2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

I'm happy to have found a group where having a challenge to read 100-200 books is ok and not out of the ordinary! It's 150 right now but as the year goes, I'll probably change it to more. Here goes my list so far:

January
1.)A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge ★★★★1/2
2. The Long Way Home by Louise Penny ★★
3. The Next Accident by Lisa Gardner ★★★★
4. How to Walk Away by Katherine Center ★★★
5. The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner ★★1/2
6. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood ★★★1/2
7. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James ★★★★
8. Murder on Union Square by Victoria Thompson ★★
9. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - ★★★★1/2
10. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue - ★★★★
11. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson ★★★★1/2
12. A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas ★★★
13. The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee ★★★
14. A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie ★★★1/2
15. The Revisioners by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton ★★★
16. Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine
17. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson ★★★
18. The Arab of the Future 3: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1985-1987 by Riad Sattouf ★★★★
19. The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas ★★★1/2

February

20.The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny ★★★
21. Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews ★★★★
22. Sweep with Me by Ilona Andrews ★★★★
23. Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews ★★★
24. Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews ★★★★
25. The Council by K.F. Breene ★★1/2
26. Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz ★★★★
27. The Overlook by Michael Connelly ★★★
28. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves ★★★1/2
29. Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima ★★★★
30. Shadowcaster by Cinda Williams Chima ★★★★
31. Stormcaster by Cinda Williams Chima ★★★★
32. Deathcaster by Cinda Williams Chima ★★★★
33. Someone We Know by Shari Lapena ★★
34. A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber ★★★1/2
35. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman ★★1/2
36. The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan ★★★★

March (Current Total : 56)


1.Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly - ★★★
2. Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter ★★1/2
3. The Legion of Flame by Anthony Ryan ★★★★1/2
4. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates ★★★★
5. The Empire of Ashes byAnthony Ryan ★★★★
6. The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld ★★★
7. The Drop by Michael Connelly ★★★
8. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas ★★★★1/2
9. Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs - ★★★★
10. Things in Jars by Jess Kidd - ★★★
11. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas - ★★★★1/2
12. Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin - ★★★
13. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore - ★★★★
14. The Line Between by Tosca Lee - ★★★★Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
15. The Black Box - ★★★★
16. Blood on the Tracks - ★★★★
17. Dead Stop - ★★★1/2
18. The Burning Room - ★★★★
19. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead - ★★★★
20. Ambush - ★★★★

April
Current Total: 84

1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black ★★★★
2. The Wicked King by Holly Black ★★★★
3. The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black ★★★★
4. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie ★★★★★
5. Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie★★★★★
6. Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie ★★★★1/2
7. A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot ★★
8. Suspect by Michael Robotham ★★★
9. Lost by Michael Robotham ★★★
10. The Friend by Sigrid Nunez ★★★
11. The Lies We Told by Camilla Way ★★
12. You Are Not Alone ★★★★
13. Hades★★★
14. The Keeper of Lost Things ★★★★
15. Why Kings Confess ★★★
16. Adulthood Is a Myth ★★★★
17. Big Mushy Happy Lump ★★★
18. Herding Cats ★★★
19. Where the Forest Meets the Stars ★★★★
20. Wool Omnibus ★★★
21. The Universe Versus Alex Woods ★★★★
22. The Dreamers ★★★
23. An Artless Demise ★★★
24. The Crossing ★★★★
25. Burial Rites ★★★★
26. The Grace Year ★★★★
27. The Banker’s Wife ★★★

May
Current Total: 110

1.)I Will Make You Pay by Teresa Driscoll ★★
2. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story by Debbie Tung ★★★
3. The Current by Tim Johnston ★★★★
4. The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld ★★★★
5. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han ★★★★
6. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire ★★★
7. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren ★★★★
8. Book Love by Debbie Tung ★★★★
9. Network Effect by Martha Wells ★★★★★
10. Linesman by S.K. Dunstall★★★★
11. Alliance by S.K. Dunstall ★★★★
12. Sin Eater by Megan Campisi ★★★
13. Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris ★★★
14. Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson ★★★
15. Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara ★★★
16. Killing Mind by Angela Marsons ★★★
17. Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts: An Awkward Yeti Collection by Nick Seluk ★★★
18. A Single Light by Tosca Lee ★★★
19. Witchmark by C.L. Polk ★★★★1/2
20. True Fiction by Lee Goldberg ★★
21. Out of the Dark by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz ★★★★
22. The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas ★★1/2
23. The Other People by C.J. Tudor ★★★★
24. The Vegetarian by Han Kang ★★★★
25. Gone by Midnight by Candice Fox ★★★1/2
26. Confluence by S.K. Dunstall ★★★★
27. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter C. Willett ★★★★

