MobileRead Users 2024 TBR Reduction Challenge

astrangerhere · 12-03-2023, 02:47 PM

The MobileRead Users 2024 TBR Reduction Challenge is now live on StoryGraph!

RULES (that you can completely ignore if you want!):

The book only has to make sense to you to fit into the topic for that month. If you can justify it to yourself, go for it! There are two alternatives for each month, so you have some freedom to clear out that TBR!
The book should be on your TBR as we are trying to reduce TBRs, not pick new things.
Books can be read in any order! The monthly themes are there as an aid to picking TBR books, but if you want to read something from the October prompt in March - go for it!
Anything goes – fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, collected comics, and anything else I haven’t thought of.
Have fun! Feel free to invite another user for a buddy read if they post something interesting.

Remember - if you would like to see what books others have added to the challenge, just enter the challenge and click on the month title and it will show you all books added, with yours at the top. You add books the same way - go to the month, and you will be taken to a page where you can add books to that month's challenge.

2024 TBR Reduction Categories

January

The Leftovers – A book you wanted read least year that you just didn't get around to reading.
ALTERNATIVE: Beginnings - start a new series, new to you author, or book that you got for the holidays (something new to your TBR).

February

St. Valentines - A book by an author you love or a genre you love. Bonus if it is shorter for the shortest month of the year.
ALTERNATIVE: Read the shortest/smallest book on your TBR, irrespective of any other topic.

March

Ides of March – A historical or epic book, bonus if it is related to ancient Rome.
ALTERNATIVE: St. Patrick’s – A book that can in some way be associated with “green.” Bonus if it is related to St. Patrick or Ireland in some way.

April

April Showers - a book about rain, weather, spring, or some kind of new blossoming
ALTERNATIVE: April Fools - read the silliest or most foolish book on your TBR. Can be the title, subject, cover or just your perception that it being on your TBR list at all is silly.

May

Ovid's May - Ovid tells us the month of May was named for the maiores, Latin for "elders." Read something old, or a book about something or someone old.
ALTERNATIVE - May Day! - a book that you think you might bail out on, or a book about emergencies, panics or escapes.

June

Beached - read a book about the ocean, maritime life, coasts, or something sea-related. Bonus if it’s also fishy in some way.
ALTERNATIVE: Fixed or Broken - read a book about things/people/places/galaxies being fixed and/or broken.

July

Independents – A book you got via your local indie bookseller or bought used. Library loans count too!
ALTERNATIVE - Recommendation - that you put on your TBR at someone else's recommendation.

August

When I Grow Up - a fiction or nonfiction title about a career you dreamed of as a child. Can also be about a common career even if you had no interest in it. Bonus if you went into that career!
ALTERNATIVE - Back to School - a book from your TBR that has something to do with schools, education (or something you bought to educate yourself about something)

September

Shorter Days - a book with a one-word title or a collection of short stories or a short drama.
ALTERNATIVE - Autumn - read a book from your TBR that is wholly or partially set in or about the fall season or an associated holiday/event.

October

Masks - a book about people wearing masks, hiding, or masquerading as something they are not.
ALTERNATIVE – Treats (no tricks!) – use this as a free space to read anything at all from your TBR (including something you might have treated yourself to this year).

November

Indigenous - read a book from your TBR by, about, or telling the story of an indigenous population. Bonus if it is someone/something from your own country's history.
ALTERNATIVE – Families – a book about families (real or imagined, inherited or found)

December

Endings – Finish a book or series that has been lingering for a long time.
ALTERNATIVE: Gifted – a book about something or someone who is gifted (in any sense of the word) or a book you were gifted.

pdurrant · 12-03-2023, 04:01 PM

I'm in!

Uncle Robin · 12-03-2023, 04:09 PM

LOVE the "May" alternative, nice wordplay

JSWolf · 12-03-2023, 04:26 PM

Can we have a new July? There is no way I can buy an eBook at a local indie shop or buy a used eBook.

I have no alternative for July. So if July is changed, I can add a book. No challenge should I have pBook only section.

astrangerhere · 12-03-2023, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can we have a new July? There is no way I can buy an eBook at a local indie shop or buy a used eBook.

