Announcements AtoZ Reading Challenge

2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge | 4th Annual

September 5, 2020
2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge

Good morning, bookpups🐾 How are you today? Are you ready for another year of alphabet-inspired reading? I know I am! Let’s get ready for the 2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge!

The weather here is turning cooler (I hate you, Mr. Winter) and the little minions are heading back to school (any other mamas terrified as I am??) so guess what that means? Time for another AtoZ Reading Challenge! Like I said last year, I think the AtoZ Challenge is about the only thing I like when it comes to the end of the year (well, that and Christmas books … and movies … and the food around the holidays … wait, will there be holidays this year??)

Let’s rewind, shall we?

Bookstacks & Golden Moms

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What is the AtoZ Reading Challenge?

If you’re new here, this is probably the first question on your lips … am I right? The answer is super simple …

The AtoZ Reading Challenge is a laid-back, year-long reading challenge. It encourages readers to choose a book starting with each letter of the alphabet.

We started this challenge back in 2018 as a way to fill in the gaps of our Review Indexes. In Year Four, we’re finally sticking to the description and making this a laid-back challenge. 26 books, optional mini-challenges, and a Facebook Group full of booklovers.

Yes, the AtoZ Challenge is in its 4th year!

I am so shocked and excited about this! The AtoZ Challenge is starting its 4th year! Over the last three years, we’ve switched blogs twice, been forced to change the End of the Year Giveaway because of a scammer, and made quite a few little tweaks to the challenge along the way. Now, as we start Year Four, I think we’ve FINALLY got most of the kinks worked out 🤞

The Mini-Challenges Are Staying!

We have had so much fun with the mini-challenges (fondly referred to as minis) this year that we’ve decided to keep them going 😄 Like 2020, we’re going to make things simple and have a master list for the minis.

JANUARY – A book you purchased in 2020 but didn’t read
FEBRUARY – A book with non-romantic love (siblings, parent-child, friendships)
MARCH – A book written by a person of a different race than you
APRIL – A book with an Autistic main character (April is Autism Awareness)
MAY – A book about a nurse (Nat. Nurses Week 2021 is May 6-12)
JUNE – A co-written book (2 authors)
JULY – A Christmas book (Christmas in July!)
AUGUST – A book by an Indie author (self-published or independent)
SEPTEMBER – A memoir/biography
OCTOBER – A book written by a new-to-you author
NOVEMBER – A book outside your normal genre
DECEMBER – A backlist title (published BEFORE Jan 1, 2021)

2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge books in a tree

End of the Year Giveaway

Yes, the End of the Year Giveaway is another thing we are keeping. As with previous years, each book submitted to the challenge link-up will be entered for a chance to win ONE BOOK OF YOUR CHOOSING ON AMAZON OR BOOK DEPOSITORY, UP TO A $25 USD VALUE. (No purchase necessary to win). We will not be giving away a gift card (like we did the first year … that one bit us in the ass).

AtoZ Challenge on Social Media

If you’d rather participate in the 2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge on social media, there are a couple different ways to do that …

Join the Bookstacked Readers Group on FB (we will post mini-challenge prompts and you can share your reviews here)
Use the #2021AtoZReadingChallenge hashtag on Instagram (or Twitter, if you like … we don’t use Twitter, though)

And that’s it 😄 Sign-up for the 2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge in the comments below, share the post so others can join us, and share your challenge TBR!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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100 Comments

  • Reply Kate @ Bitch Bookshelf September 6, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    Sounds like fun! I’m making a note of this and definitely participating in 2021. 💕

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms September 6, 2020 at 6:33 pm

      We’d be happy to have you join us!

      • Reply Jessica Schoenly January 16, 2021 at 8:27 am

        I am participating in the A to Z challenge for 2021. I follow you on Facebook. I tried to sign up on here as well, but couldn’t figure out how to do it.

  • Reply Bianca September 7, 2020 at 3:11 am

    I’m not good with reading challenges. I’m too much of a mood reader.

    • Reply Kimberly Burk December 15, 2020 at 8:57 pm

      That’s why I like to take the whole year to do a challenge, and not in the month that might be specified. Still, it’s fun to try to fill in the prompts with the books I WANT to read!

