Reading Challenge 2020

2025 Reading Challenge

| C.E. Flores

I really enjoyed my reading challenge last year. I think it made a difference that I didn’t try and pick a certain category for each month, but had options to choose from. So yep, I’m going to do a reading challenge this year.

I’m starting with two categories that I did not complete in prior challenges, a book on my shelf already, and a hardcover book. I think those will be easy to incorporate in the reads for the year.

I found this 2025 reading challenge list and since it seems like it covers a broad spectrum (and has 16 categories), I’m going to use it myself.

What are you reading?

2024 Reading Challenge Roundup

| C.E. Flores

So, how did I do? Well, let’s take a look, shall we?

So carrying over to 2025, I have a book on my shelf and a hardcover book. Not too shabby, I think. How did your reading go this year?

Want to take a look at my previous reading challenge roundups?

2020

2021

2022

Reading Roundup 2021

| C.E. Flores

January

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman was a good mystery read with a not-quite believable ending.

February

I read How to Write a Book That Doesn’t Suck and Will Actually Sell: Your No B.S. Guide to Learning How to Write a Nonfiction Book by Michael Rogan for further research on refining my writing.

March

Travels with Grace by Erma Note highlights the cultural delights of Mexico City.

Travels with Grace by Erma Note

April

An interesting paranormal romance, Saving Cassie by L.A. Remenicky was a little outside my usual picks, but that’s the point of the challenge right?

May

I chose Job by Ben Avery and illustrated by Jeff Slemons, as my graphic novel for the year.

June

Middle-aged female nomad on the loose in Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman. You’ll not want to miss her adventures!

Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman

July

Immigrant Secrets: The Search for my Grandparents by John Mancini was a lovely tale of one man’s family history quest that mixed speculative fiction with fact.

August

I belong to an online book club and This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel was the selection of the month. What a discussion we had about this book about a transgender child coming of age. A thought-provoking story!

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel

September

A random free book download led to an amazing new thriller series with Probably Dead by Ed Church.

Probably Dead by Ed Church

October

November

I read several books this year about health issues, but the one that stood out the most was The Seven Graces of Ageless Aging: How to Die Young as Late in Life as Possible by Jason Elias.

The Seven Graces of Ageless Aging: How to Die Young as Late in Life as Possible by Jason Elias

December

Todd by Adam J. Nicolai was my survivalist/science-fiction pick for the year.

Todd by Adam J. Nicolai

Reading Challenge 2024

| C.E. Flores

I had planned to take 2023 off from doing a reading challenge and then I signed up and successfully completed Bookshop’s Fall Reading Challenge. I had so much fun with that I decided to try and complete the reading challenges I FAILED in 2020, 2021, and 2022 this year. 

So, in addition to the Writing Challenge I’m setting up for myself, here are my reading goals for 2024.

In 2020, the one category I did not complete was to read a book that I had bought and was on my shelf but had not read yet. I have a few of those to choose from.

In 2021, I didn’t read a fantasy/fairy tale. Can’t wait to find one for this category!

In December 2022, I still needed to read a book by a favorite author, a paperback book, a classic, and a hardcover book. Oh BOY!

So that leaves six months open. Here’s what I propose to read in addition to those mentioned above. 

  • Mystery/Thriller
  • Environmental/Nature Writing
  • Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian Fiction
  • Self-Help/Personal Development
  • Poetry Collection
  • Culinary/Food-Related Book

As you can see, I’m not making this an impossible task for myself, but rather something to look forward to each time I choose a book. 

Got any suggestions for me? What are you reading?

How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos: how to successful publish a book by Judith Briles

| C.E. Flores

When I picked up How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos: how to successful publish a book by Judith Briles, I decided to ignore the blooper in the title (successfully) in the hopes of some useful tidbits. I did indeed get some useful tidbits, however not 101, which was disappointing.

Some sections were geared towards authors who have managed to snag a traditional book publishing deal. Since I have not, although I haven’t given up hope of someday, the information about reading the fine print, making sure you keep your rights to republication, and getting the best deal of the book publishing company, didn’t apply to me. 

I did learn about the Amazon Advantage program. However, when I did more research, I discovered that this publishing platform is closed to new publishers (such as myself). Amazon has given no date for reopening, unfortunately. Since I can’t access the Amazon Advantage program, the chapters on finding a decent printer weren’t useful either. To publish on Amazon, currently I need to use Amazon’s print on demand service. 

Another Amazon program that has expired but is included in the blooper book is the Matchbook program, where you could offer a digital copy of your print book for a reduced price or free. This nifty feature was taken out of circulation in October of 2019. Phooey. 