I have no alternative for July. So if July is changed, I can add a book. No challenge should I have pBook only section.

Jon,

The rules are clear - you don't have to follow them

Add whatever you want for that month.

JSWolf · 12-03-2023, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Jon,

The rules are clear - you don't have to follow them

Add whatever you want for that month.

Quote:

1. The book only has to make sense to you to fit into the topic for that month.

I don't have any eBooks that fit the topic or even make sense to me to fit the topic. I'd like to follow the topic. Thus, I'd like to have a topic I can follow.

I don't read pBooks so no used or local indie and I don't have any eBook (at present) that was recommended by someone else.

An arbitrary eBook doesn't make any sense so I have no eBooks that fit July.

rantanplan · 12-04-2023, 03:31 AM

Jon, an ebook from a library would also count

rantanplan · 12-04-2023, 03:34 AM

It feels a bit strange that I can fill November with "Asterix and the Goths"

Uncle Robin · 12-04-2023, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Jon,

The rules are clear - you don't have to follow them

Add whatever you want for that month.

In honour of your profession, I prefer to see it as an opportunity to strain the semantic gnat by looking for the most tenuous link imaginable between my choices and the 'rules'

rantanplan · 12-04-2023, 03:40 AM

How far ahead do I need to fill out all entries for the challenge? If I can use the July spot for a library book, I'd love to be able to decide on a whim.

astrangerhere · 12-04-2023, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rantanplan

How far ahead do I need to fill out all entries for the challenge? If I can use the July spot for a library book, I'd love to be able to decide on a whim.

You can add to or nfrom the challenge at any time. For example, someone could change their entry in the 2023 challenge on December 31, 2023 if they wanted.

jbcohen · 12-04-2023, 09:49 AM

I typically do not keep a TBR stack around, however lately I have had one. My goal is to eliminate it, something that seems to have iluded me in 2023.

Tarana · 12-04-2023, 10:18 AM

I'm in again!

astrangerhere · 12-04-2023, 11:12 AM

I absolutely love looking at the books already added and trying to figure out which ones of you added them.

rantanplan · 12-04-2023, 11:56 AM

I'm trying to fit in a book by Haruki Murakami in there somewhere, but I don't want to use my joker.

It could be in April, June or October. Any suggestions? I know I can just ignore all the rules, but I found the prompts inspiring so far.