  • Reply Ashleigh September 8, 2020 at 12:10 am

    Sounds like fun

  • Reply DJ Sakata September 9, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    I am so lazy, I always start this great guns and then start to forget the last few letters 🙂 I need to clean up my act and finish up my 2020 list!

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms September 10, 2020 at 11:49 am

      I’m about halfway through the list and actually pretty proud of myself (usually, I only read a couple books and then completely forget about participating).

      • Reply DJ Sakata September 11, 2020 at 10:12 pm

        So it’s not just me then 😉

      • Reply Jane Petrie October 15, 2020 at 12:41 am

        Sounds fun, I’m in.

        • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms October 15, 2020 at 11:23 am

          Great!

          • Sharon Angle-Boyer November 22, 2020 at 8:20 am

            I am so excited to try this again! Hoping 2021 will be a better reading year!

        • Reply Camille November 17, 2020 at 9:09 pm

          I would like to join the challenge this year.

  • Reply Robin Loves Reading September 10, 2020 at 4:52 am

    I absolutely love reading challenges and participate in several of them each month.

  • Reply Natalie September 18, 2020 at 2:06 am

    I’d love to join you on this. I love reading challenges.

  • Reply Jamie September 18, 2020 at 9:18 pm

    I’m in again!

  • Reply Shelleen Toland October 12, 2020 at 9:35 am

    Sounds like fun.

  • Reply vidya October 13, 2020 at 12:47 am

    I know I have a lot of the letters done for both the a to z and the children’s a to z, but I just have not linked those books to the challenges yet.. 🙂

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms October 15, 2020 at 11:23 am

      The year is still open 🙂 You have until the end of December to link up.

      • Reply vidya October 21, 2020 at 1:50 am

        🙂 i hope to link up soon!!

  • Reply Stacy October 15, 2020 at 3:01 am

    Stumbled on your site looking for reading challenges for the new year. I’m in and hoping for a better year in 2021.

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms October 15, 2020 at 11:19 am

      You and I both! I’m glad that you found us 🙂 This is the first year I have even come close to finishing the AtoZ Challenge (and we’re the ones who created it!). How sad is that?

  • Reply Linda S. Trussell October 31, 2020 at 7:18 am

    This looks like fun, count me in!

  • Reply Elba M Sosa November 2, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    First time participant, I love these challenges because it helps me organize my TBR. Do we have to do it in the alphabet order?

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms December 6, 2020 at 6:55 pm

      Absolutely not! Any order works 🙂 I am planning to do the most difficult letters first next year. But who knows!

  • Reply Caitlin Theroux November 4, 2020 at 3:03 pm

    I’ll take as many challenges as I can get, cuz I figure I need to stick more books into mental slots!

  • Reply DesiRae Jones November 5, 2020 at 11:43 am

    I’m so in, I usually fail at reading challenges cause I tend to be an “in the moment” picker. But I want to break that cycle next year. 😀

  • Reply Snowflake November 8, 2020 at 1:22 pm

    So excited to join….

    • Reply Snowflake November 8, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      i started before I joined, what do you do for letters that you can’t find a book you want to read?

      • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms December 6, 2020 at 6:54 pm

        Ask for recommendations. The goal is to read one book with a title beginning with each letter.

  • Reply Michelle November 8, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    I’d like to join ! I was just accepted to the Facebook group!

  • Reply Katie@Holidaze November 13, 2020 at 12:37 pm

    I was looking for reading challenges for 2021 and this caught my eye. I am signing up! TY for hosting.

  • Reply Cathy Clarke November 13, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Looking forward to this challenge in 2021. Joined your FB group as well.

  • Reply Sara Kovach November 14, 2020 at 1:16 pm

    Yes! Definitely joining in!

  • Reply Blair November 14, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    I wold love to join this for 2021.

  • Reply Sharon Angle-Boyer November 15, 2020 at 11:59 am

    I am so ready for a clean slate so excited for 2021! Going to be the year I crush my TBR

  • Reply Diana November 16, 2020 at 8:44 am

    I will participating too, 2021 will be my third year doing this challenge!

  • Reply Traci November 16, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    I just found your your challenge through girlxoxo and am excited to add you to my challenges for 2021. I will be doing my challenge posts on my blog soon and will link back to this site

    ps can you please delete my previous comment with my last name 🙂

  • Reply Jan November 17, 2020 at 6:09 am

    How about feb reading a book by a person of color.

