2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Welcome, welcome!

My name is Nikolina and in the comments below I am going to write about the books I've read in 2022, rate them and say how I liked them. For each book, I also write the language in which I read them (usually just Croatian - my mother tongue, and English but this year be prepared for some Norwegian ^^).

I usually follow the monthly goals in this group which I skip only if I am stuck on some other things I read besides these monthly goals.
I usually read novels about: love, crime, history, fantasy etc. but once in a while you can find some math books on my bookshelf.

This year I would like to read
- 43 books (which is 1 more than the last year) NOT ACHIEVED
- #4, #5 and #6 from Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series: A Map of Days, The Conference of the Birds and The Desolations of Devil's Acre DONE
- The Hunger Games trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay DONE (maybe The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes also :))
- #5 of The Song of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons STARTED
- 5 math books (waay too optimistic but necessary) NOT ACHIEVED
- 3 books in Norwegian DONE

Below you can find the list of all the things I've read so far this year.

Enjoy and have fun in your reading challenges!


01) Ransom Riggs - A Map of Days (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #4)
02) V. E. Schwab - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
03) Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden
04) T. J. Klune - The House in the Cerulean Sea
05) Joshua Coleman - The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework
06) Ransom Riggs - The Conference of the Birds (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #5)
07) Julia Quinn - To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons, #5)
08) Jules Verne - Journey to the Center of the Earth
09) Caroline Kepnes - You
10) Ransom Riggs- The Desolations of Devil's Acre (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #6)
11) Søren Sveistrup - The Chestnut Man
12) Lucy Foley - The Paris Apartment
13) Erin Watt - Paper Princess (The Royals, #1)
14) Erin Watt - Broken Prince (The Royals, #2)
15) Julia Quinn - When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons, #6)
16) Penny Reid - Beard in Hiding (Winston Brothers, #4.5)
17) Louise Bay - Mr. Mayfair (Mister, #1)
18) J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter og de vises stein (Harry Potter, #1)
19) Lauren Blakely - Dear Sexy Ex-Boyfriend
20) Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice
21) Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman - Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
22) Sarina Bowen - The Year We Fell Down (The Ivy Years, #1)
23) Peter Gotthardt - Det magiske skjoldet
24) Agatha Christie - The Mysterious Affair at Styles
25) Olav Kallenberg - Foundations of Modern Probability
26) Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
27) Rebecca Serle - One Italian Summer
28) Peter Gotthardt - Sort magi (Det fortryllede slot, #1)
29) Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)
30) Fredrik Backman - Britt-Marie Was Here
31) Fredrik Backman - My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
32) Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
33) Brit Bennett - The Vanishing Half
34) Rafal Kulik, Philippe Soulier - Heavy-Tailed Time Series

Ransom Riggs - A Map of Days (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #4)
in English
Rate: 4/5

It is good and interesting. Although there is one thing during this whole series that is so weird and that is "love" between Emma and Jacob. Can it get any weirder? I guess we shall see.

Progress: 1/43

Good luck with your challenge, Nikolina!

And yes, that love thingy between Jacob and Emma in the Peculiar Children series was super weird.

Thanks Trisha, good luck to you too! :)

V. E. Schwab - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
in English
Rate: 5/5

I would say this is 4.5/5, but I still rated it as 5. It was interesting, it kept my attention and I enjoyed almost every part of it. I also like the end, I definitely didn't expect it. In the beginning, it reminded me of the movie The Age of Adeline (2015).

Progress: 2/43

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden
in English
Rate: 5/5

I read it with pleasure. This seems like a children's book and it reminded me that the effect we have on each other is huge, that our words can heal also and not just injure.


T. J. Klune - The House in the Cerulean Sea
in English
Rate: 4/5

It is a lovely story and I enjoyed reading it. I was angry at Linus because he was so blind when things happened right in front of him and he considers himself an observant person.


Progress: 4/43

Joshua Coleman - The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework
in Croatian
Rate: 2/5

Boring; it doesn't say anything I didn't already know. The main idea is: The way you say something is more important than what you say. I am not a fan of this kind of book (self-help or similar). I find it non useful but maybe someone can find it helpful.


Ransom Riggs - The Conference of the Birds (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #5)
in English
Rate: 3/5

I think that movies or TV series would be much better to watch than reading this (I think there exists at least one movie but I haven't seen it). It would be easier for me to keep track of dinamic parts that are happening. I easily get bored while reading this but the general idea and the story is not bad; that part I do like.


Julia Quinn - To Sir Phillip, With Love
in English
Rate: 4/5

I liked it. I really wondered what is going to happen with Eloise and this didn't disappoint. I didn't like the constant exaggeration that Eloise talks too much. I didn't get that kind of vibe in previous parts but I guess, she didn't appear there that much (maybe that is the influence of the TV series).


Progress: 7/43

Jules Verne - Journey to the Center of the Earth
in English
Rate: 3/5

It was okay but slightly too descriptive for me. Although it is definitely amazing for the period when it was written.



Caroline Kepnes - You
in English
Rate: 5/5

I was amazed by the story. It kept my attention although I've seen the tv series "You" but still it somehow managed to surprise me. It's a good thing that it's been a while since I've seen the first season of the series but nevertheless, I think I would've still liked it. I enjoyed and I'm thinking about continuing with the rest of the series. The story from the perspective of one sick persona is so weird but fun!



Ransom Riggs- The Desolations of Devil's Acre (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #6)
in English
Rate: 3/5

I got tired of this series so that is why I read it just to get this over with but the novel is okay. It was good but maybe not as fun as some of my other reads.



