2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

SHELF AWARENESS
Duration: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025

This open-ended challenge aims to help our readers be more intentional in their reading throughout the year by selecting books related to diverse regions and cultures, awareness events, and celebrations. We've listed some possible focus ideas for each time period, but if there are other causes or observances that are near and dear to your heart, feel free to add them.

January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Black History Month
◦ LGBT History Month (UK)
◦ Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month (USA)

International Days:
◦ World Braille Day (January 4th)
◦ World Religion Day (January 19th)
◦ International Day of Education (January 24th)
◦ International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27th)
◦ International Day of Human Fraternity (February 4th)
◦ Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17th)
◦ Social Justice Awareness Day (February 20th)

Celebrations:
◦ Western New Year
◦ Burns Supper
◦ Australia Day
◦ Chinese New Year
◦ Lantern Festival
◦ Saint Valentine’s Day

March & April
Focus your reading on Oceanian authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Autism Awareness Month
◦ Women's History Month
◦ National Poetry Month
◦ Sexual Assault Awareness Month
◦ Celebrate Diversity Month

International Days:
◦ United Nations Zero Discrimination Day (March 1st)
◦ World Wildlife Day (March 3rd)
◦ International Women's Day (March 8th)
◦ International Day of Happiness (March 20th)
◦ World Poetry Day (March 21st)
◦ World Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd)
◦ World Health Day (April 7th)
◦ Mother Earth Day (April 22nd)

Celebrations:
◦ Ramadan
◦ Holi
◦ Saint Patrick’s Day
◦ Spring Equinox aka. Ostara
◦ Eid al- Fitr
◦ April Fool’s Day
◦ Ram Navami
◦ Easter
◦ Australian Heritage Festival

May & June
Focus your reading on Asian authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ LGBTQ+ Pride Month
◦ Mental Health Awareness Month
◦ Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
◦ Canada’s Indigenous History Month
◦ Jewish Heritage Month

International Days:
◦ International Workers’ Day (May 1st)
◦ World Press Freedom Day (May 3rd)
◦ World Bee Day (May 20th)
◦ World Hunger Day (May 28th)
◦ Cancer Survivor’s Day (June 2nd)
◦ World Environment Day (June 5th)
◦ Tourettes Awareness Day (June 7th)
◦ World Day Against Child Labour (June 12th)

Celebrations:
◦ Cinco de Mayo
◦ Mother's Day
◦ Africa Day
◦ Father’s Day
◦ Eid al-Adha
◦ Polynesian New Year aka. Matariki
◦ Summer Solstice
◦ St. John’s Day

July & August
Focus your reading on European authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Disability Pride Month
◦ South Asian Heritage Month (UK)
◦ Women in Translation Month

International Days:
◦ Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18th)
◦ International Day of Friendship (July 30th)
◦ International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (August 9th)
◦ World Humanitarian Day (August 19th)
◦ International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism (August 21st)
◦ Women’s Equality Day (August 26th)

Celebrations:
◦ Canada Day
◦ Yulefest/Midwinter Christmas
◦ U.S. Independence Day

September & October
Focus your reading on South American authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Suicide Prevention Month
◦ Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
◦ World Alzheimer’s Month
◦ Breast Cancer Awareness Month
◦ Hispanic Heritage Month

International Days:
◦ International Literacy Day (September 8th)
◦ European Heritage Days (September 13th - September 14th)
◦ International Day of Democracy (September 15th)
◦ World Peace Day (September 21st)
◦ International Day of Sign Languages (September 23rd)
◦ European Day of Languages (September 26th)
◦ World Teachers’ Day (October 5th)
◦ World Cerebral Palsy Day (October 6th)
◦ European and World Day Against Death Penalty (October 10th)
◦ World Mental Health Day (October 10th)
◦ United Nations Day (October 24th)

Celebrations:
◦ Fall Equinox
◦ Rosh Hashanah
◦ Yom Kippur
◦ Día de la Raza (Day of the Races) aka. Columbus Day
◦ Diwali
◦ Halloween

November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Men’s Health Awareness Month
◦ National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
◦ National Novel Writing Month
◦ Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (Canada)

International Days:
◦ World Kindness Day (November 13th)
◦ Universal Children's Day (November 20th)
◦ World AIDS Day (December 1st)
◦ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (December 2nd)
◦ International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd)
◦ Human Rights Day (December 10th)
◦ International Animal Rights Day (December 10th)

Celebrations:
◦ Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
◦ Armistice Day
◦ Thanksgiving Day
◦ Winter Solstice
◦ Christmas Day
◦ Hanukkah
◦ Kwanzaa

How to Participate:

1. Post here telling the challenge leader how many books you plan to read.
You may choose your books at the beginning, or add them as you go. You may join any time during the year, and may change your goal whenever needed.

2. When you finish books for the challenge, edit your original post or member’s corner thread to add them.
Instructions are in the how-to link below.

3. To have your progress updated, post a new comment here to let the challenge leader know.
Every time you post an update, be sure to include your original (sign-up) message number, the number of books you have completed, and your goal. We use your original message number to identify you, since multiple members may have the same profile name.
Example:
Update to message 32: 2/25 books read!