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms December 6, 2020 at 6:52 pm

      For most caucasian readers, this would be March’s mini-challenge (a person of a different race than you). We aren’t going to promote one race over the other, as that is only prolonging the separation.

  • Reply Kristy Wrightson November 17, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    Sounds like fun!

  • Reply Cristy November 17, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    So for the mini challenges you have to do one each month correct

  • Reply Nicole November 20, 2020 at 5:29 am

    I am looking forward to this challenge and the mini challenges as well.

  • Reply Micah November 22, 2020 at 1:10 am

    Joining in for 2021 but will be logging everything on Goodreads, as I don’t have Facebook! Is there a goodreads group?? Thank you for putting together a lovely reading challenge!

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms December 6, 2020 at 6:49 pm

      There’s not a GR group. I’ll see what else we can come up with 🙂 Most of our participation is going to be on FB or Instagram.

  • Reply Karen E Ivins December 1, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    Looking for a challenge that doesn’t box me in too much.. I want to like what I’m reading! I think I’d like to give this challenge a try!

  • Reply Traci December 1, 2020 at 5:09 pm

    I’ve posted my blog entry announcing my participation for this year. Thanks for hosting

    https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspot.com/2020/11/alphabet-fun.html

  • Reply Carla December 2, 2020 at 11:48 am

    I will sign right up, this sounds very fun! I’ll plan on joining the FB group, but most of my participation will be on Instagram (@PopCultureLiterary) with cross-posts to Litsy (@KenyaZero).

  • Reply Susan (Bloggin' 'bout Books) December 4, 2020 at 10:21 pm

    Sounds fun! Just wanted to let you know that I posted this challenge on my new reading challenge central blog – readyforareadingchallenge.blogspot.com.

  • Reply Ginger December 5, 2020 at 12:42 am

    I’m in! Excited, this will be my first challenge!

  • Reply Sapph X December 6, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    First year participating, but eager to jump in.

  • Reply Kelley December 8, 2020 at 7:41 pm

    Is commenting all we need to do to join? I’m excited to give this a try!!

  • Reply Krista December 11, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    Super excited to participate!

  • Reply Siv December 12, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Sounds like fun – I will do my best 🙂

  • Reply Teresa Maiden December 15, 2020 at 11:55 pm

    Can’t wait to get started!

  • Reply Nagma December 16, 2020 at 1:43 am

    So excited to participate in this challenge!

  • Reply Sharon Angle-Boyer December 16, 2020 at 6:22 am

    Looking forward to trying it again this year!!

  • Reply Mru December 17, 2020 at 3:16 am

    I’d love to do this, please count me in.

  • Reply Helen C Murdoch December 22, 2020 at 7:05 pm

    I am signing up for this challenge and really looking forward to it. Here’s my sign up post (I am avoiding FB these days so thought I’d leave the link here). http://www.helensbookblog.com/2020/12/2021-to-z-reading-challenge-sign-up.html

  • Reply Deborah December 23, 2020 at 9:51 pm

    I’m in – excited to be participating this year! Onward to books and 2021!!!!

  • Reply Rachel Alexandre December 24, 2020 at 12:10 pm

    I’m IN

  • Reply Dana Robbins December 26, 2020 at 8:52 am

    I am going to do it!

  • Reply Laura P December 27, 2020 at 1:14 pm

    Cannot wait to participate in 2021! I’m planning participating in the mini challenges as well!

  • Reply Marsha Williams December 28, 2020 at 11:45 pm

    I am in again. I joined last year in March and only got 8 books done. Goal this year is to improve on that!

  • Reply lisa jung December 31, 2020 at 11:14 am

    I am joining in.

  • Reply Debbie December 31, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    I love a good challenge. I’m in!

  • Reply LAURIE STOKES January 1, 2021 at 3:54 am

    Yes count me in for the challenge again this year!

  • Reply Shonna Froebel January 1, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    Looking forward to trying this challenge. Here is my sign-up link https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2021/01/a-to-z-reading-challenge-2021.html

  • Reply Tarissa January 2, 2021 at 12:19 am

    I’d like to sign up! (So excited that I accidentally found your blog again from another book blog. I couldn’t finish 2020’s challenge, ever since your old website went down.) I was extremely surprised to find your new blog — and VERY HAPPY!! Thanks for doing this challenge again.

