2025 Reading Challenge discussion
2025 Members' Corner
>
Susan's Reading Corner
date
newest »
newest »
Quarter 1: SadnessEMBRACING THE BLUES (Message #66)
Duration: January 1, 2025 - March 31, 2025
(view spoiler)
Monthly Reads:
January: Cozy - The Spellshop
February: Time - One Hundred Years of Solitude
March: Food - The Midnight Feast
April: Games - Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Already Read)
May: Mother - Little Fires Everywhere (Already Read)
June: Sisterhood - Little Women (Already Read)
July: Island - Great Big Beautiful Life
August: Sunflower - The Perks of Being a Wallflower
September: Whimsy - The House in the Cerulean Sea (Already Read)
October: Supersitition - Weyward (Already Read)
November: Pets
December: White
Popsugar Challenge 2025 Message #27Progress: 19/20
1. A book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance Completed
2. A book you want to read based on the last sentence The Book Thief Completed
3. A book about space tourism Artemis
4. A book with two or more books on the cover or "book" in the title Book Lovers Completed
5. A book with a snake on the cover or in the title Galápagos
6. A book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge - A book published in 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses Completed
7. A book about a cult The Family Upstairs Completed
8. A book under 250 pages Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories Completed
9. A book that features a character going through menopause The Change
10. A book you got for free Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me
11. A book mentioned in another book The Diamond Eye Completed
12. A book about a road trip One Plus One Completed
13. A book rated less than three stars on Goodreads
14. A book about a nontraditional education Ninth House
15. A book that an AI chatbot recommends based on your favorite book - Behind Closed Doors Completed
16. A book set in or around a body of water The Wedding People Completed
17. A book about a run club
18. A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons Under the Whispering Door Completed
19. A highly anticipated read of 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping Completed
20. A book that fills a 2024 prompt you'd like to do over (or try out) Prompt 18 - A book set in space - The Martian Completed
21. A book where the main character is a politician
22. A book about soccer
23. A book that is considered healing fiction
24. A book with a happily single woman protagonist
25. A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee The Book of Unknown Americans Completed
26. A book where an adult character changes careers
27. A book set at a luxury resort And Then There Were None
28. A book that features an unlikely friendship
29. A book about a food truck
30. A book that reminds you of your childhood
31. A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline High Fidelity
32. A book about an overlooked woman in history The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
33. A book featuring an activity on your bucket list
34. A book written by an author who is neurodivergent
35. A book centering LGBTQ+ characters that isn't about coming out The Three Lives of Cate Kay Completed
36. A book with silver on the cover or in the title The Silver Star Completed
37. Two books with the same title (1)
38. Two books with the same title (2)
39. A classic you've never read - Little Women Completed
40. A book about chosen family
Advanced Prompts
Easy
41. A book by the oldest author in your TBR pile
42. A book with a title that starts with the letter Y You Completed
43. A book that includes a nonverbal character
44. A book you have always avoided reading
Medium
45. A book with a left-handed character
46. A book where nature is the antagonist
47. A book of interconnected short stories
Hard
48. A book that features a married couple who don't live together Jane Eyre
49. A dystopian book with a happy ending - Ready Player One Completed
50. A book that features a character with chronic pain Needful Things
TBR JAR CHALLENGE Message #29I will join for 16 random books chosen from my TBR list
Progress: 10/16
1. One Plus One - Jojo Moyes Completed
2. The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion Completed
3. The Night We Lost Him - Laura Dave Completed
4. The Book of Unknown Americans - Cristina Henriquez Completed
5. Dear John - Nicholas Sparks Completed
6. One of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus
7. The Walls Around Us - Nova Ren Suma
8. Girl with a Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier Completed
