2025 Reading Challenge discussion

YEARLY CHALLENGE
RANDOMIZER CHALLENGE
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

The Bone Season
Arrows of the Queen - October 4
Sense and Sensibility - May 13
Much Ado About Nothing - April 27
The Paris Wife
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - January 30
So You've Been Publicly Shamed
The Years of Rice and Salt - February 20
The Diviners - July 26

6/10

YEARLY CHALLENGE
I-SPY: BOOK TITLES EDITION
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

1. Of Mice and Men: The Yiddish Policemen's Union - August 5
2. A Tale of Two Cities: A Tale for the Time Being - June 26
3. Gone with the Wind: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - May 28
4. A Wrinkle in Time: Love in the Time of Cholera - February 24
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadow
6. The Little Prince: Prince of Thorns - August 17
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass: Mountain of Black Glass - April 19
8. Brave New World: Everyone Brave is Forgiven
9. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Requiem for a Dream
10. The Joy Luck Club: The Joy Luck Club - November 20
11. The Diary of a Young Girl: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - May 7
12. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: All the Birds in the Sky - April 21
13. The Book Thief: Doomsday Book
14. The God of Small Things: The Fairy Godmother - March 14
15. Around the World in 80 Days: My Beloved World
16. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Night
17. The Time Traveler's Wife: A Brief History of Time
18. All Quiet on the Western Front: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
19. The Old Man and the Sea: Old Man's War - September 11
20. Where the Red Fern Grows: Ruby Red
21. Island of the Blue Dolphins: Blue Mars
22. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe: Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous
23. Girl With a Pearl Earring: The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story - March 18
24. The Call of the Wild: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail - April 14
25. The Good Earth: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

13/25

YEARLY CHALLENGE
EVERY YEAR CHALLENGE
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

1993 Guilty Pleasures
1994 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story
1995 A Fine Balance
1996 Royal Assassin
1997 A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail - August 29
1998 The Poisonwood Bible - August 17
1999 Cryptonomicon
2000 Storm Front
2001 Bel Canto - July 17
2002 Without Fail - January 1
2003 Moloka'i - June 8
2004 Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
2005 No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam - August 20
2006 Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time
2007 Kushiel's Justice - June 20
2008 The Phoenix Endangered - March 31
2009 First Family - March 3
2010 Feed
2011 Zero Day - February 10
2012 The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad - February 27
2013 Insurgent - February 6
2014 The Fortune Hunter
2015 Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania - June 24
2016 Morning Star - May 18

14/24

YEARLY CHALLENGE
LISTOPIA CHALLENGE
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Locus Award Winners
Hyperion - June 1
The City & the City - October 29
The Dispossessed - March 10

Best Business Books
Thinking, Fast and Slow - July 7
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Best Non-fiction
Into the Wild - January 2
A People's History of the United States
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Best Books of the 21st Century
The Shadow of the Wind
Room - August 23
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Quality Dark Fiction
The Vampire Lestat - August 3
The Road - January 24
The Drawing of the Three - September 27

9/15

YEARLY CHALLENGE
LET'S TURN PAGES CHALLENGE
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

January: 4,464
February: 4,492
March: 4,345
April: 4,780
May: 3,844
June: 4,779
July: 3,449
August: 3,889
September: 3,179
October: 2,215
November: 2,040
December: 3,312

44,520/50,000

FIRST QUARTER CHALLENGE
BOX SET
January 1, 2016 - March 31, 2016

... In SPACE
Leviathan Wakes - January 24
Foundation and Empire - February 11
The Dispossessed - March 10

Fantasy That Pokes Fun at Tropes
The Outsorcerer's Apprentice - January 26
Off to Be the Wizard - February 13
The Fairy Godmother - March 14
Gooseberry Bluff Community College of Magic: The Thirteenth Rib - March 21

Military Crime Thriller
Brilliance - March 26
Without Fail - January 1
First Family - March 3
The Heist - January 4
Zero Day - February 10

12/12

SECOND QUARTER CHALLENGE
AWARD WINNING BOOKS
April 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016

As book lovers, we want to be entertained, but we also appreciate great literature. For this challenge, choose books that have won one of the various book awards. This is a great opportunity to read a book you've been meaning to get to, or to try a new genre.

