2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Long long ago, I used to be super active on Goodreads and reads hundreds of books a year. Then, I got in a gnarly car accident and everything went upside down.

This year I’m trying to find my place back in the community here and back into books. My goal is 50 books, last year I only managed 8, yikes. Additional goals are 10000 pages and to read at least 30 books that have been on my TBR anytime before Jan 1 of this year.

CURRENTLY AT
50 of 50 books
11,665 of 10,000 pages read
26 of 30 books from TBR list

Hi Tima, so sorry to hear about your car accident, hope you recuperated well. Good to hear you are finding your way back to reading and the GR community!
Wishing you the best of luck with your goal and above all, happy reading!!

Susy wrote: "Hi Tima, so sorry to hear about your car accident, hope you recuperated well. Good to hear you are finding your way back to reading and the GR community!
Wishing you the best of luck with your goal..."

Thank you so much Susy, for the well wishes and encouragement! Looking forward to getting my lists and goals set up in here and sharing what I have read so far this year.

*Since I’m late to the game, this is where I’ll update my master list of books.

1) Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me by Ellen Forney
- on TBR list since 03/19/15, 5 stars
2) Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Forney
- on TBR list since 10/31/17, 5 stars
3) What We Left Behind by Robin Talley
- on TBR list since 11/01/17, 3 stars
4) One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf *book club read*, 3 stars
5) Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser
- on TBR list since 11/18/17, 3 stars
6) I'm Just a Person by Tig Notaro
- on TBR list since 10/08/17, 4 stars
7) You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson
- on TBR list since 10/08/17, 4 stars
8) Adulthood Is a Myth by Sarah Andersen
- on TBR list since 11/15/17, 4 stars
9) Stranger Than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer
- on TBR list since 11/09/17, 4 stars
10) Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones
- on TBR list since 04/12/2016, 4 stars
11) The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal by Laurie Notaro
- on TBR list since 05/02/2012, 2 stars
12) Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen
- on TBR list since 12/05/2017, 4 stars
13) Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman
- on TBR list since 10/05/2015, 5 stars
14) The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill
5 stars
15) Landline by Rainbow Rowell
- on TBR list since 12/05/2017, 3 stars
16) Yes Please by Amy Poehler
- on TBR list since 11/02/2014, 3 stars
17) The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman
- on TBR list since 01/21/2014, 3 stars

Book 17 -- The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman

On TBR list since: 01/21/2014
Completed on: March 1st

I am sorry I am a little late on your welcome Tima! Welcome to the group! two months down ten to go you are doing great 16 books down is fantastic!

Currently Reading -- No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay

On TBR list since: 11/03/14

18) Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf

Completed on March 2nd. Doesnt apply to my TBR challenge and wasnt an amazimg read but did enjoy the POV being a deaf woman and the plot was interestimg albeit very rushed feeling.

Blagica wrote: "I am sorry I am a little late on your welcome Tima! Welcome to the group! two months down ten to go you are doing great 16 books down is fantastic!"

Thank you! I hope your March is startimg off well!

hey Tima, so sorry hearing about your accident... But i can see recovered fully, only two months down and you already finished 17 books.... that's really great and inspiring... I hope all the best to you... And i know that you will fulfill your goal .... good luck 😊😊😊

I think I’m going to add in an alphabet challenge for myself and this is just a comment reminding me of that haha

Tanvir wrote: "hey Tima, so sorry hearing about your accident... But i can see recovered fully, only two months down and you already finished 17 books.... that's really great and inspiring... I hope all the best ..."

Thank you for your well wishes and i hope you reach all your goals this year!

19) Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

On TBR list since: 03/25/15

Purely by coincidence, I ended up reading this book while i was sitting bedside in the ER after someone in my life attempted suicide this weekend. Because of that, i think i may have a slightly more emotional response and connection to this book.

20) No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay

On TBR list since: 11/03/14

21) Far Far Away by Tom McNeal

On tbr list since: 7/18/2013

22) Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

23) My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward by Mark Lukach

On tbr list since: 10/31/17

A book is a dream that you hold in your hand. I hope that April brings you many more five star reads.

Kristin wrote: "Sounds like things have been tough, lately, Tima. So sorry to hear you have had to go through it. Welcome back to the group and congratulations on your reading progress. I love comics/graphic novel..."

Sorry for not seeing this sooner! I've been lucky enough to have had several 5-star reads already this year! How about you? I'm always looking for graphic novel recommendations!

24) They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

4 stars, on TBR list since: 03/17/2018 - does not count towards challenge :)

25) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

5 stars, on TBR list since: 11/15/17

26) Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

3.75 stars, on TBR list since: 12/05/17

27) Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen

3 stars, on TBR list since: 08/31/15

“Reading brings us unknown friends” While the warm weather is coming I hope you make some new friends in May! You are doing great keep it up!