9. The German Wife - Kelly Rimmer Completed
10. Blockade Billy - Stephen King Completed
11. Miracle Creek - Angie Kim
12. I Know This Much Is True - Wally Lamb Completed
13. Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake
14. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert Completed
15. Resistance - Anita Shreve
16. The Awakening - Kate Chopin
A-Z Women Authors Message #12Progress: 25/26
A. The Power - Naomi Alderman Completed
B. Summertime Punchline - Betty Corrello Completed
C. All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell Completed
D. The Spellshop - Sarah Beth Durst Completed
E. The Wedding People - Alison Espach Completed
F. The Crash - Freida McFadden Completed
G. Reluctant Immortals - Gwendolyn Kiste Completed
H. Ugly Love - Colleen Hoover Completed
I. So I Lied - Chelsea Ichaso
J. The Perfect Divorce - Jeneva Rose Completed
K. Christmas Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella Completed
L. The Night We Lost Him - Laura Dave Completed
M. Here One Moment - Liane Moriarty Completed
N. Our Missing Hearts - Celeste Ng Completed
O. Before I Go - Colleen Oakley Completed
P. By Any Other Name - Jodi Picoult Completed
Q. The Diamond Eye - Julia Quinn Completed
R. One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid Completed
S. Triptych - Karin Slaughter Completed
T. The Reformatory - Tanarive Due Completed
U. Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 - Lisa Unger Completed
V. Blood on Her Tongue - Johanna van Veen Completed
W. The Silver Star - Jeannette Walls Completed
X. The Dragonian's Witch - Meg Xuemei X Completed
Y. A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara Completed
Z. Julie Chan Is Dead - Liann Zhang Completed
Serial Reader 2025 Challenge Message #24Progress: 28/30
Series I want to continue
Kay Scarpetta Series by Patricia Cornwell
All That Remains - January Buddy Read Completed
Cruel & Unusual - February Buddy Read Completed
The Body Farm - March Buddy Read Completed
From Potter's Field - April Buddy Read Completed
Cause of Death - May Buddy Read Completed
Unnatural Exposure - June Buddy Read Completed
Point of Origin - July Buddy Read Completed
Black Notice - August Buddy Read Completed
The Last Precinct - Sept Buddy Read Completed
Blow Fly - October Buddy Read Completed
Trace - November Buddy Read
Predator - December Buddy Read
Series I want to complete
Dublin Murder Squad by Tara French
Broken Harbor
The Secret Place
The Trespasser
Series I plan on starting
Will Trent Series by Karin Slaughter
Triptych Completed
Fractured Completed
Undone
Hannah Swenson Series by Joanne Fluke
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Completed
Strawberry Shortcake Murder Completed
Blueberry Muffin Murder Completed
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder Completed
Fudge Cupcake Murder Completed
Sugar Cookie Murder Completed
Peach Cobbler Murder Completed
Cherry Cheesecake Murder Completed
Key Lime Pie Murder
Carrot Cake Murder
The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing Completed
Iron Flame Completed
Onyx Storm Completed
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Thorns and Roses Completed
A Court of Mist and Fury Completed
A Court of Wings and Ruin
Hawthorne & Horowitz Series by Anthony Horowitz
The Word is Murder Completed
The Sentence is Death Completed
A Line to Kill Completed
January Cozy Reads Message #18Progress: 5/4
1. The Spellshop Completed
2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Completed
3. Strawberry Shortcake Murder Completed
4. Blueberry Muffin Murder Completed
5. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder Completed
Let's Turn Pages Message #59Progress: 54,594/40,000 pages
January Pages: 5,540
(view spoiler)
February Pages: 6,721
(view spoiler)
March Pages: 5,897
(view spoiler)
April Pages: 7,141
(view spoiler)
May Pages: 7,682
(view spoiler)
June Pages: 6,182
(view spoiler)
July Pages: 6,953
(view spoiler)
August Pages: 8,480
(view spoiler)
September Pages: 7,924
(view spoiler)
October Pages: 3,155
The Haunting of Hill House 182 Done
A Line to Kill 375 Done
Behind Closed Doors 293 Done
The Corrections 568 Done
Blow Fly 467 Done
Things You Won't Say 352 Done
The German Wife 448 Done
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy 262 Done
The Giver 208 Done
Southbound 480
Ninth House 461
Sisters of the Lost Nation 338
Maybe in Another Life 342
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue 448
The Pumpkin Spice Café 384
Yearly Goal - 150 books150 books .... Changing to 150
Progress: 183/150
First 100 books read in 2025
(view spoiler)
