And a brand new year is upon us... How many of you are trying to grow your presence on Instagram in 2018?

It is the fastest growing social media platform, and it's getting harder and harder for people to be noticed on it as the algorithm changes every other day (it feels like it anyway).  But hashtags and building a community are the key, and this is a great way to get your feed into the game.  Especially for all of you book bloggers and booktubers!

So if you're new this month, be sure to say hi! And if you're back to join in the fun again, I'm so glad you decided to stay with us.   This monthly challenge had just over 1,000 photos join in last month!  So yay!


Because it's my birthday month, I have decided that for those of you who join in Read & Gush this January will be entered into a giveaway for a custom made bookmark from Books are Key!  All you have to do is join in the challenge, each day you use our hashtag will count as an entry. And the winner will be announced on February 5, 2018.** (I'm so sorry but this is for USA entries only*)


There is a Book Folding Day again, and here are the links to the video tutorials and free patterns in case you want to give the folding a try.  I know many feel like this ruins books, but let's be honest, there are tons of books sitting sadly on goodwill shelves - grab one of those and transform it!

I hope you will join in... just follow me on Instagram and check it out! And please follow my lovely co-hosts - they are super sweet, you will love them, I promise!

Natelle: Tall_Telle_Tells_Tales
Alice: Alice_in_her_bookland
Kylie: kylielovesbooks

   ReadgushJanuary18

 #ReadGushJan18

1. January TBR - top two books you plan to read this month
2. Superhero day - Happy Book Birthday to Batman Nightwalker by Marie Lu - show of those superhero characters 
3. #WaitingonWednesday - share your list of 2018 book releases you are waiting for
4.  Trivia Day - Tag day - Thank you @tsundokugirl for #readerproblems tag
• How do you decide what to read next?
• If you're halfway through a book and not loving, do you quit or commit?
•  It's near the end of the year, and you're behind on your Goodreads Challenge, how do you catch up?
• How do you cope when the covers of a series you love don't match? 
• Everyone loves a book you hate - who do you bond with over shared feelings?
• How do you cope when you're reading abook in public and you're about to cry?
• A sequel of a book you loved comes out but you've forgotten the prior novel- do you reread, skip the sequel, read the synopsis, or cry in frustration? 
• How do you politely tell people you don't want to lend a book? 
• Of the new releases you're dying to read, how many do you actually buy?
• After buying these books, how long until you actually read them? 
5.  #currentreads 1st book of 2018
6. Goals for 2018 - Reading goals, personal goals... 
7. #shelfiesunday
8. Tag Day - Thank you to @justicereads for this great tag #animalsandbooks 
• Koalas- book tha tmakes you feel emotional/cuddly
• Tigers- book that is ferocious
• Panda Bears- book that is massive
•  Sparrow- book that's light and cheery
• Wolves- book series you love
• Horses- Standalone book you adore
9.  Books with more than 1 author - Happy Book Birthday to Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner!
10. Peculiar People Day - Show of those Peculiar books
11. Emoji Game Day - Share your current read title in only emojis... see if anyone can guess...
12. #FunkoFriday
13. Marissa's Birthday! Narnia & Fairy Tale day (as we all know these are my favs...)
14. #socksunday
15. Diverse Characters 
16. Appreciate a dragon day...
17. Harry Potter Tag day - thank you @tometimetea for this tag #owlexambooktag
• Transfiguration - a book that took you by surprise
• Herbology- a book with flowers on the cover
•  Ancient Runes- a favorite classic book
• Defense against the Dark Arts- a book with a dark theme 
• Astronomy- a book set in space
• Arithmancy- an all time favorite series
• Divination- a book on your TBR you can't wait to get to
18.  Winnie-the-Pooh & AA Milne's Birthday - share your favorite cuddly read, or cozy reading nook...
19. Poetry - Happy Birthday Edgar Allen Poe
20. #stackSaturday
21. Black books
22. Orange books
23. Red books
24. #booksnotbullies - Blue Books
25. Purple books
26. Green books
27. White books
28. #bookfoldinglove - show of those folded book art... check out the tutorial linked above to save your old books!
29. National Puzzle Day - share a book that kept you guessing
30. January Haul
31. Wrap Up - rate those books you read!