Not everything presented was obsolete or irreverent though. I really liked the idea of creating a tag line that expresses what my books (or me) do to benefit the reader. I also appreciated the suggestion to add a copyright watermark to images that I have created and share on social media. 

Overall, I was disappointed with the amount of useful information I found in this book that had such high ratings on Amazon. Some chapters seemed redundant, others weren’t useful since the feature wasn’t available anymore, and others were irrelevant to my particular writing situation. If you are a first-time author looking for the tricks of the trade, I can’t say that I recommend How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos: how to successful publish a book by Judith Briles.

A Love to Mend Her Broken Heart: A Historical Western Romance Novel by Etta Foster

| C.E. Flores

I wouldn’t have picked A Love to Mend Her Broken Heart: A Historical Western Romance Novel by Etta Foster up to read had the author and I not shared a name. In an effort to meet my 2020 Reading goals (although now 2021), I thought I’d give it a try. 

Daisy Monroe decides that marrying a rancher through a mail-order bride service will help her family’s finances. En route, a stage coach robbery traumatizes Daisy. The first on the scene is handsome Henry Thomas. When Daisy finally gets to town, her intended isn’t the type of man she would have chosen as a husband, but a deal’s a deal. Before the wedding date, romantic feelings between Henry and Daisy bloom. But Daisy has a secret that she isn’t sure an upstanding man such as Henry would want to know. 

Although the story wasn’t exceptional, the idiomatic expressions the author used were riveting. Flannelmouth, nailed the matter to the counter, acknowledged the corn, having a hog-killin’ time, bone orchard, threw up the sponge and countless more made deciphering the dialogue a bit of a puzzle. These terms certainly added to the feel of authenticity of this Western love story. 
So, despite the tired old story of a mail-order bride who finds love, I found A Love to Mend Her Broken Heart: A Historical Western Romance Novel by Etta Foster an interesting read after all. Perhaps you will too!

Reading Challenge 2021

| C.E. Flores

I enjoyed the 2020 Reading Challenge so much, that I plan on doing another reading challenge this year too. The focus for this challenge will mostly be on different genres. Since 2021 promises to be another socially distanced year, why not travel through the pages of books?

I hope you are inspired to complete the challenge with me!

Reading Roundup 2020

| C.E. Flores

If you recall, at the beginning of the year, I set myself a reading challenge. In case you missed it, I thought I’d recap the books I chose for this challenge that I wrote reviews for. 2020 was kind of a wild year, so I didn’t get nearly as many books from this list read as I would have liked. But, that’s ok. I have a whole new year in which to read, while socially distancing during 2021. So without further ado…

January

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester chronicles the lives of the two men instrumental in compiling the Oxford English Dictionary.

February

In honor of Women in Horror Month, I read Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, which is nothing like the movies based on it.

March

In March, I read Queen of America by Luis Alberto Urrea, the sequel to The Hummingbird’s Daughter. Both books were based on the life of Teresita Urrea, the Saint of Cabora, the girl who inspired a revolution.

April

I chose a book that was written by an author with my middle name rather than one with my initials or last name. A Love to Mend Her Broken Heart: A Historical Western Romance Novel by Etta Foster was not my usual genre, but that’s the point of a challenge, right? To experience something new?

I also read a collection of short stories with an author who shared my last name. Ordinance 53 by Sarah Flores was quite imaginative.

May

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore wasn’t published in the decade I was born but has leapt through the decades I have been alive.

June

I read many books suggested by others, but the link I’ll leave here is for Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir by Michael Anthony.

July

I’ve been following the author Lisa Sell on social media for some time. She has funny posts about writing and cats. I finally got around to reading her mystery novel Hidden.

August

September

Rose: Future Heart by Jazalyn was a quick read with poems focusing on universal themes.

October

How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers & Boo-Boos: how to successful publish a book by Judith Briles was an informative book about publishing. I don’t actually think there were 101 blunders in the book, though.

November

I always wanted to visit Spain and The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon was an excellent romantic mystery set in Barcelona in the 1940s.

December

For December, I read Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller, a memoir about her childhood in Africa.

I enjoyed my reading challenge so much that I’m going to do it again next year! Be on the lookout for the 2021 reading challenge in the next few days.

Reading Goals for 2020

| C.E. Flores

This is the first time I set myself a challenge to complete a reading goal like this. Way back in the day, I remember getting relatives to sponsor me to read a certain number of books for some school event or other. I’m not looking for sponsors or anything for this, I just thought it would be fun to complete. If you want to join me, feel free to post your own progress either here or on the book review posts that will appear monthly.