When it’s time to decide what to read next, I have a loose structure of switching back and forth between books waiting on my TBR shelf on Goodreads and ARC* books. And, of course, I always have at least one personal development book that I'm reading plus a stack of graphic novels.
I have occasionally in the past used a reading challenge as inspiration to help me decide my next book. I always set a Goodreads reading goal, but I like challenges that also push me to try new genres or have me hunting the virtual Goodreads stacks to fit a prompt like “a book with a beach scene on the cover” or “a book with your favorite color in the title”. I don’t always complete these challenges but I do like the inspiration to try new things that they give me. To that end, I am using Whiskered Mystery’s reading challenge to help me pick books using fun prompts though I don’t think I’ll complete all 52 prompts in that challenge this year. Who knows though? Maybe I will!
Many years ago, I participated in a diverse books reading challenge that I really loved. When I stopped book blogging for a while, I forgot about that challenge (and many others). At the start of 2022, I thought I was going to use the prompts from the Build Your Library reading challenge like I did last year. Then the diverse reading challenge popped back into my head. I make an effort to read diverse books throughout the year but I know I could do more and a reading challenge is a great way to spur that on and give me ideas and structure.
I decided to combine the Celebrity Reader’s 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge and the Diverse Reading Challenge 2022 I found on tumblr. While the latter challenge has 50 theme prompts on its list, I am setting a goal of reading 25 diverse books and hope to achieve the Ermahgerd Level in Celebrity Reader’s mini-challenge. My overall reading goal for the year is 100 books. I think making sure 25% are diverse is very doable.
I will update this post as I read books that fit in the challenge and link to review posts as I write them. Let me know if you are participating in a reading challenge this year! Be sure to link to your update post if you blog and to the challenge you are following. Also, let me know if you can recommend any good books that fit any of the categories below.
*ARC stands for Advanced Reader Copy and refers to pre-release books shared with bloggers, librarians, and other book professionals so they can read the book early and publish their reviews to coincide with the book’s release.
I'm keeping track on a spreadsheet too if that is an easier way for you to view the categories. Find it here.
Mini-Challenge Diversity Themes
1. Diverse folktales/culture/mythology; or diverse retelling; or non-western setting
2. POC: Black/African American
3. # ownvoices; or gender: female authors in male-dominated genres/non-fiction
4. POC: Middle Eastern/South Asian
5. POC: East Asian/Southeast Asian/Pacific Islander
6. LGBT+ pride summer: sexuality and gender identity
7. LGBT+ pride summer: sexuality and gender identity
8. Mental health/addiction
9. POC: Hispanic/Latinx
10. Physical/sensory/cognitive/intellectual/developmental disabilities
11. POC: Native American
12. Religious minorities
Diverse Reading Prompts
1. A book about current civil rights issues
2. A book with an intersex protagonist
3. An # ownvoices book
4. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist
5. A book that takes place in the future with a protagonist of color
6. A historical fiction book set in Africa, Asia, or Latin America
7. A memoir or autobiography by an author from a marginalized community
8. A book published over 100 years ago by an author from a marginalized community
9. A middle-grade book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist
10. A book with a person of color on the cover
11. A book with a rainbow on the cover
12, A book with a biracial protagonist
13. A magical realism book by a Latinx author
14. A book with multiple character POVs who are members of a marginalized community
15. A book with a woman of color protagonist
16. A book with a protagonist who is neurodiverse, mentally ill, or has an intellectual disability
17. A book where the main character struggles against and/or overcomes homophobia
18. A book by an indigenous author
19. A romance book with a trans and/or non-binary protagonist or love interest
20. A book with a protagonist on the asexual and/or aromantic spectrum
21. A book with an immigrant protagonist
22. A biography of a person from a marginalized community
23. A book inspired by nonwestern mythology, folk tales, or fairy tales
24. A romance book focusing on a same-sex romance
25. A romance book with a fat protagonist or love interest
26. A book with a Black protagonist
27. A book with a Latinx protagonist
28. A romance book focusing on a polyamorous relationship
29. A book taking place in a world and/or future without homophobia
30. A book by a Muslim author
31. A romance book focusing on an interracial romance
32. A book about a religion other than Christianity
33. A book with a Middle Eastern protagonist
34. A speculative fiction book by an author of color
35. A speculative fiction book set in Africa, Asia, or Latin America
36. A book taking place in a world and/or future without racism
37. A book from the Harlem Renaissance
38. A non-fiction book by an author from a marginalized community
39. A book by a trans and/or non-binary author
40. A YA book with a protagonist of color
41. A book with an Asian protagonist
42. A book originally in a language other than English
43. A book with a physically disabled and/or chronically ill protagonist
44. A book with a fat protagonist
45. A poetry collection by an author from a marginalized community
46. A book by a Pacific Islander
47. A contemporary book that takes place in Africa, Asia, or Latin America
48. A book by a Jewish author
49. A book published in 2022 by an author from a marginalized community
50. A book by an LGBTQ+ author of color
Whiskered Mysteries prompts
1. Written by an author who lives in a different country than you
2. An animal on the book cover
3. A non-murder plot
4. A beach scene
5. A character who is an only child
6. A book published in 2021
7. A book with an animal in the title
8. A series you’ve never read before
9. A book inspired by fairy tales
10. A sequel to another book
11. A 3-word title
12. A book with your favorite color on the cover
13. Set in the winter
14. A beverage on the cover
15. The first book in the series
16. A male sidekick
17. An author who uses initials
18. A book cover with a flower
19. A Christmas theme
20. A travel plot
21. A character who cooks
22. Food on the cover
23. An author with more than one series
24. A book with a coastal setting
25. A strong female character
26. A wedding scene
27. A character with an ex spouse
28. An outdoor setting or camping scene
29. The last book in a series
30. A lighthouse on the cover
31. A book you've already read before
32. A character with a big family
33. Set in the summer
34. A romantic element
35. A character who changes careers
36. A non-magical animal
37. A character who changes residences
38. An elderly character
39. A small-town setting
40. A book published in 2022
41. A book on the cover
42. A character who is a single parent
43. Set in a place you have visited (or want to visit)
44. A book with a piece of clothing on the cover
45. A non-Christmas holiday theme
46. A book set in multiple states
47. A character with a hobby
48. A piece of furniture on the cover
49. A character who is injured and lives
50. A scene on Main Street
51. A character who changes their name
52. An author who shares the first initial of either your first or last name