The 52 Book Club: 2026 Challenge discussion

Connections Reading Challenge

We’re very excited to offer you an entirely different sort of reading challenge for Summer 2025 — The 52 Book Club’s Connections Reading Challenge!

How does this Connections Challenge work?

This challenge is all about finding the connections between our reads. It is also our first linear challenge, meaning that the challenge must be completed in order. Below, you’ll find a full list of the twenty-one challenge prompts. Match one book to each prompt for a total of twenty-one books. Start with prompt 1 and work your way through to prompt 21, one book at a time, in order.

Special Challenge Rules:

One of the unique elements of this challenge is that each prompt somehow connects to the prompt that came before it. Each book you choose will influence the books that come next. This is why the challenge must be completed in order. The prompts may look a little confusing at first, so take the challenge one prompt at a time.

For example:

Prompt 1 is “Pick any book.” Let’s say that you pick Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess as your first prompt.

Prompt 2 is “Title shares a word with the previous book’s title.” For this prompt, you could pick Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie because it shares the word “Murder” with your prompt 1 title.

Prompt 3 is “Set in the country where the previous author is from,” so you choose to read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The book is set in England, which is where the previous author, Agatha Christie, was from.

And so on. Continue through the challenge, taking it one prompt at a time.

Note about pre-planning your Connections Challenge: Many of our friends enjoy pre-planning their entire challenge in advance before they start. Please note that for this challenge, that won’t be possible. You’ll be able to pre-plan some prompts, but for others, you’ll need to complete the prompt before you can move on to the next one. This is another unique element to this specific challenge and adds to the fun!

Challenge Timeline:

There is no deadline for this challenge. We’re releasing it in Summer 2025, but it can be completed at any time and in any timeline. Some friends may finish it in a month, while others may take the summer to complete it, the rest of the year, or even longer. Because this challenge must be done in order, it may take longer to complete as you wait on library holds or source reads one by one. That’s okay. Take your time and have fun with it!

Have more challenge questions? We’ve put together a Connections Reading Challenge Walkthrough for you on YouTube. (It also contains a full walkthrough of our Connections Reading Challenge Journal, which is an excellent tool for helping you track and record your challenge reads.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkjgI...

Connections Journal:

We’ve created a custom 52 Book Club Connections Reading Challenge Journal to pair with this challenge, and we’re super excited about it! Not only has this journal been specifically designed to reflect the linear nature of this challenge, but we’ve also teamed up with a local artist, Zach, to help design the cover and illustrations!

This journal walks you through each of the twenty-one prompts, providing space to prep and review your reads, as well as track your challenge stats. You can find all the journal details on our website here, or pop over to Amazon to grab a copy for yourself!
https://www.the52book.club/connection...

Connections Challenge

1) Pick any book
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from
4) Published the same year as the previous book
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book
6) Similar title font to previous book
7) Author shares name with character from previous book
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
11) Same publisher as previous book
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

All I can say is, this is going to be interesting, and I may need quite a bit of help with recommendations.

This is going to be fun. Are we posting our list here or will there be a thread?

I have already picked 3 books, one I finished yeasterday - elephant is the word - and checked if I could use one of my Swedish history books, but they started being published in 2019. My year for book 4 is 2018.

I’m so excited about this. I kind of love the seat-of-the-pants aspect.

I'm really excited about this! I was wondering if our first book could be something we started in June before this challenge was released?

You seriously think I can't pre-plan any of this? LOL. Maybe you don't know how to plot an entire list from reading blurbs or samples alone, but I definitely do. I have around 75 books to read this summer. I'll have a book to fit every single prompt from that selection by the end of the day. Nothing says I can't read OTHER books while making my way through this challenge, either. So this will simply be an entertaining little side challenge for me.

And here's my pre-planned list....