12-03-2023, 02:47 PM	#1
astrangerhere Professor of Law Posts: 3,755 Karma: 68428716 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini	MobileRead Users 2024 TBR Reduction Challenge The *MobileRead Users 2024 TBR Reduction Challenge* is now live on StoryGraph! RULES (that you can completely ignore if you want!): The book only has to make sense to you to fit into the topic for that month. If you can justify it to yourself, go for it! There are two alternatives for each month, so you have some freedom to clear out that TBR! The book should be on your TBR as we are trying to reduce TBRs, not pick new things. Books can be read in any order! The monthly themes are there as an aid to picking TBR books, but if you want to read something from the October prompt in March - go for it! Anything goes – fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, collected comics, and anything else I haven’t thought of. Have fun! Feel free to invite another user for a buddy read if they post something interesting. Remember - if you would like to see what books others have added to the challenge, just enter the challenge and click on the month title and it will show you all books added, with yours at the top. You add books the same way - go to the month, and you will be taken to a page where you can add books to that month's challenge. 2024 TBR Reduction Categories January The Leftovers – A book you wanted read least year that you just didn't get around to reading. ALTERNATIVE: Beginnings - start a new series, new to you author, or book that you got for the holidays (something new to your TBR). February St. Valentines - A book by an author you love or a genre you love. Bonus if it is shorter for the shortest month of the year. ALTERNATIVE: Read the shortest/smallest book on your TBR, irrespective of any other topic. March Ides of March – A historical or epic book, bonus if it is related to ancient Rome. ALTERNATIVE: St. Patrick’s – A book that can in some way be associated with “green.” Bonus if it is related to St. Patrick or Ireland in some way. April April Showers - a book about rain, weather, spring, or some kind of new blossoming ALTERNATIVE: April Fools - read the silliest or most foolish book on your TBR. Can be the title, subject, cover or just your perception that it being on your TBR list at all is silly. May Ovid's May - Ovid tells us the month of May was named for the maiores, Latin for "elders." Read something old, or a book about something or someone old. ALTERNATIVE - May Day! - a book that you think you might bail out on, or a book about emergencies, panics or escapes. June Beached - read a book about the ocean, maritime life, coasts, or something sea-related. Bonus if it’s also fishy in some way. ALTERNATIVE: Fixed or Broken - read a book about things/people/places/galaxies being fixed and/or broken. July Independents – A book you got via your local indie bookseller or bought used. Library loans count too! ALTERNATIVE - Recommendation - that you put on your TBR at someone else's recommendation. August When I Grow Up - a fiction or nonfiction title about a career you dreamed of as a child. Can also be about a common career even if you had no interest in it. Bonus if you went into that career! ALTERNATIVE - Back to School - a book from your TBR that has something to do with schools, education (or something you bought to educate yourself about something) September Shorter Days - a book with a one-word title or a collection of short stories or a short drama. ALTERNATIVE - Autumn - read a book from your TBR that is wholly or partially set in or about the fall season or an associated holiday/event. October Masks - a book about people wearing masks, hiding, or masquerading as something they are not. ALTERNATIVE – Treats (no tricks!) – use this as a free space to read anything at all from your TBR (including something you might have treated yourself to this year). November Indigenous - read a book from your TBR by, about, or telling the story of an indigenous population. Bonus if it is someone/something from your own country's history. ALTERNATIVE – Families – a book about families (real or imagined, inherited or found) December Endings – Finish a book or series that has been lingering for a long time. ALTERNATIVE: Gifted – a book about something or someone who is gifted (in any sense of the word) or a book you were gifted. Last edited by astrangerhere; 12-01-2024 at 09:24 PM.

12-03-2023, 04:26 PM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,740 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Can we have a new July? There is no way I can buy an eBook at a local indie shop or buy a used eBook. I have no alternative for July. So if July is changed, I can add a book. No challenge should I have pBook only section. Last edited by JSWolf; 12-03-2023 at 04:29 PM.

12-04-2023, 11:56 AM	#15
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 933 Karma: 11941602 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Kindle Scribe 2022	I'm trying to fit in a book by Haruki Murakami in there somewhere, but I don't want to use my joker. It could be in April, June or October. Any suggestions? I know I can just ignore all the rules, but I found the prompts inspiring so far. Last edited by rantanplan; 12-04-2023 at 12:04 PM.

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12-03-2023, 04:01 PM	#2
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 74,433 Karma: 318076944 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	I'm in!

12-03-2023, 04:09 PM	#3
Uncle Robin Diligent dilettante Posts: 3,662 Karma: 52758936 Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: in my mind Device: Kobo Sage; Kobo Libra Colour	LOVE the "May" alternative, nice wordplay

12-04-2023, 03:31 AM	#7
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 933 Karma: 11941602 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Kindle Scribe 2022	Jon, an ebook from a library would also count

12-04-2023, 03:34 AM	#8
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 933 Karma: 11941602 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Kindle Scribe 2022	It feels a bit strange that I can fill November with "Asterix and the Goths"

12-04-2023, 03:40 AM	#10
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 933 Karma: 11941602 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Kindle Scribe 2022	How far ahead do I need to fill out all entries for the challenge? If I can use the July spot for a library book, I'd love to be able to decide on a whim.

12-04-2023, 09:49 AM	#12
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,033 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	I typically do not keep a TBR stack around, however lately I have had one. My goal is to eliminate it, something that seems to have iluded me in 2023.

12-04-2023, 10:18 AM	#13
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,061 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I'm in again!

12-04-2023, 11:12 AM	#14
astrangerhere Professor of Law Posts: 3,755 Karma: 68428716 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini	I absolutely love looking at the books already added and trying to figure out which ones of you added them.