When it comes to challenges, I’m so easy to convince and thanks to Jean at Howling Frog Books, I’ve decided to join the 2019 Chunkster Challenge!  This challenge is hosted by Becky at Becky’s Book Reviews.  While I’m hesitant to add another challenge, I have quite a few chunkster’s tabled for 2019 that it sort of makes sense to join.  See how I manage quite easily to argue myself into it? 😀
The rules for the 2019 Chunkster Challenge are somewhat complex so I’m setting them down here. Â It’s all based on a point system:
Basics:
- Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels over 450 pages — 3 points
- Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels over 700 pages — 5 points
- Adult Novels over 450 pages — 5 points
- Adult Novels over 825 pages — 10 points
- Nonfiction over 450 pages, any age audience — 5 points
- Anthologies (short stories, plays, essays, sermons, poetry) over 450 pages, any audience, 3 points*
- Omnibus edition of an author’s work over 450 pages, 3 points**
Bonuses:
- If you complete an entire series and each of the books in the series qualifies as a chunkster, you earn an additional bonus point.
- If you read four or more (series OR non-series books) by the same author–each one qualifying as a chunkster–you earn an additional bonus point.
- If you read a chunkster that has been translated into English, you earn an additional bonus point.
- If you read two or more new-to-you authors, you earn an additional bonus point.
- For every chunkster classic you read that was published before 1800, you earn an extra two points.
- For every chunkster classic you read that was published before 1900, you earn an extra one point.
- If you choose to make a list, you can give yourself an extra point every time you finish a book from the list.
Some books I have in mind for the challenge are:
- Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
- The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy
- City of God
- Moby Dick
- The Red Horse
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- The Mill on the Floss
- Great Expectations
- Roughing It In The Bush
The last time I joined a Chunkster Challenge was in 2014.  My goal was to read 5-6 chunksters and I read 11 so it was a big success.  I’m skeptical of reaching 100 points with this one but perhaps I will if you all cheer loudly enough! 😉
(YAY, WHISTLE, GOFORIT!!) sounds like a laudable plan! and it should be a lot of fun!
Thanks, Mudpuddle! Reading fun is what I’m looking for! 🙂
Good luck! I’m hopeful for the 100 points yet I’ve still not cracked open a chunkster. Mind it’s only the 2nd (it just feels like it should be a little later in the month for some reason!) 🙂
I haven’t really started a Chunkster yet either. I guess I’d better get to it. I’ve been cleaning today and somehow the day has slipped away …
Hunchback has been on my shelves for YEARS — over a decade, at least. Curious what you think, if you get to it this year.
I loved Les Mis so much that I’m afraid to read any more Hugo because I still want books of his I haven’t read. Silly, isn’t it? If I get to it, I will certainly report back!
I’ve experienced this before…fear of reading a less than stellar book from same author after an amazing one.
Do you have books already on tap that you’re planning to read to slot into this, or are you going to be adding to your tbr just for this challenge?
I do have books on tap that I know I’m going to read like Moby Dick, Tristram Shandy, City of God, New York, The Mysteries of Udolpho, and Bleak House so I think I’m pretty safe for not embarrassing myself. Then again …. 😉
Cheer! Cheer! I’ve declared for this one as well, though I’m hoping but not counting on 100 points.
Yay, Reese! As Jean said, join us and we’ll conquer the blogosphere! It will be nice to have others we know along for the chunkster ride. 🙂
Wow, good luck with City of God. I gave up on that one! I might join this.
Thanks, Beth! I’m going to finish it even if it exhausts me! Please join! The more, the merrier!
Er….another challenge???!! Ok!! Go for it Cleo! I know you can DO IT!! Whistle!! Ra-Ra-Ra!
Oh come on! And I think I might have one more to go …. :-O
hahhahha!! Seriously Cleo! You can do this! If anyone can, you can!!
Oh dear… I was just looking at this challenge the other day… the peer pressure is on. 😀 It doesn’t help that I’m slated to read Moby-Dick, Bonhoeffer, and Monte Cristo.
Oh, peer pressure, peer pressure! Jean started it. If you’re already reading chunksters, you may as well go for it! As long as you don’t feel you have to hit 100 points, it will be fine. 😉
LOL, Cleo, so many challenges! I’m actually almost a little envious of your optimism–I’m too busy feeling like I don’t have enough time. When planning out my TBR challenge list one of the goals was to actually AVOID chunksters! But I am tempted by The Hunchback of Notre Dame; I was just thinking the other day that I really need to try some Hugo. Good luck and enjoy!
Oh my, and I might have one more coming …
I ALWAYS feel like I don’t have enough time but I’ve learned to enjoy it! 😉 Perhaps you can join in IF you see me reading The Hunchback. I don’t have it set in stone and I have a number of others before it but you never know!
Hey, I like the points system! My husband was lamenting over the Goodreads challenge, and I pointed out hat a picture book equals a Victorian novel.
I like the point system too (the bookkeeper in me) as long as I don’t expect to reach 100. The Goodreads challenge works if your eyes aren’t bigger than your stomach. But if they are, then you have so much pressure to complete it and you can end up not really enjoying your books because you’re rushing to get through them. But yes, a picture book is a book, right? Hence my picture book challenge! I was a little bit of a wimp with my Goodreads challenge of 35 books. I should go and up that …. 😀
Woohoo, more company! Thanks for joining me. 🙂
Thanks for unknowingly peer pressuring so many of us, lol! 😉
These challenges are all so tempting! What reader doesn’t love making a book list? Good luck in reaching 100 points. You’ve picked out some really interesting titles. 😀
I like book lists but I’m always hesitant because I often don’t follow them. If I reach 100 I’ll be shocked but you never know, right? 🙂
I’ll admit that those bigger books can sometimes be intimidating. This seems like a great challenge to encourage you to pick them up!
I usually end up reading a number of tomes during the year without even trying so hopefully I can accumulate some points! 🙂
I used to avoid chunksters but then I discovered audiobooks and I’m no longer intimidated by the page -or hour!- count. Go for it.
Oh, I envy you! I have such trouble listening to audiobooks because my mind wanders. It’s all training though, so I’m trying to listen to them and my attention is improving. Kudos to you for figuring out another chunkster challenge! 😉