2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Hey everyone!

This year I am going to try and read 25 books. Last year I aimed for 35 books and I just barely cracked the double digits. This year I am actually starting on time, but I am also lowering my goal to something I feel is more manageable for me. Also this year I plan to make more time for reading. I got so bogged down with school last year that I completely forgot to do some of the things I love like reading. So this year I hope to meet my goal and if possible surpass it. Can't wait to see what happens in this new year!

Here's hoping you have a year of balance (and lots of reading!). Good luck!

Good luck Molly! I hope you read some great books!

My first book of the new year is

1. Reawakening by K.L. Kreig

Congrats on reading your first book so quickly! What a strong start to the year.

2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I wanted to get this book done before the movie came out and I am so glad I decided to read it. I loved it and I could not put it down. I just evoked so many feelings in me and was just such a great mixture of action and anticipation and there were just enough moments of levity to keep the book from becoming a black-hole of despair. Now all I have to do is see if the movie is a good adaptation of the book. So here's hoping. :)

Molly wrote: "2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I wanted to get this book done before the movie came out and I am so glad I decided to read it. I loved it and I could not put it do..."

I enjoyed the book as well and am also excited about the movie!

So exited about that book!! I hope I can fit it in soon!

I must be living under a rock. I didn't know a film was going to be made. [Moves The 5th Wave higher up the TBR list...]

3.The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

As soon as I finished The 5th Wave, I ran out and bought this book. While the first book was all about establishing the world, this book was more of a character study. We really delved into the heads of the characters and understand what motivates them to still survive. The first book helped to introduce all the characters and flesh out some of them, but this book brought us further in and changed our view from macro to micro. I really loved this book and I can't believe I have to wait for May to read the third one.

Molly wrote: "3.The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

As soon as I finished The 5th Wave, I ran out and bought this book. While the first book was all about establishing the world, th..."

I've been waiting to read this book, so it's good to know someone enjoyed it - thanks!

4. Marked by P.C. Cast

What did you think of Marked?

Jackie B. wrote: "What did you think of Marked?"

I thought it was okay. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite book ever. I liked the premise of the book and the story-line, but I was thrown off by some of the dialogue in the book. It was just really weird when they had a character who didn't like to swear and said things like poopie. I would read some of the dialogue out loud and it was just like what? This sounds super awkward in real life. I've read it before and got 3 or 4 books into the series before I kind of just stopped going. It definitely was not my favorite of the books in the series that I have read through so far. But I have had the whole series on my shelf for about 4 years (and the new ones were added as they came) and I thought I should probably reread what I have already read (because I couldn't remember what had happened) and get through them all because I borrowed them from my friend who wanted me to read them and I want to get them back to her finally.

Good luck with your challenge! I read The 5th Wave earlier this year too! Did you like The Infinite Sea better, worse, or the same as The 5th Wave?

Cassandra wrote: "Good luck with your challenge! I read The 5th Wave earlier this year too! Did you like The Infinite Sea better, worse, or the same as The 5th Wave?"

I think I may have actually liked The Infinite Sea a little bit better. I loved The 5th Wave and the parts with Zombie and all of the training really got to me. The fact that all these kids were being brainwashed and manipulated into killing machines terrified me. It was those parts that truly made me horrified, that children could have all of themselves burned away just to be filled with hate and molded like clay into the perfect soldiers. Zombie was just so grateful to Vosch for killing what was left of his old self and for lighting the fire that free him up to be a vessel of vengeance. Those parts truly haunt me.

That being said I do think The Infinite Sea might have just slightly edged it out. I loved the fact that it was more of a character study instead of just world building and delving into 1 or 2 characters. I loved seeing into the lives and pasts of more of the characters and I was truly touched and heartbroken throughout all of it. I loved that we got to see into some of the other members of the team and that we got to spend so much time with Ringer. I really think what put it ahead for me was the loss of personal autonomy that happened in this book. It scares me to think about my choices and control of my own body being taken away or changed. The fact that all of my choices may have never been mine in the first place or that no matter what I do it was always part of someone else's plan sends chills down my spine.

I really loved both of the books. They were both so great in my opinion.

Okay, good to know! I wasn't sure if I wanted to read The Infinite Sea or not, but now I'm curious, especially since the same parts of The 5th Wave resonated with me.

Cassandra wrote: "Okay, good to know! I wasn't sure if I wanted to read The Infinite Sea or not, but now I'm curious, especially since the same parts of The 5th Wave resonated with me."