101. Blood on Her Tongue
102. Behind Her Eyes
103. The Three Lives of Cate Kay
104. Wild Dark Shore
105. Look Me in the Eye
106. Julie Chan Is Dead
107. The Favorites
108. Point of Origin
109. The Paris Express
110. The House of Eve
111. The God of the Woods
112. One Last Stop
113. One Plus One
114. Of Mice and Men
115. Project Hail Mary
116. Peter Pan
117. Raven Black
118. A Wrinkle in Time
119. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
120. The Light Between Oceans
121. Fahrenheit 451
122. 1984
123. The Joy Luck Club
124. Hope Rides Again
125. Eye of the Needle
126. The Guest List
127. Beauty Queens
128. The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy
129. Great Big Beautiful Life
130. Black Notice
131. The Word is Murder
132. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
133. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
134. The House in the Cerulean Sea
135. You
136. The Poppy Fields
137. Intermezzo
138. The Pull of the Stars
139. Watching You
140. The Hunting Wives
141. Fractured
142. The Dragonian's Witch
143. The Maid's Secret
144. The Alice Network
145. Carrie Soto Is Back
146. The Long Walk
147. Feel the Bern
148. Girl in the Blue Coat
149. What Does It Feel Like?
150. James
151. Homeseeking
152. The Surrogate Mother
153. I Know This Much Is True
154. Deep Cuts
155. The Last Precinct
156. The Knight and the Moth
157. Eat, Pray, Love
158. The Sentence is Death
159. The September House
160. You Shouldn't Have Come Here
161. Weyward
162. Falling Like Leaves
163. Blockade Billy
164. The Martian
165. The Perfect Stranger
166. Party Girl
167. When Life Gives You Lululemons
168. Things We Hide from the Light
169. The Salt Grows Heavy
170. Cherry Cheesecake Murder
171. The Fall Risk
172. The Enchanted Greenhouse
173. After I Do
174. The Berry Pickers
175. The Haunting of Hill House
176. A Line to Kill
177. Behind Closed Doors
178. The Corrections
179. Blow Fly
180. Things You Won't Say
181. The German Wife
182. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
183. The Giver
February Time Warp Message #16Progress: 2/2
This challenge is based on the song and dance from the cult classic musical, Rocky Horror Picture Show. Follow the lyrics and prompts below; or, if you prefer, travel through time doing your own 'time warp' by reading books from different centuries or decades. Let's do the time warp again!
3.
Let's do the Time Warp again
It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
Put your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
Read a book featuring sports or dance, or with a body part on its cover.
Completed on 2/5/254.
But it's the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane
Let's do the Time Warp again
Let's do the Time Warp again
Read a romance or erotica book, or a book that changes your perspective.
Completed on 2/6/25
RACING THROUGH TIMEDuration: February 1 - February 28, 2025 Message #13
Step into the past, present, and future with this challenge all about time. This open challenge invites you to find books with "time" or related words/expressions in the title or books featuring any kind of timepiece on the cover. After all, “Every second tells a story.”
Progress: 3/3
Finished - One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Night We Lost Him, Here One Moment
Completed challenge on 2/21/25
GASTRONOMICAL READSDuration: March 1 - March 31, 2025 Message #7
Progress: 4/4
🍳 1. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea or supper?
Read a book with any of the above meal terms in the title.
- Finished 3/26/25🥫 2. Acquired taste
Read a book from an author, genre, or series that you didn’t initially like, but now enjoy.
- Finished 3/12/25🥮 9. Celebrate
Read a book with a banquet, festival or similar celebration involving food.
- Finished 3/15/25🍕 10. Feast for the eyes
Read a book with a food or beverage on the cover or in the title.
- Finished 3/20/25
READING PICNICDuration: March 1 - March 31, 2025
Message #6
Pack your basket and blanket—it’s time for a Reading Picnic! This challenge invites you to explore books featuring food in the title or on the cover that represent delicious treats you’d bring to a picnic. Whether it’s a cozy mystery with cupcakes or a novel about wine and cheese, let’s feast on literary delights together. A picnic isn’t complete without a book!
Progress: 5/5 Completed 3/19/25
Completed: Fudge Cupcake Murder, Sugar Cookie Murder, Summertime Punchline, Life of Pi, Peach Cobbler Murder
Quarter 2: Joy - A POP OF JOY Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2025Progress: 6/5 Message #4
(view spoiler)
BOOK SCRABBLE!Duration: April 1 - April 30, 2025
Love word games? Then this open challenge is for you! Your goal is to spell out one or more game-related words, such as RUMMY, SCRABBLE, or KNIGHT You may use the first letter of one main word from each book title (omitting a, an, the, etc.). The longer your word(s), the more challenging it becomes!
