Reading challenges galore; #Woolfalong, #Begorrathon16, The 1938 club and Mary Hocking reading week.

We do love our challenges don’t we – but it simply isn’t possible to join in everything. My #Woolfalong will continue all year of course with people dropping in and out as suits them. The first phase has a couple of weeks to go – and I have enjoyed it enormously. Lots of people using the hashtag and joining in the conversation on Twitter – long may it continue. I have a separate page on my blog with details of the schedule – and will post a short round up/discussion post toward the end of each two month period.

There are though, a couple of other reading events coming up that I really want to join in with – most of you will probably know about them already.

In March Cathy at 742 books is co-hosting Reading Ireland Month,( also known as #Begorrathon16) when I stopped to think about it – I have two Anne Enright, a William Trevor two Elizabeth Bowen and several Molly Keane books tbr – whether or not I manage to read more than one remains to be seen. You can read more about the event over on Cathy’s blog and that of her co-host Raging Fluff.

Last year Simon and Karen brought us the 1924 club – what a fabulous idea – to have people reading a variety of books all first published in 1924. In April this year we will have the 1938 club. I know I have at least two books from that year tbr – as well as a number of books from 1938 I could re-read. The 1938 club will take place from 11th – 17th April – the week following my own next reading event.

At the risk of boring you all senseless about Mary Hocking, having posted a Mary Hocking review just a couple of days ago – I wanted to give you a bit of warning about the next Mary Hocking reading week. For the last two years, my Mary Hocking reading event was in June, June had no significance at all it was just a month I plumped for. However I didn’t feel June was the best fit this year – Bello are bringing out twelve Mary Hocking books in a couple of weeks’ time, and Mary’s birthday was April 8th.

So I have decided to have Mary Hocking reading week April 3rd – 9th. Now for those of you joining in Karen and Simon’s 1938 (April 11th-17th) it might be a bit of a squeeze – but I know lots of you voracious readers out there will manage both – I certainly intend to. Perhaps those of you who haven’t been able to join in with reading Mary Hocking week in the past will be able to take advantage of the lovely new Bello editions available as print on demand editions or as ebooks, the ebooks especially good value.