2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

The start of this year was crazy. So I'm starting my reading challenge only in May. As always, huge plans. Hope I get through at least half of it.

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POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE 2021

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

1. A book that published in 2021 - Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
2. An Afrofuturist book - Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
3. A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover - The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
4. A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign - The Color Purple by Alice Walker
5. A dark academia book - Vita Nostra by Marina Dyachenko
6. A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
7. A book where the main character works at your current or dream job - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
8. A book that has won the Women’s Prize for Fiction - An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
9. A book with a family tree - A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
10. A bestseller from the 1990s - White Oleander by Janet Fitch
11. A book about forgetting - Pines by Blake Crouch
12. A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf (in real life, on a Zoom call, in a TV show, etc.) - The Little Demon by Fyodor Sologub
13. A locked-room mystery - The Dead Mountaineer's Inn by Arkady Strugatsky
14. A book set in a restaurant - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
15. A book with a black-and-white cover - I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
16. A book by an indigenous author - The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
17. A book that has the same title as a song - The Phantom Of The Opera by Gaston Leroux
18. A book about a subject you are passionate about - Is That a Fish in Your Ear? Translation and the Meaning of Everything by David Bellos
19. A book that discusses body positivity - One by Sarah Crossan
20. A book on a Black Lives Matter reading list - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
21. A genre hybrid - The Gunslinger by Stephen King
22. A book set mostly or entirely outdoors - Watership Down by Richard Adams
23. A book with something broken on the cover - Hunger by Knut Hamsun
24. A book by a Muslim American author - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
25. A book that was published anonymously - Middlemarch by George Eliot
26. A book with an oxymoron in the title - Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
27. A book about do-overs or fresh starts - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
28. A magical realism book - The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
29. A book set in multiple countries - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
30. A book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
31. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematorium by Caitlin Doughty
32. A book whose title starts with “Q,” “X,” or “Z” - Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan
33. A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child) - The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer 😥
34. A book about a social justice issue - Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
35. A book in a different format than what you normally read (audiobooks, ebooks, graphic novels) - Philosophy, Pussycats, & Porn by Stoya
36. A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads - Недоставленное письмо by Наталья Кочегарова 😒
37. A book you think your best friend would like - Normal People by Sally Rooney
38. A book about art or an artist - The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
39. A book everyone seems to have read but you - Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
40. Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - Papillon by Henri Charrière

Advanced Prompts
41. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list - It by Stephen King
42. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list - The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft 😕
43. The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover - Sharaz-De by Sergio Toppi
44. The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover - Martin Eden by Jack London
45. The book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time - Just One Day by Gayle Forman
46. A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 😊
47. A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
48. A book from your TBR list chosen at random - L'Écume des jours by Boris Vian
49. A DNF book from your TBR list - The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
50. A free book from your TBR list (gifted, borrowed, library) - The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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GENRE BINGO CHALLENGE

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

1. Memoir - Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen 😻
2. Historical Fiction - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
3. Coming of Age - The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer 😥
4. Travel - Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace -- One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
5. Self-Help - The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
6. Family Saga - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
7. Western - The Gunslinger by Stephen King
8. Short Stories or Novella - Dubliners by James Joyce
9. Chick-Lit - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
10. Historical Nonfiction - Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
11. Romance - Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
12. Adventure - A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
13. Dystopian - The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
14. Biography - The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
15. Mystery or Thriller - The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
16. Science Fiction - The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
17. Tragedy - Atonement by Ian McEwan
18. Science Nonfiction - Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson 😐
19. Graphic Novel - The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
20. Humor or Comedy - Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
21. Young Adult - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
22. Suspence - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

3/22

Such interesting reading goals Anna. Good luck!