Progress: 5/5 Message #5
C - Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 - Lisa Unger Finished 4/24/25
H - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride Finished 4/15/25
E - Emma of 83rd Street - Audrey Bellezza Finished 4/18/25
S - Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins - Finished 4/3/25
S - Sweet Water - Christina Baker Kline - Finished 4/25/25
CHILD'S PLAYDuration: April 1 - April 30, 2025
Progress: 5/5 Message #5
1. Red Rover - Read a book with a red cover, with alliteration in the title, or about someone changing sides or perspectives.
- Finished 4/12/253. Freeze Tag - Read a book with a hand in the cover art, set in a cold environment, or involving a runner.
Finished 4/24/254. Capture the Flag - Read a book set in a country other than yours, with a character who has been incarcerated, or set during a war.
Finished 4/23/256. Ring Around the Rosie - Read a book with a flower or circle on the cover, including illness or death, or with the letters R-I-N-G in the title.
Finished 4/29/257. Follow the Leader - Read the next book in a series, a book by a bestselling author, or friend's recommendation.
- Finished 4/9/25
THE SWEETEST GIFTDuration: May 1 – May 31, 2025
This month, we honor mothers and their unwavering love through a challenge inspired by the heartfelt song "The Sweetest Gift." Originally written in 1942 and later recorded by Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris in the 1970s, this song tells the touching story of a mother visiting her son in prison, offering him the only thing she could—a smile full of unconditional love.
Message #4 - Progress: 5/5
1. Read a book about an incarcerated mother, or about an errant child of any age who brings heartbreak. - White Oleander - Janet Fitch Finished 5/15/25
3. Read a book involving any aspect of parole, or involving pardon from guilt. - Corrections in Ink: A Memoir - Keri Blakinger Finished 5/9/25
4. Read a book with "silver" in the title, or with something silver on the cover. - The Silver Star - Jeanette Walls Finished 5/7/25
6. Read a book with any form of "smile" in the title, or with a smiling woman on the cover. - Murder by Cheesecake - Rachel Ekstrom Courage Finished 5/22/25
8. Read a book exploring memories of a mother, or about the loss of a mother. - Now My Heart is Full: A Memoir - Laura June Finished 5/26/25
MOTHERS & OTHERSDuration: May 1 - May 31, 2025
Most Mother's Day celebrations around the world occur in May, so we are focusing on these special women and others. In this open challenge, we honor all mothers, mums, and mamas -- biological, foster, and adoptive -- as well as step-mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who often serve in a mother-like role. Whether your own mother is living or not, whether you yourself are a mother or not, Mother's Day is the perfect time to remember the women in our lives who give life and love.
Message #3 Progress: 7/6
1. Find Mother's Day gifts in the cover art of your May reads.
Books Read: One True Loves (5/3), Before I Go (5/6), The Family Upstairs (5/19), By Any Other Name (5/22), Mercy (5/27), Charlie, Presumed Dead (5/31), Thing We Never Got Over (5/31)
DAILY TRACKING AND DISCUSSION2025 Continents/Heritage: Individual Readathon
Duration: May 16 to May 18, 2025
Message #9 .... Progress: 5/4
(view spoiler)
THE TIES THAT BINDDuration: June 1 – June 30, 2025
Progress: 3/3 Message #10
Celebrate the bonds of sisterhood this June—whether by blood, by choice, or by circumstance. From supportive siblings to soul sisters, this challenge honors the unique relationships between women who stand by one another through life’s joys and challenges.
1. Read a book featuring biological sisters or siblings as main characters. - Pride and Prejuidce - Jane Austen - Finished 6/12/25
4. Read a book with "sister," "sis," or a synonym in the title. - Summer Sisters Finished 6/19/25
7. Read a book set in a sorority, convent, or other all-female communal space. Rush Finished 6/17/25
SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING BOOKSDuration: June 1 - June 30, 2025
Progress: 6/8 Message #5
For the theme of Sisterhood, this open challenge is inspired by the young adult novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and will allow readers to travel through the pages of books that are related to each other. Let's put on our traveling pants and book a trip!
Will begin my journey reading 👖The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits - Jennifer Weiner, using the books GoodReads page to continue my journey with what "Readers Enjoyed" from the prior books Goodreads page...
