Join me for 2019 in Connect Five – Books.
Let’s look at connections for books… what books link for some reason or another.
When you have five that connect in whatever way you are able to group them then link up. How might you do this?
- Write and link up a blog post
- Share the five books on Instagram and link up
- Have a Goodreads shelf and link that up – this may be a little different but maybe use it in combination with a comment.
- Or… if you belong to none of these places, share five books in a comment.
What’s the Challenge?
To look for connections between books you read. There will be many connections that just float over our awareness. Let’s see can we raise that a bit, whether its fairly surface level or something deeper.
Guidelines:
Here are some examples that might get you thinking! It’s not hard work, you don’t need to plan it out, just see what happens.
It could be ….
- Five books of the same genre
- Five books by the same author
- Five books with a similar theme or issue being explored for example mother/daughter relationships
- Five books from the same series
- Five books you bought in 2018
- Five books from the depths of your TBR
- Five books with fabulous covers
- Five debut books
- Five new to you authors
- Five books that weren’t for you.
- Five books that really connect to your own life in some way.
- Five books with the theme of friendship
And you can come up with ones you think of… there will be so many.
However
- The five books connection cannot be too simple, for example five paperbacks or five ebooks or five women authors – unless of course you hardly ever read women authors. I could challenge myself and have a group though of five male authors because I hardly ever read male authors! Five USA authors would be rather simple, but it could be five USA authors from the same state.
- A book can only be used once.
- The books must be read in 2019.
- Books can be carried over until you have five of something. It may take a few months to gather five of something.
- You may have many connections of five to link up . So if you have two groups of five then you can link up twice and so on within a month.
- You may just link one group of five during the year sometime or many each month.
- You don’t have to write a commitment post but if that helps to remind you then that is an excellent idea and any way you can share this challenge is welcomed. Use the hashtag #connect5books2019
When?
Each month I will post a link up on the last Wednesday of the month. The link up will be open until the Tuesday before the last Wednesday of the next month. The first link will go up in January 30th 2019. Link up at any time during that following month. And then we will roll on with each month.
#connect5books2019
The Bonus – A Giveaway
For those who have a five book connection and link up there will be a random prize draw for one reader who will win a book of their choice for that month from the Book Depository. The last link up will be posted in November and go through December. At the end of the year there will be one draw as well for all those who have participated during the year, – a book of choice from the Book Depository.
And a Connect Five from 2018
Browsing through my reading from this year I can see a number of connects.
- Books that have quite a bit to do with books and libraries.
Four are obvious, but Harry’s Trees includes a library that if it doesn’t get any funding it will close down – it has one very elderly but loyal volunteer librarian.
- Books that are about Christmas or the Spirit of Christmas.
- Books with a theme of family
And it could have been possible if I was reading with more awareness that I could have collected books about family that deal with just sisters and brothers, or adoption, or marriage. I could see a connection where children played a significant role in the plot but I’d already used Harry’s Trees in another connect so no go!
Here is my post. Please let your subscribers know I have a quartet of easy challenges too, that I would love keen people to know about! Sincerely, Carolyn. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/connect-five-books/
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This sounds like fun! I have a few ideas (none of which are very deep), so I’m looking forward to finding even more connections as I read this year. Here’s my sign-up post: http://www.smilingshelves.com/home/reading-challenge-sign-ups-round-one
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Julie so happy you are joining in. I too intend looking for connections as I read on. Thanks for sharing a post about it. Helps to get the word out.
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Oh, what a great Challenge, I think I will try It. 🙂
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Great. Look forward to when you join in. I have given plenty of time for us all to get underway. I am still working on my first five!
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Hi Kathryn! I have joined you before and invite you to be my guest, too. I mean it as a compliment, that I would like to try this! I seldom do other people’s challenges anymore. The possibility of a prize definitely makes it worthwhile and your theme is deliciously creative. Please give me time to organize mine but it looks like it will be well-worth getting back to you this month! Looking forward, Carolyn.
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Dear Kathryn
With real-life leaving me little time, I failed miserably at the full-house challenge and have also put my blog on hiatus. However, this seems a very interesting (and low-pressure) challenge, so I am definitely joining. I’ll leave my link (chain of five) in the comments.
Have a very Happy 2019
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That sounds great Neeru. May 2019 be very good to you.
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This looks so fun! I’m definitely in!