TBR JAR CHALLENGE

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

1. Read the book that has been on your TBR list the longest - Just One Day by Gayle Forman
2. Read a book you added to your TBR within the last year - The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
3. Read the book with the most pages on your TBR or one that is over 500 pages - It by Stephen King
4. Read the book with the least number of pages on your TBR or one that is under 100 pages - The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft 😕
5. Read a book that is published the year or decade you were born - Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen😻
6. Read the 20th book on any page of your TBR - Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell
7. Read a book that has an average rating of 3.8 or higher - Martin Eden by Jack London
8. Read a book by one of your favorite authors - The Autumn of the Patriarch by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
9. Read a book that you added based on the review of another Goodreads user - Watership Down by Richard Adams
10. Read a book with a cover you love - The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer 😥
11. Read a book with an animal or plant on the cover. - White Oleander by Janet Fitch
12. Randomize your TBR and read the first book - The Dirty Book Club by Lisi Harrison
13. Read a book the contains the initials of your name (in any order) in the title or author name - 35 kilos d'espoir by Anna Gavalda 😊
14. Look at the number of pages of books in your Want-To-Read folder. Read the book that is that same number. (e.g., if you have 20 pages of books in your Want-To-Read folder, read book number 20 from your list) - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
15. Read a book that helps you complete two or more other yearly or quarterly challenges - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
16. Read the book with the most number of ratings (i.e., not the actual average rating, but the number of people who have rated it) - A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
17. Read the book with the least number of ratings - Недоставленное письмо by Наталья Кочегарова 😒
18. Read the first book from your list that "sparks joy" as soon as you think about reading it - Vita Nostra by Marina Dyachenko
19. Read a book that you have added to at least one other shelf - The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
20. Read a book that you own - The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
21. Read a book that an IRL (in real life) friend, family member, or acquaintance has recommended to you - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
22. Read a book that you feel you "should" read - The Castle by Franz Kafka
23. Read a book you previously DNFed and still want to finish - Дом, в котором by Мариам Петросян
24. Read a book in your favorite genre or format - Paper Princess by Erin Watt
25. Read a book that is from a genre or format you rarely read - Auschwitz by Laurence Rees
26. Sort your TBR by cover. Read the first or last book - The Far Pavilions by M.M.Kaye
27. Sort your TBR by title. Read a book from the middle page - The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes
28. Read a hyped, bestseller, or award-winning book - Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
29. Read a book with a title that contains punctuation - Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
30. Read a book related to the yearly, quarterly, or monthly theme - Autonomous by Annalee Newitz
31. Read a book that is featured as a group or buddy read and was already on your TBR - Gemina by Amie Kaufman
32. Read a book that is retelling or reimagining of a classic story or the classic itself - Fables, Vol.1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

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A-Z Challenge: Character Edition

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

A
B
C - Christopher Boone from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
D
E
F - Francis Wayland Thurston from The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
G - Grégoire from 35 kilos d'espoir by Anna Gavalda
H
I
J
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R - Ruby from The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer
S - Susanna from Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

5/26

LET’S TURN PAGES

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

1. The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer - 368p
2. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson - 208p
3. 35 kilos d'espoir by Anna Gavalda - 110p
4. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen - 168p
5. The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft - 43p
6. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon - 320p
7. Недоставленное письмо by Наталья Кочегарова - 288p

1,505 / 12,000 pages

24 HOURS OF READING CHALLENGE

counting only full hours of just reading

✔ 1. The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer - 132 pages
✔ 2. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen - 168 pages
✔ 3. 35 kilos d'espoir by Anna Gavalda - 110 pages
✔ 4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon - 320 pages
✔ 5. Недоставленное письмо by Наталья Кочегарова - 288 pages
✔ 6. The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft - 43 pages
7.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

6 books
1 061 pages

AROUND THE YEAR IN 52 BOOKS

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

1. A book related to “In the Beginning...” - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
2. A book by an author whose name doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y - The Collector by John Fowles
3. A book related to the lyrics for the song "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematorium by Caitlin Doughty
4. A book with a monochromatic cover - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 😊

5. A book by an author on USA Today's list of 100 Black Novelists You Should Read -
6. A love story -
7. A book that fits a prompt suggestion that didn't make the final list -
8. A book set in a state, province, or country you have never visited -

9. A book you associate with a specific season or time of year -
10. A book with a female villain or criminal -
11. A book to celebrate The Grand Egyptian Museum -
12. A book eligible for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation -
13. A book written by an author of one of your best reads of 2020 -

14. A book set in a made-up place -
15. A book that features siblings as the main characters -
16. A book with a building in the title -
17. A book with a Muslim character or author -

18. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 1 -
19. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 2 -
20. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 3 -
21. A book whose title and author both contain the letter "u" - Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen 😻
22. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads -

23. A cross genre novel -
24. A book about racism or race relations -
25. A book set on an island -
26. A short book (<210 pages) by a new-to-you author - The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft 😕

27. A book with a character who can be found in a deck of cards -
28. A book connected to ice -
29. A book that you consider comfort reading -
30. A long book -

31. A book by an author whose career spanned more than 21 years -
32. A book whose cover shows more than 2 people -
33. A collection of short stories, essays, or poetry -
34. A book with a travel theme -
35. A book set in a country on or below the Tropic of Cancer -

36. A book with six or more words in the title -
37. A book from the Are You Well Read in World Literature list -
38. A book related to a word given by a random word generator -
39. A book involving an immigrant -

40. A book with flowers or greenery on the cover -
41. A book by a new-to-you BIPOC author -
42. A mystery or thriller -
43. A book with elements of magic -

44. A book whose title contains a negative - Недоставленное письмо by Наталья Кочегарова 😒
45. A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet -
46. A winner or nominee from the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards -
47. A non-fiction book other than biography, autobiography or memoir -
48. A book that might cause someone to react “You read what?!?” -

49. A book with an ensemble cast -
50. A book published in 2021 -
51. A book whose title refers to person(s) without giving their name -
52. A book related to "the end" -

4/52