HAPPILY EVER AFTER discussion

Hi all,
I thought it might be fun to have a place where everyone can chat about Reading Challenges :-)

Have you ever participated in any challenge? Are you participating now? If not then what's stopping you? If yes then how are you doing on your challenges? What challenges are your favourites? Which ones are you struggling with? How are the challenges affecting your reading? Any challenge related thing you wish to share—your thoughts, your experiences, your goals, your progress, your triumphs, your struggles. You can do it in this thread.

If you wish to keep track of your Reading Challenges by listing them in one place then you can do so in the following thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks and Happy Reading :-)

My Challenge Journey So Far:

I started off by entering far too many challenges. Then I got a little worried about whether I'll be able to manage them all. Lol. However, I listed down the links to all my challenges in one place, so tracking and updating them isn't as much of an issue as I thought it would be.

They also don't cut into my reading time as I'd feared. On the contrary, they've helped me to streamline my reading process. Plus, they provide me an added incentive to get caught up on my pending books.

This doesn't mean my TBR list has reduced though, as they also tempt me to try new-to-me authors. Lol. The Deadly Author of the Month Challenge in the Tall, Dark & Deadly group has especially led me to discover some really good authors.

However, for me, the best thing about doing challenges is that it makes my reading experience a lot more enjoyable and interactive :-)

Regarding my progress: Some challenges are going better than others, but overall, I'm quite happy with my progress so far. There are a few challenges I might not be able to complete, but it's still fun to try :-)

The hardest ones for me are the Genre Challenge and the Book Train Challenge (Author). I might also face difficulties with A to Z and A Book a Month Keeps the Doldrums Away. Let's see :-)

My favourite is the Series Challenge. I wish to get caught up on several series in the next few years, and I'm hoping this challenge will help me with that. Other favourites are Read a Shape, Make It Bigger, and Clean Up Your TBR Shelf.

The above challenges are in our HEA group. Apart from them, I'm also enjoying the Armchair Detective Bingo Challenge in the Tall, Dark & Deadly group. It's hard but fun at the same time :-)

Well, this is it for now. I'll try to come here every now and then to update my challenge journey.

Best of luck to everyone who's doing the challenges and thank you for your participation :-)

Thanks for setting this chat thread up, Ramla.

I use a spreadsheet to track my challenges. It's the only way I can try to stay on top of things. I'm having more success with some than others. My ARC and other commitments limit some of my ability to close the challenges faster.

I've make good progress on the A to Z challenge (just over half-way) so I expect to finish it this year. I've also made good progress on the Book Train Challenge (both Title and Author).

I'm making decent progress on the Clean Up Your TBR Shelf and on the Build an Upright Pyramid Challenge. However, I am struggling on the Read a Shape challenges (except Vertical Line) and the Series Challenge due to the ARC commitments.

I have a few challenges in other groups:

A series readathon challenge
A chunksters challenge (books > 450 pages)
A Travel the World challenge
A Shoot for the Stars Challenge
A monthly Lets Go Read Challenge
A quarterly Quest for Excellence Challenge
A Read > 25000 pages Challenge

Good luck to everyone.

PamG wrote: "Thanks for setting this chat thread up, Ramla."

You're welcome :-)

It's nearly the end of April. How is everyone doing on their challenges? Mine are a mixed bag.

For the Series Challenge, I completed 1 series and I've gotten current on 2, but I am woefully behind on a lot of series due to the number of ARCs I'm reading. That's why my Read a Shape Challenge is not doing so well. I hope to make a dent in it in June. My May reading schedule is still full of ARCs.

My Build a Pyramid - Upright Pyramid challenge is going well. I need to read 3 more books that are the first book in a series and I will have it completed.

I've finished 18 out of the 55 possible tasks in the Clean Up Your TBR Shelf challenge.

I'm on-schedule with the Book a Month challenge.

For the Book Train Challenge - Title challenge, I need to read 2 more books and for the Author version I need to read 3 more books.