June
Current Total: 134

1.One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson ★★★1/2
2. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline ★★★
3. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates ★★1/2
4. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli ★★★★1/2
5. Into the Fire by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz★★★★
6. Gone to Darkness by Barbara Nickless ★★★
7. In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado ★★★1/2
8. The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan ★★★1/2
9. Heart and Brain: Body Language: An Awkward Yeti Collection by Nick Seluk
10. Close to Home by Cara Hunter ★★★★
11. The Mask by Taylor Stevens ★★★
12. The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys ★★★1/2
13. Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong ★★1/2
14. In the Dark by Cara Hunter ★★★★
15. Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai ★★★★
16. Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight ★★★
17. Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld ★★★
18. Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living by Elizabeth Willard Thames ★★★
19. The Holdout by Graham Moore ★★★
20. Red Rider by Kate Avery Ellison ★★★
21. Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer ★★
22. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune ★★★★★
23. Deception Cove by Owen Laukkanen ★★★★
24. Stormsong by C.L. Polk ★★★

July
Current Total: 156


1.Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life by Anne Bogel ★★★★
2. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys ★1/2
3. The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall ★★★★★
4. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager ★★★★
5. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
6. The Arab of the Future 4: A Graphic Memoir of a Childhood in the Middle East, 1987-1992 by Riad Sattouf ★★★1/2
7. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ★★★1/2
8. The Girl in Red by Christina Henry ★★★1/2
9. The Split by Sharon J. Bolton ★★★
10. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai ★★1/2
11. The Lost Book of Adana Moreau by Michael Zapata ★★★★
12. The Shadows by Alex North ★★★★
13. Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore ★★★★★
14. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones ★★★★
15. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft ★★1/2
16. Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount ★★★★
17. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths ★★★
18. If She Wakes by Michael Koryta ★★★★
19. The Warden by Anthony Trollope ★★★1/2
20. Silas Marner by George Eliot ★★★★
21. Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton ★★★
22. The Ridge by Michael Koryta ★★★

August
Current Total: 160

1. Don't Believe It by Charlie Donlea ★★★1/2
2. The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande ★★★
3. Aesop's Fables by Aesop ★★★
4. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine ★★★★

September

October

November

December

I finished January with 19 books. That's more than I thought I could have.

My favorites were: and

Didn't care for (I know people love this series and I usually do but didn't in this case) and (same with this one).

I finished February with 17 books.

Favorite of Month: The Waking Fire and Flamecaster series
Worst of Month: The Council and
Biggest Surprise of Month: Hellbent

I finished March with 20 books. I had a lot more time in my hands this month like most and finished some long books in series.

was my favorite.
was the worst of the month. It wasn't a bad book but not as enjoyable as the rest.
was a pleasant surprise.

I finished April with 27 books. Some of them were graphic novels. It was a month with some really good books and some not so good ones.

were my favorite books and some of my favorite books for the year so far.

- This was my worst read for the month. I had another 2 star read but this one annoyed me the most.

I finished May with 27 books too. I read some really good books this month.
and series were some excellent and fun sci-fi and fantasy books.
were thought-provokingly good.
were good mystery and action books.
were the worst of the month.

I finished June with 24 books! My total is now 134 books.

were my favorite reads.
were fun reads.
were the most disappointing.

I finished July with 22 books with total of 156 books.

I had read some really good books in a variety of genres, my favorites being and . The worst being .

I'm way behind in keeping this up to date but I am at 218 books right now! Link to my challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/user_challe...

My favorite books since my last update is and .

I made it to 235 books this year! This is the most I've ever read in a year! This is due to our horrible year of course. My favorites since my last update are:
and

I wonder how did you manage to read so fabulous number of books... share some tips ?

Well, first I ignore my family completely! No, just kidding. Reading is my hobby and my stress reliever. Whenever I have free time, I am usually reading. I also listen to books when I’m driving or doing chores. I always read before going to bed. I limit my time online and avoid electronics after a certain time. I usually plan out what I’m going to read next while I’m still reading a book. I have access to ebooks through the library system and I take full advantage of that and always have something on hand to read.

I think the key though is that reading is supposed to be fun. I try not to force myself to keep reading something I’m not enjoying or bored with or start something I’m not in the mood for. I’ve found that when I do that, I get into reading slumps. So, I wouldn’t focus on the number of books to read. Just read what you enjoy because that’s what it's all about.

Hi Meera..
Thank you so much dear..for the reply. Yes, it is for fun! I am going to be more stringent with my time and I really hope this year will be different!

Of course...there are so many great books available in so many forms too.... ahh,,,I hope you will have another great year of reading too!

Take care.