I interrupt this regularly scheduled reading time to discuss one of the many booknerd problems.

It’s the Murphy’s Law for readers—it’s inevitable that if you place holds on multiple books, no matter how many people have also requested the various books, all of your library holds will come in at the same.

Last weekend, I prepped for the Summer Reading Challenge. I plan on completing all 23 prompts, but of course, I don’t own books that meet all 23 prompts. From my personal collection, I had books that met 13 of the prompts. So I placed holds on 12 books to meet the prompts.

I reserved these 121 books on Sunday.

And if you caught on to the fact that I had more books than prompts, well, you’re correct. Because two books I chose for two prompts had what I thought would be a long hold time. And so, I chose a second book for those prompts just in case.

Since the reading challenge started on Memorial Day, I started with the books I already own that also met the fantasy requirement of Wyrd & Wonder (since it went through May 31). I read The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (novella) and Before the Coffee Gets Cold (translation), and I listened to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (Libro.fm audiobook).

On Wednesday, I got an email from my local branch of the DC Library that I had books to pick up. But I didn’t read the email other than to see it was from the library to tell me that a hold had arrived.

When I got to the library, I found that 5 out of 12 holds had arrived.

That’s right, FIVE book at one time.

Okay, I thought, not a problem. The DC Library has a 21-day loan period for books.

(And, I have also since learned that the DC Library also allows you to check out up to 50 books at one time. Why so many? No idea. Maybe for families with a lot of kids?)

Anyway, I figured easy day, that I would just start with these 5.

Then on Thursday morning, I got another email from the library. More holds had come in.

That’s right, FIVE more books.

Ten books in 21 days.

Doable? Yes. But that means a lot of rading.

Now, you may be thinking that libraries normally allow patrons to renew loans. Yes, that’s true. The DC Library will auto-renew books for another 21 days up to 5 times. But a book only renews if no one else has requested it. And I can’t see, in looking at my library account, which books have been requested.

That means I have to get to reading, reading, reading.

The key, I’ve found, is to read strategically. I started with the middle grade, YA, and shortest books. Books that I can finish quickly.

Since Friday, I have read Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (cozy mystery), The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (published by an indie press), King and the Dragonflies (National Book award winner from the past 5 years), Flamer (middle grade or YA graphic novel), and War Dances (PEN/Faulkner award winner).

In other words, I’ve spent the weekend reading.

Several of these actually fit more than one prompt. But I decided to only use 1 book per prompt. (East City Bookshop didn’t have any rules posted for the Summer Reading Challenge. I assume it was to make the challenge flexible, friendly, and fun.)

Next up is one of the Elizabeth Acevedo books (local DMV author). I checked out both because so many people recommended The Poet X to me, but it had what I thought would be a long wait time. So I also put on hold With the Fire on High. And yet, The Poet X came in first.

Go figure.

Now back to your regularly scheduled reading! But don’t forget to check back to see how my challenge progress is going.

You can find all my Summer Reading Challenge Books on my Bookshop.org page.

Share your summer reading books in the comments below.

Bookshop links are affiliate links (more information on affiliate links). All other links are simply for your reference.