👖We All Live Here
👖Three Days in June
👖Broken Country
👖Wild Dark Shore
👖The Favorites
First-Time Caller
Say You'll Remember Me
🔹 Begin your trip by reading a book that involves sisters or sisterhood (biological, adoptive, sorority, etc.).
🔹 Visit its Goodreads page and choose your next read from one of its Genres, or from the Readers Also Enjoyed area. (See note below.)
🔹 Continue toward your goal using one of the travel styles below, repeating until you reach your destination.
Staycation Style: Each book is selected from the starting book's page in day trip or weekender fashion.
Road Trip Style: Each book is selected from the prior book's page in a linear or cross-country fashion.
Finished Reading:
June TBR Buddy is C-Line, but she hasn't responded. Arijana and I are buddying up to read Funny Story. C-Line got back to me and we're reading Look Me in the Eye
Quarter 3: AngerRAGE ON THE PAGE
Duration: July 1 - September 30, 2025
Progress: 10/6
For this open-ended quarterly challenge, we are focused on the theme of Anger.
▪ Read books about handling anger -- seeking revenge, controlling anger, compromising, etc. - I Know This Much Is True (full of controlling anger) - 9/4/25
The Hunting Wives - wrongly accused of murder - 8/15/25
▪ Read books with titles containing rage, anger, annoyance, or similar words
▪ Read books with covers in shades of red
The Paris Express - 7/4, Great Big Beautiful Life - 8/1, Fractured 8/17, Deep Cuts - 9/6, The Sentence is Death - 9/11, The September House - 9/14, When Life Gives You Lululemons - 9/23, The Salt Grows Heavy, 9/25
RECREATIONAL ANGER
Duration: July 1 - September 30, 2025
Progress: 9/9
2. The Upside of Anger, 2005 - This family drama involves a woman whose husband has disappeared, their four daughters, and a romance with a neighbor.
Read a romance, a book involving a disappearance, or a book with a sibling group. - One Plus One (romance) - Finished 7/13/25
3. To Sleep with Anger, 1990 - Danny Glover stars as an evil but charming drifter, who visits an old acquaintance, and brings trouble to a his family.
Read a book by a BIPOC author, a book published in the 1990’s, or a book with a manipulative character. - I Know This Much Is True (Published in the 90s) - Finished 9/4/25
4. Day of Anger, 1967 - In this violent spaghetti western, a garbage boy becomes the pupil of a violent gunfighter.
Read a book set in Southern Europe, with a weapon on the cover, or about a teacher-pupil relationship. - Eye of the Needle Finished 7/26/25
5. Look Back in Anger, 1959 - Originally a UK stage play, this film tells of a disillusioned university graduate with a grudge against middle-class values.
Read a book published in the 1950’s, a play, or a book that’s been adapted to or from another medium. - Fahrenheit 451 (Published in the 50s) Finished 7/23/25
6. Praying with Anger, 1992 - In M. Night Shyamalan’s first film, we meet an Americanized teenager of East Indian heritage who is sent back to India, where he discovers his roots.
Read a book by an Asian author, one that explores religion or spirituality, or an author’s debut novel. - The Joy Luck Club - Finished 7/25/25
8. Halls of Anger, 1970 - During desegregation, students at an all-black inner city school are opposed to having white kids transferred in, and a tough black teacher is brought in to assist.
Read a book involving race relations, a book set in a school, or a historical fiction novel. - The House of Eve (historical fiction) - Finished 7/7/25
10. Anger, 2024 - This Italian action film involves a gambling addiction, illegal drugs, and undercover police work.
Read a new release, a book involving an addiction, or a crime novel. The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy - Finished 7/31/25
13. Absolute Anger, 2023 - In this Canadian psychological noir thriller, a detective tries to solve a series of murders amidst a cat-and-mouse game with the killer.
Read a psychological thriller, a book by a Canadian author, or a detective novel. - You (psychological thriller) Finished 8/9/25
15. Queen Bee's Anger, 1958 - This Japanese crime film was released in 1958.
Read a book set in Asia, involving royalty, or with an insect on the cover. - Beautiful Disaster (insect on the cover)
17. Anger of the Dead, 2015 - This horror film features a pregnant woman struggling to survive in a world where a virus is creating zombies.
