MJV Bookish Thoughts: Read Harder Challenge 2023 Update Part One

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Hello.

Welcome back to My Jamaican Vignettes. Today I’m sharing my Read Harder Challenge 2023 update part one. I’ll update at least once per quarter to let you guys know how I’m doing. I’m very happy with my progress so far.

Read Harder Challenge 2023 Prompts

These are my picks for books to read for each prompt. I signed up for the Read Harder Challenge newsletter by Book Riot and they gave book recommendations via email each weekday throughout January and into early February. So I have my 24 books selected.

I own some of these books but quite a few of them are from Scribd and a couple are from NetGalley.

Read Harder Challenge 2023 Update Part One

To date I’ve completed six of the challenges. I’ll share them in the order they are listed in the prompts rather than in the order I read them or star ratings.

Read a novel about a trans character written by a trans author – Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

I listened to the audiobook on Scribd and rated this 3.5 stars. It is YA fantasy so I’m not the target audience. But I’m glad I bought to experience this book. And I’d read more from Thomas.

Read a completed webcomic – Circuits and Veins by Jem Yoshioka

I enjoyed Circuits and Veins which is a cute love story so much. It took me two reading sessions across two days to complete the 66 chapters long webcomic. Great read and beautiful art style.

Read a graphic novel/comic/manga if you haven’t before; or read one that is a different genre than you normally read – Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story by Debbie Tung

I read this on Scribd. And I really connected with the experiences of Debbie. This is my first graphic memoir and I’d read more from Tung and more books in this format. I rated this four-stars.

Read an independently published book by a BIPOC author – A Summer for Scandal by Lydia San Andres

I bought the ebook for A Summer for Scandal on Amazon and read it on my Kindle and I enjoyed this historical romance novel. I rated it 3.5 stars. I really liked Emilia.

Read a cookbook cover to cover – Weeknight Cooking for Two by Kenzie Swanhart

Weeknight Cooking for Two by Kenzie Swanhart was already on my Kindle when I saw this prompt. This was my first time reading a cookbook cover to cover and it wasn’t bad. There are a few recipes I’d like to try. 3.75 stars.

Read an author local to you – Pandemic Poems: First Wave by Olive Senior

Olive Senior is the poet laureate for Jamaica so I decided that technically I could use her poetry collection for this prompt. I also read a book by Juleus Ghunta so that could work as well. I gave this poetry collection 3.5 stars. A solid collection that will forever hold for us all that we went through in 2020.

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Those are my updates. Presently (I am writing this on Friday 10 February 2023) I’m listening to The Salt Eaters by Toni Cade Bambara which covers the prompt to read one of your favourite author’s favourite books. And according to a Book Riot article, Toni Cade Bambara was a favourite of Toni Morrison who is one of my favs.

Until next time, happy reading!