Humor for Today

2024 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

 Another favorite is now up for 2024!

The Alphabet Soup Challenge means that by December 31, 2024

your bowls must be filled with one book for each letter of the Alphabet.

Each Letter Counts As 1 Spoonful

Details

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2024 until December 31st, 2024.

It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet.

You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles as shown below.

 

The First Main Word Needs To Be
The Letter You Are Counting 

Except For that pesky Q, X, AND Z titles then the word that starts with the challenge letter can be anywhere in the title.

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.

A – How I plan to do it: Make a list from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

OR

B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet, and check them off as you read them. 

For example:

A – Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord: A Mystery (Lady Petra Inquires) by Celeste Connally

B – A Bean to Die For (A Coffee Lover’s Mystery) by Tara Lush

C – Camino Ghosts: A Novel by John Grisham

D- Daffodils And Deadly Deeds: A British Cozy Murder Mystery by Victoria Tait

Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – and audio – are acceptable for this challenge!

My Books:

A The Address--Fiona Davis

B Bluebeard--Kurt Vonnegut

C The Cat Who Saved Books--Sosuke Natsukawa

D Death by Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake--Sarah Graves

E Euphoria--Lily King

F  Fatally Frosted--Jessica Beck

G  Greenglass House--Kate Milford

H Happy Place--Emily Henry

I  If You're Out There--Katy Loutzenhiser

J The Jane Austen Society--Natalie Jenner

K Killers of the Flower Moon--David Grann

L  Last Night at the Telegraph Club--Malinda Lo

M The Magnolia Palace--Fiona Davis

N Never Cry Werewolf--Heather Davis

O Once Upon a Time in Hollywood--Quentin Tarantino

P Paris: The Memoir--Paris Hilton

Q Queen of the Sea--Dylan Meconis

R Red Queen--Victoria Aveyard

S  Sourdough Sagas--Herbert L. Heller

T This Wound is a World--Billy-Ray Belcourt

U The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry--Rachel Joyce

V Vanity Fare--Megan Caldwell

W Weyward--Emilia Hart

X XOXO--Axie Oh

Y Young Jane Young--Gabrielle Zevin

Z Zillah & Me--Helen Dunmore

Challenge completed on May 25

More Thanksgiving Fun

 

12 Days of Christmas Reading Challenge

 Doing this seasonal one at StoryGraph.

Starts: Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Ends: Sunday, 31 December 2023

1. Partridge in a Pear Tree 

A book with a tree on the cover. It can be any kind of tree: Santa's Sweetheart--Janet Dailey

2. Two Turtle Doves 

A book with two birds on the cover: The Lions of Little Rock--Kristin Levine

3. Three French Hens

A book set in France or Quebec: The Masterpiece--Emile Zola

4. Four Calling Birds 

Title has 4 words in it. No more, no less: Carrie Soto is Back--Taylor Jenkins Reid

5. Five Golden Rings

Ring(s) on the cover: Bad Fat Black Girl--Sesali Bowen

6. Six Geese A-Laying

Author's first name starts with G: The Odd Women--George Gissing

7. Seven Swans A-Swimming 

A book with a pool on the cover: The Swimmers--Julie Otsuka

8. Eight Maids A-Milking 

A story that involves a maid somehow: The Maid--Nita Prose

9. Nine Ladies Dancing

A couple on the cover: Kiss Me--Susan Mallery

10. Ten Lords A-Leaping 

Historical book or fantasy book that uses the term "lord": Stories--Katherine Mansfield

11. Eleven Pipers Piping

A book that has a cake on the cover: Twisted Tea Christmas--Laura Childs

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming 

Character in the book is a musician: A Song for a New Day--Sarah Pinsker

13. 12 Days of Christmas:

A book that is a holiday read. It can be any holiday: Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years Eve, etc: Dear Santa--Debbie Macomber

Challenge completed on December 23

2024 Romance Book Reading Challenge with She Reads Romance Books

 Doing this one again.

For this year’s challenge, I’m presenting two options for each month to guide your selections. Each month has a specific romance category as well as a fun reading challenge. Use either (or both!) to pick your book of the month.

2024 Romance Book Reading Challenge Themes

JANUARY– Dark Romance: She's Too Pretty to Burn--Wendy Heard

FEBRUARY– Spicy Romance: The Spanish Love Deception--Elena Armas

MARCH– Contemporary Romance: It Starts With Us--Colleen Hoover

APRIL– New Adult Romance: Check & Mate--Ali Hazelwood

MAY– Romantic Suspense: White Lies--Jayne Ann Krentz

JUNE– Sports Romance: The Singles Game--Lauren Weisberger

JULY– Summer Romance: Funny Story--Emily Henry

AUGUST– Romantic Comedy: The Kept Woman--Susan Donovan

SEPTEMBER– Historical Romance: Angel--Johanna Lindsey

OCTOBER– Fantasy or Paranormal Romance: Crave--Tracy Wolff

NOVEMBER– Young Adult Romance: The Summer I Turned Pretty--Jenny Han

DECEMBER– Holiday Romance: Santa Baby--Lisa Jackson & others

Challenge completed on December 4

Monthly Motif Reading Challenge 2024

Also hosted by the same people as the Monthly Keyword Challenge, but for some reason it's on their Instagram page and not their website.