For the A to Z challenge, I need to read 4 more books. I haven't yet read books for O, V, X, or Z, but I have identified the ones I want to read for them.

For the One to Ten Challenge, I have finished 7 of 10.

For the Read Your Name, I am on my second challenge and need to read one more book to finish it.

With all of the other challenges I have going on, I chose an easy one for the Make It Bigger Challenge. I went with a Vertical Line and have 21 items in it so far.

That's a wrap for me.

I agree with what Ramla said about challenges making the reading experience a lot more enjoyable and interactive.

My Challenge Journey So Far:

Hi all,
Hope your challenges are going well :-)

I just thought I'd share the current status of all my challenges :-)

MONTHLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

Tall, Dark & Deadly Group

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Dana Marton
Duration: 6/1/24 - 6/30/24
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 5/5
Challenge Completed :-)

June Reading Challenge - It’s Academic!
Duration: 6/1/24 - 6/30/24
Level: Newbie
Progress: 1/1
Challenge Completed :-)

July Reading Challenge - Baby It’s Hot Outside!
Duration: 7/1/24 - 7/31/24
Level: Newbie
Progress: 2/2
Challenge Completed :-)

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Heather Graham
Duration: 8/1/24 - 8/31/24
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 8/8
Challenge Completed :-)

September Reading Challenge - Book Leaves!
Duration: 9/1/24 - 9/30/24
Level: Newbie
Progress: 2/2
Challenge Completed :-)

October Reading Challenge - Boo!
Duration: 10/1/24 - 10/31/24
Level: Off the Charts
Progress: 7/7
Challenge Completed :-)

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Stacy Green
Duration: 1/01/25 - 1/31/25
Level: Fan
Progress: 1/1
Challenge Completed :-)

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Carla Neggers
Duration: 2/01/25 - 2/28/25
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 9/9
Challenge Completed :-)

March 2025 Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Melinda Woodhall
Duration: 3/01/25 - 3/31/25
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 6/6
Challenge Completed :-)

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge—Kendra Elliot
Duration: 1st May 2025 to 31st May 2025
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 6/6
Challenge Completed :-)

Happily Ever After Group

March 2025—S is for Start
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 7 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

April 2025—Killer Heels
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 12 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

May 2025—Sky is the limit
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 11 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

June 2025—Summer Is Here
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 5 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

July 2025—It's Beach Time
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = ?
Challenge Ongoing

YEARLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

Tall, Dark & Deadly Group

Armchair Detective Bingo Challenge
Duration = 1st Jan 2025 to 31st Dec 2025
Level = Police Commissioner (Complete Board)
Progress—Clues = 17/25
Progress—Bingos = 1/12
Status = Challenge Ongoing

I'm enjoying it and would like to do it next year as well if they put it up :-)

Happily Ever After Group

Read Your Name Challenge #1
Start Date = 8th November 2024
End Date =
Level = 2
Progress = 15/16
Status = Ongoing

Almost done with this one :-)

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Series Challenge #1
Start Date = 18th November 2024
End Date =
Level = 3 (Seven to nine series)
Progress = 5/7
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it and would like to do it again once it ends :-)

Genre Challenge #1
Duration = 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
Progress = 2/4
Status = Ongoing

I doubt I'll be able to complete this one and I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Make It Bigger Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Shape = Triangle
Level = 5 (Add five rows to the original.)
Progress = 36/45
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it and would like to do it again once it ends :-)

Build a Pyramid Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Type = (A) Upright Pyramid
Type # = (A) #1
Level = 5 (One to Nine)
Progress = 36/45
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Build a Pyramid Challenge #2
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Type = (B) Inverted Pyramid
Type # = (B) #1
Level = 2 (Six to One)
Progress = 15/21
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Book Train Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Type = (A) Title
Type # = (A) #1
Level = 2
Progress = 16/20
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Book Train Challenge #2
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Type = (B) Author
Type # = (B) #1
Level = 1
Progress = 3/10
Status = Ongoing

I doubt I'll be able to complete this one and I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

A Book a Month Challenge #1
Challenge Duration = 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026
Progress = 5/12
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

One to Ten Challenge #1
Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date =
Level = 1
Progress = 7/10
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Read a Shape Challenge #1
Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date =
Level = 6
Progress (Shape) = 3/6
Progress (Book) = 35/45
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it and would like to do it again once it ends :-)

A to Z Challenge #1
Start Date = 10th February 2025
End Date =
Progress = 20/26
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it but I don't think I'll be doing it again once it ends. Let's see.