For more information about how our challenges work, visit this how-to thread or ask your challenge leader.

P.S. Please do not delete posts! It changes the message numbers, complicating the update process for both leaders and participants. If you wish to leave the challenge, simply post a comment here to let us know. You may edit your original post to say {deleted}. Thank you!

Participants:

Amy (msg #23) → 6/40
Anna (msg #33) → 0/12
Anna Rachel (msg #32) → 3/12
BarbaraBrubru_gingertiger (msg #17) → 0/20
Beth (msg #11) → 0/42
Briana (msg #44) → 0/20
Brittany (msg #15) → 0/24
Caraina (msg #8) → 10/48
Carmen (msg #10) → 20/60
Chrissie (msg #22) → 7/10
Dominique (msg #5) → 0/20
Gail W (msg #21) → 28/63
Jamie (msg #20) → 2/12
Jill (msg #28) → 0/24
Kristina (msg #7) → 0/36
Kylie (msg #24) → 0/16
Laureen (msg #34) → 8/12
Lina (msg #6) → 0/8
Lisa (msg #9) → 0/12
Margie (msg #27) → 19/48
Nat (msg #29) → 0/15
Robynne (msg #18) → 0/6
Sarah (msg #58) → 0/12
SarahKat (msg #16) → 0/12
Shelley (msg #25) → 1/12
Sherri (msg #14) → 0/24
Tanu (msg #12) → 2/30
TerryJane (msg #13) → 26/24

Good luck, and happy reading to all of you! 😊
Updated until msg #70

Participants
Amy #23 - 23/40
Anna #33 - 8/12
Anna Rachel #32 - 3/13
BarbaraBrubru_gingertiger #17 - 15/20
Beth #11 - 10/42
Briana #44 - 0/20
Brittany #15 - 2/24
Caraina #8 - 10/48
Carmen #10 - 20/60
Chrissie #22 - 46/50
Dominique #5 - 1/20
GailW #21 - 98/90
Jamie #20 - 12/12
Jill #28 - 0/24
Kristina #7 - 29/36
Kylie #24 - 0/16
Laureen #34 - 20/20
Lina #6 - 0/8
Lisa #9 - 0/12
Margie #27 - 74/75
Nat #29 - 0/15
Robynne #18 - 0/6
Sarah #58 - 0/12
SarahKat #16 - 8/12
Shelley #25 - 8/12
Sherri #14 - 0/24
Tanu #12 - 24/30
TerryJane #13 - 60/24
____________________________________________________
STATS
Participants: 28
Books Read: 471
Books Pledged: 777
Challenges Completed: 4

Updated through Message #160 on Nov 10, 2025.

SHELF AWARENESS
Duration: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025

1/20

January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Black History Month
◦ LGBT History Month (UK) Our Wives Under the Sea 01/28/25

I will join in, will edit this later :) Going for 8 books for now, but might try for 12 (1 per month) later on.

🗃️ Shelf Awareness - Yearly Challenge 🗃️
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2025

🗃️ Progress: /8 🗃️

Tracking my books read for this challenge in my corner

🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️🗃️

SHELF AWARENESS
January 01, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Progress: 29/36

Count me in for 36 books!

Member Corner Tracking Post

SHELF AWARENESS
Duration: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025

Completed: 10/48

January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings.
Read books by Black authors
Read books where characters celebrate Valentine's Day
1. The Banks Sisters - Nikki Turner 1/12/25
2. Her Secret Life - Tiffany L. Warren 1/26/25
3. Indigo - Beverly Jenkins 1/20/25
4. One of Us Knows - Alyssa Cole 2/2/25
5. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? - Crystal Smith Paul 2/3/25
6. Valentine's Day in Venice - Stephanie Taylor 2/3/25
7. Heart of a Thug: A Hood Love Story - Tallah J. 2/8/25
8. Fearless Love - Donnia Marie 2/9/25

March & April
Focus your reading on Oceanian authors and/ or settings.
1. The Younger Wife - Sally Hepworth 3/3/25
2. The Last Love Note - Emma Grey 3/7/25
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

May & June
Focus your reading on Asian authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

July & August
Focus your reading on European authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

September & October
Focus your reading on South American authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Signing myself up for 12 books!

Hola, count me in please!