√1. Pick any book
Ayatsuji Yukito – The Decagon House Murders
√2. Title shares a word with the previous book’s title (House)
Carmen Machado – In the Dream House
3. Set in the country where the previous author is from (US)
Claudia Rankine – Just Us
4. Published the same year as the previous book (2020)
Megha Majumdar – A Burning
5. +/- 30 pages to previous book (290 pages vs 288)
Gerald Durrell – My Family and Other Animals
6. Similar title font to previous book
Douglas Stuart – Young Mungo
7. Author shares name with character from previous book (James or a variant)
Jim Shepard – The Book of Aron
8. Cover shares item with the previous cover (hat)
Krystal Marquis – The Davenports
9. Shares a narrative technique with previous book (limited 3rd person; multiple POVs)
Toni Morrison – Beloved
10. A book the previous character would read at the beach (tormented people, but with a happier ending)
Lynne Olson – The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück
11. Same publisher as previous book (Dutton = Random House imprint)
AS King – I Crawl Through It
12. Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book (Poverty)
Matthew Desmond – Evicted
13. Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book (Grey is a neutral blend of colors--need vibrant blend)
Isabel Allende – The House of the Spirits
14. Character shares profession with previous character (Medical)
David Quammen – Spillover
15. Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book (I already know I'll like Spillover, and my husband noticed I'm reading a fave of his...about a plague)
Michael Crichton – The Andromeda Strain
16. Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating (3.89; Andromeda Strain = 3.91)
John Steinbeck – Of Mice and Men
17. Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio (small town California)
Sabaa Tahir – All My Rage
18. Shares main theme with previous book (alienation)
Peter Hedges – What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
19. Set in same time period as previous book (late 80s/early 90s)
William Finnegan – Barbarian Days
20. Title has same number of vowels as previous title (5; 6 if counting y!)
Mishima Yukio – Runaway Horses
21. Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks (Japan)
Mishima Yukio – The Temple of Dawn

Oh gonna try to work my way through this. I'm working on a similar challenge and it's tricky.

I'll see what I can come up with here since there's more set direction here compared to the other one.

Connections Challenge
Open ended, starting Jun 19, 2025

🔗 1) Pick any book - Zazie in the Metro by Raymond Queneau the
🔗 2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins author born in US
🔗 3) Set in the country where the previous author is from - Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones published in 2013
🔗 4) Published the same year as the previous book - The King's Deception (Cotton Malone, #8) by Steve Berry 612 pp.
🔗 5) + /- 30 pages to previous book - The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee serifed font using upper and lower caps
🔗 6) Similar title font to previous book - Weyward by Emilia Hart Violet, Kate, Frederik, John
🔗 7) Author shares name with character from previous book - The Cider House Rules by John Irving branch
🔗 8) Cover shares item with the previous cover - The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #4) by Lemony Snicket - dark humor, metafictional narration/breaking forth wall
🔗 9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book - Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries, #2) by Martha Wells
🔗 10) A book the previous character would read at the beach - The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda Simon & Schuster
🔗 11) Same publisher as previous book - The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

✅ 1) Pick any book - Our Crooked Hearts
✅ 2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - The Lonely Hearts Book Club
✅ 3) Set in the country where the previous author is from - A House with Good Bones
✅ 4) Published the same year as the previous book - Bring Me Your Midnight
✅ 5) +/- 30 pages to previous book - Ink Blood Sister Scribe
✅ 6) Similar title font to previous book - The Unmaking of June Farrow
✅ 7) Author shares name with character from previous book - Sorcery of Thorns
✅ 8) Cover shares item with the previous cover - The Gilded Cage
✅ 9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book - The Blood Traitor
✅ 10) A book the previous character would read at the beach - Once Upon a Broken Heart
✅ 11) Same publisher as previous book - The Ballad of Never After
✅ 12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book - Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

1) Pick any book - Red Herrings and White Elephants by Albert Jack

2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible by Jim Steinmeyer

3) Set in the country where the previous author is from (USA) - My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie by Todd Fisher

4) Published the same year as the previous book (2018) - André Bjerke: I kampens glede by Peter Normann Waage

5) +/- 30 pages to previous book (556/552) - Ingrid Alexandras arv by Trond Norén Isaksen

6) Similar title font to previous book - Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen by Sarah Jane Downing

7) Author shares name with character from previous book (Jane) - Ringenes herre - ringens brorskap - en guide til filmen by Jane Johnson

8) Cover shares item with the previous cover (hobbit) - Hobbiten - en uventet reise i bilder by Jane Johnson

9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book (visual guide) - Star Wars In 100 Scenes by D.K. Publishing

10) A book the previous character would read at the beach (Darth Vader) - Josef Stalin: En historia om terror och förtryck by Dick Harrison

11) Same publisher as previous book (Historiska Media) - Världens sju underverk by Dick Harrison