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st March 2025
End Date =
Level = 7 (36 to 40 Tasks)
Progress = 24/38
Status = Ongoing

I'm enjoying it and would like to do it again once it ends :-)

Well, this is it for now. I'll try to come here every now and then to update my challenge journey.

Best of luck to everyone who's doing the challenges and thank you for your participation :-)

Great job, Ramla! I need to put my list together too.

PamG wrote: "Great job, Ramla! I need to put my list together too."

Thanks Pam :-)

My Challenge Journey So Far:

MONTHLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

SnagDragons

1..2..3..Let's Go Read Jan 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 2 books
Read: 640 pages / 2 books
Status: Complete

1..2..3..Let's Go Read Feb 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 2 books
Read: 689 pages / 2 books
Status: Complete

1..2..3..Let's Go Read Mar 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 2 books
Read: 786 pages / 2 books
Status: Complete

1..2..3..Let's Go Read Apr 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 2 books
Read: 672 pages / 2 books
Status: Complete

1..2..3..Let's Go Read May 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 2 books
Read: 759 pages / 2 books
Status: Complete

1..2..3..Let's Go Read June 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 3 consecutive books
Read: 1,187 pages / 3 books
Status: Complete

1..2..3..Let's Go Read July 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 3 consecutive books
Read:
Status: Not Yet Started

Happily Ever After Group

March 2025—S is for Start
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 5 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

April 2025—Killer Heels
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 5 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

May 2025—Sky is the limit
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 5 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

June 2025—Summer Is Here
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 4 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

QUAARTERLY CHALLENGES 2025 -SnagDragon Discussion Group

Quest for Excellence - Winter 2025
Minimum Requirement: 25 books
Read: 25 books
Status: Complete

Quest for Excellence - Spring 2025
Minimum Requirement: 25 books
Read: 25 books
Status: Complete

Quest for Excellence - Summer 2025
Minimum Requirement: 25 books
Read:
Status: Ongoing

YEARLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

The Reading For Pleasure Book Club

Series Readathon
Start Date = Nov 16, 2024
End Date = Dec 31, 2025
Progress - Complete: 3
Progress - Current: 6
Status = Ongoing

Travel the World in Books Reading
Start Date = Jul 06, 2020
End Date = Perpetual
2020: 14 countries
2021: 6 new countries
2022: 8 new countries
2023: 10 new countries
2024: 4 new countries
2025: 1 new country
Total: 43 countries

Read the Chunksters Challenge
Start Date = Jan 01, 2025
End Date = Dec 31, 2025
Progress - 2 / ?
Status = Ongoing

Happily Ever After Group

Read Your Name Challenge #1
Start Date = 8th November 2024
End Date = 5th January 2025
Level = 1
Progress = 6/6
Status = Complete

Read Your Name Challenge #2
Start Date =6th January 2025
End Date =
Level = 1
Progress = 5/6
Status = Ongoing

I've identified the book to complete this one. I just need to work it into my schedule.

Series Challenge #1
Start Date = 16 Nov 2024
End Date = 15 Nov 2025
Level = 2
Progress = 4/5 (3 are current and 1 is complete)
Status = Ongoing

Read a Shape Challenge #1
Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date = 8th February 2026
Level = 3
Progress (Shape) = 1/3
Progress (Book) = 10/21
Status = Ongoing

Make It Bigger Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 31 Dec 2025
Shape = Vertical Line
Level =
Progress = 37
Status = Ongoing

I need to try a different shape next time.

