2025 Reading Challenge discussion

It's time to nominate again! Our theme for May is sunrises.

Please remember to state a connection to the theme when you nominate.

Here are some short rules for nominating books:

~ Each person can nominate 1 book.

~ Book must be available both as a physical copy and as an ebook.

~ Authors: Please do not nominate your own book.

~ Please include the name of the book and the author or link to the book.

~ Please do not nominate books that are part of a series, unless it is the first book.

~ You can second someone else's nomination, but that will count as your nomination.

~ When nominating, please state a connection to the theme.

~ You cannot nominate a book which has previously been a group read. Past buddy reads are fine. (See Group Reads in the bookshelf)

This thread will be closed by March 25th, and we will choose ten books for the poll. If there are more than ten books nominated, we will choose the ten most nominated. If there is still a tie to get into the top ten, we'll go back to the Goodreads average rating to see which is highest.

I think that The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh would be a good choice.
It's about a King who takes a new wife ever sunset, only to have them killed at sunrise.

I'll do a shout-out for Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World by Matthew Goodman.

It's a great non-fiction story of two female journalists racing each other around the world in a time when women were rarely seen travelling alone and even more rarely doing so for a job like journalism. I really loved the insight into the time (1889), the women, the journalism, and the era of travel, plus the perceptions of the world around them. They saw many sunrises all around the world (including many described in great detail) and I think it fits into the larger yearly theme of "Around the World". Seems to have a lower rating on Goodreads than I would expect, but still gets my vote!

I think we need some Sci-Fi! So, I think that Foundation by Isaac Asimov would be a good reading choice :)

I second Karitiz851!

Esme wrote: "I think we need some Sci-Fi! So, I think that Foundation by Isaac Asimov would be a good reading choice :)"

Foundation is very tempting to second. However when we nominate we state a connection to the theme. The theme of May is sunrises and the connection could be any you choose even very very loose connections. Do you think you could state one for Foundation Esme? :)

, the only connection I can think of is that it had sun in the title. And I love this author.

Ras Tazie wrote: ", the only connection I can think of is that it had sun in the title. And I love this author."

I think that as Half of a Yellow Sun is about the civil war in the 1960s between Nigeria and the newly formed Biafra, which had half a yellow sun in its flag, you could really see it as being about when the sun rose in a metaphorical and actual sense on a new country, and the long and difficult days that followed. Not to mention that the sun rises on new phases of the main characters' lives before and during the war too. Plus even if this is my least favourite book of hers (though I wouldn't mind revisiting it [again]), when the question is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the answer is always yes. ;D :)

Paul wrote: "Ras Tazie wrote: ", the only connection I can think of is that it had sun in the title. And I love this author."

I think that as Half of a Yellow Sun is about..."

Yes I love her so much!

I second Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World.

I would like to nominate The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.

The epigraph:
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever… The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose… The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits… All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again.
– Ecclesiastes

I second The Wrath and the Dawn!

I second The Sun Also Rises, by E. Hemingway.

I third the Wrath and the Dawn

The Seafront Tearoom by Vanessa Green

I nominate Waiting for Sunrise by William Boyd.Waiting for Sunrise

The title fits the theme.

lol Ilona beat me to nominating this one, so I would like to third Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises

I will be travelling this month and don't want to miss the opportunity to add my voice (I tend to leave things 'til the last minute), so I'll add a vote to the nomination of The Wrath & the Dawn. I have a feeling it's going to make me super angry, and I could use a little healthy, creative rage right now. :D

Lisa wrote: "lol Ilona beat me to nominating this one, so I would like to third Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises"

Great minds think alike ;)

I'd like to second Half of a Yellow Sun. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is such a great writer, and as our theme for the year is travel; our first three group reads have been by UK and Canadian authors, so I think let's try another continent!

Janine wrote: "I'd like to second Half of a Yellow Sun. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is such a great writer, and as our theme for the year is travel; our first three group reads have been ..."

My thoughts exactly Janine! I'll third this one as well. :)

Lois wrote: "I second Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World."

I'll vote this one too.

I'd like to nominate To The Bright Edge of the World because when the sun rises the edge of the world literally becomes bright. Also, I really want to read it!

Labannya wrote: "The Seafront Tearoom by Vanessa Green"

Hi Labannya :) When we nominate a book we ask you to state a connection to the theme for it to count. It can be any connection really that you see fit even if it is very loose. This month our theme is sunrises.

I will also second or fifth or what it is The Wrath and the Dawn.

I fourth (?) Half of a Yellow Sun!

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I want to nominate The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon



I need a contemporary romance in my life so her goes nothing! Here's a book to kind of stir the pot, pull at our heart-strings, and bring a different genre up to bat.
It's a YA realistic fiction novel by Nicola Yoon; a native to Jamaica where she grew up (as well as Brooklyn), and now resides in LA.

*It can be found as a hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audio-book

I would go into more detail on the description of the book, but what would be the fun of that if I told you?! ;) For now though I will say that
1) sun is in the title and
2) think of it as a big bang of a love story.

Book Facts to help those with yearly challenges:
*This is Yoon's second novel
*Keep in mind our Around The World group theme
New York Times Notable Book
A National Book Award Finalist
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of the Year
A POPSUGAR Best Book of the Year
An Amazon Best Book of the Year
A 2017 Michael L. Printz Honor Book
Among MANY others

I'll vote Half of a Yellow Sun too.

My vote goes to The Sun also Rises. I have never read Hemingway and I would love to!

Betsy wrote: "My vote goes to The Sun also Rises. I have never read Hemingway and I would love to!"

I'm going to second this instead since the other one is already seconded and I would love to read my first Hemingway!

Two more days of nominating :) Keep'em coming!

Closing :) Poll coming soon!