Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Eurovision is back for 2025!

Live from Basel, Switzerland, the 69th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in May 2025. With dazzling performances, outrageous costumes, and a celebration of music and unity, Eurovision continues to bring Europe (and beyond!) together.

This year, 38 countries are participating, including returning favourites and a few surprises. As always, the “Big Five” — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom — automatically qualify for the final, along with the host country, Switzerland.

DURATION
April 1 – May 31, 2025

Note: The Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place in St. Jakobshalle, Basel, on Saturday 17 May with Semi-Finals on Tuesday 13 and Thursday 15 May. Ideally you should aim to finish your books in time for the grand final, but we will give you until the end of May ;)


How To Play

Option One: Spell-It-Out
Choose a 2025 Eurovision song title or country name and spell it out using the first letter of:
- Book title (ignoring “A,” “An,” or “The”)
- Series name
- Author’s first or last name
- Character’s first, last, or nickname
- Audiobook narrator or translator’s first or last name

Option Two: Country Challenge
Pick your favourite participating countries and read:
- Books set in those countries
- Books by authors from those countries
- Books that feature characters from those countries

Option Three: Song Challenge
Use the 2025 Eurovision entries (song titles or artist names) and do a spell-it-out or read books that thematically connect to the lyrics or titles.

Option Four: Mix & Match
Combine any of the above options to create your own Eurovision-inspired reading journey!


2025 Participating Countries
(As of March 2025 – subject to updates)

🇦🇱 Albania
🇦🇲 Armenia
🇦🇺 Australia
🇦🇹 Austria
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇨🇾 Cyprus
🇨🇿 Czechia
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇪🇪 Estonia
🇫🇮 Finland
🇫🇷 France
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇩🇪 Germany
🇬🇷 Greece
🇮🇸 Iceland
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇮🇱 Israel
🇮🇹 Italy
🇱🇻 Latvia
🇱🇹 Lithuania
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇲🇹 Malta
🇲🇩 Moldova
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇳🇴 Norway
🇵🇱 Poland
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇸🇲 San Marino
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇸🇮 Slovenia
🇪🇸 Spain
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇬🇧 United Kingdom


Levels

🎤 Big Hair – 1–5 books
💨 Wind Machine – 6–10 books
🕺 90s Boy Band Dancing – 11–15 books
✨ Unexpected Costume Reveal – 16–20 books
🎆 Fireworks, Light Show, and a Wink – 21+ books

Monthly Challenges ~ Spessartite Coin

Earn your Spessartite Coins with the Monthly Challenges.

To Earn a Spessartite Coin:
One Coin upon reaching highest book level (Fireworks, light show, and a wink )

Learn about Gem coins here

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Link to participant names and song titles:
https://eurovision.tv/event/basel-202...

Completed 04.26
Eurovision
April 1, 2025 May 31, 2025
🎆 Fireworks, Light Show, and a Wink – 21/21
Option One: Spell-It-Out
N: Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | 04.12.25
O: On Mystic Lake | Kristin Hannah | 04.10.25
R: Rubenhold: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper | Hallie Rubenhold | 04.17.25
T: Tegan | The Crash | Freida McFadden | 04.12.25
H: Carl Hiaasen | Lucky You | April 4, 2025
M: The Maid | Nita Prose | April 2, 2025
A: Laurie Halse Anderson | Speak | 04.04.25
C: Cris The Summer You Were Mine | Jill Francis | 04.06.25
E: Ellie The Sandersons Fail Manhattan | Scott Johnston | 04.08.2025
D: The Day I Disappeared | Brandi Reeds | April 01, 2025
O: Octobenus | Splintered | A.G. Howard | 04.22
N: The New Marriage | L.G. Davis 04.14.25
I: If I Stay | Gayle Forman | 04.19.25
A: All the Dangerous Things | Stacy Willingham | 04.15.2025
🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆
D: Diane Chamberlain | The Silent Sister | 04.16.2025
E Here To Stay | Mark Edwards | 04.23
N Noelle W. Ihli | Such Quiet Girls | 04.25
M : Moyes Jojo Moyes | Still Me | 04.18.25
A: Ami McKay | The Birth House | 04.17.25
R: Lia Riley | The E.M.M.A. Effect: A Spicy STEM Romance of Sports, Artificial Intelligence, and a Forbidden Best-Friend's-Brother Love Story | 04.24
K: Kerry Lonsdale | Falling for You Again | 04.23
🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