Build a Pyramid Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 13 May 2025
Type = (A) Upright Pyramid
Type # = (A) #1
Level = 2
Progress = 21 / 21
Status = Complete

I enjoyed it but I don't think I'll be doing it again this year.

Book Train Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Type = (A) Title
Type # = (A) #1
Level = 1
Progress = 9/10
Status = Ongoing

Book Train Challenge #2
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date =
Type = (B) Author
Type # = (B) #1
Level = 1
Progress = 8/10
Status = Ongoing

A Book a Month Challenge #1
Challenge Duration = 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
Progress = 6/12
Status = Ongoing

This isn't my favorite challenge.

One to Ten Challenge #1
Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date =
Level = 1
Progress = 9/10
Status = Ongoing

A to Z Challenge #1
Start Date = 10th February 2025
End Date =
Progress = 23/26
Status = Ongoing

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge #1
Start Date = 10th February 2025
End Date =
Level = 7 (36 to 40 Tasks)
Progress = 24/38
Status = Ongoing

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge # 1

Start Date = Mar 01, 2025
End Date = Feb 28, 2026
Level = 6
Progress = 33/35
Status = Ongoing

SnagDragon Group
Shoot for the Stars 2025
Goal: 50,000 pages
Read: 26,134 pages
Status: Ongoing

That's it for now. I hope everyone is enjoying the challenges as much as I am. Thanks, Ramla.

My challenge updates to message 9:

MONTHLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

SnagDragons - (Read 3 consecutive books in a series)

1..2..3..Let's Go Read Jul 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 3 books
Read: 1,092 pages / 3 books
Status: Complete

YEARLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

The Reading For Pleasure Book Club

Series Readathon
Start Date = Nov 16, 2024
End Date = Dec 31, 2025
Progress - Complete: 5
Progress - Current: 7
Status = Ongoing

Read the Chunksters Challenge
Start Date = Jan 01, 2025
End Date = Dec 31, 2025
Progress - 3 / ?
Status = Ongoing

Happily Ever After Group

Read Your Name Challenge # 2

Start Date: 01/06/2025
End Date: 01/05/2026
Level: 1 Read your first name
Progress: 6/6
Status: Complete

I'm not sure I will continue with a third one of the Read Your Name Challenge.

Series Challenge # 1

Start Date = 16 Nov 2024
End Date = 15 Nov 2025
Level = 3
Progress = 7/8
Status = Ongoing

READ A SHAPE CHALLENGE #1

Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date = 8th February 2026
Level = 3
Progress (Shape) = 1/3
Progress (Book) = 11/21
Status = Ongoing

A Book a Month Challenge #1
Challenge Duration = 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
Progress = 8/12
Status = Ongoing

This isn't my favorite challenge.

ONE TO TEN CHALLENGE # 1

Start Date = Feb 09, 2025
End Date = Jul 06, 2025
Level = 1
Progress = 10/10
Status = Complete

ONE TO TEN CHALLENGE # 2

Start Date = July 07, 2025
End Date = July 06, 2026
Level = 1
Progress =6/10
Status = Ongoing

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge # 1

Start Date = Mar 01, 2025
End Date = Feb 28, 2026
Level = 7
Progress = 38/40
Status = Ongoing

SnagDragon Group

Shoot for the Stars 2025

Goal: 50,000 pages
Read: 30,035 pages
Status: Ongoing

That's my challenge updates for now. I hope everyone is having fun reading and doing the challenges.

I have a question, Ramla. For # 54 in the Clean up your TBR challenge, would a male pro hockey all-star player count as a celebrity?

PamG wrote: "I have a question, Ramla. For # 54 in the Clean up your TBR challenge, would a male pro hockey all-star player count as a celebrity?"

Yes :-)

August Updates:

MONTHLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

SnagDragons - (Read 3 consecutive books in a series)

1..2..3..Let's Go Read Augl 2025
Minimum Requirement = 600 pages / 3 books
Read: 1,058 pages / 3 books
Status: Complete

YEARLY CHALLENGES 2024 & 2025

The Reading For Pleasure Book Club

I got current on 2 more series bringing that total to 9.

