My Favorite Books I Read for the 2024 Read Harder Challenge
While I wait for the results of the Read Harder Wrap-Up Survey (you have until the end of the day to submit your answers!), I thought it would be fun to share my answers to the questions with you. First off, I definitely plan to finish the challenge by the end of the year: I only have one task to go!
My favorite task to do this year was #16: Read a book based solely on the title. I usually have so many books I “should” be reading that I don’t often allow myself to pick up books so casually. Even though the one I read wasn’t a new favorite, it was still fun to peruse the shelves looking solely for a title to catch my eye.
My least favorite to complete—and one the last ones I completed—was #23: Read a howdunit or whydunit mystery. The funny thing is that I suggested this task! I think howdunit and whydunit books are an interesting take on a mystery…I’m just not a big mystery fan. I find them difficult to follow. Still, it was a good opportunity to explore my reading taste, even if I just confirmed that this isn’t usually the genre for me.
As for how many books I’ve read in 2024, I’m currently at 118. I’ll probably end the year at around 130 books, though it’s hard for me to predict. I might read 20 books in December, I might read two.
Now, onto the most fun question: What was your favorite book you read for the 2024 Read Harder Challenge, and which task does it check off? I couldn’t keep it to just one, so here are my favorite eight books I read this year that checked off tasks.
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
Task #1: Read a cozy fantasy book.
I love cozy fantasy, especially queer cozy fantasy, so it’s no surprise this became a new favorite. There are some action sequences here, but it essentially reverses the usual epic fantasy ratio of battles to quiet moments of relaxation. This is also a romance, and the strength of this story is in the two realistic and charming main characters. They start this series already together, but their relationship deepens over the course of the novel. I can’t wait to continue this series!
The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, Volumes 1 & 2 by Kent Monkman and Gisele Gordon
Task #4: Read a history book by a BIPOC author. & Task #10: Read a historical fiction book by an Indigenous author.
I couldn’t decide whether to count these books as historical fiction or history: it’s mostly the history of Turtle Island from an Indigenous perspective, but narrated by the fictional character Miss Chief Eagle Testickle. I decided to use one volume for historical fiction and one for history. This is an illuminating and powerful exploration of “Canada” from an Indigenous perspective, illustrated by gorgeous full-color paintings (like the one on the cover). I can’t recommend these highly enough.
The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught
Task #2: Read a YA book by a trans author.
Speaking of queer cozy fantasy, this YA graphic novel with a nonbinary main character is perfect for fans of The Tea Dragon Society. It follows two best friends as they search the woods for rare mushrooms to complete a bakery order and stumble into an adventure saving magical creatures. Along the way, they fall for each other. It’s exactly as cute as it sounds.
Finna by Nino Cipri
Task #5: Read a sci-fi novella.
If you prefer your sci-fi on the wacky side, Finna is the book for you. When an elderly customer accidentally goes through a portal at a store similar to Ikea, two of the minimum wage employees are tasked with getting her back. It’s not the ideal assignment, but to make it worse, Ava and Jules just broke up a week ago. They’ll have to find a way to work together to get all three of them home safely. It’s an anti-capitalist romp!
Iep Jāltok: Poems from a Marshallese Daughter by Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner
Task #7: Read an indie published collection of poetry by a BIPOC or queer author.
I’ll admit that most of the books on this list I likely would have picked up without the Read Harder Challenge, but this is a favorite I wouldn’t have found on my own. I can have a difficult time getting into poetry, but this felt accessible for me. It weaves together personal writing as well as information about the history and present-day reality of the Marshall Islands, including the ongoing effects of the nuclear weapons testing that was done there as well as the threat of climate change putting the islands underwater.
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
Task #13: Read a comic that has been banned.
I’ve heard such great things about this book, but I was still blown away when I actually read it. The artwork is stunning, and I loved that this wasn’t just about Tien trying to come out to his mother, but also about his mother’s experiences as an immigrant from Vietnam. It’s a beautiful graphic novel that I think is a new classic.
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
Task #14: Read a book by an author with an upcoming event (virtual or in person) and then attend the event. & Task #19: Read a romance with neurodivergent characters.
This one I read both because I enjoyed Alison Cochrun’s Kiss Her Once for Me as well as for task #14. This task was a stretch for me because I don’t usually attend author events. I ended up loving this book and really enjoying the chance to learn more about it, though. I even got to ask the author a question in the Q&A period.
Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui
Task #22: Read a manga or manhwa.
I read quite a bit of manga, so this definitely wasn’t a challenge for me. Delicious in Dungeon is the series I’ve been reading the most this year, though: I love how it combines D&D-style adventure and humor with fantasy food descriptions. I think this is my first time reading a complete manga series, and I’m looking forward to finishing it soon and then watching the anime adaptation.
What are your favorite books you read for the challenge this year? Let’s chat in the comments!
Check out all the previous 2024 Read Harder posts here.
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