12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book (Egyptian pyramids) - Egyptens pyramider by Dick Harrison

13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book (orange/purple) - 1873 by among others Lupina Ojala

14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

📚1) Pick any book
Fabric: The Hidden History of the Material World
📚2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title
The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore
📚3) Set in the country where the previous author is from
The Pumpkin Spice Café
📚4) Published the same year as the previous book
60 Songs That Explain the '90s
📚5) +/- 30 pages to previous book
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (318, previous book 288)
📚6) Similar title font to previous book
Both have serif fonts
📚7) Author shares name with character from previous book
An Old-Fashioned Girl (Louisa)
📚8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (horse)
📚9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
Plainsong (third person)
📚10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
North and South (history teacher)
📚11) Same publisher as previous book
A Cat Café Christmas (Amazon)
📚12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
The Gang That Wouldn't Write Straight: Wolfe, Thompson, Didion, Capote, and the New Journalism Revolution (Reporters looking for a "scoop")
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

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Loving this unique challenge! Not sure funnily enough I got the Color wheel books right but just went for it Definitely have a murder theme going on 🥳🤪

So excited for this, it looks like fun! I'm probably going to go at my own pace, so even if I don't finish in time I hope to go through the whole thing :P

1) Pick any book: House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from
4) Published the same year as the previous book
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book
6) Similar title font to previous book
7) Author shares name with character from previous book
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
11) Same publisher as previous book
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

1) Pick any book Beyond That, the Sea
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title All That We See or Seem (that)
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from The Bright Years (USA)
4) Published the same year as the previous book Guess Again (2025)
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book The Worst Thing I've Ever Done (+16)
6) Similar title font to previous book Careless People (sentence case, black serif)
7) Author shares name with character from previous book Ripeness (sarah)
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover The Vanishing Place (leaves)
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book Atmosphere (before and after)
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach The Actual Star
11) Same publisher as previous book Gravity Let Me Go (Harper audio/ Harper voyager)
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book The Mushroom Tapes (true crime)
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book Will There Ever Be Another You (green - purple)
14) Character shares profession with previous character The Castaways (writer)
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Planned Reads

Start: July 1
Finish: December 31

✅1) Pick any book
Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson (Read 7-1-25 - 7-2-25)
✅2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - Before, She
Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez (Read 7-2-25 - 7-2-25)
✅3) Set in the country where the previous author is from - United States
The Better Sister by Alafair Burke (Read 7-3-25 - 7-3-25)
✅4) Published the same year as the previous book - 2019
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham (Read 7-4-25 - 7-9-25)
✅5) +/- 30 pages to previous book - 323 - 383 pages
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben (329 pages) (Read 7-9-25 - 7-10-25)
✅6) Similar title font to previous book - Bold white font
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf (Read 7-18-25 - 7-19-25)
✅7) Author shares name with character from previous book - John
The One by John Marrs (Read 7-28-25 - 7-29-25)
✅8) Cover shares item with the previous cover - Blood spatter/stains
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (Read 7-29-25 - 7-29-25)
✅9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book - Dual First-Person POV
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica (Read 7-30-25 - 7-30-25)
✅10) A book the previous character would read at the beach - (Nina: would relate to a woman unraveling marriage secrets and obsession while feeling trapped in her new environment)
A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell (Read 8-1-25 - 8-1-25)
✅11) Same publisher as previous book - St. Martin's Press
Those Girls by Chevy Stevens (Read 8-17-25 - 8-19-25)
✅12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book - Three sisters suffering from abuse from a parent
If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen (9-12-25 - 9-12-25)
✅13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book - Gray, so cover will need to be vibrant
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager (Read 9-30-25 - 10-6-25)
✅14) Character shares profession with previous character - Camp counselor
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (read 10-4-25 - 10-8-25)
✅15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book - Recommended by Goodreads Readers
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (Read 10-28-25 - 11-3-25)
✅16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating (3.34 - 3.84)
The Fear by Natasha Preston ( 3.84) (Read 12-3-25 - 12-3-25)
✅17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio - Lives in England
The Passengers by John Marrs (Read 12-8-25 - 12-9-25) (Set in England)
✅18) Shares main theme with previous book - Trapped by technology)
The Escape Room by Megan Goldin (Read 12-15-25 - 12-20-25)
✅19) Set in same time period as previous book - Modern Era
She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena (Read 12-20-25 - 12-22-25)
✅20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title - Seven
The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle (Read 12-28-25 - 12-29-25)
✅21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks (Mystery Thriller)
The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (Read 12-31-25 - 12-31-25)