Hugo Award
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Hyperion - June 1

Man Booker
Schindler's List

Bram Stoker
Doctor Sleep
The Green Mile - May 4
The Diviners
The Sandman: Endless Nights - April 12

Goodreads Choice Award
The Paris Wife
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail - April 14

World Fantasy Award
The Bone Clocks - April 4

Eisner Award
Batman: The Long Halloween - April 20

YALSA
Throne of Glass - April 25
Girl in Dior - June 4

Yomiuri Award
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - May 28

Andre Norton Award
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - May 7

10/10

THIRD QUARTER CHALLENGE
FINISH THE SERIES
July 1, 2016 - September 30, 2016

Discworld | 6 of 41
Wyrd Sisters - July 11

The Demon Cycle | 3 of 4
The Daylight War - July 24

The Vampire Chronicles | 2 of 11
The Vampire Lestat - August 3

American Gods | 2 of 2
Anansi Boys - August 9

The Broken Empire | 1 of 3
Prince of Thorns - August 17
King of Thorns

His Dark Materials | 3 of 3
The Amber Spyglass - September 1

Time Salvager | 2 of 2
Time Siege - September 5

Dune | 5 of 6
Heretics of Dune - September 18

The Dark Tower | 1 of 7
The Drawing of the Three

7/12

FOURTH QUARTER CHALLENGE
RACE TO THE FINISH
October 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Randomizer | 4 left
The Bone Season
Arrows of the Queen - October 4
The Paris Wife
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
So You've Been Publicly Shamed

I-Spy | 13 left
Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadow
Everyone Brave is Forgiven
Requiem for a Dream
The Joy Luck Club - November 20
Doomsday Book
My Beloved World
Night
A Brief History of Time
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
Ruby Red
Blue Mars
Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Every Year | 10 left
Guilty Pleasures
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story
A Fine Balance
Royal Assassin
Cryptonomicon
Storm Front
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time
Feed
The Fortune Hunter

Listopia | 6 left
The City & the City - October 29
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
A People's History of the United States
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
The Shadow of the Wind
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

3/35

JANUARY CHALLENGE
EXTREMES
January 1, 2016 - January 31, 2016

1. The Weather can get pretty extreme in January...either really cold in the Northern Hemisphere or really hot in the Southern Hemisphere. Read a book that has an extreme weather event or a book that takes place during a hot hot summer or cold cold winter.
The Road - January 24

2. There are some extreme environments, and people love to explore them. Read a book about someone surviving in the wild outdoors or a book where someone travels to an extreme location (like outer space).
Into the Wild - January 2

3. Extreme sports have become very popular over the years, so much so that some are in the Olympics! Read a book about an Olympic athlete or someone who went to extremes to play the sport they love.

4. Going with the sports theme, there is not sport more extreme and possibly dangerous than Martial Arts if not practiced correctly. Read a book about someone who participates in Martial Arts, or about someone who ends up in a very dangerous position.
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days - January 15

5. Unfortunately, even with modern day science, extreme mental illness still disables millions. Read a book about someone who suffers from an extreme mental illness like bipolar or schizophrenia, or a book about a tragedy caused by someone with an extreme mental illness like suicide or mass shooter.
Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings - January 5

6. The media is dominated by news of those who practice extreme versions of their religions, if you could even call it following a religion. Read a book about a cult, or read a book about someone who is (was) a religious extremist.
Wild Seed - January 8

7. Nationalism is often a good thing even if it’s extreme, just ask the founding fathers of a nation, but it can also lead to some serious conflicts like WWI. Read a book about the founding of a nation, or read a book about how extreme nationalism destroyed a nation.

8. Mathematics often talks about reaching extremes, but only the truly dedicated to the practice ever get to understand why math has such extremes. Read a book about a mathematician or read a book about a dedicated intellectual.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - January 30

6/4

FEBRUARY CHALLENGE
TIMES GONE BY
February 1, 2016 - February 29, 2016

1. Read a book that takes place at beginning of the world.
about 4.500,000,000 years ago.

2. Read a book that takes place during the time of the dinosaurs.
about 250,000,000 to 65,000,000 years ago.

3. Read a book that takes place during the time after homo sapiens existed but B.C.E. (Before Common Era).
about 1,500,000 years ago to 0 A.D.