Read a horror novel, a survival/adventure story, or a book with a pregnant main character. - The Long Walk (Horror) Finished 8/22/25
18. Mad Max, 1979 - The first film in the Mad Max franchise, this post apocalyptic movie involves an Australian policeman trying to stop a violent motorcycle gang.
Read a dystopian book, a book set in Australia, or a book that’s the first in a series. - One of Us Is Lying (first in a series)
Read:
HOW ARE YOU GETTING THERE?Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2025
Progress: 5/5
Planes, trains, boats, and beyond—this month, we’re traveling in style! Inspired by Goodreads' “ Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” summer reading guide, this open-ended challenge invites you to explore books where how you get there is just as important as where you’re going. You are not limited to the books in the Goodreads list—let it serve as inspiration, not a restriction. Any book featuring travel, a journey, or a notable mode of transportation counts. Whether the story unfolds on the open sea, across scenic railways, or through the skies, let the way characters move shape your reading adventure.
All aboard the July reading adventure—your ticket is your TBR!
Finished reading The Paris Express (7/4) (Train), The God of the Woods (7/9) (Summer Camp), One Last Stop (7/10) (Train), One Plus One (7/13) (Car), Project Hail Mary (7/17) (Space)
TREASURE ISLANDDuration: July 1 - July 31, 2025
Progress: 4/5
Embark on a literary adventure across the seven seas and hidden isles! In this challenge you might read books that feature treasure hunts, pirate tales, island getaways, or stories of mythical riches. Discover hidden treasures within the pages of your favorite books and chart your course to reading glory!
1. Spanish Doubloons: Read a book with gold or silver in the title or on the cover. Raven Black - Completed 7/19/25
5. Exotic Getaway: Read a book set on an island. The Guest List - Completed 7/28/25
6. Survival Story: Read a book about characters stranded on an island. Beauty Queens - Completed 7/30/25
9. Mythical Isles: Read a book featuring mythical islands or a magical realism book set on an island. The House in the Cerulean Sea
10. Treasured Past: Read a historical fiction book set on an island. The Light Between Oceans - Completed 7/22/25
2025 Summer Readathon: Through the Decades Team ReadathonDuration: July 18th-27th
My Tracking
(view spoiler)
I SPY CHALLENGEDuration: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Progress: 20/30 (Signed up June 23 to read 30 books for the remainder of the year) (Message #533)
1. In your heart - happy, love, shame -
(Happiness)2. In the color wheel - crimson, green, sunshine -
(Yellow)3. In the living room - sofa, television, laptop -
(Window Blinds)4. In autumn - leaf, pumpkin, Halloween
(Vermont Autumn Leaves)5. In a cave - crystal, bat, spider
6. Of the body - arm, heart, eye
(Eye)7. At the amusement park - rollercoaster, balloons, clown
8. On the table - napkin, hamburger, lamp
(knife)9. On the farm - hay, tractor, sheep
10. In the church - angel, pew, candle
11. In communication - phone, typewriter, letter
12. In the toy box - jacks, blocks, stuffed animal
(Chess)13. On the beach - sea, umbrella, towel
(Waves)14. In the library - book, video game, record -
(book)15. In celebration - balloons, fireworks, cake -
(Balloons)16. At the zoo - bear, snake, elephant
(Lion)17. In the garden - vine, rose, tree
(Trees)18. In a glass - wine, milk, water
19. At the ballpark - ball, hot dog, hat
20. In the castle - throne, princess, crown
21. In the hospital - doctor, needle, patient
22. In fiction - dragon, satyr, fairy -
(Diviner) 23. In your free time - puzzle, sewing machine, stamps
24. In school - book, locker, pencil
25. At the museum - art, statue, dinosaur
26. In the closet - jacket, scarf, vacuum -
(suitcase)27. At the police station - detective, case, cell -
(Hand Gun)28. In the family - brother, dad, aunt -
(Twin Brothers)29. In the city - people, street light, school -
(Subway)30. In time - hour, year, later -
(Clock)31. Under the sea - fish, seaweed, coral
32. In the sky - bird, kite, cloud -
(Sky, Clouds, Bird)33. In the armory - gun, sword, helmet -
(Stiletto)34. In space - star, asteroid, alien -
(Astronaut) 35. In the world - Canada, Asia, Atlanta
36. In music - cello, notes, melody
Van Gogh For It!Duration: August 1 - August 31, 2025
Progress: 5/4
📚🌻3. France: Read a translated French classic, a book set in France, or one with French culture words in the title like bread, wine, bakery, Paris, etc. - The Alice Network Finished 8/21/25
📚🌻4. Yellow: Read a book with a yellow cover, with art tools in the cover art, or about character who is a visual artist.
