like Africa.

I think I liked this year's list all in all. Not too specific that I could find something I like to read, but stretched my interest a bit. I haven't read a graphic novel until this - not really my thing - but found one I liked ok and got the sequel, lol.

Maybe a catagory of opposites and you pick your side. Like read a book about angels or demons; war or peace; rich or poor.

And a book written by an author of color or the protaganist is a person of color. It amazes me still how many of our heroines and heros are still white peeps. I started noticing this buying books for my boy. All the pictures where mostly white people and not very often so is the main character. Same with most of the movies too. Maybe it's b/c of where I live in the US. But now that I seem to have noticed it, I see it everywhere. Sad, that.


I like the Hugo idea too.

I think it is important to keep the Banned Book category...censorship is such a scary thing when it lands in the middle of a community...reading a banned book might push one out of one's comfort level...but it just might open some conversation and even some eyes...

and oh, yeah...please not a business book...

Angela wrote: "This are the categories i would definitely keep

a book with more than 500 pages
a book published this year
a book with a number in the title
a book written by someone under 30
a book with a one-wo..."

As for initials - most people have three. It doesn't specify which intials, or in what order. That my broaden your search hopefully.A book I really liked with A.V. author was Cutting for Stone. May not be your thing though.

Kaye wrote: "and oh, yeah...please not a business book..."

I second that!

I thought of one when I was at the library a couple of days ago. "Book with a proper noun in the title."

Vermicious Knids wrote: "And a book written by an author of color or the protaganist is a person of color. It amazes me still how many of our heroines and heros are still white peeps. I started noticing this buying books for my boy. All the pictures where mostly white people and not very often so is the main character. Same with most of the movies too. Maybe it's b/c of where I live in the US. But now that I seem to have noticed it, I see it everywhere. Sad, that.
"
This is a great idea. It could even be made a bit broader by just saying an author or protagonist from a different race or culture from your own. I think we all tend to look for characters like ourselves because we think we can relate better but that's not necessarily true.

Charlotte wrote: "Vermicious Knids wrote: "And a book written by an author of color or the protaganist is a person of color. It amazes me still how many of our heroines and heros are still white peeps. I started not..."

Yes, your idea is an improvement of the catagory. I love it.

i dont have anything against reading nonfiction but i dont want to read a business book based on MY occupation...

i like the idea of reading a book with a main character of a different race/ culture - i learned a little bit about sweden and korean cultures from several books that actually were informative even if they were works of fiction

overall i enjoyed/ like a lot of the categories on this year's challenge because it is opening me to reading some stuff i might not have bothered with otherwise and i think that is good for all of us who are trying to complete this challenge. there are really only a few i dont love/ am not looking forward to dealing with eventually on the current year's reading challenge:

A book you were supposed to read in high school, but didn’t I didn’t want to read it then why would I want to read it now?

A book with bad reviews - it has been a little difficult actually trying to find a book I WANT to read that has bad reviews

A book that takes place in your hometown � I chose one of the closest major cities because my actual hometown isnt cool enough to be a book setting.. guess I can always do that again if need be

A book you started but never finished ¬� I don’t see the point in of torturing myself with struggling through reading something I am not enjoying

What I like about this challenge is the opennes to the categories - you can leave your comfort zone but in many cases you don't need to.
Three ideas for next year:

* The favourite book of your boss (or collegue)

*A book a friend really disliked

*A classic you should have read

Maybe as get closer to the end, new categories will come up but so far I could think of:

A poetry book
A children's book
A book set in wartime
A book by an Asian author
A book by a Latin American author
A book set in space

Lcvanti wrote: "Maybe as get closer to the end, new categories will come up but so far I could think of:

A poetry book
A children's book
A book set in wartime
A book by an Asian author
A book by a Latin American ..."

I like the Asian Author category. I might just have to add that to my own list.

Categories to add:
Supernatural or paranormal book
Recommended for high school reading

Categories to take away:
Books with your initials (TS was a challenge)
Books set in your hometown

Tats wrote: "My recommendations for possible categories for 2016:

* Business book
* Book related to your job/daily occupation (stay-at-home mum? read about child education/psychology or motherhood)
* Self-help..."

Like the NYT Bestseller list category.

Tiffany wrote: "Tats wrote: "My recommendations for possible categories for 2016:

* Business book
* Book related to your job/daily occupation (stay-at-home mum? read about child education/psychology or motherhood..."

Oh! I just loved 'related to your job/daily occupation'! Might include it in my own list of categories =D