2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I'm going to push myself this year, but I believe I can rise to the occasion! Let's do this!!!

You can do it :)

So, last year I wasn't great about doing a monthly post, so I'm going to try to do a couple of books at a time.

First book completed of 2017:

I actually read this for my book club, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I wrote a review, but this had to be absolutely terrifying for her and her parents. I can't imagine descending into madness, not being able to stop it, and not knowing why. Very, very interesting.

Book Two:

This one got me with the title. What is a bad feminist? Sounds like it might be me. And I was right. But moreover, these essays are insightful, brutally and threadbare-levels of honesty, and truly thought-provoking in some unexpected ways. Gay is a talented writer, but an even better observer of life, behavior, and the mentalities that drive them. Such a good book!

So, I've already knocked out 12 books, so I'm feeling pretty good about my challenge so far. I've reviewed them all, so this will be some grouped commentary.

Jack Reacher series: Echo Burning, Killing Floor, and Die Trying - they're formulaic, but good. I've had to piece together the puzzle each time, which has been nice.

Book Club books - Uninvited, Darktown (already covered Brain on Fire) - I enjoyed both of these books, for very different reasons. I always appreciate check to my spiritual growth, and Darktown provided a unique perspective on a transition in history, which often gets overlooked.

Kids/YA - The Year of Billy Miller and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower - great books for the ages; modern themes and complications in a realistic story. Good, quality books.

Random - The Daily Show: An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests, Carla's Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World and The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America - these were all interesting in their own way, but they all require a love of minutia. From the details of what went on behind the scenes at The Daily Show to how the flowers were chosen for the 1893 World's Fair to what aromatics are common in Moroccan food, these are books of details. And that's what made them all fascinating reads for me.

Let's go February!!!

So, I finally finished .

This was an impulse buy for one of my Kindle Deals of the Day - one man's quest to understand why he's never had a girlfriend. The cover intrigued me and the price was great, so I picked it up. I'm really glad I did. By no means will this book change your life, but it had some very funny parts and some very honest parts which came together for an enjoyable read. Right now, I'm in need of some joy, so I was really glad to have read this book.

Well, since I haven't posted pretty much all year, I will just do a quick summary of what I read in terms of my best of the year and the worst of the year. I did meet my goal and exceed it - I've read 94 books, and I hope I can make it to 95 by tomorrow. So here we go:

Top Five Fiction Books:
1) Everything I Never Told You
2) Before the Fall
3) The Hate U Give
4) Darktown
5) 11/22/63

Top Five Non-Fiction Books:
1) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
2) Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
3) Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body
4) Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
5) Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions tied with The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

Top Five Books You Should Skip:
1) People I Want to Punch in the Throat: Competitive Crafters, Drop-Off Despots, and Other Suburban Scourges
2) I Feel Bad about My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman
3) The Princess Diarist
4) Before I Fall
5) The Bees

Overall, I had some amazing reads this year, especially in the non-fiction category. I'm looking forward to another great reading year in 2018!

ReGina wrote: "Well, since I haven't posted pretty much all year, I will just do a quick summary of what I read in terms of my best of the year and the worst of the year. I did meet my goal and exceed it - I've read 94 books, and I hope I can make it to 95 by tomorrow. ..."

Wow, impressive ReGina! Congratulations!!