2 full months later, I return to the dusty topic to update. What a slump I've fallen into!

28) I'll Scream Later by Marlee Matlin, 3 stars, on TBR list since 9/25/2013

Most recent reads won't apply to my TBR list challenge, oops!

29) Pretending is Lying by Dominique Goblet, 4 stars

30) I Was a Child by Bruce Eric Kaplan, 3 stars

31) My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf, 4 stars

32) Vader's Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown, 4 stars

Awesome job so far! Do you have a favorite book or a book you still can't wait to read?

Blagica wrote: "Awesome job so far! Do you have a favorite book or a book you still can't wait to read?"

I've had several 5-star reads this year, so I'm grateful to have read some really good ones. Nothing left that I'm waiting for but I'm sure I'll find some unexpected delights along the way ^_^

33) Mom's Cancer by Brian Fies, 4 stars because it felt very relevant to my life currently but if I didn't have my mom going through treatment it would be closer to 3/3.5 stars.

34) Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh, 4 stars for beauitfully drawn images. 2 stars for poorly formatted e-book translation. It was near impossible to read some of the sections on my copy. The translation felt very rough and I have a feeling it was much more powerful in its native French language.

Awesome

35) Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen -- 4-stars. Always fun and relatable comics.

36) The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang -- 5-stars, a beautiful tale, I loved this graphic novel, it was so sweet and a needed topic <3

Read both of these in August, still fumbling through a book depression, working my way through trying to make it to 50 still.

Tima wrote: "Read both of these in August, still fumbling through a book depression, working my way through trying to make it to 50 still. ..."

I'm sure you can make it! Maybe joining some of the buddy reads? That always does the trick for me when I'm in a reading slump!
Good luck Tima!

Susy wrote: "Tima wrote: "Read both of these in August, still fumbling through a book depression, working my way through trying to make it to 50 still. ..."

I'm sure you can make it! Maybe joining some of the ..."

I tried buddy reads before and I just didn't enjoy them unfortunately. Usually the buddy never showed up for the read! Love the idea though!

37) Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin -- audio, 3-stars, left so much wanting..


Audiobook

Tima wrote: "Susy wrote: "Tima wrote: "Read both of these in August, still fumbling through a book depression, working my way through trying to make it to 50 still. ..."

I'm sure you can make it! Maybe joining..."

I think you're talking about the twin reads where you get paired with one other reader to read a book together. Buddy reads are usually done with a small group, so there are always people to talk to about the book you're reading, someone always shows up!
Maybe worth checking out:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

But if you're not into it, that's fine too of course. I just know what you're talking about, experiencing that too in some other groups I've joined, but not in this one.

No problem! :)

38) Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

Narration: 5 stars
Story: 3 stars
A big let down, had it been in print, I would have tossed it on an unfinished shelf. The story is uh, lackluster at best, when it finally wraps up.

Audiobook

Abandoned—- Audio narration of The Invention of Wings because it was pretty absurd. Will attempt again in print.

39) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, 3-stars.
On TBR list since October 2015, audiobook.

You are on your way to having a great year in books! Do you have a book you still can't wait to read?

40) Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

On TBR list since: June 24, 2014, 3-stars solely because the ending was soooo disappointing. I understand that it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast but I rolled my eyes SO HARD on the last chapter. It felt so sloppy and rushed. The rest of the book was 4-stars, at least. It was imaginative, one of the better retellings I've come across. But that ending, ugh, that last chapter, I wanted to vomit it was so eye-rolling. And the narration of Gem sounded more like an aged smoker women than a young male.

Blagica wrote: "You are on your way to having a great year in books! Do you have a book you still can't wait to read?"

I have only one that I'm trying hard to make time for, which is, Do Not Say We Have Nothing

Added to my list this looks good I hope we both find time for it.

41) The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood - 4 stars, audiobook. Had been printed, I think I would've DNF or 3-starred as it was a bit slow. But the narration was unexpectedly powerful in spots. I enjoyed it and actually found myself wishing it was a bit longer.

On TBR list since: May 24, 2015.

Well looks like I’ll be stalling out for this year but I’m prepping next years challenge!

I decided not to give up on making it to 50 before the end of the year.

So

42) Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
43) Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera (4-stars, GAA — Portland/New York)
44) In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
45) Monster: A Graphic Novel by Guy A. Sims

I’m in the hospital at the moment, full stats update to come. I know no one is invested but me but still ;)

46) How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You by Matthew Inman

Only need to get through 4 more books!

By the skin of my teeth, I’m scooting in under the wire and completing my challenge. See you in 2019!

47) My Dog: The Paradox: A Lovable Discourse about Man's Best Friend by Matthew Inman
48) These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
49) Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants by Matthew Inman
50) Am I There Yet? The Loop-de-Loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood by Mari Andrew