JAN- "Red Carpet Reads" Read a book that has won an award or been nominated for one: Greenglass House--Kate Milford
⁠
FEB- "Dynamic Duos" Read a book with a couple of characters that make the perfect pair- whether in business, friendship, or in love: Death by Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake--Sarah Graves
⁠
MAR- "Thrill Me" Read a thriller- Psychological thriller; Action thriller; Crime thriller; etc: The Paris Apartment--Lucy Foley
⁠
APR- "Who's In Charge Here?" Read a book where the character's involvement in Royalty, Government, a Kingdom, or any ruling body plays a roll: Lilibet--Carolly Erickson⁠
⁠
MAY- "Face Off" Read a book with a face on the cover. Bonus points if you take a #bookface photo!⁠: Rebel Chef--Dominique Crenn
⁠
JUN- "Comedy Club" Read a book that's guaranteed to make you laugh: Pam Ayres: Down the Line
⁠
JUL- "Creature Feature" Read a book with an animal in the story- real or mythical: The Tail of Emily Windsnap--Liz Kessler ⁠
⁠
AUG- "Seasons, Elements, Weather" Read a book where the season, weather, climate, or elements play a roll in the plot: The Summer Getaway--Susan Mallery
⁠
SEP- "Story of Survival" Read a book where the character stays strong and survives something: ⁠Keep Quiet--Lisa Scottoline
⁠
OCT- "Wicked Good Reads" An ode to Girlxoxo's annual WGR event. Ghosts, Witches, Vampires, Creeptastic or Magical books:⁠ The Ghost in the Gallery--Carolyn Keene
⁠
NOV- "An Oldie But A Goodie" Read a Historical Fiction book or a book published before 2000: The Sentence--Louise Erdrich
⁠
DEC- "Cover Love" Read a book with a cover you love!: Memphis--Tara M. Stringfellow
⁠

Challenge completed on December 7

The 52 Book Club’s 2024 Reading Challenge

 Another favorite is now up for 2024.

1. Locked-room mystery: Rock Paper Scissors--Alice Feeney
2. Bibliosmia: a smelly book: The Scent Keeper--Erica Bauermeister
3. More than 40 chapters: The Forgotten Garden--Kate Morton
4. Lowercase letters on the spine: Every Last Word--Tamara Ireland Stone
5. Magical realism: The Cat Who Saved Books--Sosuke Natsukawa
6. Women in STEM: Everyday Superheroes: Women in STEM Careers--Erin Twamley
7. At least four different POV: Winter Stroll--Elin Hilderbrand
8. Features the ocean: Summer on Sag Harbor--Sunny Hostin
9. A character-driven novel: The Spanish Love Deception--Elena Armas
10. Told in non-chronological order: Weyward--Emilia Hart
11. Title staring with the letter "K": Killers of the Flower Moon--David Grann
12. Title starting with the letter "L": Last Night at the Telegraph Club--Malinda Lo
13. Academic thriller: Crave--Tracy Wolff
14. Grieving character: Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker--Jennifer Chiaverini
15. Part of a duology: It Ends With Us--Colleen Hoover
16. Omniscient narrator: The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina--Zoraida Cordova
17. Nominated for The Booker Prize: Swing Time--Zadie Smith
18. Apostrophe in the title: Temptation's Darling--Johanna Lindsey
19. Buddy read: Atomic Habits (still reading in class group)
20. Revenge story: Scandal--Amanda Quick
21. Written by a ghostwriter: Emma Brown--Clare Boylan
22. Plot similar to another book: Yellowface--R.F. Kuang
23. The other book with the similar plot: The Book of Second Chances--Katherine Slee
24. Cover without people on it: Fatally Frosted--Jessica Beck
25. An author "everyone" has read but you: Rebecca--Daphne Du Maurier
26. Hybrid genre: The Fiery Cross--Diana Gabaldon
27. By a neurodivergent author: A Kind of Spark--Elle McNicoll
28. Yellow spine: Flights--Olga Tokarczuk
29. Published in a Year of the Dragon: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry--Rachel Joyce
30. Picked without reading the blurb: Leap of Faith--Danielle Steel
31. Includes a personal phobia: The Black Flamingo--Dean Atta
32. Time frame spans a week or less: Five Survive--Holly Jackson
33. An abrupt ending: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store--James McBride
34. Set in a landlocked country: The Idiot--Elif Batuman
35. Title matches lyrics from a  song: I'll Take You There--Joyce Carol Oates
36. Has futuristic technology: Remote Control--Nnedi Okorafor
37. Palindrome on the cover: The House in the Pines--Ana Reyes
38. Published by Hatchette: Jade War--Fonda Lee
39. Non-fiction recommended by a friend: Another Kind of Madness--Stephen P. Hinshaw
40. Set during a holiday you don't celebrate: The Sentence--Louise Erdrich
41. Sticker on the cover: Behold the Dreamers--Imbolo Mbue
42. Author debut in second half of 2024: The Days I Loved You Most--Amy Neff
43. About finding identity: Rolling Warrior--Judith Heumann
44. Includes a wedding: Picture Bride--Yoshiko Uchida
45. Chapter headings have dates: If You're Out There--Katy Loutzenhiser
46. Featuring Indigenous culture: Apple: Skin to the Core--Eric Gansworth
47. Self-insert by an author: The Summer I Turned Pretty--Jenny Han
48. Word "secret" in the title: Summer Secrets--Jane Green
49. Set in a city staring with the letter "M": Memphis--Tara M. Stringfellow
50. Musical instrument on the cover: Piranesi--Susanna Clarke
51. Related to the word "wild": Into the Wild--Jon Krakauer
52. Published in 2024: Funny Story--Emily Henry

Challenge completed on December 13