- Finished 8/19/25📚🌻5. Netherlands: Read a book by a Dutch author, one set in Netherlands, or with iconic Dutch elements on the cover like canals, tulips, windmills, cheese, etc. - Girl in the Blue Coat Finished 8/24/25
📚🌻7. Starry Night: Read a book with a dark cover, with celestial motifs in the cover art, or from the dark academia, fantasy or mystery genres. -The Pull of the Stars Finished 8/14/25
📚🌻10. 10. V-I-N-C-E-N-T-V-A-N-G-O-G-H: Read a book that has 5 or more letters from the artist's name in the title, with a name in the title, or one written by an author named Vincent, Vince, Vinnie, etc. - Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Finished 8/7/25
HERE COMES THE SUNDuration: August 1 – August 31, 2025
Progress: 4/4
🌞1. Intermezzo - Sally Rooney Finished 8/12/25 Yellow Cover
🌞2. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore
🌞3. Carrie Soto Is Back - Tara Jenkins Reid - Finished 8/21/25 Yellow Cover
🌞4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Finished 8/5/25 Yellow Cover
🌞5. The House in the Cerulean Sea - Finished 8/8/25 Heartwarming Story
This August let’s bloom where we’re planted. This challenge invites you to explore books that feel like sunshine, encourage growth, or simply make you happy. Whether it’s a story that warms your soul, a character who grows against all odds, or a plot that just makes you smile—if it feels like summer and sunshine, it belongs here. Want to judge a book by its happy cover? Read any book featuring a yellow cover, sunflower, or yellow flowers—those count too!🌻
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLEDuration: September 1 - September 30, 2025
Progress: 6/6
🐇 A book that starts a series or sends you on a journey - The Knight and the Moth - Finished 9/10/25
🌹 A book with red on the cover or in the title - The September House - Finished 9/14/25
🫖 A book where characters gather, dine, or drink - The Last Precinct (Main characters have dinner and drinks on Christmas) - Finished 9/9/25
🔍 A book that’s a mystery or made you say “what is going on?!” - The Perfect Stranger - Finished 9/20/25
🎩 A book you chose for no logical reason at all - Party Girl - Finished 9/21/25
📖 A book that’s fantasy, surreal, or speculative fiction - Weyward - Finished 9/16/25
⏱️ A book that’s been on your TBR for far too long - Things You Won't Say
VERY SUPERSTITIOUSDuration: October 1 - October 31, 2025
Progress: 3/10
1. (Un)Lucky Numbers: Read a book with 3, 4, 7, 8, or 13 in its title or series number. Each of these numbers is considered lucky in one culture while unlucky in another.
A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz (#3 in series) - Finished 10/2/25
2. Don't Walk Under a Ladder: Read a book in which someone purposefully walks, hikes, or climbs.
Southbound by Lucy Letcher & Susan Letcher
3. Find a Four-Leaf Clover: Read a book set in Ireland or a book with a green cover.
4. Find a Horseshoe: Read a book that includes horses, or a book with a door on the cover.
Finished 10/4/255. Have a Lucky Wedding: Read a book featuring something old, something new, something borrowed, or something blue.
Something Borrowed
6. Don't Break the Mirror: Read a book where a mirror is used as a plot device, or with something broken on the cover.
7. Knock on Wood: Read a book with a tree on the cover, or a book including a carpenter or builder.
- Finished 10/10/258. Don't Let a Black Cat Cross Your Path: Read a book with a cat on the cover, or involving witchcraft.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
9. Lucky Penny: Read a book about making money, or with a unit of currency in the title.
Steve Jobs
10. Don't Spill the Salt: Read a book featuring a cook, or with the letters S-A-L-T in the title.
Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina
BONUS: Don't Swim After You Eat: After reading all 10 regular prompts, read a book about swimming or one that is set on the water.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
Quarter 4 - Fear FactorProgress: 0/5
Books can count if they include a fear or phobia in the cover art, title, or theme. This makes the challenge accessible to everyone, whether you're drawn to terrifying tales or prefer quieter, more thoughtful interpretations of fear. You could read a ghost story, a novel set on a plane, a memoir about anxiety, or even a cozy mystery with a dog on the cover—if someone, somewhere, fears it… it counts.
