HOUR 42: What’s your swiss army book rec? [Challenge]

It’s Hour 42, and if you’ve been here before you know that that means: It’s time for our last challenge, and for some Kristen feelings.

Hour 42 means you’ve done the damn thing all the way through, and that this is my last post, and that we’re wrapping up another round of my favorite weekend on the internet until six months from now.

janet crying I have a lot of feelings around this hour of the ‘thon, because I never want it to end AND I am exhausted AND maybe I’ve cried a bit because you’re all so wonderful AND Kerry and Rachel are the best AND other very important complicated reasons. I CONTAIN MULTITUDES.

Mostly, though, I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you joined us. I’m eternally grateful for this event, my cohosts, and every single one of you readers the world over.

Whether you’re cramming through those last few hours to hit your goal, finish that book, or just generally see this thing through to the end, we know you’ve got some gifs of celebration/applause to share with the winners of our Hour 36 challenge (head over to the prize page to stake your claim, winners!):

Jamie E.

Jules Q @phreneticmind

Becca Scott

Ariel Kirst

Erin Feinstein

Cecilia Grip

Angela N

Chelsea Stephens

Jackie Edwards

Sarah Flourance

Taylor Worley

To round out this shindig, we want you to tell us about your favorite swiss army pick. If you’re not familiar with the lingo, all that means is tell us The Book That You Recommend To Everyone, no matter their book preferences or whether or not they’re generally “a reader”.

You know what we mean, the book you can give your grandma to read and your best friend and your partner and that coworker who stops by your desk and says “So, you read a lot, right? What should I read?”…and no other information.

Here are ours:

: Rachel: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

: Kerry: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

: Kristen: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

If you’re posting a photo of your entry on social media, don’t forget to use the official hashtag #24in48 so other readers can find you, and tag us so we can see!

For this challenge entry, like the others, post your entry on social media/your blog and drop the link in the form. Don’t forget to identify yourself and jot down where we can find you this weekend to validate your entry. We’ll post the winners of this challenge in six hours (Hour 48), so make sure you check back after you entered to see if you won!

Reminder: This 24in48, we’re trying to log every book read this weekend! Track your books as you finish them here, and follow along on Goodreads!

HOUR 36: What’s Your Favorite Food-related Book? [Challenge]

OK, y’all. It’s the final countdown. We’re 3/4 of the way through this thing, and are amazed by every single one of you. Whether you’ve read for two hours or 20 so far, you’re a champion in our eyes, and we love hanging out with you. If you haven’t been, be sure to drop in on the hashtag (#24in48) every once in a while to see what your fellow readers are up to and cheer them on!

Before we continue, it’s time to announce the winners of our Hour 30 challenge! Give your best gif celebration to these readers, and if you see your name below head over to the prize page to stake your claim:

Gretchen Larson

Rachel Purtteman

Allison (@technoblueberry)

Thea Fransen

Susy (@salsa_susy)

Jennifer Edwards

Lynne Kramer

Erin Coughlin

Chessa Hickox

Amanda Leff

Kara Middleton

Brianna Flores

Now is the point of the ‘thon where my brain gets consumed by all the snacks I’ve eaten thus far, and whatever meal is coming next. This year, I’m hanging out in Kerry’s house in the woods, which is always the best because her partner spends the whole weekend leaving us alone to read while making us gads of food.

It usually looks something like this (and yes, that bread is also homemade. I mean, c’mon):

A screenshot of an instagram post of a charcuterie board

Since I’m thinking about food already, for today’s recommendation challenge I want to hear about your favorite, most loved, best ever food-related book.

This can be a food memoir, a collection of food writings, the cookbook that is so food-splattered and stained and falling apart but you’ll never replace it and can’t live without it, the cocktail recipe book that lives on your bar (and that you actually use). Here are a few of ours:

food posts

If you’re posting a photo of your entry on social media, don’t forget to use the official hashtag #24in48 so other readers can find you and add your series to their TBR, and tag us so we can see!

For this challenge entry, like the others, post your entry on social media/your blog and drop the link in the form. Don’t forget to identify yourself and jot down where we can find you this weekend to validate your entry. We’ll post the winners of this challenge in six hours (Hour 42), so make sure you check back after you entered to see if you won!