PROGRESS: 20/60

my tracking post

Goal: 42 books

January/February
✅ African author/setting
(view spoiler)[Gaslight (Philip Taiwo, #2) by Femi Kayode (hide spoiler)]

✅ Black History Month - Black authors
(view spoiler)[I Am Not Your Negro by James Baldwin
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
Salvage the Bones (Bois Sauvage, #2) by Jesmyn Ward (hide spoiler)]

✅ International Holocaust Remembrance Day
(view spoiler)[The Tattooist of Auschwitz (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, #1) by Heather Morris
Yossel, April 19, 1943 by Joe Kubert (hide spoiler)]

March/April
✅ Oceania authors/settings
(view spoiler)[The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry
The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane (hide spoiler)]

✅ Women's History Month - women authors
(view spoiler)[From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty
The Return of the Indian (The Indian in the Cupboard, #2) by Lynne Reid Banks
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson (hide spoiler)]

May/June
✅ Asian authors/settings
(view spoiler)[Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
Before Your Memory Fades (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #3) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Finding Nouf (Nayir Sharqi & Katya Hijazi #1) by Zoë Ferraris
Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (hide spoiler)]

✅ Pride Month - LGBTQ+ authors/characters
(view spoiler)[They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Less (Arthur Less, #1) by Andrew Sean Greer (hide spoiler)]

July/August
✅ European authors/settings
(view spoiler)[On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons, #8) by Julia Quinn
Tombland (Matthew Shardlake, #7) by C.J. Sansom
Wouldn't It Be Deadly (Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mystery, #1) by D.E. Ireland
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher (hide spoiler)]

✅ Disability Pride Month - character with chronic pain
(view spoiler)[And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts (hide spoiler)]

✅ Canada Day - set in Canada
(view spoiler)[The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19) by Louise Penny (hide spoiler)]

September/October
South American authors/settings
The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple by Jeff Guinn
The Ways of Evil Men (Chief Inspector Mario Silva #7) by Leighton Gage
The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
Death in the Andes

✅ Halloween
(view spoiler)[The Best Halloween Ever (The Herdmans, #3) by Barbara Robinson (hide spoiler)]

November/December
✅ North American authors/settings
(view spoiler)[The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Adventures of Tom and Huck, #1) by Mark Twain
Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography by Rob Lowe
Fear Thy Neighbor by Fern Michaels
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Alfred Blalock, Helen Taussig, and Vivien Thomas by Lisa Yount (hide spoiler)]

✅ National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month - Indigenous author
(view spoiler)[The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (hide spoiler)]

I'm in for 10 books, please!

Books/topics TBD.

Link to Members' Corner thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

🤔 SHELF AWARENESS - Yearly Challenge
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2025
Progress: 60/24 -- COMPLETE

January & February
◦ African authors and/or settings
🤔 Americanah
🤔 The Blue Hour
🤔 The Red Pencil
🤔 When Morning Comes
◦ Black History Month
🤔 There's Always This Year
🤔 Junie
🤔 Dark Sons
🤔 Me: Moth
🤔 Viper's Dream
🤔 Long Way Down
◦ LGBT History Month (UK)
🤔 The Vacation - gay author
🤔 The Minders - gay author
🤔 The Pull of the Stars - lesbian author
🤔 How Y'all Doing? - gay author
🤔 Trace Evidence: Poems - gay author
◦ Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month (USA)
🤔 The Flamethrowers - enslaved rubber plantation workers
◦ World Religion Day (January 19th)
🤔 Heir - Muslim
🤔 A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing - Catholic
🤔 The Vicar of Wakefield - Anglican
🤔 The End of the Affair - Catholic, Atheist
◦ International Day of Education (January 24th)
🤔 The Oxford Murders - set at university
◦ Australia Day
🤔 I Am the Messenger - set in Australia
🤔 Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone - set in Australia
🤔 Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - set in Australia
🤔 Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret - set in Australia
🤔 The Things She's Seen - set in Australia, aboriginal authors

March & April
◦ Oceanian authors and/ or settings
🤔 Wild Dark Shore
◦ Autism Awareness Month
🤔 Head Cases - character on the spectrum
◦ Women's History Month
🤔 A Raisin in the Sun
🤔 Isola
🤔 You Are Fatally Invited
🤔 Listen to Your Sister
◦ Sexual Assault Awareness Month
🤔 The Tell: A Memoir
🤔 The Queens of Crime
🤔 Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
◦ Celebrate Diversity Month
🤔 The Three Lives of Cate Kay
🤔 Good Dirt
🤔 Under the Same Stars
🤔 The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
🤔 A Killer Sundae
🤔 Water Moon
🤔 Throwback
🤔 The Note
🤔 Yellowface
🤔 Untamed
🤔 The Book Eaters
🤔 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
◦ International Women's Day (March 8th)
🤔 Anthem
🤔 Bonjour Tristesse
🤔 We All Live Here
🤔 The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus
🤔 Broken Country
🤔 Immortal
🤔 Beautiful Ugly
◦ International Day of Happiness (March 20th)
🤔 A Christmas Carol
🤔 Happy for You
🤔 The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove
◦ World Health Day (April 7th)
🤔 Cross My Heart - organ transplant
◦ Mother Earth Day (April 22nd)
🤔 The Light Pirate
🤔 Dream State

I will try for 24.

Im in, I probably wont stick to the time periods of when to read things but I like using this for reading more from different regions and cultures

2/24

(view spoiler)[
January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings.
1. set in Egypt
2.
3.
4.


March & April
Focus your reading on Oceanian authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.


May & June
Focus your reading on Asian authors and/ or settings.
1. Asian author and partial setting
2.
3.
4.


July & August
Focus your reading on European authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.


September & October
Focus your reading on South American authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4.