Quarter 4 - Here's to Fears
Progress: 3/10
🔎 1. Fear of the unknown
Read a book that involves secrets, or where someone ventures into a unknown place or territory.
Blow Fly Finished 10/7/25
📖 2. Gripped by fear
Read a book where fear controls someone's decisions, or where a character holds onto something or someone for dear life.
🧊 3. Paralyzed with fear
Read a book about a someone with a disability, or where a character faces a difficult decision.
⚡ 4. Struck with fear
Read a book involving a natural disaster, or where a character's choices affect the rest of the story.
🧠 5. Fear is the mind-killer (Dune)
Read a sci-fi or speculative fiction book, a book that involves any sort of training, or a book that involves murder.
🏚️ 6. Live in fear
Read a book where a character is threatened, or a book that features a house on the cover or in the title.
Finished 10/1/25💪 7. No fear
Read a book with a character who shows no fear, or a book with a negative in the title.
🎭 8. Instill fear
Read a book where someone is controlling or being controlled, or a book with a weapon on the cover or in the title.
🙏 9. Fear and trembling
Read a book where someone is not in control of their actions, or a book where someone is scared.
🗡️ 10. Strike fear into the heart
Read a book where a character is feared by others, or with a body part on the cover or in the title.
⛪ 11. Put the fear of God into someone
Read a book about religion or spirituality or lack thereof, or read a book that features a religious leader (priest, rabbi, preacher, etc.).
🎖️ 12. There’s nothing to fear but fear itself
Read a book where a character overcomes an obstacle, or a book with a repeated word in the title.
👁️ 13. Fear rears its ugly head
Read a book where something or someone resurfaces after a time, or a book with an adjective in the title.
🥶 14. Frozen with fear
Read a book set in a cold place, set in winter, or with wintry elements on the cover or in the title (snow, ice, frost, etc.).
⚖️ 15. A healthy dose of fear
Read a book about medicine or healthcare, a character that works in those fields, or a book that celebrates life.
📺 16. Fearmongering
Read a dystopian book, a book involving politics, or a book about influencing others.
The German Wife - Finished 10/9/25
💀 17. Fear for one’s life
Read a survival story, a thriller, or a book that involves a death.
🌒 18. Fear casts a long shadow
Read a horror book, a book set at night or in a dark place, or a book that involves trauma.
🏃 19. Driven by fear
Read a book involving any mode of transportation, or where emotions influence a character's decision.
🛑 20. Out of fear
Read a book where a character makes a morally gray choice because they were afraid, or read a book with fear or similar words (e.g. scared, terror, panic, etc.) in the title.
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Sisters of the Lost Nation (other topics)Maybe in Another Life (other topics)
Ninth House (other topics)
The Giver (other topics)
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (other topics)
More...
January Buddy Read - All That Remains
February Buddy Read - Cruel & Unusual
March Buddy Read - The Body Farm
April Buddy Read - From Potter's Field
April Buddy Read - Sunrise on the Reaping
May Buddy Read - Cause of Death
May Buddy Read - Little Women
May Buddy Read - Reluctant Immortals
May Buddy Read - Murder by Cheesecake
May Buddy Read - By Any Other Name
June Buddy Read - Unnatural Exposure
June Buddy Read - Hope Never Dies
June Buddy Read - The Bell Jar
July Buddy Read - Point of Origin
July Buddy Read - Hope Rides Again
July Buddy Read - The Poppy Fields ---Moved to August
July Buddy Read - The Paris Express
August Buddy Read - Black Notice
August Buddy Read - I Know This Much Is True
August Buddy Read - Feel the Bern
August Buddy Read - The Maid's Secret
August Buddy Read - The Word is Murder
September Buddy Read - The Last Precinct
September Buddy Read - Weyward
September Buddy Read - The Knight and the Moth
September Buddy Read - The Perfect Stranger
September Buddy Read - The Sentence is Death
October Buddy Read - Blow Fly
October Buddy Read - Sisters of the Lost Nation
October Buddy Read - The Ghostwriter
October Buddy Read - Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
October Buddy Read - A Line to Kill
November Buddy Read - Trace
December Buddy Read - Predator