Festive readathon shenanigans

Update to these readathons.

This will be my blog post with a running list of all the Christmas-themed goodness I’ll be participating in. I love Halloween because it soothes my soul. I love Christmas because it has my heart. I wish I could take October through December off every year and just read books, books, and more books. I know Thanksgiving is still in between but I just can’t wait for Christmas. I enjoy the foodie experience for Thanksgiving but there is so much more to do for Halloween and Christmas. If you read my blog regularly, you know I participated in multiple Halloween-y readathons and generally devour horror books, so it comes as no surprise that I also need to partake in Christmas reading challenges. What is surprising is that I rarely read holiday type books. I am going to change that this year!

The readathons below are organized by start day and theme. This list is, of course, ever evolving.

Thankfully Reading

In my mind, this is a let’s be thankful for books readathon that runs November 21 – 25. It’s free-form aka read what you want with the goal to cheer each other on (use #thankfullyreading on Twitter and Instagram). I am hoping to make good headway with my current reads and to finish 4 more books toward my Popsugar reading challenge by the end of November, thus I will probably focus on those reads during Thanksgiving. I also always read with my friends’ kids. They visit me every year and we make a special trip to the library to pick out books to read together. Follow me on here or on my Twitter during this readathon.

Christmas Spirit Readathon

Seasons of Readings has quickly become my favorite resource for seasonal readathons. It’s a sweet group experience with lots of chats on Facebook and Twitter. This readathon takes place November 19 through December 2 and kicks of the longer Christmas reading challenge for which I noted down some of the categories! Let’s put it that way, I hope to level up to Christmas tree! The actual challenge runs November 19 through January 6 and I’ve started to compile potential reads. Be sure to check my progress on here and on my Twitter (#csreadathon).

• Cozy mysteries by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark
  • He Sees You When You’re Sleeping
  • Deck the Halls
  • The Christmas Thief
• Chick Lit fun
  • The Gift by Cecilia Ahern
  • Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson
• Short stories
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • Skipping Christmas by Joh Grisham
• Horror novels
  • NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
  • Krampus: the Yule Lord by Brom
  • Santa Steps Out: a Fairy Tale for Grown-ups by Robert Devereaux

Tis the Season A Thon

A few fine Booktubers and Bookbloggers are hosting this lovely readathon that even features specific prompts. Prompts make my heart grow two sizes because there basically is nothing better than checking off something I’ve done. This readathon runs December 3 through 9. I’ll be updating my progress here on the blog or on my Twitter account (#tistheseasonathon) and yes, my book list, per ush, is subject to change. I have a few more books left that I want to read this year and I will try to match them to these prompts. I will also double dip between readathons.

• A book with a red or green cover. There are two Mary and Carol Higgins Clark books on my list that fit this category: Deck the Halls or The Christmas Thief.
• Read a book while listening to Christmas music. I know this book is set during the fall (or so the synopsis says) but I think it would be a creepy but cozy read with holiday music: Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Plus, I had already planned to read this one during December.
• A warm and fuzzy book. This screams romance novel to me, so I am most likely going to read this one: Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson.
• A short book (>200 pages). I have really stepped up my novella game this year and have come to love a good short story. I think I will read Skipping Christmas by John Grisham for this.
• A holiday-themed book. Again, I am kinda using these prompts to read a bunch of fluff romance novels. The Gift by Cecilia Ahern definitely fits the bill.
• bonus: group read of Snow in Love (various authors). This one looks promising. I hope I’ll get to it.

Christmas at Hogwarts

 

Book Roast is hosting yet again another Magical Readathon. She usually has lovely challenges but I specifically love this one: it’s sort of a choose your own adventure/path! This readathon runs from December 17 through 26 with the goal to Attend the Christmas Feast. Book Roast is very active on her Twitter, so be sure to check that out and follow the official hashtag #magicalfeast2018. I’ll be updating here on the blog and also on my Twitter. Here is a quick preview of the reading prompts. I can’t wait to carve out my path!

• Finish your coursework (finish your current read)
• Help Hagrid decorate the trees (a book with a golden detail)
• Have a snowball fight with the Weasley twins (a book you think will be humorous)
• Visit 3 Broomsticks for muller pixie wine (a book that should only take you a day/evening)
• Exchange presents at your Common Room (a book featuring/about friendship)
• Sneak into the kitchen to gift dobby odd socks (a book that has an item of clothing on the cover)
• Attend a Yule Ball (a book you’ve been preparing yourself for)
• Fly around snowy Hogwarts grounds (a book with a building on the cover)
• Put on your knitted sweater from Molly Weasley (a book featuring parents or focuses on family)
• Use your Invisibility Cloak to get to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library (a banned book)
• Bring a festive treat to Hedwig at the Owlery (a book with an animal on the cover/title/series name)
• Attend the Christmas Feast (watch a Harry Potter movie; this is optional)

My plan of attack for this is to just go with the flow. I am not going to pre-plan which path I’ll take. I’ll see what books on my shelf, on my Kindle, or in the library strike me fancy and if they would allow me to advance to the next step!

What are your reading plans for the holidays? Are you participating in any fun readathons?