21/21

Connections Challenge 6/21

1) Pick any bookBright Young Women
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s titleThe Same Bright Stars
3) Set in the country where the previous author is fromAnita de Monte Laughs Last
4) Published the same year as the previous bookListen for the Lie
5) +/- 30 pages to previous bookLeaving
6) Similar title font to previous bookThe Heart of Winter
7) Author shares name with character from previous book
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
11) Same publisher as previous book
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Hello
I have problem with prompt 14, my previous book the character is just a witch. Does my next book could be with a witch or that can't be consider a profession.

Brenda wrote: "Hello
I have problem with prompt 14, my previous book the character is just a witch. Does my next book could be with a witch or that can't be consider a profession."

A witch can so be a profession, tip The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Thanks Hilde 🤗🤗. Happy Reading.

1. Pick any book: Long Island Compromise
2. Title shares a word with the previous book’s title: Long Island
3. Set in the country where the previous author is from (Ireland): The Women Behind the Door
4. Published the same year as the previous book (2024): After Annie
5. +/- 30 pages to previous book (306 - 305): The Murder at the Vicarage
6. Similar title font to previous book: After the Funeral
7. Author shares name with character from previous book (Miss Gilchrist): Victory Over Japan
8. Cover shares item with the previous cover (car): Summerland
9. Shares a narrative technique with previous book: The Natural
10. A book the previous character would read at the beach
11. Same publisher as previous book
12. Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13. Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14. Character shares profession with previous character
15. Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16. Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17. Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18. Shares main theme with previous book
19. Set in same time period as previous book
20. Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21. Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Connections Challenge Finished!!
Start: 6/26/25
Finish: 8/11/25
Favorite Book: Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill, Worst Book: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
21 total authors, 9 countries represented, 7 different genres.
Average Rating: 3.68
Total Pages: 7,085
I forced myself to only read books that were currently on my physical TBR, so this was a great read down challenge too. This was a really fun challenge and I hope 52in52 decides to do something similar to this again! Great fun!

✅1) Pick any book:
The Quiche of Death (6/26/25 - 6/28/25) 3.5*

✅2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - the word DEATH
Masters of Death (6/28/25 - 6/30/25) 2.5*

✅3) Set in the country where the previous author is from - From the USA, set in the USA
In the Weeds (7/1/25 - 7/3/25) 4*

✅4) Published the same year as the previous book - published 2022
Razzmatazz (7/3/25 - 7/7/25) 4.5*

✅5) +/- 30 pages to previous book - Previous page count (390), Page count (412)
A Long Time Dead (7/7/25 - 7/8/25) 5*

✅6) Similar title font to previous book - Serif font w/ flourishes & capitalization
The Haunting of Blackwood House (7/9/25 - 7/9/25) 4*

✅7) Author shares name with character from previous book - Character Neil, author O'Neill
Greenteeth (7/10/25 - 7/12/25) 5*

✅8) Cover shares item with the previous cover - Pink water flowers & a watery motif
The River Has Roots (7/12/25 - 7/13/25) 4.5*

✅9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book - Fairytale tropes & evil "family"
A Sorceress Comes to Call (7/13/25 - 7/15/25) 5*

✅10) A book the previous character would read at the beach - a book about an evil mermaid would be read by an evil witch
The Salt Grows Heavy (7/16/25 - 7/16/25) 1*

✅11) Same publisher as previous book - Publisher Orbit
Cuckoo (7/16/25 - 7/19/25) 3*

✅12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book - LGBTQIA+
The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History & Handbook (7/19/25 - 7/19/25) 3*

✅13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book - Previous book is light pink, this one is dark green
The Bullet That Missed (7/20/25 - 7/24/25 4*

✅14) Character shares profession with previous character - Detectives/PIs
The Undetectables (7/24/25 - 7/28/25) 2.5*

✅15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book - Chat GPT recommended it and I really needed something with similar vibes but actually good.
Starling House (7/29/25 - 7/30/25) 5*

✅16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating - Starling House 3.81, Murder Your Employer 3.88)
Murder Your Employer (7/30/25 - 7/31/25) 4*