November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.
3.
4. (hide spoiler)]

8/12 -

January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings.
📗1. The Stranger (Algeria)
📗2. A Girl Called Eel (Comoros)

March & April
Focus your reading on Oceanian authors and/ or settings.
📗1. Euphoria by Lily King (PNG)
📗2. On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu (Nauru)

May & June
Focus your reading on Asian authors and/ or settings.
📗1. The Suspect by Fiona Barton (Thailand)
📗2. Finding Nouf by Zoë Ferraris (Saudi Arabia)

July & August
Focus your reading on European authors and/ or settings.
📗1. The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (France)
📗2. Ivan's War: Life and Death in the Red Army, 1939-1945 (Russia)

September & October
Focus your reading on South American authors and/ or settings.
1. Invisible Country by Annamaria Alfieri (Paraguay)
2. We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz (Chile)

November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.
1.
2.

I am in for 20 books :) - 15/20
Thanks !

January - February:
Chinese new year: The Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 1, The Poppy War The Dragon Republic
LGBT awareness: This Is How You Lose the Time War

March April:
Diversity: Elatsoe
Sex assault Madame Zou

May June:
Asian US: Arsenic and Adobo I Leave It Up to You
Diversity: I Was Born for This First Childhood

July August:
European authors: Pride and Prejudice Persuasion
Day of friendship Godmersham Park
History, Bastille day; A Place of Greater Safety

September October:
Alzeimer: The Cracked Mirror

November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.

Global Awareness:
◦ Men’s Health Awareness Month
◦ National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
◦ National Novel Writing Month
◦ Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (Canada)

International Days:
◦ World Kindness Day (November 13th)
◦ Universal Children's Day (November 20th)
◦ World AIDS Day (December 1st)
◦ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (December 2nd)
◦ International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd)
◦ Human Rights Day (December 10th)
◦ International Animal Rights Day (December 10th)

Celebrations:
◦ Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
◦ Armistice Day
◦ Thanksgiving Day
◦ Winter Solstice
◦ Christmas Day
◦ Hanukkah

Put me down for 6 books please. Thanks.

In for 13. Please disregard; I think what I was aiming for is a better fit over at the Shelfie challenge. Happy reading to everyone remaining in this challenge!

Status: 12 of 12 Completed✔️

Jan/Feb:
✔️1. Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America by Michael Harriot
✔️2. Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique W. Morris

Mar/Apr:
✔️1. The True Story of Kaluaikoolau: As Told by His Wife, Piilani by Piilani Kaluaikoolau
✔️2. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen by Liliuokalani
✔️3. Straight Up by Ruby Tui

May/Jun:
✔️1. The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State by Nadia Murad
✔️2. Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America by Julia Lee

Jul/Aug:
✔️1. The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante
✔️2. The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger
✔️3. Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

Sep/Oct:
✔️ 1. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
✔️ 2. Still Life with Bones: Genocide, Forensics, and What Remains by Alexa Hagerty

Nov/Dec:
✔️ 1. American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road by Nick Bilton
2. Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism by Rachel Maddow

☀ Completed 98 / 90 .......... 54 exact month

JAN & FEB
☀ Africa-Sudan (author): Something Evergreen Called Life
☀ Africa-Namibia (author, setting): The Purple Violet of Oshaantu
☀ Africa- Algiers (author, setting): Our Riches
☀ Africa-Cote de Ivoire (author, setting): Aya
☀ Black History Month: His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope
☀ Black History Month: Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat
☀ Black History Month: Who Was John Lewis? by Crystal Hubbard
☀ International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan 27th): The World That We Knew
☀ World Religion Day: Everything Sad Is Untrue, Iran issued a fatwah on the author's mother and the kids because she converted to Christianity.
☀ International Day of Education: Ban This Book
☀ International Mother Language Day (UNESCO-Feb 21): Burkina Faso (author and setting)-country of >70 languages, French is the "official" language: So Distant From My Life

MAR & APR
☀ Oceania-Samoa (author, setting): The Girl in the Moon Circle
☀ Women's History Month: The Frozen River
☀ National Poetry Month: The Hill We Climb, banned book
☀ Celebrate Diversity Month: Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
☀ International Women's Day (Mar 8th): Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History
☀ United Nations Zero Discrimination Day (Mar 1st): Assembly
☀ Holi: Festival of Colors
☀ Eid al- Fitr: Once Upon an Eid
☀ Mardi Gras: Glory Daze: A Glory Broussard Mystery
☀ Trans Day of Visibility (Mar 31): The Thirty Names of Night
☀ April Fool's Day: April Fools
☀ World Health Day (Apr 7th): drug addiction and infant withdrawal: Long Bright River
☀ National Right to Read Day (April 7): banned book: Clap When You Land
☀ National Library Week (Apr 6-12): What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
☀ Arab American Heritage Month (Apr): Huda F Are You?, banned book

