2025 Reading Challenge discussion

2025 Yearly Theme Nominations!

Hello Fellow Readers!

Preparations for 2025 are underway and it is time for you, our members, to help us choose 2025’s yearly theme! Post your ideas in this thread. It will remain open until October 15th . The mods will then post a poll for everyone to vote for their favorite theme!

Rules
- You may either suggest one theme OR second one theme!
- Themes must be nominated AND seconded by a different member in order to get into the poll.
- Moderators reserve the right to modify, refine, or adjust themes as necessary. This isn't to restrict your creativity, just to make it more accessible and enjoyable for everyone!
- To keep the poll manageable, we may limit the total number of ideas.

Good yearly themes are broad enough to be able to create quarterly themes throughout the year. For example, given the nominations of "roses" and "flowers", we would choose the broader term "flowers" because it includes "roses.” See the past themes below for an inspiration of what we're looking for. Themes used in the past are not eligible to be used again.

When submitting your nomination, feel free to explain how you see it expanded into challenges throughout the year. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Previous Themes:
2017 - Around the World
2018 - Reading Through Time
2019 - Books to Stage & Screen
2020 - Myths, Legends & Fairy Tales
2021 - A Better World
2022 - Mysteries of the World
2023 - To Boldly Go
2024- Seasons

I would like to suggest "Opposites Attract" as a yearly theme. Quarterly themes could be based around different opposite pairs such as Classic/HF v Contemporary, etc.

Emotional Rollercoaster—Riding books along any emotional journey. Quarterly theme examples could include having quarters focused on 1 predominant emotion like joy, courage, vindictiveness, etc.; or having quarters focused on stories with a rollercoaster of emotions: sad start and uplifting ending; a lonely start and a loving ending; and so on. The rollercoaster offers a lot of options and can ride through any genre.

Since 2025 is the silver Jubilee of 21st century, we can keep "Celebration" as our yearly theme.

I would like to suggest Universe (or space or something of the like) as a theme. It can be very versatile for breaking up into challenges, whether concentrating on Chinese zodiac animals, or astral signs (Libra, Taurus, etc), or planets and the myths behind the names, space travel, stars, mysteries of unknown, and so on.
One could do reading challenges inspired by photos of different space pictures, or uses phases of the month for a monthly theme. I feel the possibilities are limitless. :)

Natalie wrote: "Emotional Rollercoaster—Riding books along any emotional journey. Quarterly theme examples could include having quarters focused on 1 predominant emotion like joy, courage, vindictiveness, etc.; or..."
I’ll second this one.

KSMary wrote: "I would like to suggest "Opposites Attract" as a yearly theme. Quarterly themes could be based around different opposite pairs such as Classic/HF v Contemporary, etc."

I second this one

I would like to suggest 'Power' as the theme for the year. It can be explored in many different iterations - books with powerful main characters or characters who rebel against the powers that rule their world, exploration of what power is, biographies of powerful people, books about pluck and hope and feeling powerless...

Keri wrote: "I would like to suggest Universe (or space or something of the like) as a theme. It can be very versatile for breaking up into challenges, whether concentrating on Chinese zodiac animals, or astral..."

I'd like to second this one.

KSMary wrote: "I would like to suggest "Opposites Attract" as a yearly theme. Quarterly themes could be based around different opposite pairs such as Classic/HF v Contemporary, etc."

I'll second this one. I think it sounds really cool.

KSMary wrote: "I would like to suggest "Opposites Attract" as a yearly theme. Quarterly themes could be based around different opposite pairs such as Classic/HF v Contemporary, etc."

I second this

KSMary wrote: "I would like to suggest "Opposites Attract" as a yearly theme. Quarterly themes could be based around different opposite pairs such as Classic/HF v Contemporary, etc."

I will also second this. I feel like there is a lot of sub-theme possibilities like "good/evil," "nature/tech," "hot/cold," etc.

I suggest a theme of Time Travel.