✅17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio - Rupert Holmes is a song writer! He wrote the Pina Colada song! Sounds Like Love is about song writers
Sounds Like Love (8/1/25 - 8/2/25) 4*

✅18) Shares main theme with previous book - Love, Loss, Moving beyond parental expectations
Second First Impressions (8/2/25 - 8/4/25) 2*

✅19) Set in same time period as previous book - Contemporary Setting
VenCo (8/4/25 - 8/5/25) 4*

✅20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title - 2 vowels
Butter (8/6/25 - 8/10/25) 3.5*

✅21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks - About a murderer/serial killer
My Sister, the Serial Killer (8/10/25 - 8/11/25) 3.5*

🔗 The 52 Book Club 2025 Connections Challenge (21/21) 🔗
🥳challenge completed between 31 July and 18 August

✔️1. Pick any book: Chronicles of Avonlea*
✔️2. Title shares a word with the previous book’s title: Further Chronicles of Avonlea*
✔️3. Set in the country where the previous author is from [Canada]: Cat’s Eye*
✔️4. Published the same year as the previous book [1988]: Kitchen*
✔️5. +/- 30 pages to previous book: Dear Mr. Henshaw (Kitchen is 160 pages long. Dear Mr. Henshaw is 134 pages long.)
✔️6. Similar title font to previous book [Cooper Black]: Emily's Runaway Imagination
✔️7. Author shares name with character from previous book [Emily]: Do I Know You?* by Emily Wibberley
✔️8. Cover shares item with the previous cover [Glasses]: Where'd You Go, Bernadette*
✔️9. Shares a narrative technique with previous book [Epistolary novel]: I Capture the Castle*
✔️10. A book the previous character would read at the beach: Wuthering Heights* (A book a 17-year-old might like to read as she handles a messy first love. Also, Cassandra mentions wishing she could write the novel in a new journal.)
✔️11. Same publisher as previous book [Bantam Classics]: The House of Mirth* by Edith Wharton
✔️12. Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book: The Decoration of Houses* by Edith Wharton (Both works were written by Edith Wharton and have "house" in the title.)
✔️13. Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book [Black and White Background Color; Red and Green Title Font Color]: Sharp Objects*
✔️14. Character shares profession with previous character [Reporter]: The First to Lie: A Novel*
✔️15. Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book: Nothing Ever Happens Here
✔️16. Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating: The Unfinished Harauld Hughes* by Richard Ayoade (As of 10 August, Nothing Ever Happens Here has 3.51 stars and The Unfinished Harauld Hughes has 3.48 stars.)
✔️17. Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio: Revenge by Stephen Fry (Richard Ayoade was president of the Cambridge Footlights. Stephen Fry was a past member as well.)
✔️18. Shares main theme with previous book [Revenge]: Twisted Love*
✔️19. Set in same time period as previous book [Contemporary]: The Female Persuasion*
✔️20. Title has same number of vowels as previous title [9 vowels]: The Female of the Species
✔️21. Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks [Set in Ohio; Short story collections set in fictional communities]: Winesburg, Ohio

✔️: read
*: fulfills multiple challenges/goals I’m completing this year

1) Pick any book - When the Tides Held the Moon by Vanessa Vida Kelley: 5/5
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - When I Fell From the Sky by Juliane Koepcke and Ross Benjamin: 4/5
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from - Don’t Let Me Go by Kevin Christopher Snipes: 5/5
4) Published the same year as the previous book - The Hymn to Dionysus by Natasha Pulley: 5/5
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book - Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao: 3/5
6) Similar title font to previous book - Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: 5/5
7) Author shares name with character from previous book - The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne: 5/5
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover - Prince of Fortune by Lisa Tirreno: 2/5
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore: 5/5
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach - Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood: 4/5
11) Same publisher as previous book - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: 5/5
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book Challenger by Adam Higginbotham: 5/5
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book - Don’t Let the Forest in by CG Drews: 5/5
14) Character shares profession with previous character - Dead Poets Society by NK Kleinbaum: 3/5
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book - The Maidens by Alex Michaelides: 5/5
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating - The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten: 5/5
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio - Out of Air by Rachel Reiss: 3/5
18) Shares main theme with previous book - Every Day by David Levithan: 4/5
19) Set in same time period as previous book - One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus: 5/5
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title - One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig: 5/5
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks - The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune: 5/5