MAY & JUN
☀ Asia focus: China (author): A Study in Scarlet Women
☀ Asia focus: Lebanon (author, setting): A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return
☀ Asia focus: Uzbekistan (author, setting): Mothersland
* Juneteenth:
☀LGBTQ+ Pride Month: I'm Just a Person
☀ Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Evergreen, WW2 concentration camps for US citizens of Japanese heritage
☀ Canada’s Indigenous History Month (author, setting): The Break
☀ Jewish Heritage Month: As Close to Us as Breathing
☀ Caribbean American Heritage Month: Trinidad (author, setting): Golden Child
☀ Mental Health Awareness Month: Hotel Silence
* World Press Freedom Day (May 3rd)
☀ World Bee Day (May 20th): The Bees
☀ World Environment Day (Jun 5th): Wild Dark Shore

JUL & AUG
☀ European focus - England (author, setting): Crooked House
☀ European focus - England (author, setting): Famous Last Words
☀ European focus - Finland (author, setting): The Man Who Died
☀ European focus - Ireland (author, setting): Only The Stones Never Die
☀ European focus - Scotland (author): The Bees
* South Asian Heritage Month (UK)
☀ Women in Translation Month: Sweden: The Colony by Annika Norlin, translated by Alice E. Olsson
☀ International Day of the World’s Indigenous People: Chile (author, setting): I want to tell you a story. Author is the last known native speaker of the Yahgan language and the last living full-blooded Yahgan (Chile) person.
☀ Women’s Equality Day (Aug 26th): bell hooks: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
☀ Canada Day (Jul 1st): Margaret Atwood: Cut and Thirst

SEP & OCT
☀ South American focus: Argentina (author, setting): Not a River
☀ South American focus: Argentina (author, setting): Furia
☀ Black History Month (UK)(author, setting): A Murder for Miss Hortense. Author's Jamaican grandparents moved to England in the 1950s as part of the Windrush generation.
☀ Hispanic Heritage Month: Untamed Shore
☀ International Literacy Day (Sep 8th): Literacy Is Liberation: Working Toward Justice Through Culturally Relevant Teaching
☀ International Day of the Girl Child (Oct 11th): Stolen
☀ US Indigenous Peoples' Day (Oct 13): Sinister Graves
☀ United Nations Day (Oct 24th): We Are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures by Amnesty International
☀ World Kid Lit Month: The Cricket in Times Square, characters from China and Italy, a cat, mouse, and cricket

NOV & DEC
◦ North American focus:
◦ National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month:
◦ International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Dec 3rd):
◦ Human Rights Day (December 10th):


Addl. CONTINENT FOCUS NOT READ IN SPECIFIED MONTHS:
☀ Africa: Angola (author, setting): A General Theory of Oblivion -Jul
☀ Africa: Congo (setting): A Burnt-Out Case -Mar
☀ Africa: Mauritius (author): Murder in the Valleys
☀ Africa: Morocco (Author): The Dream Hotel -Jun
☀ Africa: Mozambique (author, setting): Neighbours: The Story of a Murder -Aug
☀ Africa: Sudan (author, setting): Thirteen Months of Sunrise -Oct

☀ Asia-Andaman Islands of India (setting): Glorious Boy
☀ Asia-Azerbaijan (setting): Ali and Nino: A Love Story -Feb
☀ Asia: China (author, setting): The Only Child -Mar
☀ Asia: China (author): Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet -Sep
☀ Asia: India (author): Rosarita -Sep
☀ Asia: Indonesia (author): Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers -Mar
☀ Asia: Iran (author/setting): The House On Sun Street -Feb
☀ Asia: Japan (author/setting): The Travelling Cat Chronicles -Nov
☀ Asia: Maldives (author/setting): The Choice and other Tales -Aug
☀ Asia: Pakistan (author): The Last White Man -Jan
☀ Asia: Pakistan (author, partial setting): We Are Displaced -Mar
☀ Asia: South Korea (author, setting): The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly -Sep
☀ Asia: South Korea (author, setting): Years and Years -Feb
☀ Asia: South Korea (author, setting): Banned Book Club -Jan
☀ Asia: Taiwan (setting, author, translator): Taiwan Travelogue -Jan
☀ Asia: Tajikstan (setting, author): At the Foot of Blue Mountains -Oct
☀ Asia: Thailand (setting): Sightseeing -Mar

☀ Europe-Finland (author,setting): The Rabbit Factor -Nov
☀ Europe-Italy (author, setting): The Little Virtues -Apr
☀ Europe-Luxembourg (author, setting): The Pleasure of Drowning -Jun
☀ Europe-Ukraine (setting): Baba Dunja's Last Love -May

☀ North America: Barbados (author, setting): The Woman Next Door -Mar
☀ North America: Barbados/British Guiana/Trinidad (setting): River Sing Me Home -May
☀ North America: Canada (author, setting): Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls -Oct
☀ North America: Canada (author, setting): My Conversations with Canadians -Aug
☀ North America: Nicaragua (author, setting): Ashes of Izalco -Mar
☀ North America: Haiti (author, setting): Anacaona: Golden Flower, Haiti, 1490 -Feb
☀ North America: Mexico (setting): The Falling Woman -Jun
☀ North America: Panama (author, setting): Delia's Way -Sep
☀ North America: St. Kitts and Nevis (author, setting): Adventure At Brimstone Hill -Sep
☀ North America: St. Vincent and the Grenadines (author, setting): Cassie P Caribbean PI -Oct

☀ Oceania: Australia (setting): The Echoes -Jun
☀ Oceania: New Zealand (author): A Man Lay Dead
☀ Oceania: Papau New Guinea (author): Tales of the Tikongs
☀ Oceania: New Zealand (author, setting): Potiki
☀ Oceania: Vanuatu (setting): Road No Good -Jan

☀ South America: Argentina (author): The Invention of Morel -Aug

I'm in for 10 for now, potential list follows.

