In it’s fourth year, the aim of The Eclectic Reader Challenge is to push you outside your comfort zone by reading up to 12 books during the year from 12 different categories.
Join in:
- The challenge will run from January 1st to December 31st 2015. Participants may join at any time up until December 1st 2015
- Create a blog post committing to your participation in this challenge.
* If you don’t have a blog you are still welcome to sign up. You can create a shelf for the challenge at Goodreads or LibraryThing or a similar site Just include your name and a link to your shelf.
- Post your name, blog name, and the direct link to your challenge post in the Linky using the link below:
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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
- Select, read and review a book from each category listed below during the year for a total of 12 books. A book may be in print, electronic or audio format.
* You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advance. You may combine this challenge with others if you wish.
* Where a book is identified by more than one genre eg historical romance, it may only count for either the historical fiction or romantic fiction genres – not both.
* You can read your chosen titles in any order, at any pace, just complete the challenge by December 31st 2015 to be eligible for the prize drawing.
Bookmark the Eclectic Reader Challenge Page for future reference
Categories
- Retellings (of fairytale, legends or myth)
- A book set in a country starting with the letter S (eg. Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Slovakia)
- PI Crime (fiction featuring a private investigator)
- A novel published before you were born
- Contemporary romance
- Fiction for foodies (fiction featuring food/food related business)
- Microhistory (Non Fiction)
- Science Fiction set in space
- Sports (Fiction or Non fiction)
- Featuring diversity
- Epistolary Fiction (fiction written in the format of letters/emails/diary entries)
- Middle Grade/YA Adventure
If you need some ideas for what to read in the above categories browse:
Eclectic Reader 2015 Recommendations Part 1
Eclectic Reader 2015 Recommendations Part 2
Eclectic Reader 2015 Recommendations Part 3
Eclectic Reader 2015 Recommendations Part 4
- Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, make sure you identify it by adding either a direct statement and /or the challenge image badge to the post. If you tweet use the tag #eclecticreader or @bookdout
- Share your review with other challenge participants by posting your name/blog name and title of the book with a direct link to your review in the Linky.
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Click here to enter your review link
Please take the time to visit a few links and leave a comment after adding yours!

All participants that complete the challenge by December 31st 2015 will be eligible to win a book of their choice to the value of $15AUD from bookdepository.com or a $10US Amazon gift card or paypal funds of US$10 to be drawn via random.org Jan 2016.
Click here to enter your link when you have completed the challenge …
Please CONTACT ME if you have any questions, I hope you will play along!
Here is what I’ll be reading:
- Retellings: A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J Maas
- A book set in a country starting with the letter S: (SPAIN) The Altogether Unexpected Disappearance of Atticus Craftsman by Mamen Sanchez
- PI Crime: Hush Hush by Laura Lippman
- A novel published before you were born:
- Contemporary romance: Set in Stone by Ros Baxter
- Fiction for foodies: Season of Salt and Honey by Hannah Tunnicliffe
- Microhistory: Part of Our Lives by Wayne A Wiegand
- Science Fiction set in space: The Martian by Andy Weir
- Sports: The Callahan Split by Lisa Heidke
- Featuring diversity: Harm’s Reach by Alex Barclay
- Epistolary Fiction: What She Left by T.R. Richmond
- Middle Grade/YA Adventure: Shadow Study by Maria V Snyder
Doing it again 😉
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I’m back for another round!
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I’m in. Don’t have my books picked, but I’m thinking about it. This looks like it will be lots of fun.
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hey, Shelleyrae…. thanks for organising! I’m joining in this year 🙂
Would you just check my selection to make sure they’re ok? I’m mostly a bit iffy about #7 & #10 (just making sure I understood the category correctly)
Cheers!
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Thanks Shelleyrae, I’m looking forward to 2015. No plans yet for books, but thinking about them.
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This looks like fun so I just signed up. I had to look up what “microhistory” is so already my reading horizons have expanded. Can’t wait to get started.