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I failed on most of my book challenges last year. It was a terrible year, personally, so my reading suffered too. I’m hoping to join in on this challenge, though, as it seems to have less pressure and might be fun as I try to connect the book I read. I have my first ‘Connect Five’ worked out, but I just have to read the books now!
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All the best with it. I have my first five worked out too, after that I hope its going to be serendipity and that I’ll just find them as I read whatever.
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My first time participating in this challenge! https://miquereads.blogspot.com/2019/01/connect-5-reading-challenge-2019-sign.html?m=1
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Welcome in Dominique. The is an entirely new challenge so first time I’ll be doing it too.
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cool! do the book have to be started after january 1st?
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Books need to be read in 2019, if you started something late 2018 and finished it 2019 that would count.
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i started tons of books in 2016 or even earlier and never finished them 😂
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Oh dear!
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well i read a lot of non-fiction 😀 i also took a break from reading when i travelled in late 2016-early 2017 and i’m only starting to get back into it, i read three books last year (all of which i began in 2016)
so can i participate? i’m trying not to read too many new books lol.
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I think I am going to stick to the rule of must be read in 2019. I’ll reconsider this rule when I set out for the 2020 challenge. So maybe prepare for that!
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Ok lol. i don’t really see a difference between reading a bit in late 2018 and reading the same amount earlier 😀
i won’t sign up officially then but my book reviews are here: https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1767&start=40
i will post a comment if i manage to start and finish 5 different books this year 😀
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I’m in! I just bought a bunch of books, about falling in love with soldiers!
https://bookwinetime.home.blog/2018/12/31/connect-5-a-man-in-uniform/
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Sounds good to me, I have a weakness to for that kind of book!
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This looks like a fun challenge. My blog died a death several years ago. Maybe time to either revive it or start a new one so I can play along.
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Jo yes a blog is good or you can share in a comment, or if on Instagram, a photo and words are good. Love you to play along whichever way.
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This one sounds super unique and interesting. I’m in! Here’s my sign-up post.
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Oh Nicole I am so happy to have you on board.
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I’m in! Just told my readers about the challenge on my blog here:
http://inthebookcase.blogspot.com/2018/12/2019-reading-challenges.html
Can’t wait to start finding connections in my reading! 🙂
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Thank you so much I do so appreciate that.
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I’m excited to join in. https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2018/12/2019-reading-challenges-connect-five.html I’m thinking my first connect five might be books set in India.
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That’s great Becky. Excited to have you join in. Yes for my first connect I am planning it but as the year goes by I am expecting to find serendipity connects between books I wasn’t even looking for!
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Funny, I just read about this challenge on another blog – which of course I can’t remember at the moment – but it interested me then as well. SOoooo , guess I’m in , Kathryn, and look forward to making those 5 Connections along with you 🙂
My mind’s already spinning with ideas… Thanks for hosting the FuN!
ps- will this replace the Full House annual challenge?
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That’s great. Yes I am finishing up the Full House annual challenge at the end of this year.
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Happy to jump in with your new direction – definitely adds interest to making book choices!
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I haven’t done a challenge in a looong time, and this one appeals to me so I think I will try it! I love finding connections between things/
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Sounds perfect Laura, look forward to your joining in.
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This sounds like a fun one. I had some books this year that connected without my planning. Wonder what I could come up with if I put my mind to it. Thanks for a fun idea.
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Yes I intend to plan for the first round but after that it will just be serendipity as to what I find and how the books connect.
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Wow…what a challenge, Kathryn.
Great examples.
You know me and challenges, though, they don’t work well. 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
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That’s okay Elizabeth, although this is a fairly loose challenge where if you can even make five books in the year connected and a photo on instagram linked up – you have achieved!!
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Such a great challenge ^_^
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This sounds like fun and your example connections are great. My chemo brain is preventing me from thinking these through…I think.
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Cool connects 😀
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This sounds like a fun challenge! I’ll try it out in 2019 🙂
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What an interesting challenge.
When I was teaching, I encouraged my students to make connections with books – it is a great exercise indeed.
I could make the same groupings as you did this past year. Will be intersting to see what happens in the new year.
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I know Bev! I think it might be the school teacher side of me!
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Finally made my post. Definitely taking part and have my first connect 5 to read
https://bunnysgirl.blogspot.com/2019/01/connect-five-books-reading-challenge.html
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That’s great Bev.
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I like this! I’ve got a few ideas too 🤔
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Great Jaymi, so happy to hear it.
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What a great challenge!
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I hope it works out, it interests me anyway!!
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They look good!
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