Eurovision Song Contest

Goal: 24 - Completed May 19

Portugal
(view spoiler)[P - Perks of Being a Wallflower, The by Stephen Chbosky
O - On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu
R - Return of the Indian, The (The Indian in the Cupboard, #2) by Lynne Reid Banks
T - Thin Man, The by Dashiell Hammett
U - Ultimate Ocean Facts for Kids, Teens, & Adults, The by Ethereal Ray
G - Girl Who Can Cook, The by Mike Wehner
A - Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The (Adventures of Tom and Huck, #1) by Mark Twain
L - Less (Arthur Less, #1) by Andrew Sean Greer (hide spoiler)]

Malta
(view spoiler)[M - My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher
A - All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay
L - Lisa Jewell - None of This Is True
T - They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
A - Awad, Mona - Bunny (hide spoiler)]

Italy
(view spoiler)[I - Into the Abyss (Violet Darger, #5.5) by L.T. Vargus
T - Tombland (Matthew Shardlake, #7) by C.J. Sansom
A - Alix E. Harrow - A Mirror Mended (Fractured Fables, #2)
L - Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Y - You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego (hide spoiler)]

Cyprus
(view spoiler)[C - Candace Fleming - Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
Y - Year of Magical Thinking, The by Joan Didion
P - Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross, #5) by James Patterson
R - Roses Are Red (Alex Cross, #6) by James Patterson
U - The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry
S - Sun Walks Down, The by Fiona McFarlane (hide spoiler)]

🎤 Big Hair – 1–5 books - Apr 8
💨 Wind Machine – 6–10 books
🕺 90s Boy Band Dancing – 11–15 books - Apr 24
✨ Unexpected Costume Reveal – 16–20 books - May 5
🎆 Fireworks, Light Show, and a Wink – 21+ books - May 19

Duration: April 1 – May 31, 2025

Option Four: Mix & Match
Combine any of the above options to create your own Eurovision-inspired reading journey!

Levels

🎤 Big Hair – 1–5 books
💨 Wind Machine – 6–10 books
🕺 90s Boy Band Dancing – 11–15 books
✨ Unexpected Costume Reveal – 16–20 books
🎆 Fireworks, Light Show, and a Wink – 21+ books

Progress: 22

1956: Switzerland
S - Secret Service: Maison de Ayakashi 05 by Fujiwara Cocoa ✓ 04/04
W - Wagamese, Richard - Das weite Herz des Landes ✓ 04/03
I - Ikeda Toya - Kabukicho Bad Trip – Ikeda & Rio by Nagisa Eiji ✓ 05/21
T - Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy ✓ 04/18
Z -
E - Eva Björg Ægisdóttir - Verlogen ✓ 05/22
R - Rai - The Fallen Alpha by Nakamura Makino ✓ 05/12
L - Lieber Liebeskummer by Kureno Mataaki ✓ 05/18
A - André Aciman - Call Me by Your Name ✓ 05/02
N - Noah Laurisch - Origamiherz by AC Collins ✓ 04/10
D - Dicker, Joël - Die Wahrheit über den Fall Harry Quebert ✓ 05/16

1957: Netherlands
N - Naokos Lächeln by Murakami Haruki ✓ 04/25
E - Ennead 1 by Mojito ✓ 05/18
T - Therapy Game: Re 05 by Hinohara Meguru ✓ 05/12
H - Himura Kenshin - Kenshin 02 by Watsuki Nobuhiro ✓ 04/13
E -
R - Kanae Ryo - Pink Heart Jam 01 by Shikke ✓ 05/13
L -
A - About a Love song by Natsuno Hiroko ✓ 05/12
N - Watsuki Nobuhiro - Kenshin 03 ✓ 05/21
D -
S - Saikawa Kanade - Perfume Master by Yuki Kaori ✓ 05/23

1958: Andre Claveau
1959: Teddy Scholten
T - Kageyama Tobio - Haikyu!! 26 by Furudate Haruichi ✓ 05/02
E -
D -
D -
Y - Yorick Goldewijk - 1000 und ich: Zweifle nicht, zögere nicht, hinterfrage nicht ✓ 05/18

S -
C - Carr, Garrett - Der Junge aus dem Meer ✓ 05/27
H - Haikyu!!, Band 27 by Furudate Haruichi ✓ 05/13
O - Ocean Vuong - The emperor of gladness
L -
T -
E -
N -