4. Read a book that takes place between supposed time of Jesus (start of Christianity) and the supposed time of Muhammad (start of Islam). This does not have to be religious, just in that time era.
about 0 A.D. to 700 A.D.
The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad - February 27

5. Read a book that takes place during the Dark or Middle Ages.
about 700 A.D. to 1500 A.D.

6. Read a book that takes place during rise of colonization around the world.
about 1500 A.D. to 1900 A.D.
Love in the Time of Cholera - February 24

7. Read any book that takes place in the Far East before Communism.
up to about 1950 A.D.
The Years of Rice and Salt - February 20

8. Read a book that takes place during the times of the World Wars.
1914 to 1945

9. Read a book takes place during the time of the Cold War until the turn of the century.
1945 to 2000

3/3

MARCH CHALLENGE
#readwomen
March 1, 2016 - March 31, 2016

For this challenge we would like you to explore women writers and pick books only written by women:

1. Re-read your favorite book.

2. Read a book new to you by an author you have previously read.
The Fairy Godmother - March 18

3. Read a book written by an author under 30.
Four: A Divergent Story Collection - March 19

4. Read a book about the Eastern Cultures.

5. Read a book by an author that is not White.
The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story - March 18

6. Read a book of essays.

7. Read a comedy book.

8. Read a graphic novel.

9. Read a book about women during war.

10. Read a book about an LGBTQIA issue.

11. Read a book sci-fi/ fantasy book.
The Dispossessed - March 10

4/4

APRIL CHALLENGE
SPRING CLEANING
April 1, 2016 - April 30, 2016

During spring time so many of us set out to clean our houses from top to bottom, but wouldn’t it be nice to also declutter our lives as well?

For April, instead of the usual challenge to read books specific to the theme, we thought we would look inward instead of out. Let’s read some books that clean up our souls and minds.

The Bone Clocks - April 4
Ship of Magic - April 12
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail - April 14
Mountain of Black Glass - April 19
All the Birds in the Sky - April 21

5/4

MAY CHALLENGE
10,000 CHALLENGE
May 1, 2016 - May 31, 2016

Our group has hit 10,000 members! And to celebrate this achievement we have this special challenge as part of our celebration:

1. Home, 10,000 members...read a book that has more than 10,000 ratings on Goodreads.
Hyperion

2. Math: 100 x 100 = 10,000. So for this one, read a book that has 100 in the title or has 100 or so pages.
The Sandman: The Dream Hunters - May 7

3. Some more Math: A myriagon is a polygon with 10,000 sides. Sci-fi and fantasy novels often also have a lot of sides. So for this one, read a book that falls into the science fiction or fantasy genres.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - May 7

4. U.S. History: Salmon P. Chase was the face of the $10,000 greenback, and he was the Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln. So for this one, read a fictional or non-fictional book about U.S. history before 1900.

5. World Geography: There is no €10,000 note, but if there was, it would have some beautiful European architecture on it. So for this one, read a book that takes place in Europe or is about an amazing piece of architecture.
Schindler's List

6. Psychology: It is assumed that each neuron in the human brain is connected to 10,000 others. Read a book about human behavior or a book about someone’s mental health.
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things - May 6

7. Biology: There are about 10,000 species of birds. Read a book with bird (or a type of bird) in the title or a book with a bird on the cover.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - May 28

8. Language Arts: Imagine you could read 10,000 books. That was your job. You could read whatever you wanted, where would you start? Read the book you would start with if you could have the job of reading 10,000 books.
Morning Star - May 18

9. Technology: It is believed that storytelling is a 10,000 year old technology dating back to our earliest civilizations. Read a book that is based on a myth or about a culture before the common era.
Thor, Volume 1: The Goddess of Thunder - May 11

10. Extra Curricular: It takes approximately 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. Read a book, fiction or nonfiction, that has to do with the activity you would love to become an expert at.

6/7

JUNE CHALLENGE
SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES
June 1 - June 30, 2016

Recent studies are proving what us readers have known for a long time - reading helps us to build empathy for people who are different than us. To paraphrase Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, you never really know a person until you step into their shoes and walk around for a bit, and reading allows us to do that.

For this challenge, read books about people from different backgrounds than you, including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or others.

Set a goal for how many books to read and step into someone else's shoes.

Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist - June 3
Moloka'i - June 8
A Tale for the Time Being - June 26
When Breath Becomes Air - June 9

4/4

JULY CHALLENGE
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
July 1, 2016 - July 31, 2016

During the month of July, we will be reading The Fellowship of the Ring together for our group read. For this challenge, we will read books inspired by the characters in the Fellowship.

Frodo Baggins is the ringbearer. Read a book where the main character carries on a family tradition or where the main character struggles against a great evil.
The Diviners - July 26

Samwise Gamgee constantly demonstrates his loyalty to Frodo and the quest. Read a book where loyalty is a key value.

Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck loves boats, maps, and exploration. Read a book where the main character is anxious to go on an adventure or where they regularly use a nickname.
The Neverending Story - July 13

Peregrin "Pippin" Took is from one of the most powerful hobbit families and his name means "traveler in strange countries." Read a book where the main character is part of a famous or noble family, or read a book where traveling is a major focus.
Wyrd Sisters - July 11

Aragorn Elessar was orphaned as a child and fostered by the elves, learning the strength and wisdom of the elves. Read a book where the main character is orphaned or fostered, or read a book where the main character shares Aragorn's strength.

Boromir of Gondor is a mighty warrior intent on protecting his people. Read a book where protection is a major motivation of the main character.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Young Readers Edition - July 8

Gimli, son of Glóin is a dwarf with a fierce personality and fighting style. He quarrels with Legolas throughout the book because of the longstanding feud between their races. Read a book where one of the main characters struggles with an inherent prejudice or where the main character matches Gimli's fierceness.
Thinking, Fast and Slow - July 7

Legolas Greenleaf is an elf and a very sharp-sighted archer. His name "Legolas" literally means Greenleaf. Read a book where the main character is very skilled or where the main character has a name with a literal meaning.
Bel Canto - July 17

Gandalf the Grey is an extremely powerful wizard. Read a book with a strong magic user.
The Daylight War - July 24

7/4

AUGUST CHALLENGE
YOUR NEW BOOK FRIEND
August 1, 2016 - August 31, 2016

1. Good friends speak a special dialect that is only understood between themselves...so do book lovers! We all have that special genre that creates that special speech pattern that only other lovers of that genre can understand. Choose a book from your favorite genre and see who else in the group loves that genre too.
The Amber Spyglass

2. Good friends can call each other at anytime of the day or the night...just the same way a good book is. Re-read one of your favorite books that is always on your shelf ready to read and see who loves the same book.

3. Good friends love all your statuses and will give you the highest approval ratings...just the as we do with our favorite books. Find a book that is highly rated by other members of the group.
Room - August 23

4. Good friends share the same guilty pleasures...just like there are some books you can't help reading. Find a book you are reading just for the fun of it, and not because it is a great literary masterpiece, and see who shares your guilty pleasure.

5. Good friends will know each other’s wardrobes libraries inside and out...just like they will know each other's libraries. To find a book for this task, you must ask someone from this group to recommend a book to you that they own.

6. Good friends are also friends with all the other people close in your life...just the same way we do when we love a book, we read everything written by the same author. Read a book written by a favorite author and see who else loves that same author.
Anansi Boys - August 9

7. Good friends can discuss any topic freely including money, sex, religion, and family...just the same way a book can be written on any subject. Read a non-fiction on any subject that interests you and see who also shares your same interest.
No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam - August 20

8. Finally, good friends share wonderful memories...just like when we read a truly wonderful book. Read any book you have been longing to read and recommend it to another member of the group so that you can create a lasting memory together.
The Poisonwood Bible - August 17

4/5

SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE

Did not participate.

OCTOBER CHALLENGE
TOP 10 CANDY
October 1, 2016 - October 31, 2016

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - creamy chocolate and salty peanut butter makes the perfect combination. Read a book where two very different characters work together to make the perfect plot.
Arrows of the Queen - October 4

2. M&M’s - chocolate covered in yummy candy coating probably filled with wonderful nuts. Read a book where a character goes a little bit nuts but things work out well.
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence - October 1

3. Snickers - nougat, caramel, and peanuts coated with chocolate gives this candy bar a funny name. Read a humorous book sure to make you laugh.
So You've Been Publicly Shamed

4. Hershey’s Chocolate Bar - the classic milk chocolate bar. Read a classic novel that is sure to delight you.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

5. Kit Kat - a chocolate covered wafer biscuit bar that is know for giving you a break. Read a book that is a quick and snappy read that is great for to read when you have a few minutes break in your day.
Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadow

6. Twix - butter cookie, caramel, and coated with chocolate that also comes in many different versions and is popular all around the world. Read a book that is so popular it has been translated into many different languages.