Well I hope you enjoy it if you do end up reading it! You'll have to let me know what you think if you read it :)

How is your reading coming, Molly? Read anything fun, exciting, or new? :)

Jackie B. wrote: "How is your reading coming, Molly? Read anything fun, exciting, or new? :)"

It's definitely a little slow going at the moment. I am in the middle of the book, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and I just started reading a book of poems because it is easier to find time to read a poem or two than it is to read a chapter. I am still trying to find time to read at least once every other day or so, but sometimes my course work doesn't really leave me the time to read like I normally would have. I am steadily moving my way through, but it is definitely an experience trying to read a book while keeping caught up on the readings I have to do for class. So I guess I have been reading it has just been nursing textbooks which can be exciting at points and most of it is definitely new to me. But I am still striving for that balance. At least I only have 6 more weeks of going hardcore for school and then it's summer and I can get caught up on all the reading I had to put off to pass. Thanks for checking in :)

5. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I am writing this update with tears in my eyes and probably looking like a complete mess because I just finished this book a few minutes ago and I just sobbed myself through the last 50 pages or so and I am still crying. I absolutely adored this book and I can't wait to see the movie.

On another note, now that I am done with school for the summer and have a lot more time on my hands, I am looking forward to ticking off some more books fairly soon.

I cried like crazy during that book too, which is somewhat unusual for me, so I had to give it 5 stars.

6. The Last Star by Rick Yancey

I thought this was a great end to the trilogy and the ending destroyed me emotionally. It wasn't my favorite of the three, because I still feel that The Infinite Sea is my favorite, but it wasn't disappointing by any means. The pacing was a little off at points because the book was divided into sections, like the other books, but every section was one day so sometimes the book seemed to take longer than it should. This one had changes in perspective more often than the others but I think it really helped to keep the reader on their toes and helped to see how this new world order was affecting everyone. But the constant changing of perspective also added to the pacing problems at points because it would start at different points in the day for everyone which sometimes made it seem longer. The last section before the epilogue-ish section had its pacing down perfect in my opinion and just made a great ending to the trilogy as a whole.

7. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I really loved this book. I loved the relationships between the characters and I absolutely love the Woods as an ever growing and looming character and presence. I really wish this book was a series (or at the very least a duology) instead of just a standalone because a lot happened in the book and I would have just loved if it could have been fleshed out over more pages and books. I just wanted to spend so much more time with these characters and never leave them behind.

8. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

I really liked this book. I really hated any moment where I had to actually stop reading and do other things like eat or sleep. I can completely see where some reviewers were coming from when they were concerned about the lack of agency of Feyre in this book and some of the flippant attitudes towards it by characters in the book. It definitely pissed me off whenever it happened. But I really loved the characters and the relationships and friendships that were portrayed. I really liked the world building and the descriptions of settings and people. And now I just have to wait for the second book to come in at my library.

9. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

I loved this book more than words can say. I have just been making inhuman noises and just screaming (some definite snarls of rage and choice expletives for some characters who just thoroughly and completely are the worst) and squealing (because it was glorious) through most of the book because words are definitely not enough to describe how much I felt while reading this book and the depth of my love for it. It far surpassed the first book, in my opinion, and I found myself trying not to just fly through it because I wanted it to last. I loved the entire core group of characters and their dynamics and relationships with each other. And the banter was just so natural between the characters. I can't believe I now have to wait almost a year for the next book and I can't help but feel like I didn't think this through when I chose to read these books right now.

It took me a while to finally get another book done in this year. The only books I have even really read have been nursing textbooks, but I was glad to finally able to get back to reading.

10. Those We Fear by Victoria Griffith

This book was okay. I loved the mystery of the book and the reveal at the end, but there were definitely some things that did just not work for me. I really didn't think that the romance was necessary and it just kind of felt tacked on and thrown in because there apparently has to be a romance in almost all young adult books. I actually think it took away from my reading experience somewhat and like it was thrown in there way too abruptly. The book was only 200 or so pages and I feel it could have just benefited from sticking to just being a mystery thriller-ish book. It was also was like a mix of Jane Eyre and some other books and at points it felt like it was trying to beat me over the head with the references and similarities.

11. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I loved this book and I thought it was so interesting with the structure of how the story was told. I have never read a book that was only a dossier of documents. I didn't know how it would work or if I would be into it but I was riveted the entire time. I am so excited to read the sequel.