Reading Challenge 2024: The Halfway Mark
If you’ve come across this blog before or follow me on social media, you may have seen posts I’ve shared about some of my annual reading challenges. It’s no secret that I love reading, and setting myself specific challenges encourages me to sustain a regular habit of immersing myself in stories.
My reading challenge for 2024 is to finish 75 books and at the time of writing, I’ve read 28, which is a bit behind schedule. Last year I was aiming to read 104 books (averaging 2 books per week), but ended up finishing 65 books by the end of 2023; respectable, but not as strong as I’d hoped.
As I’ve got some leave coming up, I plan to spend a fair bit of it reading, mainly for the pure joy of it, but also for catching up with the challenge! According to GoodReads, I’m 9 books behind schedule, so I reckon I can soon get back on track with it all.
Anyway, in terms of the types of books I like to read, I’m open to reading any genre, and my list so far seems to have a fairly even split between fiction and non-fiction. With fiction, I tend to lean towards mystery and fantasy novels that immerse me in a different world, and with non-fiction, I enjoy reading memoirs and biographies, as well as travel books that share a “fish-out-of-water” experience for the author.
Here’s what I’ve read so far in 2024 (titles marked with a * are ones I’ve particularly enjoyed):
January
Write for Life - Julia Cameron
The Whalebone Theatre - Joanna Quinn
February
Getting Things Done - David Allen
Glass Sword - Victoria Aveyard
*Her Majesty’s Royal Coven - Juno Dawson
The Cloisters - Katy Hays
The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George
Get Remarkably Organised - Lorraine Murphy
March
*Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree
*The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna
Sixteen Souls - Rosie Talbot
*The Romanovs - Simon Sebag Montefiore
April
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
*Girls Just Wanna Have Funds - Emma Due Bitz, Camilla Falkenberg & Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen
Get Me the Urgent Biscuits - Sweetpea Slight
*Enchantment - Katherine May
May
A Bookshop of One’s Own - Jane Cholmeley
*The Golden Mole - Katherine Rundell
Mina and the Cult - Amy McCaw
The Square of Sevens - Laura Shepherd-Robinson
*Just Sayin’ - Malorie Blackman
Abroad in Japan - Chris Broad
Kemosha of the Caribbean - Alex Wheatle
June
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Twat Files - Dawn French
*Homecoming - Kate Morton
The Housekeepers - Alex Hay
*The Whispering Skull - Jonathan Stroud
When I first started setting myself reading challenges, it was intended as a way for me to intentionally reduce the amount of time I was spending looking at screens. I didn’t expect it to reignite my passion for reading as much as it has, but I am delighted about it!
Have you read any of the books on this list? And are there others you’d recommend? I’d love to know, so do get in touch if you have some suggestions.
As ever, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and for all of your ongoing support. At the time of writing, I’m about to take an extended break between 5th and 23rd July 2024 (inclusive of these dates), so I’m not taking on new clients until August 2024 at the earliest. If you’re hoping to work with me in future, please keep an eye on my website and social media pages (I’m @emmapooleytherapy on Facebook and Instagram) for the latest updates.