My 2018 Reading Challenges: Wrap Up!

At the beginning of 2018, I committed to three 2018 reading challenges, plus one challenge I kind created myself, along with the annual Goodreads one, all the while continuing with reading the books on my Classics Club list. So, basically, this year I committed myself to six reading challenges! I know, I don’t know what I was thinking. Spoiler alert: I did not finish them.

Over the year, I’ve done check-ins every three months to see where I was at with the challenges and to encourage myself to read more (which didn’t happen), but here are the original posts and the check-ins if you want to see how I went throughout the whole year:

Original announcement post
3 month check-in
6 month check-in
9 month check-in

But, finally, it’s time to see how I went for the year: which challenges I completed, which ones I failed, which ones I did pretty average in, and which ones I cheated in. 😱😱😱

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2018 BADASS BOOKS READING CHALLENGE HOSTED BY MELLISA HAWKINS

So, I’m going to be honest here: I cheated in this challenge. After my 9 month check-in, I saw that I hadn’t been reading many of the books I had set myself for this challenge so I … went back to my original post and changed the books I intended to read (but didn’t) to ones that I had already read 😇. I still didn’t finish this challenge, but at least I (sort of) read more than I thought!

Here are the books/challenges I completed:

1. A book published in 2018: Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
2. A book published the year you were born: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou (poems previously published, but this full collection was published in 1994)
3. A book that you’ve started before and never finished: History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
4. A book you’ve already read: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
5. A book that you’ve put off reading: Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
6. A banned book: Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden
7. A book by an author you’ve never read: Luck in the Shadows by Llyn Flewelling
8. A book turned movie you’ve seen but haven’t read: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
9. A funny book: My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton
10. A book that will make you smarter: The Secret History by Donna Tartt
11. An award-winning book: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
12. A book based on a true story: The Love of a Bad Man by Laura Elizabeth Woollett
13. A book chosen for you by a friend: Fingersmith by Sarah Water

Completed challenges: 13/18

If I hadn’t cheated: 7/18

Challenge: Semi-Completed!

(shush)

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2018 FINISHING THE SERIES READING CHALLENGE HOSTED BY CELEBRITY READERS

So I didn’t realise until the 9 month check-in that I had been incorrectly counting the books that go towards this challenge. According to the rules of the challenge, you can also include ongoing series’ where “the goal is to catch up to the most recent book published”. I hadn’t been counting those books, I had only been counting the last books in a series! So I actually completed this challenge … WITHOUT CHEATING.

1. Abroad duology by Liz Jacobs (completed series)
2. These Vicious Masks trilogy by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas (completed series)
3. The Montague Siblings duology by Mackenzi Lee (completed series)
4. Kings of Hell MC series by K.A. Merikan (caught up for 2018)
5. A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas (completed immediate trilogy)
6. Green Creek series by TJ Klune (caught up for 2018)
7. Twisted Wishes series by Anna Zabo (caught up for 2018)
8. The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows & Brodi Ashton (caught up for 2018)
9. Camellia Clockwork duology by Taylor Brooke (completed series)
10. The Underdogs trilogy by K.A. Merikan (completed series)
11. Shatter Me series by Taherah Mafi (caught up for 2018)
12. Creekwood series by Becky Albertalli (completed series)
13. Signs of Love series by Anyta Sunday (caught up for 2018)
14. Strange the Dreamer duology by Laini Taylor (completed series)
15. Fence comic series by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad (caught up for 2018)
16. Criminal Intentions series by Cole McCade (caught up for 2018)
17. Tales from Verania series by TJ Klune (completed series)
18. Whyborne and Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk (caught up for 2018)
19. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas (completed series)
20. Ghosts of the Shadow Market series by Cassandra Clare (completed series)
21. Captive Prince trilogy by C.S. Pacat (completed series)
22. The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare (completed series)

Challenge: Completed!

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2018 NETGALLEY AND EDELWEISS CHALLENGE HOSTED BY BOOKISH THINGS AND MORE

All up this year, I’ve read

1. Indigo Blue by Jessica Watson
2. Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce
3. Relay by Layla Reyne
4. The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale
5. White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig
6. The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace
7. Contour by Meg Harding
8. Sweethearts by Gemma Gilmore
9. Down by Contact by Santino Hassell
10. Curved Horizon by Taylor Brooke
11. Seduction on the Slopes by Tamsen Parker
12. Fire on the Ice by Tamsen Parker
13. Just Here for the Pain by K.A. Merikan
14. Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen
15. Undiscovered Affinity by Jane Hardee
16. Syncopation by Anna Zabo
17. Bishop’s Move by Santino Hassell and Piper Vaughn
18. A Heart To Call Home by Jeannie Levig
19. My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows
20. Kim Reaper Vol. 1: Grim Beginnings by Sarah Graley
21. The Lost Path by Amélie Fléchais
22. Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
23. Disney Pixar Manga: Wall-E by Shiro Shirai
24. We Will Make Mischief Together by J. Hepburn
25. The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles
26. Unfit to Print by K.J. Charles
27. My Lavender Boyfriend by Marina Ford
28. Out, Proud and Prejudiced by Megan Reddaway
29. Counterpoint by Anna Zabo
30. The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee
31. Gray’s Shadow by K.A. Merikan
32. Band Sinister by KJ Charles
33. Sadie by Courtney Summers
34. Pisces Hooks Taurus by Anyta Sunday
35. Admiring Ash by Anyta Sunday
36. Begging Ben by Anyta Sunday
37. Challenging Chance by Anyta Sunday
38. Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
39. Thrall by Avon Gale by Roan Parrish
40. Riven by Roan Parrish
41. Shrewd Angel by Anyta Sunday
42. Criminal Intentions: Where There’s Smoke by Cole McCade