Søren Sveistrup - The Chestnut Man
in Croatian
Rate: 5/5

Amazing! I've seen the tv series "The Chestnut Man" and I got this book for my birthday. Finally, I got some free time to read it and it was worth it! I loved the story; it was intense since it is about crimes and surprising with lots of character stories which are also great. I recommend!



Lucy Foley - The Paris Apartment
in English
Rate: 5/5

I had my suspicions at the beginning of this novel but in the end, I was entertained and I enjoyed reading this. It has several plot twists and a great ending which I loved. At first, it is confusing since the girl comes to her brother's apartment to stay with him for a while, but he is not there. Then she starts to get to know the neighbours. Then the story behind her brother's disappearance starts to unravel and things get more complicated but everyone is somehow connected to each other. Very very interesting!


Progress: 12/43

Erin Watt - Paper Princess (The Royals #1)
Erin Watt - Broken Prince (The Royals #2)
in Croatian
Rate: 5/5

I've read this series already but somehow I wanted to remind myself what happened. I remember that it was an easy read; that part is true. Fun and amusing but tense. A bit (actually a lot) teenage-ish. I still don't remember what happened after this so maybe I'll read the rest of the series as well. We'll see.


Julia Quinn - When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons #6)
in English
Rate: 5/5

I usually read Bridgertons when I get tired of some other more serious books or less amusing (I started reading Good Omens but I didn't find it as interesting as Bridgertons). This novel didn't disappoint. I liked the story, and both main characters, even more than some from the previous novels in the series.


Penny Reid - Beard in Hiding (Winston Brothers #4.5)
Louise Bay - Mr. Mayfair (Mister, #1)
in English
Rate: 4 and 5/5 resp.

So I bought this beach box set from amazon with 10 love books. They are standalone novels from some series, usually about some couple that appears in other novels as well. I was able to understand everything from the first one even though it is 4.5#. They are both interesting but in the first novel: there is this gangsta guy from whose perspective the author often writes and that part I didn't like much. I am usually very skeptic when a female author writes from a male perspective. In the other novel, I liked almost everything. I enjoy reading it and the story is so interesting. These books keep the attention and are easily read. I already started with the next one. Good Omens will have to wait :)

Progress: 17/43

J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter og de vises stein (Harry Potter, #1)
in Norwegian
Rate: 5/5

Okay so this is my third time reading this but every time in a different language. It is always superfun reading this and I hope that I will never be adult enough to stop reading Harry Potter.


Lauren Blakely - Dear Sexy Ex-Boyfriend
in English
Rate: 5/5

Fun read for relaxing and enjoying a romantic story.


Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice
in English
Rate: 5/5

Very interesting, with character analysis that makes you think. It is not always easy to imagine what is exactly the stray of thought behind each character's "mistake" but Jane describes it so well. This is not the first time I'm reading this. Probably not the last.


Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman - Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
in English
Rate: 2/5

This was boring. I couldn't follow what was happening, only parts of it made sense to me. I didn't like it.


Sarina Bowen - The Year We Fell Down (The Ivy Years, #1)
in English
Rate: 4/5

Well, it is okay but too childish for me at this moment.


Peter Gotthardt - Det magiske skjoldet
in Norwegian
Rate: 4/5

I started reading children's books in Norwegian because I thought that would be the easiest for me to follow. This "eventyr" is fun and interesting. Situation comedy for children.


Agatha Christie - The Mysterious Affair at Styles
in English
Rate: 5/5

I've always loved Hercule Poirot movies but I never read anything about him. This is the first one and I really enjoyed it. Very smart (for me since I know nothing about medicine etc.).


Olav Kallenberg - Foundations of Modern Probability
in English
Rate: ?/5

Not fun at all.


Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
in English
Rate: 5/5

Finally! I've seen the movies several times now but could figure out when to read this. The books are just so good, and so interesting and now I see how movies are true to books. First time that I've been thinking about becoming Team Peta. I love that character so much more than in the movies. I believe that his goodness is not well portrayed in the movies because Peta didn't get the chance to show how well he treated Katniss.


Rebecca Serle - One Italian Summer
in English
Rate: 3/5

This rate is low just because I don't follow this girl's thoughts. I don't agree with so much she has done. I actually rolled my eyes while reading this. Hated the main character.


Peter Gotthardt - Sort magi (Det fortryllede slot, #1)
in Norwegian
Rate: 3/5

The previous book in Norwegian from the same author was more interesting so I compared them. This one is silly, of course (I don't know what I expected).


Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)
in English
Rate: 5/5

Still enjoying the magic of Hunger Games. I love most of the characters but Haymitch is just a legend.


Fredrik Backman - Britt-Marie Was Here
in Croatian
Rate: 5/5

I loved reading about Britt-Marie. She is funny even though she does not try to be funny. This is the third Fredrik's novel I've read, and it did not disappoint. I plan to read one more this year. I just enjoy his style and positivity.

Progress: 30/43

Fredrik Backman - My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
in Croatian

Rate: 5/5

I enjoy reading his novels and I will continue reading them. Can't wait to find another one.


Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
in English

Rate: 5/5

This part is my least favorite but still, it is a continuation of an amazing story. I love the ending. I kind of hoped for it.


Brit Bennett - The Vanishing Half
in English

Rate: 4/5

I liked that a lot of stories are covered here and not only stories about twins. I kind of hoped for something dramatic in the end.


Rafal Kulik, Philippe Soulier - Heavy-Tailed Time Series
in English



Progress: 34/43

I'm a little bit disappointed that I didn't achieve all my goals this year but it is ok. I hope to read more interesting books in 2023 ^.^