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms January 2, 2021 at 9:46 am

      We moved everything over to this blog. So sorry for the confusion about the old website. This one is here to stay and we’re so glad you’ve found us again!

  • Reply Jo Linsdell January 2, 2021 at 1:29 am

    I’m in again. I got so close in 2020.

  • Reply Deborah Weber January 2, 2021 at 9:49 am

    I enjoyed playing in 2020 and look forward to another round through the alphabet this year. Such fun!

  • Reply Emily Burrow January 2, 2021 at 9:59 am

    I will be joining! What a great challenge that I can do while reading what I want.

  • Reply Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading January 2, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    I am going to give this challenge a try.

  • Reply Lisa January 2, 2021 at 3:09 pm

    Can’t wait to join in this year

  • Reply Kate @ Bitch Bookshelf January 2, 2021 at 3:42 pm

    I *think* I already commented, but wanted to check back with my link to my books!

  • Reply Rachel January 2, 2021 at 6:18 pm

    Excited to do this one again this year! https://frominktopaper.com/2021/01/02/2021-reading-challenges/

  • Reply Heather Rix-Packard January 2, 2021 at 7:35 pm

    I’ve got my mom and sisters on board! We’re excited!

  • Reply Nicole January 4, 2021 at 12:35 pm

    I’m doing it! Looking forward to the mini challenges too!

  • Reply Karen January 4, 2021 at 7:37 pm

    This sounds like fun and simple, too! I’m in!

  • Reply Emily January 5, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    I would like to join!

  • Reply ANGELA PUTT January 5, 2021 at 4:09 pm

    Signing up for the challenge

  • Reply Neeru January 8, 2021 at 11:31 pm

    Hi. I’d love to sign up for the challenge. Just wanted to know about book titles starting with the articles: A, A, & The. Do we disregard the articles?

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms January 9, 2021 at 11:37 am

      Example: Book title is “A Monkey’s Banana”. This book would be classified as “Monkey’s Banana, A” and would fall under “M”. Does that make sense? This is the same for An and The, as well 🙂

      • Reply Neeru January 9, 2021 at 10:14 pm

        Thanks. This is what I wanted to know. A couple more: What about pesky letters like X and Q? And do we link up the books as we review them or just a wrap-up post at the year’s end? Sorry to bother you like this but this is the first time I am doing this challenge.

        • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms January 16, 2021 at 8:25 am

          You can link the books anytime you like. The linky is open all year long and there will only be one linky. And what about X and Q? Do you need recommendations or … ?

  • Reply Sue at Book By Book January 9, 2021 at 5:17 pm

    Joining the AtoZ Challenge for the first time, though I’ve had my eye on it for a while! Here’s my 2021 Challenges page:

    https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2021-reading-challenges.html

    Thanks for hosting the challenge – I’m looking forward to it!

    Sue
    Book By Book

  • Reply Neeru January 10, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    Hello. Here’s my sign-up post for the challenge: https://ahotcupofpleasureagain.wordpress.com/2021/01/10/sign-up-atoz-reading-challenge/

    Really looking forward to the challenge. Thanks for hosting.

  • Reply Tarissa January 13, 2021 at 11:54 pm

    Quick question! As I read each book for the AtoZ reading challenge, should I drop my review links anywhere? or should I just keep updating the list on my blog until the end of the year?

    • Reply Bookstacks & Golden Moms January 16, 2021 at 8:21 am

      That is entirely up to you. There’s only one link-up for the year so it doesn’t make much of a difference 🙂

  • Reply Cris January 19, 2021 at 12:25 am

    I’ll join you! The A to Z Challenge is just what I need this year… not sure how many mini challenges I’ll complete, but I’ll aim for a few! Will link up a post soon.

  • Reply Jennifer Thompson January 21, 2021 at 7:19 am

    Hi! Sign me up for your a-z challenge please! I’m also doing popsugar, mount tbr and virtual mount tbr on goodreads, and maybe the book hoarder challenge on Facebook as well but I read 100 books last year so one more challenge couldn’t hurt 😁

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