Reading Challenge,

Ready for a challenge?

Back in primary school, I used to be an avid reader of novels. I remember wanting to read about absolutely anything and everything. Then somewhere along the way, I lost that drive. I blame puberty and DStv. Both of these caused a whole lot of distractions. Fast-forward to now and it seems like this long lost motivation has resurfaced. Whoop! Whoop! I ended 2017 reading a lot more than I had in the past years. You’d think that being so close to completing my third year in law school, I’d be a bit averse to reading anything that wouldn’t help me in increasing my grade average.

Actually, after thinking about it, it’s as if now that I’m nearing the end of my university experience, I’m yearning for what awaits “out there”. The more I read, the more the world in general excites me. And as I can’t help but feed this excitement, I’ve decided to embark on a 50 book challenge. It’s pretty straight forward: read 50 books in this year of 2018. This list isn’t particular. It can be poetry, classics, fiction, biographies, self-help…pretty much any genre (i’ve tried to be this varied in my first ten choices listed below).

The challenge idea came from a friend and former classmate of mine, Sophia, who’s been doing a version of it for the past couple of years and for it I thank her! ❤

My list starts off with a number of books I’ve been meaning to read since last year, as well as suggestions I’ve received from a few trusted bibliophiles. Here you go:

  1. Brideshead Revisited, The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder by Evelyn Waugh
  2. Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo
  3. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
  4. Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe
  5. No Longer At Ease by Chinua Achebe
  6. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
  7. Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
  8. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
  9. Dear Ijeawele, Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  10. Montezuma’s Daughter by H. R. Haggard

I’m going to work with these for now and update the list as the challenge goes on. I’d really love it if you joined me on this. It would help you cultivate a reading habit AND be more knowledgeable, who doesn’t want that? Also, please feel free to leave me any suggestions! They will be highly appreciated. I’ll leave you with a quote that will hopefully inspire you.

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the page and feel as if you’ve lost a friend.

~ Paul Sweeney

Thanks for reading (haha ?) and have a Happy New Year! ?

Don’t forget to like, share and comment

— Ivy xx

036 comments

writer

Heya! I'm Wambui Mabelle. Founder of this blog. Twenty-something year old Kenyan. Lawyer by day, writer by night, foodie by weekends and muser everyday.

36 Comments

Brian M.

Hahaha, feel u there.. Challenge accepted??

Reply

Ivy

Heya Brian
Glad you’re feeling challenged! 🙂

Reply

Alice

That’s great Ivy include Julius Caesar too

Reply

Ivy

Heya!
Thank you for the suggestion. 🙂

Reply

Derrick Mureithi

Really like Arrow of God
Find me Unfraidby Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner. Recommendation I think youll like it
But great works ??????

Reply

Ivy

Heya Derrick ?
Can’t wait to read it then!
I’ve added it to the list
Thank you 🙂

Reply

Flo

Well done! Its the habit i want to get back to in 2018 . Lets keep encouraging each other and sharing!

Reply

Ivy

Thank you!
I hope you’re liking Americanah so far?
Yes, we will. 🙂

Reply

Minna Mumma

I know why the caged bird sings- Maya Angelou

Reply

Ivy

Thank you Minna! 🙂
I will add it to the list.

Reply

Maina Roy

The Subtle Art of Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson
The E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

Great work. ?

Reply

Ivy

Heya Oreo
I was tempted to get that first book when i saw it on my last trip to Prestige Bookshop! I’m definitely picking it up next time. 🙂
Thank you!

Reply

DFK, Jr

Brideshead is highly recommended ?. Waugh has one of the best proses in the English language. The accompanying series is also very good. Bon chance on your challenge.

Reply

Ivy

Heya DFK, Jr.
I’ve started on it already, I completely agree!
Thank you. 🙂

Reply

Jess

No Longer at Ease is a 1960 novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is the story of an Igbo man, Obi Okonkwo, who leaves his village for an education in Britain and then a job in the Nigerian colonial civil service,but is conflicted between his African culture and Western lifestyle and ends up taking a bribe(sounds really interesting) I remember parts of this book ?.

Reply

Ivy

Heya Aunt Jess! ?
It does sound pretty interesting! Thank you for the brief summary, I can’t wait to read it. 🙂

Reply

Jerome

2018 with a bang! ?
My reading enthusiasm died after high school Patrick can relate ??

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! ??

Reply

Ivy

Heya Jerome ?
Haha! I told you something would come up soon.
Oh my, i hope this challenge can pick kit right back up! ?

Reply

Stephie

Hey, thanks for the reading list! Very encouraged to improve my reading culture and what better way to do it!

Keep going ?

Reply

Ivy

Hey Stephie!
You’re very welcome.
I’m sure it’ll help you succeed in that!
Thank you 🙂

Reply

Sophia Nasimiyu

I hope you enjoy ?
Add The secret lives of Baba Segi’s wives, if you’ve not already read it. And Manuscript found in Accra by Paulo Coelho. If you want any more recommendations just hit me up ??

Reply

Ivy

Heya Sophia!
Haha i have added it thanks to Cici, the eBook is even sitting patiently on my phone ?
I love Paula Coelho! Definitely adding it.
Thank you. 🙂 🙂

Reply

Mabelle

I am on this challenge, Ivy. Share your completion update so we can add you more fresh titles. A good addition to Chinua’s trilogy is either his ‘A Man Of The People’ or/and Ghanaian writer Ayi Kwei Armah’s ‘ The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born’. Core message alive today in many African countries as was at dawn of Independence.

Thumbs up!

Reply

Ivy

Heya Dad ?
I’m glad you’re joining me.
I will definitely do so!
Thank you for the suggestions. I’ve been meaning to read the latter for a while now. ??

Reply

Pascal

A Moonless, Starless Sky by Alexis Okeowo

Reply

Ivy

Heya Pascal
Thank you for the suggestion. 🙂

Reply

Santana

I totally relate to the feeling of not being averse to reading anything that wouldn’t add to our grade average this being the third law of law school ?
‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne is a beautiful beautiful book too bébé!

Reply

Ivy

Heya Bébé
Haha! Law school can be quite draining huh?
I’ve read part of that book (quite some time ago though), so i’m going to still add it to the list.
Thank you! ?

Reply

Johness

I have always had inrest in expanding my knowladge and there’s no better way than reading.
I think this challenge will do me good????

Reply

Ivy

Heya Johness!
You’ve got that right 🙂

Reply

Murugi

Challenge accepted! Look for Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay.

Reply

Ivy

Glad you’re in Murugi!
Thank you for the suggestion. 🙂

Reply

Eric G

Brideshead Revisited is a really good book. In fact if you’re lucky enough, you might get to interact with it more in Law and Religion!!

50 books in 2018 means 4.2 books a month ?

I’m joining this challenge!! However, with such a target, I will definitely be aiming for the stars, but hopefully I’ll land in the moon.

Reply

Ivy

Heya Eric!
I’m enjoying it quite a bit so far. So I’ve heard…i’m already crossing my fingers! 🙂
Glad you’re on board.
Haha! I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Reply

Brian Ochieng

Ola Ivy ? … The Outliers is just amazing ? … So now I’m one down ? … Go have a look at The Power Paradox by Dacher Keltner .. good read ??

Reply

Ivy

Heya Brian!
Thank you! 🙂
I’ll be sure to check it out.

Reply

Leave a Reply to Ivy Cancel reply