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I want to join this challenge!! but I have a problem yet… what do you mean with “Middle Grade/YA Adventure”? I can’t find a translation for it 😦
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Hi Cinzia – it just means a book suitable for children aged 12-18 that features an adventure – here is a Goodreads list that may help https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/young-adult-adventure or this category at B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?category_id=716201&startat=31
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thanks!! 🙂
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This is my first time, and I am so excited!
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I’m excited for this challenge, I’ve got a few books picked out already but need some help with fiction for foodies!
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I am back for another round. http://jaynesbooks.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-eclectic-reader-challenge-2015.html
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I’m joining in the year, this seems really exciting!
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What does #10 mean please Shelleyrae?
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Hi Brenda, it means a book with a lead protagonist who represents diversity including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities, in a mainstream setting.
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Thanks Shelleyrae 🙂
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I’m so excited for this! I’ve never done a challenge before but hope to take part in a few this year. This sounds great!
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Is ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett a suitable book for no. 10 Shellyrae?
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Sure Cathy
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Just finished my first book for the challenge. For PI crime I read The Thousand Dollar Tan Line. http://passportbooks.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-thousand-dollar-tan-line-veronica.html
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I’m in again! I had never even heard of microhistory so I went to look it up. Guess who’s currently reading a book of microhistory–but started it in 2014? I’ll give you one guess. Oh well. I enjoy stuff like that so this will give me a push to read more of it. Thanks for hosting again!
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It’s the way its works sometimes! Thanks for joining me again!
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I didn’t know what microhistory was either, but it turns out I am in the middle of one! LOL
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Shelleyrae
just checking the Sports book – I want to read a biography of a sportsman and he has quite a bit about the game of cricket in it. Would that count as the sport book?
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Sounds fine to me Kathryn 🙂
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Great. Because I am so looking forward to reading it.
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This is great! Just posted my first one — a book published before I was born.
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I’m in for a third year 🙂
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I am going to work on this. Sounds interesting!
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I’m in
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I have another question … I read a book about a runner of Somalia. She ran at Beijing Olympic Games. The book talks about her life, as child with the passion for running and her sport competitions. But also talks about her escape from Africa to Europe to reach freedom.
Should I consider it for “sport” or for “microhistory”? or something else? 😀
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I would consider it as an appropriate read for sport Cinzia 🙂
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Doing – thank you
http://thepaperbackstash.blogspot.com/2014/12/2015-challenges.html
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Looking forward to this, sounds interesting! 🙂
http://wheretheresabooktheresaway.tumblr.com/
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First timer to what looks like a fantastic challenge – thanks for hosting!
http://booknboot.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/the-eclectic-reader-challenge-2015/
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Added S setting ~ Scotland
Then accidentally added Leaving Time that was meant for another challenge 😦 Sorry
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No problem..all fixed 🙂
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Ok, I am done already!
http://jannghi.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-eclectic-reader-challenge-2015.html
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Joining in very late, but doing it nonetheless!
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I’m finished…but when I try to “click here” to enter my wrap-up link, I don’t seem to be able to click anything. Here’s my link: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2015/11/challenge-complete-eclectic-reader.html
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Sorry Bev, it seems the linky has disappeared. Ive created a new one and you can add your details now 🙂
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Hi, are you doing this again next year? I will be in again. And I’m doing my first challenge next year. Please take a look and let me know if you are interested:
http://jannghi.blogspot.com/2015/10/literary-loners-reading-challenge-2016.html
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I think I will Jamie 🙂
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I’ve loved this challenge. Almost completed and I’m hoping you’ll host this one again for 2016 — with different categories, of course.
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You can sign up for 2016 now! https://bookdout.wordpress.com/challenges/2016-eclectic-reader-challenge/
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I still miss one book for this challenge, but I hope you’ll host again in 2016!! 🙂
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You can sign up for 2016 now! https://bookdout.wordpress.com/challenges/2016-eclectic-reader-challenge/
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