I second Celebration - 2025 Silver Jubilee

I'd like to suggest Under the Sea as a theme. Could have quarterly ideas around mythical sea creatures such as mermaids, naughtical themes, etc.

I'll second Under the Sea! Quarterly themes around aquatic animals/fauna as well as mythological sea creatures. There's also connections to The Little Mermaid, Titanic, underwater hobbies like scuba diving, sunken treasure, Atlantis myths, historical shipwrecks... even location prompts (under which sea) could potentially work. Fun!

Jeez! So many good options to choose from! Keep 'em coming you guys 😊

The yearly theme as the passing of time. Quarterly themes could be a book from certain time periods or a types of time passing such as celebratory, war, death of loved ones grown old etc.

Tracey and Emily, your suggestions of Time Travel or Passing of Time are too similar to our previous theme of "Reading Through Time." Would you like to suggest something different?

Keep the great ideas coming everyone! I'm so excited to see what our theme will be!

Considering the ongoing global tensions, I would suggest a "War and Peace" theme.

Anshika wrote: "Since 2025 is the silver Jubilee of 21st century, we can keep "Celebration" as our yearly theme."

I'd like to 2nd this one

Edited because yes, I changed my mind, okay? So sue me. 😅

Hear me out, Technology in Literature!
It could include innovations, inventions, internet, scientifical, medical, and/or technological advancements, sustainability, eras of discovery, industry, coding, AI/robotics, ecological imbalance, global/climate crisis, posthumanism, etc.

It could even inspire a discussion of the juxtaposition of nature vs. technology and all that entails.

So many great ideas!
Although we have already used something similar in some quarterly challenge, however, I would like to propose "Women" and their role throughout the history of literature, whether as authors, muses, protagonists or secondary characters, part of a couple or a group, whatever.
What would literature be without women?

Carmen wrote: "So many great ideas!
Although we have already used something similar in some quarterly challenge, however, I would like to propose "Women" and their role throughout the history of literature, wheth..."

I love this idea!

Anand wrote: "Considering the ongoing global tensions, I would suggest a "War and Peace" theme."

I second this one :)

Carmen wrote: "So many great ideas!
Although we have already used something similar in some quarterly challenge, however, I would like to propose "Women" and their role throughout the history of literature, wheth..."


I third the idea of "Women" as the 2025 theme. Wonderful idea Carmen.

Anna wrote: "I would like to suggest 'Power' as the theme for the year. It can be explored in many different iterations - books with powerful main characters or characters who rebel against the powers that rule..."

I second this theme

I would like to nominate Period of Books with quarterly themes of like Books about Books, Books in a certain time period such as before 2000, after 2004, or in-between the 1900-1980, etc.

Catherine,
As per the rules for nominating a theme (in the top post), you may either suggest a theme OR second a theme, not both.

You're welcome to suggest a new theme, if you'd rather retract your seconding of "Power". But "Period of Books" is too similar to our previous theme from 2018, thus it's not an eligible nomination.

I will be closing this thread in a few hours. Now is your last chance to submit a theme idea!

These are the themes that will be in the poll to vote on so far:

Opposites Attract
Emotional Rollercoaster
Celebration
Universe
Power
Under the Sea
War and Peace
Technology in Literature
Women

A link will be posted here and in the announcements when the poll goes up! Thank you all for your submissions. I can't wait to see what our 2025 theme will be!

Carmen wrote: "So many great ideas!
Although we have already used something similar in some quarterly challenge, however, I would like to propose "Women" and their role throughout the history of literature, wheth..."

I support this one.

Natalie wrote: "Emotional Rollercoaster—Riding books along any emotional journey. Quarterly theme examples could include having quarters focused on 1 predominant emotion like joy, courage, vindictiveness, etc.; or..."

I would like to second this

Closing this topic. Keep an eye out for the poll opening tomorrow!

The poll is up! The poll closes on October 31st.