1) Pick any book -- The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title -- The Prime Minister's Secret Agent by Susan Elia MacNeal
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from -- Follow the Crow by B.B. Griffith
4) Published the same year as the previous book -- Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book -- The Sword of God by Mark Dawson
6) Similar title font to previous book -- Salvation Row by Mark Dawson
7) Author shares name with character from previous book -- Russian Roulette: A Deadly Game - How British Spies Thwarted Lenin's Global Plot by Giles Milton
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover -- Moskva by Jack Grimwood
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book -- The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach -- A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
11) Same publisher as previous book -- The Most Dangerous Animal of All by Gary L. Stewart
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book -- Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II by Liza Mundy
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book -- Blue Labyrinth by Douglas Preston
14) Character shares profession with previous character -- Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book -- Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating -- Cobra by Deon Meyer
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio -- The Stonecutter by Camilla Läckberg
18) Shares main theme with previous book -- The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg
19) Set in same time period as previous book -- Deep In Death by Colleen Helme
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title -- Tabula Rasa by Ruth Downie
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks -- The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

I Like the sound of this one
1) Pick any book We'll Prescribe You a Cat Syou Ishida Finished 26 Jan 26

2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title What You Are Looking For Is in the Library Michiko Aoyama 28 Jan

3) Set in the country where the previous author is fromBefore the Coffee Gets Cold Toshikazu Kawaguchi 30 Jan

4) Published the same year as the previous book A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Holly Jackson

5) +/- 30 pages to previous bookThe Mademoiselle Alliance Natasha Lester

6) Similar title font to previous bookKatabasis R.F. Kuang

7) Author shares name with character from previous book

8) Cover shares item with the previous cover

9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book

10) A book the previous character would read at the beach

11) Same publisher as previous book

12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book

13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book

14) Character shares profession with previous character

15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book

16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating

17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio

18) Shares main theme with previous book

19) Set in same time period as previous book

20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title

21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Connections Challenge
Completed 13 / 21
Start: 27.09.2025
Finished:

🩷 🍄📚 - TBR
💛 ☕📖 - Currently Reading
💚 🍀📚 - Read

💚1) Pick any book 🍀📚
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer


💚2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title 🍀📚
-> Apprentice
The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan


💚3) Set in the country where the previous author is from 🍀📚
-> Australia
Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood


💚4) Published the same year as the previous book 🍀📚
-> 1989
Beauty by Robin McKinley


💚5) +/- 30 pages to previous book 🍀📚
-> previous book - different editions between 218 - 336 pages
-> next book can be between 188 - 366 pages
-> 304 pages
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson


💚6) Similar title font to previous book 🍀📚
-> serif font, capital letters only
Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison


💚7) Author shares name with character from previous book 🍀📚
-> David
The Seventh Raven by David Elliott


💚8) Cover shares item with the previous cover 🍀📚
-> Crow / Raven
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo


💚9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book 🍀📚
-> third person multiple characters point of view
The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton


💚10) A book the previous character would read at the beach 🍀📚
-> previous book Character: Lotte -> I think she would feel a personal connection to Fitz
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb


💚11) Same publisher as previous book 🍀📚
-> Bantam Spectra
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin


💚12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book 🍀📚
-> Magic, being a Wizard - nonfiction
Kids' Magic Secrets: Simple Magic Tricks & Why They Work by Loris G. Bree


💚13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book 🍀📚
-> previous bookcover is mostly white -> black cover
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab


🩷14) Character shares profession with previous character

🩷15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book

🩷16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating

🩷17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio

🩷18) Shares main theme with previous book

🩷19) Set in same time period as previous book

🩷20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title

🩷21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Connections challenge

Books completed: 7/21
Started: 4-Dec-25

📚1) Pick any book - Past Lying by Val McDermid - Finished 11/12/25
📚2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title - Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett - Finished 18/12/25
📚3) Set in the country where the previous author is from - Set in Australia: Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood - Finished 24/12/25
📚4) Published the same year as the previous book - Published in 2008: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - Finished 29/12/25
📚 5) +/- 30 pages to previous book - previous book 291 pages.
Murder on Skye by Daniel Sellers has 278 pages - Finished 3/1/26
📚6) Similar title font to previous book - Murder at Ardaig Castle by Daniel Sellers - selected the next book in the series for this prompt. Finished 8/3/26
📚 7) Author shares name with character from previous book - The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe by Catherine Greer. Catherine was a character in previous book. Finished 29/3/26
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
11) Same publisher as previous book
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Connections Challenge: I only got as far as #11 because I did not choose to read any non-fiction this year. In retrospect, I wish I had skipped # 12 and gone one with the rest of the challenge. Oh, well.

