Welcome to the Spine & Leaf Books 2023 Book Challenge!
How Do I Complete the 2023 Book Challenge?
This challenge starts with the phrase ‘Read a book…’ and then lists 50 different categories or prompts that complete the sentence.
Choose 1 book that satisfies each category and cross off the number on the list when you complete the book. Scroll to the bottom of the post to find a beautiful and printer-friendly version of the list.
Try to read about 1 book per week in 2023 and you’ll be able to complete this challenge with time to spare! So don’t get worried if you get a bit behind or get stuck on a longer book (#6!). There’s plenty of time and several other books on your list may be pretty quick reads (#7 and #14).
This past year, I have been writing down every book I’ve read, whether it fits the Book Challenge for the year or not. I highly encourage everyone to write down at least the title and author for each numbered category so at the end of the year you have a great list of book recommendations! It’s so easy to forget all the books you read 11 months ago. For more info, check out my full post on starting a book journal here.
Don’t forget to share your favorite book choices in the comments below. I’ll be posting a book update each month in 2023 with my book selections. Feel free to comment on those posts instead. Links will be at the bottom of this page as posts are added at the end of each month.
It’s always so much fun to see what others are reading for each category. Spine & Leaf Books also has a Recommendations page where you can find more inspiration and great book lists!
Why Do a Book Challenge?
2022 was the first year I created a Book Challenge on Spine & Leaf Books (also because it was the first year the blog existed!).
But what I learned last year is that reading challenges and book challenges are so inspiring. I don’t think I would have read half as many books without the motivation of the challenge. It kept me accountable.
Also, there are always a few items on every list that are difficult to fulfill. I had never read murder mysteries until last year. And guess what? I read several more murder mysteries because I loved them so much! You’ll understand my inspiration for #32 now. Think of this book challenge as a way to broaden your horizons and try something new (#34).
Getting Started
Don’t be scared by the number 50.
It is definitely possible to achieve this in a single year. 50 books in 365 days is still a whopping 7.3 days to read each book or a massive 175 hours and 12 minutes.
There are plenty of books out there that can be read in less than 7 hours, so try for even 1 hour of reading per day. You’ll be knocking off items on the list in no time.
Just give this challenge your best effort and you’ll still be a success. Even if this challenge gets you to read one more book that you would have otherwise, that’s great!
If you’re really looking for a challenge this year, try completing the list twice. So, read 2 books for each category. Then you’ll be at an astonishing 100 books for the year.
Book Challenge 2023: Read 50 Books This Year!
Read a book…
- you started but never finished
- with an orange cover
- based on a true story
- from your local library
- on a banned book list
- longer than 400 pages
- shorter than 200 pages
- in a trilogy
- with a title longer than 8 words
- with a number in the title
- that’s funny
- about education
- that takes place in outer space
- of recipes
- with the word ‘and’ in the title
- by an author under 25 years old
- set in the future
- about happiness
- with a flower on the cover
- that’s bought used/second-hand
- with an author as the main character
- that has won an award
- by your favorite author
- about one of your hobbies
- with non-human characters
- with a summary on the back cover
- with pictures
- about an athlete
- set in a country you have never visited
- written more than 50 years ago
- that’s historical fiction
- by Agatha Christie
- that was made into a TV series
- written by a new-to-you author
- you found on Goodreads
- that you’ve read more than once
- with a dragon
- set around a holiday
- to help you achieve a goal
- written by a celebrity
- from your least favorite genre
- for a book club
- someone else chooses for you
- with a character who has an unusual name
- mentioned in another book
- with a ‘quest’ plot type
- that makes you cry
- about a STEM topic
- with a plot twist
- published in 2023
Good luck to everyone participating in the challenge!
Happy Reading 🙂
I am so excited to do this again this year. I read so many things I wouldn’t have in 2022 because of your challenge ❤️
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So glad you liked the challenge last year! Good luck in 2023 🙂 Any favorite books from last year?
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I loved Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr; Taste, by Stanley Tucci; The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune; Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley; Empire of Pain, by Patrick Radden Keefe; and I’m So Glad my Mom Died, by Jenette McCurdy.
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I also read The House in the Cerulean Sea this year! Loved it, it was so sweet and the perfect feel-good book!
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I found your 2022 reading list and decided to tackle it. It was incredibly hard to find a couple of books so I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it in the next couple of weeks. However, it helped me get inspired to read again so I have finished roughly 80 books this year. I definitely read things I wouldn’t normally go for and I found new favorites. Thanks again, I can’t wait to get started on the new list!
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That’s so exciting that you read 80 books! 2023 is gonna be a bit tricky for a few of them too, but it’s so fun trying to find new and intersting books. What were some of your favorites from 2022?
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This sounds so fun! I started doing reading challenges this year, and it made me fall in love with reading again. I’m going to add your challenge to my goals!
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So glad you’re going to join the challenge! Good luck 🙂
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I loved the 2022 challenge – and look very much forward to the 2023 one!
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I’m getting so excited too! Have you picked out your first book yet?
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Thanks so much for creating these challenges. I did the 2022 challenge and loved it! I got to try some new genres and read some books that have been on my TBR pile for years. I’ve started the 2023 challenge and am really enjoying it. Great call on the read an Agatha Christie prompt! I’ve definitely found a new favourite author.
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The hardest part of the Agatha Christie prompt is deciding which one to read! I liked Death on the Nile and And Then There Were None which I read last year, but I’m not sure what to try next.
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