Progress: 50/50

currently reading:

(view spoiler)[January & February ✓
◦ LGBT History Month (UK)

◦ Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year)


March & April ✓
◦ Celebrate Diversity Month
(lgbtq) (bipoc) (bipoc) (lgbtq) (indigenous) (lgbtq) (bipoc)
◦ International Women's Day (March 8th)

◦ International Day of Happiness (March 20th)

◦ World Health Day (April 7th)
(doctor) (mental health)

May & June ✓
Focus your reading on Asian authors and/ or settings.

◦ LGBTQ+ Pride Month

◦ Mental Health Awareness Month


July & August ✓
Focus your reading on European authors and/ or settings.

◦ Women in Translation Month
(hide spoiler)]

September & October ✓
◦ Suicide Prevention Month
(maurice thinks about suicide)
◦ International Day of Sign Languages (September 23rd)


November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.

◦ World Kindness Day (November 13th)
◦ Universal Children's Day (November 20th)
◦ World AIDS Day (December 1st)
◦ Christmas Day

I will go for 40!
25/40

January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings:
1. Maame

Global Awareness:
◦ Black History Month
1. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
2. Harlem Shuffle
3. The Water Dancer

Celebrations:
◦ Saint Valentine’s Day: Apples Never Fall
---------------------------------------------------------------------
March & April:
Global Awareness:
◦ Women's History Month
1. Goodnight Sweetheart
2. Persuasion

Celebrations
Mother Earth Day (April 22nd): The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day
---------------------------------------------------------------------
May & June

Global Awareness:
◦ LGBTQ+ Pride Month:
1. The Briar Club
2. Atmosphere

◦ Mental Health Awareness Month:
1. The Wedding People

◦ Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month:
1. Blob: A Love Story

International Days:
◦ World Bee Day (May 20th):
1. All the Colors of the Dark
---------------------------------------------------------------------
July & August

Global Awareness:
◦ Disability Pride Month
1. Now That You Mention It

◦ International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (August 9th):
1. Shelterwood
2. The Only Good Indians
3. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

◦ Women’s Equality Day (August 26th)
1. All You Have To Do Is Call
2. Nesting

Celebrations:
◦ U.S. Independence Day
1. Flood
2. Carnal Innocence
---------------------------------------------------------------------
September & October

◦ Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
1. Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Hispanic Heritage Month:
1. Secret Identity
---------------------------------------------------------------------
November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings:

Global Awareness:
◦ National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month:
1. Sisters in the Wind
2. Catacombs

◦ National Novel Writing Month

International Days:
◦ World Kindness Day (November 13th)
◦ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (December 2nd)
◦ International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd)
◦ Human Rights Day (December 10th)
◦ International Animal Rights Day (December 10th)

Celebrations:
◦ Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
◦ Armistice Day
◦ Thanksgiving Day
◦ Winter Solstice
◦ Christmas Day
◦ Hanukkah
◦ Kwanzaa

I'd like to participate with 16 books.

Progress: / 16

1.

I'm in for 12.

Status: 8/12
Updated: 10/20/2025

January & February
Focus your reading on African authors and/ or settings.
1 - Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - 01/29/2025
2 - The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After by Clemantine Wamariya - 03/04/2025

March & April
Focus your reading on Oceanian authors and/ or settings.
3 - Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - 03/16/2025
4 - The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides - 05/15/2025

May & June
Focus your reading on Asian authors and/ or settings.
5 - The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo - 05/25/2025
6 - Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World by Tom Wright - IN PROCESS

July & August
Focus your reading on European authors and/ or settings.
7 - The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue - 07/25/2025
8 - Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe - 09/16/2025

September & October
Focus your reading on South American authors and/ or settings.
9 - Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin - UP NEXT
10 - A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fought to Find a Stolen Generation of Children by Haley Cohen Gilliland - 10/13/2025

November & December
Focus your reading on North American authors and/ or settings.
11 - A Warrior of the People: How Susan La Flesche Overcame Racial and Gender Inequality to Become America's First Indian Doctor by Joe Starita - TBR
12 - O Pioneers! by Willa Cather - TBR

Update to Message 25: #/12.

Welcome everyone! I'm so excited to be reading with all of you. 😊
To all of us who haven't set a goal yet, please remember to do so by the start of challenge 🙏 Thankyou kindly!

Here's to an excellent 2025!

Please add me for 48 75. Thanks!