7. 3 Musketeers - a fluffy nougat filled chocolate bar that can have so many different flavors. Read a book of short stories filled with many different plot lines.

8. Hershey’s Cookies and Cream - the name of the candy bar says it all and while the candy bar is less than 25 years old, it’s already a top 10 hit! Read a book was written in the last few years and is on the New York Times Best Sellers List.

9. Milky Way - chocolate malt nougat topped with caramel makes this candy bar out of this world. Read a book that is about outer space and traveling through the stars.
Blue Mars

10. Almond Joy - coconut based center topped with an almond or two coated in dark chocolate and it’s mysterious how it all works but it does. Read a book mystery made up different parts that make a satisfying whole.
The City & the City - October 29

3/6

NOVEMBER CHALLENGE
WEDDING DAY PLUS CHALLENGE
November 1, 2016 - November 30, 2016

Our November theme is family and new families start with weddings! This month’s challenge revolves around a famous poem associated with weddings!

1. “Something Old” Read a book written or published a long time ago or a book you have had on your bookshelf for a long time.
Little Women - November 17

2. “Something New” Read a book recently published or a book you just added to your bookshelf.
Everfair - November 25

3. “Something Borrowed” Read a book borrowed from a close friend, a family member or the library.
Invisible Cities - November 22

4. “Something Blue” Read a book with a blue cover or the word blue in the title.
Blue Mars

5. "Live every moment" Read a book where someone goes on a great life changing adventure.
Emperor of Thorns - November 8

6. "Laugh everyday" Read a book by a comedian or a book that is humorous.
So You've Been Publicly Shamed

7. "Love beyond words" Read a book that has a romantic story inside it.
The Language of Flowers - November 26

5/7

DECEMBER CHALLENGE
ADVENT CALENDAR CHALLENGE
December 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Starting on Dec. 1 and ending on Dec. 24, read a short story (or a poem!) every day. Use stories or poems from collections, magazines, or the internet - there's lot of good short fiction available for free from many publishers.

Update 12/18: I haven't been able to read a short story every day, so I'm adapting this challenge to be "read 31 short stories in December" to see if I can catch up.

1. Apollo by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - December 1
2. Ravalushan by Mohammed Naseehu Ali - December 2
3. Garments by Tahmima Anam - December 3
4. Wonders of the Shore by Andrea Barrett - December 7
5. The Bear by Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum - December 8
6. The Great Silence by Ted Chiang - December 12
7. The Year of the Rat by Chen Qiufan - December 26
8. The Fish of Lijiang by Chen Qiufan - December 27
9. The Flower of Shazui by Chen Qiufan - December 27
10. A Hundred Ghosts Parade Tonight by Xia Jia - December 28
11. Tongtong's Summer by Xia Jia - December 28
12. Night Journey of the Dragon-Horse by Xia Jia - December 29
13. The City of Silence by Ma Boyang - December 29
14. Invisible Planets by Hao Jingfang - December 29
15. Folding Beijing by Hao Jingfang - December 29
16. Call Girl by Tang Fei - December 29
17. Grave of the Butterflies by Cheng Jingbo - December 29
18. The Circle by Liu Cixin - December 29
19. Taking Care of God by Liu Cixin - December 30
20. The Flower by Louise Erdrich - December 30
21. The Letician Age by Yalitza Ferraras - December 30
22. For the God of Love, for the Love of God by Lauren Groff - December 30
23. The Suitcase by Meron Hadero - December 30
24. Treasure State by Smith Henderson - December 30
25. Pat + Sam by Lisa Ko - December 30
26. Cold Little Bird by Ben Marcus - December 30
27. The Politics of the Quotidian by Caille Millner - December 31
28. Bridge by Daniel J. O'Malley - December 31
29. The Prospectors by Karen Russell - December 31

29/31

Reserved.

Reserved.

Reserved.

Reserved.

I hope you enjoy your reading list, and of course share with me all your favorites.