1960: France
1961: Jean-Claude Pascal
1962: Isabelle Aubret
1963: Denmark
1964: Italy
1965: Luxembourg
1966: Merci Cherie
1967: Puppet on a String
1968: Spain
1969: Lulu
1970: Ireland
1971: Monaco
1972: Vicky Leandros
1973: Tu Te Reconnaitras
1974: ABBA
1975: Ding a Dong
1976: Brotherhood of Man
1977: Marie Myriam
1978: Israel
1979: Hallelujah
1980: Johnny Logan
1981: Making your Mind up
1982: Nicole
1983: Corinne Hermes
1984: Sweden
1985: Norway
1986: Belgium
1987: Hold me Now
1988: Celine Dion
1989: Riva
1990: Toto Cutugno
1991: Carola
1992: Why Me
1993: Niamh Kavanagh
1994: Rock n Roll Kids
1995: Nocturne
1996: Eimear Quinn
1997: United Kingdom
1998: Diva
1999: Take me to your Heaven
2000: Olsen Brothers
2001: Estonia
2002: Latvia
2003: Sertab Erener
2004: Ukraine
2005: Greece
2006: Lordi
2007: Serbia
2008: Dima Bilan
2009: Fairytale
2010: Lena
2011: Ell & Nikki
2012: Euphoria
2013: Only Teardrops
2014: Conchita Wurst
2015: Heroes
2016: Jamala
2017: Portugal
2018: Netta
2019: Arcade
2021: Maneskin
2022: Stefania
2023: Loreen
2024: Nemo

Update to post 7: 5/24

New status: Big Hair

DURATION
April 1 – May 31, 2025
Levels

🎤 Big Hair – 1–5 books
💨 Wind Machine – 6–10 books
🕺 90s Boy Band Dancing – 11–15 books
✨ Unexpected Costume Reveal – 16–20 books
🎆 Fireworks, Light Show, and a Wink – 21+ books
Books read:2/?
Countries completed:


🇦🇱 Albania:
A:
L:Lowe Moreland (MC)-Bride-4/20/25
B:
A;
N:
I:
A:



🇦🇲 Armenia
🇦🇺 Australia
🇦🇹 Austria
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇭🇷 Croatia
C:
R:
O:One of Us Knows-4/16/25
A:
T;
I:
A:Amelia (MC)-Mafia Boss-4/18/25



🇨🇾 Cyprus
🇨🇿 Czechia
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇪🇪 Estonia
🇫🇮 Finland
🇫🇷 France
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇩🇪 Germany
🇬🇷 Greece
🇮🇸 Iceland
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇮🇱 Israel
🇮🇹 Italy
🇱🇻 Latvia
🇱🇹 Lithuania
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇲🇹 Malta
🇲🇩 Moldova
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇳🇴 Norway
🇵🇱 Poland
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇸🇲 San Marino
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇸🇮 Slovenia
🇪🇸 Spain
🇸🇪 Sweden
S:
W:
E:Ellie Slatter (MC)-Jurassic Park-4/20/25
D:Dream Girl Drama-4/5/25
E;
N:



🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Update to post 7: 13/24

New status: 90s Boy Band Dancing 

Completed 04.26
Eurovision
April 1, 2025 May 31, 2025
🎆 Fireworks, Light Show, and a Wink – 21/21
Option One: Spell-It-Out
N: Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | 04.12.25
O: On Mystic Lake | Kristin Hannah | 04.10.25
R: Rubenhold: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper | Hallie Rubenhold | 04.17.25
T: Tegan | The Crash | Freida McFadden | 04.12.25
H: Carl Hiaasen | Lucky You | April 4, 2025
M: The Maid | Nita Prose | April 2, 2025
A: Laurie Halse Anderson | Speak | 04.04.25
C: Cris The Summer You Were Mine | Jill Francis | 04.06.25
E: Ellie The Sandersons Fail Manhattan | Scott Johnston | 04.08.2025
D: The Day I Disappeared | Brandi Reeds | April 01, 2025
O: Octobenus | Splintered | A.G. Howard | 04.22
N: The New Marriage | L.G. Davis 04.14.25
I: If I Stay | Gayle Forman | 04.19.25
A: All the Dangerous Things | Stacy Willingham | 04.15.2025
🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆
D: Diane Chamberlain | The Silent Sister | 04.16.2025
E Here To Stay | Mark Edwards | 04.23
N Noelle W. Ihli | Such Quiet Girls | 04.25
M : Moyes Jojo Moyes | Still Me | 04.18.25
A: Ami McKay | The Birth House | 04.17.25
R: Lia Riley | The E.M.M.A. Effect: A Spicy STEM Romance of Sports, Artificial Intelligence, and a Forbidden Best-Friend's-Brother Love Story | 04.24
K: Kerry Lonsdale | Falling for You Again | 04.23
🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

Update to post 7: 19/24

New status: Unexpected Costume Reveal

Only a few more days until SF1! Are we all excited? 🎈🎉

I watched the final this morning

(view spoiler)[

I like Austria but it felt similar in style to Nemo so it would have been good to have something different.

Some of those I really liked either didn't make it past the semi finals, or didn't get a whole lot of points. Oh the highs and lows of Eurovision!!! (hide spoiler)]