PROGRESS: 76/75

January & February (19)
(view spoiler)[African authors and/ or settings:
1967 Kenya: A Grain of Wheat
1991 St. Helena: The Emperor's Last Island: A Journey to St. Helena
1999 South Africa: Disgrace
2008 Botswana: A Carrion Death
2018 Liberia: She Would Be King
2021 Senegal: The Most Secret Memory of Men
2024 Namibia: Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space: A Literary Mixtape
2024 Zambia: The Lions' Den

Awareness Events & Celebrations:
☑️Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month (USA) - January - The Desert and the Drum (Set in Mauritania where slavery was abolished in 1981 but still exists in practice.)
☑️ Black History Month - February -Brooding over Bloody Revenge: Enslaved Women's Lethal Resistance
☑️ LGBT History Month (UK) (February) - A Marvellous Light
☑️ World Religion Day (January 19th) - The Book of Strange New Things
☑️International Day of Education (January 24th) - Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools
☑️ International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27th) - The Bishop’s Villa
☑️Social Justice Awareness Day (February 20th) - The Message
☑️ Australia Day (January 26) - The White Girl
☑️Chinese New Year (January 29) - Half a Lifelong Romance
☑️ Lantern Festival (February 12) - A Map for the Missing
☑️ Saint Valentine’s Day (February 14) - When in Rome
(hide spoiler)]

March & April (19)
(view spoiler)[Oceanian authors and/ or settings:
1993 Australia: The Women in Black
2008 Federated States of Micronesia: My Urohs
2016 Australia: The Dry (Aaron Falk #1)
2021 Australia: Born Into This
2021 Nauru, Australia: On Fragile Waves

Awareness Events & Celebrations:
☑️Autism Awareness Month - March - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
☑️Women's History Month - March -Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl among the few extant US slave narratives written by a woman
☑️ Celebrate Diversity Month - March - The Rivals queer asian female protagonist/author
☑️ World Wildlife Day (March 3rd) - Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
☑️ International Day of Happiness (March 20th) - The Wedding People
☑️ Ramadan - March -Once Upon an Eid
☑️ Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17) - The Witch Elm set in Ireland
☑️ Spring Equinox aka. Ostara (March 20) - The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise - planting seeds is one way to celebrate the spring equinox

☑️ National Poetry Month - April - Magical Negro
☑️ World Health Day (April 7th): In the Company of Men (2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa)
☑️ Mother Earth Day (April 22nd): The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth (Antarctica, climate change and motherhood)
☑️ Ram Navami (April 6) - The Ramayana: A New Retelling of Valmiki's Ancient Epic (celebrations include reading this epic)
☑️ Australian Heritage Festival - April - The Sun Walks Down
☑️ National Right to Read Day (April 7) - The Book Censor's Library
(hide spoiler)]

May & June (16)
(view spoiler)[>Asian authors and/ or settings:
1965 Armenia: An Armenian Sketchbook
2020 China: Taiwan Travelogue
2020 Indonesia: Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World
2021 South Korea: We Do Not Part
2024 India: Black River

Awareness Events & Celebrations:
☑️ Mental Health Awareness Month (May) No One Gets to Fall Apart: A Memoir
☑️Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month The Magnificent Ruins (India)
☑️ Jewish Heritage Month (May) The Hebrew Teacher
☑️ World Press Freedom Day (May 3) How to stand Up to a Dictator (Philippines)
☑️ Africa Day (May 25) Born on a Tuesday

☑️ LGBTQ+ Pride Month (June): Our Evenings
☑️ Canada’s Indigenous History Month (June): Monkey Beach
☑️ World Environment Day (June 5) Wild Dark Shore
☑️ World Day Against Child Labour (June 12) Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
☑️ Father’s Day (June 15) The Return
☑️ Polynesian New Year aka. Matariki (June 20) Matariki: the star of the year
(hide spoiler)]

July & August (18)
(view spoiler)[European authors and/ or settings.
1782 France: Dangerous Liaisons
1921 Italy, Sardinia: Sea and Sardinia
1965: The Spoilt City (The Balkan Trilogy #2)
1971 Albania: Chronicle in Stone
1994 Bosnia: Sarajevo Marlboro
2002 Spain: The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain
2010 Spain: An Englishman in Madrid
2012 Norway: Norwegian by Night
2016 Poland: In the Land of Armadillos: Stories
2022 Bosnia: Black Butterflies
2022 Croatia: My Family and Other Enemies: Life and Travels in Croatia’s Hinterland
2025 England: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping

Awareness Events & Celebrations:
☑️ Disability Pride Month (July) Those Who Perish
☑️ South Asian Heritage Month (UK) (Mid-July to Mid-August) A Matrimonial Murder
☑️ Women in Translation Month (August): Amanat: Women’s Writing from Kazakhstan
☑️ International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (August 9th): Too Much Lip
☑️ International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism (August 21st): As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow (state sponsored terrorism in Syria)
☑️ Women’s Equality Day (August 26th): A Room of One’s Own
(hide spoiler)]