Series Readathon
Start Date = Nov 16, 2024
End Date = Dec 31, 2025
Progress - Complete: 5
Progress - Current: 9
Status = Ongoing

Happily Ever After Group

Series Challenge # 1

I got current on 1 more series increasing my total to 8

Start Date = 16 Nov 2024
End Date = 15 Nov 2025
Level = 3
Progress = 8/9
Status = Ongoing

ONE TO TEN CHALLENGE # 2

I added 2 more to bring my total to 8 out of 10.

Start Date = July 07, 2025
End Date = July 06, 2026
Level = 1
Progress =8/10
Status = Ongoing

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge # 1

I added three more books to this challenge in August.

Start Date = Mar 01, 2025
End Date = Feb 28, 2026
Level = 8
Progress = 40/41
Status = Ongoing

A to Z Challenge #1
FINISHED

Start Date = 10th February 2025
End Date = 19th Aug 2025
Progress = 26/26
Status = Complete

A to Z Challenge #2

Start Date = 08/19/2025
End Date = 08/18/2025
Progress = 6/26
Status = Ongoing

Book Train Challenge # 1

I completed this one.

Start Date = 01/01/2025
End Date = 08/19/2025
Type = (A) Title
Type # = (A) # 1
Level = 1
Progress = 10 /10
Status = Complete

SnagDragons - Quest for Excellence Summer 2025

Complete Aug 31, 2025
Progress 25 / 25

SnagDragons - Shoot for the Stars

Book Goal: 150
Progress: 102 / 150

Page Goal: 50,000
Progress: 35,180

That's my update for August. I hope everyone is having as much fun with the challenges as I am.

For 2026 I've decided to participate in the following HEA challenges. Some are carryovers from 2025. However, I may decide to add others as time permits.

Monthly Prompt Challenges
Read Your Name Challenge
Build Pyramid Challenge
Book Train Challenge
One to Ten Challenge
A to Z Challenge
Read a Shape Challenge

I've also created (on a spreadsheet) a Personal Potpourri Coverall
Bingo Challenge. Here is what I've selected.

B - Pages

50-200 pages
201-300 pages
301-350 pages
351 - 400 pages
> 400 pages

I - Genre/ Sub-genre (you pick)

Mystery / Thriller
Sci-Fi
Fantasy
Paranormal
Romance

N - Authors (you pick)

Kendra Elliot
Shannon Baker
Matt Brolly
John Gilstrap
C.J. Box

G - Pub. Date or Set-in Date

2026
2021 - 2025
2011 - 2020
2001 - 2010
2000 or B4

O - Cover

Animal
Body of Water
Blue
Flower / Tree
Transportation

Happy New Year and good luck to you on your challenges in 2026.

Ramla,

Thanks for adding the tracker links to the challenges. That is very helpful.

PamG wrote: "Ramla,

Thanks for adding the tracker links to the challenges. That is very helpful."

You're welcome, Pam! I wish I'd known about them when I posted the challenges. I could have then reserved a spot for them closer to the top. Still, better late than never I guess :-)

My Challenge Journey So Far:

Hi all,
Hope your challenges are going well :-)

I just thought I'd update my challenge journey :-)

MONTHLY CHALLENGES 2025

Tall, Dark & Deadly Group

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Stacy Green
Duration: 1/01/25 - 1/31/25
Level: Fan
Progress: 1/1
Challenge Completed :-)

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Carla Neggers
Duration: 2/01/25 - 2/28/25
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 9/9
Challenge Completed :-)

March 2025 Deadly Author of the Month Challenge - Melinda Woodhall
Duration: 3/01/25 - 3/31/25
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 6/6
Challenge Completed :-)

Deadly Author of the Month Challenge—Kendra Elliot
Duration: 1st May 2025 to 31st May 2025
Level: Auto Read
Progress: 6/6
Challenge Completed :-)

Happily Ever After Group

March 2025—S is for Start
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 7 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

April 2025—Killer Heels
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 12 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

