It’s a new year, and that means a new Professional Book Nerds (PBN) Reading Challenge! Emma and I recently introduced the 2024 challenge and offered some suggestions on what books may help you through the prompts.

Listen here:

Why do a reading challenge?

So many of us participate in different reading challenges—from number-based “I want to read X number of books this year” to more specific “I want to read through all the classics” challenges. It’s an exciting way to spice up your reading journey!

When we sit down to plan it, Emma and I always want to create something that’s fun and attainable, but will still take you out of your comfort zone (hello, “Read a poetry collection” from our 2023 challenge).

This year, we’ve got 12 prompts to tickle your TBR:

☑️ Read a genre you don’t normally read
☑️ Read a book with a main character who’s a different age than you
☑️ Read a book that’s been on your TBR longer than 1 year
☑️ Enjoy an audiobook (full cast or dramatized)
☑️ Read a book translated into English
☑️ Reread a childhood favorite
☑️ Read a book with dual POV
☑️ Read a book out of season (i.e. a winter read in the summer)
☑️ Read a duology
☑️ Read a book with a one-word title
☑️ Read a book from any bestseller list
☑️ Read a book you heard about first on PBN

Need more suggestions? Don’t forget to check out our episode about the 2024 challenge where we give some book recommendations to get you started!

While we started with a tougher prompt—reading a genre you don’t typically read—you can flex to fit what you’re most comfortable with. As a mood reader, this is key for me! For example, amp up the challenge of reading a book with a main character who’s a different age than you and go older, or if you love YA reads like I do, play it safe and pop a YA read in that spot.

Use our handy PDF tracker to write down your reads, and use this version to share your participation on social (be sure to tag us @probooknerds).

Go forth, enjoy the challenge and be sure you share your reads with us! Send your completed reading challenges to professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com and we’ll share your book picks during our end-of-year recap.

Download the Libby app from your library to find great reads for the challenge. Happy Reading!