The LitJoy 2019 Reading Challenge {FREE Printable}

My reading this year did not go as planned! I wanted to read 48 books and I only managed to read 26. I think that I set my goal a little lofty, especially with a two-year-old who I had to potty train twice (and 5 other kids – I know, I’m crazy) and lots of author events and finishing another book. So this year, I thought I would scale back on the number of books I’m planning on reading, and read differently, having more quality than quantity. That being said, I have put together this reading challenge for LitJoy Crate with a list of books – 16, to be exact – that will help book lovers everywhere branch out, while still staying true to their favorites.

This FREE printable should keep you plenty busy as you fill it out and read throughout the year. LitJoy would love to hear from you all year long, so don’t forget to tag #litjoyreadingchallenge to let us see what you’re reading. If you want to fill it out now and take a picture of your goals, we’d love to see what books you’ve come up with!

The LitJoy Crate 2019 Reading Challenge {Right click the .jpg above and save -OR- use this PDF. Then print and enjoy!}

I’m excited to get started on my list. I know a few of these I will conquer with some of my book club books, but the rest might take a bit of work to find! I hope you have fun completing the challenge.

Books=Love

XoXo,

Robin

About the Author: Robin M. King is the author of three young adult novels (Remembrandt Series), devourer of books, and lover of brownie batter and cheesy superhero shows.

Catwoman vs. Wonder Woman

If you haven’t guessed it yet, I LOVE superheroes. So far I’ve celebrated Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman. But we’ve been waiting for nearly a year for one of our favorite authors, Sarah J. Maas, to bring us CATWOMAN! This new book is in the in the DC Icons series, a group of stand-alone young adult novels written by megastar authors. These books are a collection of coming-of-age stories centered around Wonder Woman, Batman, Catwoman and Superman.

Our Author heroes: Matt de la Peña, Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, & Sarah J. Maas

In their latest LitJoy Live, Debra and Alix take on questions from YOU about Catwoman and Wonder Woman. And, yes, they do love to dress up. On a regular basis. Enjoy!

Catwoman: Soul Stealer by Sarah J. Maas is the third book in the young adult series DC Icons series (just barely released!). If you’ve ever read anything by Sarah J. Maas, you know that only something fantastic can come from this book. Sarah’s Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses have been #1 bestsellers. This Catwoman book is sizzling with action and suspense as it tells a coming-of-age story of Selina Kyle who will steal readers’ hearts as she plans the heist of a century. Sarah J. Maas helped curate this crate, so if you want to make sure you get a LitJoy Exclusive signed book and all the goodies that come with our boxes, you can get this crate here. Or, better yet, subscribe to our YA box and you can get this crate and one each month (for however many months you want it – or forever because once you get one, you’ll always want to keep ’em coming).

The last book in the series is one that I can’t wait for because of my unhealthy obsession with the television series Smallville and every Superman movie ever made. I may even be wearing an “S” on my chest as I write this . . . The newest Superman installment is going to be written by the great Matt de la Peña. To tell you how cool this author is, his last book, Last Stop on Market Street, earned him the Newbery Award, one of the greatest awards an author can receive!

Let us know what you love about Catwoman and Wonder Woman. We’d also love to hear your feedback about this crate. Just email us at hello@litjoycrate.com! And don’t forget to check out our shop for some of the items we included with our Wonder Woman and Batman crates!

Books=Love

XoXo,

Robin

About the Author: Robin M. King is one of our LitJoy curators and readers as well as the author of three young adult novels (Remembrandt Series), devourer of books, and lover of brownie batter.

Author Stalker: Mary Watson, Author of The Wren Hunt

Meeting authors is so much fun. Author Mary Watson is no exception! She took over the LitJoy Crate Instagram account and I couldn’t be more pleased to see some of the inspiration for the setting of her book, The Wren Hunt (I love Ireland!) and to hear her amazing accent. 

Mary Watson grew up in Cape Town where she worked as an art museum custodian, library assistant, actress in children’s musicals, front-of-house duty manager, and university lecturer. She earned her doctorate in film studies and has always been obsessed with stories.

Mary wrote her first book (with illustrations) when she was five. When she was sixteen, she had a vivid dream about a girl and her father who walked in a magic garden, hiding an awful secret. This grew into a collection of connected short stories, Moss (Kwela, 2004) which she wrote under the mentorship of André Brink at the University of Cape Town. She was awarded the Caine Prize in 2006. Her second book, The Cutting Room (Penguin South Africa, 2013), is about ghosts and crime. 

She moved to Galway, Ireland in 2008. After writing The Cutting Room, she wanted to write a fantasy. After her youngest child was born, she found reading YA books kept her awake during the long nights. She was lost in stories of brave girls. Of magic worlds and dystopias, zombies and vampires, queens and assassins while (almost) everyone around her slept. It was here that the first seeds of The Wren Hunt were planted.

To learn more about Mary and her books, check out her website or read The Wren Hunt which is included in LitJoy's Fortunes and Folklore crate. The book is signed! 

Fortunes and Folklore crate which includes The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson. Photo Credit: @chapter_break