1) Pick any book: The Mask by Dean Koontz
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title: The Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin (The)
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from: Boy's Life by Robert McCammon (United States)
4) Published the same year as the previous book: King of Morning, Queen of Day by Ian McDonald (1991)
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book> When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O'Neal (359-419 pages)
6) Similar title font to previous book: Murder on the Serpentine by Anne Perry
7) Author shares name with character from previous book: The Blackhouse by Peter May (Peter)
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover: The Lewis Man by Peter May (weird back & white clouds/sky)
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book: Where the Wandering Ends by Yvette Manessis Corporon (flashbacks)
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach: Nolyn by Michael J. Sullivan (an adventure/quest like The Odyssey)
11) Same publisher as previous book: Farilane by Michael J. Sullivan (Riyria Enterprises)
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

This seems fun. I'll start this next year.

Starting Date: 1.1.2026

1) Pick any book From the Red Fog 3 by Nohara Mosae ✓ 01/03
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title (Red) Red Hood by Haji ✓ 01/08
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from (Japan) City Lights Birthday: Gefühlvoller Boys-Love-Einzelband aus dem Omegaverse, in dem Beta und Omega ihr Schicksal selbst in die Hand nehmen ✓ 01/13
4) Published the same year as the previous book (2023) Maman ✓ 01/21
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book (140) Verwirrung der Gefühle ✓ 02/18
6) Similar title font to previous book
7) Author shares name with character from previous book
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
11) Same publisher as previous book
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

Starting 01.01.206, first time doing the challenge.

3/21
1) Pick any book - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2) Title shares a word with the previous book’s title (The) - The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3) Set in the country where the previous author is from (England) - Relics by Shaun Hutson
4) Published the same year as the previous book (1993)
5) +/- 30 pages to previous book
6) Similar title font to previous book
7) Author shares name with character from previous book
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach
11) Same publisher as previous book
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book
14) Character shares profession with previous character
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks

I'd like to try this one, but I have a question: can I read other books in-between or do I have to read the 21 books for this challenge one after the other? Because I'm doing the main 52 books challenge and Popsugar Challenge and I'm in a book club :D

Khalisti wrote: "I'd like to try this one, but I have a question: can I read other books in-between or do I have to read the 21 books for this challenge one after the other? Because I'm doing the main 52 books chal..."
You don't have to read them one after another, just in order, since each book is choosen from the one before it.

First time doing this challenge :)

Starting date: 01.01.2026

5/21

📖 - reading
✔️ - read

1) ✔️ Pick any book: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls (Girls)
2) ✔️Title shares a word with the previous book’s title Pretty Girls (USA)
3) ✔️Set in the country where the previous author is from Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires (2005)
4) ✔️Published the same year as the previous book Isabella: She-Wolf of France, Queen of England (512 pages)
5) ✔️+/- 30 pages to previous book Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil (Sarif)
6) 📖Similar title font to previous book Kindred (Alice)
7) Author shares name with character from previous book Practical Magic (shoe)
8) Cover shares item with the previous cover The Book Club for Troublesome Women (3rd person, multiple persp)
9) Shares a narrative technique with previous book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Evelyn)
10) A book the previous character would read at the beach The Beautiful and Damned (Simon & Schuster)
11) Same publisher as previous book Shockaholic
12) Non-fiction inspired by something in previous book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (blue/beige)
13) Cover is on opposite side of colour wheel to previous book A Map of Days (guardian, teacher)
14) Character shares profession with previous character The School for Good and Evil
15) Recommended by someone else based on your review of previous book
16) Goodreads rating +/- 0.25 of previous book’s rating
17) Inspired by something in the previous author’s bio
18) Shares main theme with previous book
19) Set in same time period as previous book
20) Title has same number of vowels as previous title
21) Is somehow connected to your prompt 20 and prompt 1 picks