May 2025—Sky is the limit
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 11 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

June 2025—Summer Is Here
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 5 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

July 2025—It's Beach Time
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 0 Book (None of the books I read in July matched any of the listed requirements.)
Challenge Incomplete

August 2025—End of Summer Romance
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 6 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

September 2025—Let's Read Cake
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 1 Book
Challenge Completed :-)

October 2025—Autumn in the title
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 1 Book
Challenge Completed :-)

November 2025—Flashback in the story
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 8 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

December 2025—Winter on the cover
Minimum Requirement = 1 Book
Read = 4 Books
Challenge Completed :-)

I'll list down my monthly challenges for the year 2026 in my next challenge journey update.

YEARLY CHALLENGES 2025 & 2026

Tall, Dark & Deadly Group

Armchair Detective Bingo Challenge
Duration = 1st Jan 2025 to 31st Dec 2025
Level = Police Commissioner (Complete Board)
Progress—Clues = 25/25
Progress—Bingos = 12/12
Status = Challenge Completed in Oct 2025

Armchair Detective Bingo Challenge
Duration = 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2026
Level =
Progress (Clue) =
Progress (Bingo) =
Status = Ongoing

I haven't updated it yet.

Happily Ever After Group

Read Your Name Challenge #1
Start Date: 8th November 2024
End Date: 7th November 2025
Level: 1
Progress: 5/5
Status: Complete
PS: I tried to do Level 2 but the deadline arrived before I could read a book for the second "E" in "Zareen". So I completed at Level 1.

I did this challenge in the HEA group and Pakistani Readers group.

Series Challenge #1
Start Date = 18th November 2024
End Date = 17th November 2025
Level = 3 (Seven to nine series)
Progress = 7/7
Status = Complete

Genre Challenge #1
Duration = 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
Progress = 3/4
Status = Incomplete

I did this challenge in the HEA group and Pakistani Readers group.

Make It Bigger Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 31st October 2025
Shape = Triangle
Level = 5 (Add five rows to the original.)
Progress = 45/45
Status = Complete

Build a Pyramid Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 31st October 2025
Type = (A) Upright Pyramid
Type # = (A) #1
Level = 5 (One to Nine)
Progress = 45/45
Status = Complete

Build a Pyramid Challenge #2
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 30th September 2025
Type = (B) Inverted Pyramid
Type # = (B) #1
Level = 2 (Six to One)
Progress = 21/21
Status = Complete

Book Train Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 31st October 2025
Type = (A) Title
Type # = (A) Title #1
Level = 3
Progress = 30/30
Status = Complete

Book Train Challenge #2
Start Date = 1st January 2025
End Date = 31st October 2025
Type = (B) Author
Type # = (B) Author #1
Level = 1
Progress = 4/10
Status = Incomplete

A Book a Month Challenge #1
Challenge Duration = 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026
Progress = 12/12
Status = Complete

One to Ten Challenge #1
Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date = 31st October 2025
Level = 1
Progress = 10/10
Status = Complete

Read a Shape Challenge #1
Start Date = 9th February 2025
End Date = 31st October 2025
Level = 6
Progress (Shape) = 6/6
Progress (Book) = 45/45
Status = Complete

A to Z Challenge #1
Start Date = 10th February 2025
End Date = 9th February 2026
Progress = 26/26
Status = Complete

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge #1
Start Date = 1st March 2025
End Date = 30th September 2025
Level = 7 (36 to 40 Tasks)
Progress = 37/37
Status = Complete

Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge #2
Start Date = 21st November 2025
End Date =
Level =
Progress =
Status = Ongoing

I haven't updated it yet.

Series Challenge #2
Start Date = 21st November 2025
End Date =
Level =
Progress =
Status = Ongoing

I haven't updated it yet.

Read a Shape Challenge #2
Start Date = 21st November 2025
End Date =
Level =
Progress (Shape) =
Progress (Book) =
Status = Ongoing

I haven't updated it yet.

Make It Bigger Challenge #2
Start Date = 21st November 2025
End Date =
Shape =
Level =
Progress =
Status = Ongoing

I haven't updated it yet.

