My Favorite Books of the 2024 Read Harder Challenge (So Far)
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It’s June, which means it’s closing in on the halfway mark for 2024! Can you believe it? Now is a good time to look back at how the reading year is going so far. Are we accomplishing our goals? Have we been enjoying what we’ve been reading? Should we adjust our reading habits and TBRs in order to reach those goals or to better enjoy the books we pick up? There’s still plenty of time to course correct if needed.
As for me, I’ve been really enjoying making my way through the 2024 Read Harder Challenge. Some have been books I likely would have picked up regardless, while others encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone. I’ve done 17 of the 24 tasks, which I feel very good about — but it’s worth noting that I’ve saved the most difficult and out-of-my-wheelhouse tasks until the end.
Here are seven of the books I’ve read for this year’s Read Harder Challenge that I’ve enjoyed the most. Let me know in the comments what your favorite books are (so far) that you’ve read for tasks!
The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle by Kent Monkman and Gisele Gordon
I have to start by talking about the two volumes of The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle I read this year. This is a queer, Cree telling of the history of Turtle Island, particularly “Canada.” It’s funny, heartbreaking, and educational, packed full of citations but told through the fictional figure of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, a shapeshifting queer form who guides us through this history. Interspersed are paintings by Kent Monkman, like the one on the cover. I read one volume for task #4: Read a history book by a BIPOC author, and one for task #10: Read a historical fiction book by an Indigenous author. This is a new all-time favorite.
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
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. I read this for task #13: Read a comic that has been banned. It’s a beautiful graphic novel that I think is a new classic.
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What’s your favorite book you’ve read for the 2024 Read Harder Challenge so far? Let’s chat in the comments!
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