September & October (3)
(view spoiler)[South American authors and/ or settings.
1986 Argentina: A State of Fear: Memories of Argentina's Nightmare
2019 Venezuela: Two Spies in Caracas
2007 Suriname: Chrysalis: Maria Sibylla Merian And the Secrets of Metamorphosis
(hide spoiler)]

November & December (1)
North American authors and/ or settings:
◦
◦
◦

Awareness Events & Celebrations:
◦ Men’s Health Awareness Month (November)
◦ National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
◦ National Novel Writing Month (November)
◦ Indigenous Disability Awareness Month - Canada (November)
◦ World Kindness Day (November 13th)
◦ Universal Children's Day (November 20th)
☑️ Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) (November 1-2) - Under the Volcano (Mexico)
◦ Armistice Day (November 11)
◦ Thanksgiving Day (November 27)

◦ World AIDS Day (December 1st)
◦ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (December 2nd)
◦ International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd)
◦ Human Rights Day (December 10th)
◦ International Animal Rights Day (December 10th)
◦ Winter Solstice (December 21)
◦ Christmas Day (December 25)
◦ Hanukkah (December 14-22)
◦ Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1)

Signing up for 24!

In for 15!

Completed: 0/15

1. Cuba: A Planet for Rent
2. Peru: The Cubs and Other Stories
3. Serbia: The Fourth Circle
4. Thailand: Bangkok Wakes to Rain
5. Armenia: The Gray House
6. China: The Lantern and the Night Moths: Five Modern and Contemporary Chinese Poets in Translation
7. Ukraine: Vita Nostra
8. Sweden: A Man Called Ove
9. Rwanda: All Your Children, Scattered
10. Mauritius: The Last Brother
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Update to post 11: Added books, categories, and goal (42 books)

Beth wrote: "Update to post 11: Added books, categories, and goal (42 books)"

Thanks for updating it, Beth! You're all set 😊

✊🏽📖Anna Rachel is Shelf Aware✊🏽📖
I’m joining this challenge with 12 books pledged (one a month) but hopefully I’ll be able to read more than that & update as I go. Current Progress: 3/13

⛓️‍💥 January: National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month ⛓️‍💥
It’s important to realize that even if we might think slavery doesn’t exist the way it did in the 1700s, it’s still a very prevalent issue that shouldn’t be overlooked. I wanted to choose a book that would give me a good idea of what modern day, slavery and human trafficking looks like.
A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery read 1/27

🤎 February: Black History Month 🤎
I’m really excited about the books I’ve chosen to read this month, as a Black woman in America this hits especially close to home. Despite the fact that I’ve been raised from birth, being taught the history of Black people in the US, there will never be enough time to know all the stories. I know my limits, and I know that immersing myself in Black history carries a lot of weight & takes an emotional toll. So for this month, I’ve also chosen to read a romance, written by a Black author, and featuring Black characters. As a way to keep Black voices centered while keeping my mood positive.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration read 2/16
Seven Days in June read 2/19

💪🏽🌹March: Women’s History Month 💪🏽🌹
For Women’s History Month I’ve decided to challenge myself to only read books written by women! I’ve got a nice looking TBR set up & I’ll update here with a lit of female
authors as I go. My featured ok for this month is going to be a re-read of one of my absolute favorite female classics.
The Yellow Wallpaper

(view spoiler)[Update Template:
📢 Update to message #32

Book Read: BOOK

Challenge Progress: #/13 books read (hide spoiler)]

I will sign up for 12, let's see if it will expand my reading horizons.

I'll sign up for 12. Thanks!

Welcome to Shelf Awareness!
Can't wait to see what everyone is going to be reading for this challenge in 2025! 😊

The list has been updated and everyone is now added with their goals. Please let me know if I've missed anything.

I hope you all had a phenomenal holiday season and New Year's Eve. Here's to a fantastic 2025! 🎆

Update to Message #35:
Colored Television by Danzy Senna (1/4/25): reference to Black History Month

1/12

Update #12 1/10

Update Message #35:

Jan/Feb:
2. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (1/11/25): Social Justice Awareness

Update to message #21:
Please increase goal to 45

Progress: 2/45

Gail W wrote: "Update to message #21:
Please increase goal to 45

Progress: 2/45"

I've updated it, Gail! 😊 congrats on your progress thus far. Keep it going.

Everyone's progress is now up-to-date again!

Just a friendly reminder, to please not delete messages. If you wish to leave the challenge, or have made a mistake, or simply changed your mind, let me know (either here, or via private message) . Thank you!

Have a fantastic Sunday! Happy Reading.

Update to Message #35:

The Trees by Percival Everett : Black History Month

3/12

Msg #12 - I would like to change my goal to 30, please. I have read 2/30 books.

My goal is to start with 20 books for this challenge. :)

1. River Spirit Currently reading
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Update message #21:

Progress: 4/45

Updated message 23-- 1/40

Update message 21: 6/45

Update: Jamie (msg #20) → 2/12

Update to message 32: progress 1/12

Tanu wrote: "Msg #12 - I would like to change my goal to 30, please. I have read 2/30 books."

It's done. Way to go on your progress thus far 😊