Happily Ever After Bingo Challenge
Duration = 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2026
Level =
Progress (Clue) =
Progress (Bingo) =
Status = Ongoing
Note: Clues used from within the stories =

I haven't updated it yet.

A Good Thriller Group

The Genre Quest Challenge
Duration = 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2026
Level =
Progress =
Status = Ongoing

I haven't updated it yet.

So, I'm currently doing seven yearly challenges:

1) Armchair Detective Bingo Challenge 2026 (T, D & D group)
2) Clean Up Your TBR Shelf Challenge #2 (HEA group)
3) Series Challenge #2 (HEA group)
4) Read a Shape Challenge #2 (HEA group)
5) Make It Bigger Challenge #2 (HEA group)
6) Happily Ever After Bingo Challenge 2026 (HEA group)
7) The Genre Quest Challenge (AGT group)

I enjoyed these five challenges the most last year (the sixth and seventh are new), and I'm excited to do them again this year :-)

Other yearly challenges that I particularly enjoyed last year were:

1) Build a Pyramid Challenge (Upright & Inverted)
2) One to Ten Challenge
3) Book Train Challenge (Title)

This last one was a surprise. I didn't know I'd have so much fun making a train from the books I read. Lol. Every time I got stuck was an opportunity to go through my TBR list to see if any of my pending books could move the train along. So it was also a useful challenge. I decided to skip it this year, but I'd like to do it—as well as the other two—again sometime soon.

On the other hand, the Book Train Challenge (Author) turned out to be the hardest for me. I read mostly series last year, so the number of authors I read were limited, as compared to if I'd read more standalone books. It was difficult to make a train from them, and I ended the challenge incomplete. The Genre Challenge was also tough, and I couldn't complete it either. Another difficult one for me was A Book a Month Challenge. It was very hard at times to decide which book to match with a particular prompt. I did manage to complete it though :-)

Overall, I enjoyed the challenges, and the best part about them was interacting with the participants and checking out the books they used. And adding to my TBR list. Lol. So, thank you to all of you who joined in. I hope you sign up again when you're finished. The challenges wouldn't be half as fun without everyone's participation :-)

Also, a big shoutout to Pam for actively participating in creating the prompts for the Monthly Prompt Reading Challenge. Thank you, Pam! I really appreciate your support, and your prompts are awesome :-)

Well, this is it for now. I'll try to come here every now and then to update my challenge journey.

Best of luck to everyone who's doing the challenges, and again, thank you for participating :-)

Ramla Zareen wrote: "My Challenge Journey So Far:..."

Great job, Ramla!
Also, a big shoutout to Pam for actively participating in creating the prompts for the Monthly Prompt Reading Challenge. Thank you, Pam! I really appreciate your support, and your prompts are awesome.

You're welcome, Ramla.

I would like to provide a challenge update soon. I'm enjoying them. Thanks for all of the set-up work, Ramla.

PamG wrote: "Great job, Ramla!"

Thanks :-)

PamG wrote: "I would like to provide a challenge update soon."

I'm looking forward to it :-)

PamG wrote: "I'm enjoying them."

Good :-)

PamG wrote: "Thanks for all of the set-up work, Ramla."

You're welcome :-)

I was on a board answering questions on where I found challenges--yes, ME, don't laugh. This was even after I explained that I usually only do two challenges a year and one of those is the annual GoodReads challenge. (Last year was an exception.) I explained where the ones I did were posted and I pointed to your listing(s), Ramla.

Another poster listed a GoodReads group that posts challenges, the Crazy Challenge Connection.

Barb posted, "We are almost entirely focused on challenges, covering a wide variety of topics/themes, with challenge durations ranging from one month to as long as you need to finish :) Very few of our challenges focus on a particular genre, which is important to a lot of readers."

I joined the group to see--not do, mind you, just see--what they put together. Thought I'd pass along the information to you and your challenge junkies. =o)

Enjoy.

Thanks Karen :-)