Reading Challenges: Your Thoughts

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed an increase in events called “Reading Challenges,” especially on platforms such as Goodreads. These “Reading Challenges” challenge readers to read a personally chosen number of books, usually within a year.

There are pros and cons to such challenges. Let’s take a look at each:

PROS

1. Readers report reading more books than they normally would read, due to the “peer pressure” such reading challenges impose.

2. Readers report reading books in genres they would not normally read.

3. Readers report the surprise good feeling they experience when they “stretch” themselves beyond what they thought they could accomplish.

CONS
1. Readers report that “peer pressure” creates stress on them.

2. Readers report that they don’t always enjoy books recommended on such challenges and that they would rather spend their time reading books they like.

3. Readers report that they feel bad when they don’t meet their goals, especially since the whole world knows about their failure.

What are your thoughts? Do you participate in reading challenges? If so, what are your pros and cons? If you do not participate in reading challenges, do you think you would like to?

My Featured Book for This Week:

In Black and White by MaryAnn Diorio
A white woman. A black man. And their forbidden love.

This novel won First Place in Historical Romance in the 2020 Christian Indie Book Awards Contest.

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E-BOOK

My Fiction Pick for This Week . . .

The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky
Two women–a century apart–embark on a journey to healing, faith, forgiveness, and romance.

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E-BOOK

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.