Don’t forget to check past posts to see if you’ve won, and visit the prize page if you have!

Reminder: This 24in48, we’re trying to log every book read this weekend! Track your books as you finish them here, and follow along on Goodreads!

HOUR 12: Show Us That Bookshelf(ie) [Challenge]

Ring that challenge bell, readers, because we’re one whole quarter of the way through this winter ‘thon, and it’s time for me to interrupt your reading again.

April Ludgate throwing a pencil at Ron Swanson

I’ve got a good reason, though. I’m up and showered and dressed in my 24in48 swag/finery, and it’s time for us to show off our bookshelfies.

For this challenge, all you gotta do is snap a picture of yourself in front of your bookshelf (or shelves, or stack of books threatening to bury you, or at your local library, or next to your nightstand TBR…you get the idea). Strike a pose, include your coffee / snacks, force your furbabies into the photo with you, however the book spirit moves you!

Here’s me and mine!

Host Kristen Coates in front of her bookshelf

Host Kristen Coates in front of her booksshelf

For this challenge entry, post your bookshelfie on social media/your blog and drop the link in the form. Don’t forget to identify yourself and jot down where we can find you this weekend to validate your entry.

If you’re posting a photo of your entry on social media, don’t forget to use the official hashtag #24in48 so other readers can find you, and tag us so we can see! We’ll post the winners of this challenge in six hours (Hour 18), so make sure you check back after you entered to see if you won! You’ve also got until Hour 24 to enter the Intro Survey!

Before you run off to enter and hit the books again, take a moment to cheer on the winners from our first challenge (Hour 6: What Your Book Starts With):

AmbWitch

Tori M. (@tori_flies)

Coleen Burns

Kay Will

Suzanne Wiggins

Diane Lupton

Tamine Rasse

Dani Moth

Monica Corwin

Cinda Schulberg

Crystal Cline

Caroline Ward-Nesbit

🚨 You must be officially signed up to be eligible for door prizes and challenge prizes, and you have until the end of day one to do so. You can search the participant list here to make sure you’re signed up, or if you know that you aren’t, go right to the sign-up form. 🚨

Reminder: This 24in48, we’re trying to log every book read this weekend! Track your books as you finish them here, and follow along on Goodreads!

HOUR 6: What Your Book Starts With [Challenge]

Y’ALL. It’s time to yell about the fact that we’re six hours into this thing (if you’re following the official readathon timeclock it’s 6AM ET)!

The winter 24in48 always feels so cozy, and makes that first, early morning, steaming cup of coffee taste more delicious. Whether you’re just waking up continuing your streak after starting at midnight/Hour 0, we’re so thrilled to have you that we are celebrating with OUR FIRST CHALLENGE.

A gif of Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, and Tan France from Netflix’s Queer Eye celebrating gleefully on a couch

🚨 One quick note before I give you the deets: you must be officially signed up to be eligible for door prizes and challenge prizes, and you have until the end of day one to do so. You can search the participant list here to make sure you’re signed up, or if you know that you aren’t, go right to the sign-up form. 🚨

This year, I wanted to kick our challenges off by having you turn to the beginning of whatever book you’re reading now—or any book in your 24in48 stack. Flip through those opening pages, and read over any dedications, epigraphs (a short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter), and opening lines you find.

Pay attention to which ones stir something in you, whether it’s a short laugh, a deep breath, an extra heartbeat. That, right there, is what we want you to share with us.

The dedication to SAWKILL GIRLS by Claire Legrand

For this challenge entry, you can either post a photo of your chosen book-opening text or first line on social media/your blog and drop the link in the form, or type up the text itself and submit it that way.

No matter which way you choose, don’t forget to identify yourself and jot down where we can find you this weekend to validate your entry.

If you’re posting a photo of your entry on social media, don’t forget to use the official hashtag #24in48 so other readers can find you, and tag us so we can see! We’ll post the winners of this challenge in six hours (Hour 12), so make sure you check back after you entered to see if you won! You’ve also got until Hour 24 to enter the Intro Survey!

Reminder: This 24in48, we’re trying to log every book read this weekend! Track your books as you finish them here, and follow along on Goodreads!