While I did intend to read Gold level (50 books read), I’m still very proud of how many ARCs I managed to read this year. 42 books is a massive amount, and I’m lowkey annoyed that for that amount of books I’m still only on Silver Level. But oh well, I still completed the challenge.

Challenge: Completed!

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PopSugar 2018 Reading Challenge

I joined this challenge late in the year, but I had read so many books in 2018, so it was easy to check off the challenges and match them to a book I read. While I didn’t read every single book on this challenge, I still read heaps so I’m calling this a successful challenge.

Challenges completed: 33/40

1. The next book in a series you started: Gemina (Illuminae, #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
2. A book involving a heist: Luck in the Shadows by Llyn Flewelling
3. A novel based on a real person: Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
4. A book set in a country that fascinates you: Abroad #2 by Liz Jacobs
5. A book with a time of day in the title: Son of the Dawn by Cassandra Clare
6. A book about a villain or antihero: Black Iris by Elliot Wake
7. A book about death or grief: Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen
8. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist: Pisces Hooks Taurus by Anyta Sunday
9. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you: Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
10. A book about feminism: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee
11. A book about mental health: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
12. A book you borrowed or that was given as a gift: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
13. A book by two authors: Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
14. A book about or involving a sport: Fire on the Ice by Tamsen Parker
15. A book by a local author: Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat
16. A book with your favourite colour in the title: Indigo Blue by Jessica Watson
17. A book with an alliteration in the title: Challenging Chance by Anyta Sunday
18. A book about time travel: Kim Reaper by Sarah Graley
19. A book with a weather element in the title: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
20. A book set at sea: The Witch Sea by Sarah Diemer
21. A book with an animal in the title: The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
22. A book set on a different planet: The Shattered Gates by Ginn Hale
23. A book set about or on Halloween: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
24. A book with characters who are twins: Leo Loves Aries by Anyta Sunday
25. A book mentioned in another book: Fence by C.S. Pacat (mentioned in Begging Ben by Anyta Sunday)
26. A book from a celebrity book club: Circe by Madeline Miller (from the Reese Witherspoon book club)
27. A book that’s published in 2018: Contour by Meg Harding
28. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
29. A book set in the decade you were born: The Complete Collected Poems by Maya Angelou
30. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
31. A book with an ugly cover: The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic
32. A book that involves a bookstore or library: Admiring Ash by Anyta Sunday
33. Your favourite prompt from the 2015, 2016 or 2017 Popsugar Challenge: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (A reread: 2017)

Advanced Challenges completed: 7/10

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (2011)
2. A cyberpunk book: Blood Bank by Silb
3. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title: Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida
4. An allegory: Something to be Tiptoed Around by Emma Marie Jones
5. A book by an author with the same name as you: The Love of a Bad Man by Laura Elizabeth Woollett
6. A book about a problem facing society: Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff
7. A book recommended by someone else taking the Popsugar Challenge: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Challenge: Semi-Completed!

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MY OWN SORT-OF CHALLENGE: #LOVEOZYA

I made my own challenge (sort of, not really) and that’s to read at least 10 #LoveOzYA books – both published in 2018 and before. Ideally, I would have liked to have read more than 10 books, this is another challenge where I kind of cheated by adding comic books and a middle grade novel. Oh well, it’s my own challenge, I can make whatever rules I want!

1. Indigo Blue by Jessica Watson
2. Sweethearts by Gemma Gilmore
3. Fence #3 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
4. Fence #4 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
5. Always Human by Ari Walkingnorth (webcomic)
6. Fence #5 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
7. Fence #6 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
8. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil
9. On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (read twice this year)
10. Fence #7 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
11. Gemina (Illuminae, #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
12. Fence #8 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
13. Fence #9 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
14. The Gorgon in the Gully by Melina Marchetta
15. Fence #10 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
16. Fence #11 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad
17. Fence #12 by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad

Challenge: Semi-Completed

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Goodreads Challenge

This year, I set myself a goal of reading 100 books and I’m so happy to say that I completed this challenge by reading …

Did you participate in any reading challenges for 2018?

Did you complete them? Or did you cheat … like me sometimes? What challenges are you doing this year? Let me know!