The Reindeer Readathon is an annual book reading challenge created by Erik from Breakevenbooks and runs Dec 1st to the 31st. I have linked his announcement on Youtube:
The readathon includes prompts titled by the names of Santa’s Reindeers and includes some bonus festive prompts. I participated last year on Team Candy Cane and will be on Team Nutcracker this year! This was such a fun way to close out the year with a focused reading list.
If you’d like to join here are the prompts and the sign-up form:
- Prompts: https://reindeerreadathon.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/reindeer-readathon-prompts-2024.pdf
- Form to sign-up: https://forms.gle/pFWs2wsPK1pBvxBj9
- Here’s the challenge on storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/949ad401-6135-4b98-9a4f-218fb6ad5cd5
- (Add me: I’m @musingsbymichelle )
My TBR is below! (subject to change!)
More details on the prompts and the books I chose!
DASHER – 10 PTS Read a book that is recommended to you on social media or is a list recommendation (Youtube, Goodreads, Google etc).
I used Goodread’s Best Books of 2024 list and chose James since I already have a physical copy. I have heard a lot of great things about this book. It won the National Book Award and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize this year!
DANCER – 15 PTS Read a book genre that you feel matches your favorite music genre (i.e. Pop-Fantasy, Rock/Metal-Thriller/Horror, R&B-Romance, etc.)
S O S : Poems 1961–2013 by Amiri Baraka
I almost exclusively listen to instrumental jazz or lo-fi while reading and the book genre that jumped out the most to me as a match to these genres of music was poetry. I decided to pick SOS. because it’s been on my bookshelf for a long time and it’s a huge book (over 600 pages). My husband loved it and I think it’s time I read it!
Here are some of my favorite Spotify playlists to listen to while reading:
PRANCER – 10 PTS Read a book where the synopsis mentions a named special event/date.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
I went with an obvious event for this prompt since it is December and I celebrate Christmas. This holiday is mentioned in the synopsis and the title is a play on the word Christmas with Kissmas.
“Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky romcom where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.”
VIXEN – 15 PTS Read a book you didn’t buy (Kindle Unlimited, Library, Borrowed, Gift etc).
Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict
Holiday Horror/Thriller is one of my favorite genres (check out my letterboxd watchlist for holiday horror films) so I am always on the lookout for this genre this time of year. I got this one from my local library and I hope to read it before it’s due!
COMET – 15 PTS Read a book that ends on the last digit of the day of your birth (i.e. 28th would have to end in 8).
While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams
My day of birth ends on a 6 so I was happy to find that a book that I was already planning on reading in December for one of my book clubs also ends in a 6 (at least my physical copy does)! This one has also been on my TBR since it came out and I already own the second one! I’ve read other non-fiction by Stacey Abrams under her pseudonym Selena Montgomery and I liked her writing style, so I’m optimistic I’ll also like this one.
DONNER – 20 PTS Read a book where the cover contains one of the first 4 words you see in the word search grid on page 4. Must be a word from the list.
- Canine
- Friends
- Winter
- Battle
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Out of the four words I saw first on the word search, I chose the word Friends and this Sally Rooney book. I’ve seen that many either love or hate her writing style. I’m eager to finally read this one so that I can understand the book discourse and watch the TV show!
CUPID – 10 PTS Read a book from an author that you have already given 5 stars.
Let me tell you I am soooo hyped to read this one after becoming obsessed with the first two in the series! I rated these both highly and met Lyla Sage on her book tour for the third book in this series earlier in November. I cannot wait to read Teddy and Gus’s story!
BLITZEN – 15 PTS Choose 3 books that start with the same letter. Randomly choose one of them to read (Random number generator, have someone choose etc.)
Women, Race, & Class by Angela Davis
Books that Start with W:
- Women, Race, & Class by Angela Davis
- Wade in the Water by Tracy K. Smith
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
I chose the letter “w” and picked three books that I own already. The one I randomly picked is Women, Race, & Class. I think this will be a good break from the fiction I’m reading this month.
RUDOLPH – 15 PTS Read a debut novel.
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
My book club at work is reading this one in December and I saw it was this author’s debut novel. I’ve been reading books by indigenous authors and this one has been on my list so I’m glad it works for this prompt and that I’ll also finish it prior to when my work book club meets in mid-December!
Bonus Prompts:
These are prompts to get extra points that line up with books I already chose for the regular prompts.
Christmas Star (25pts): A book over 500 pages.
Christmas Lights (15pts): An ebook.
Christmas Carols (20pts): An audiobook.
Christmas Tree (20pts): Branch out and read a book you wouldn’t typically go for.
Christmas Elf (15pts): A book that has been on your shelf/TBR for a long time.
Sleighing It (50 pts): If you have completed all of your prompts and the Christmas bonus prompts (Star, Lights, Carols, Tree, Elf), you can redo one prompt of your choice for extra points.
I’m leaving this one open and TBD!
Thanks for reading this! May your next book read be 5 glowing stars!
Musings by Michelle 