2025 Reading Challenge discussion

New here so might be tweaking format as we move along. I'm learning from viewing all of your cool layouts. I don't really do reviews but comments/questions are very much welcomed.

January
1. All the King's Men 4 stars
2. Finn Fancy Necromancy 3 stars
3. Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free 3 stars

February
4. Moonglow 4 stars
5. A Darker Shade of Magic 3 stars

March
6. A Gathering of Shadows 2 stars
7. A Conjuring of Light 2 stars
8. Things Fall Apart 4 stars
9. The Final Solution 3 stars
10. The Blind Assassin 5 stars

April
11. The Handmaid's Tale 3 stars
12. Smells Like Finn Spirit 2 stars
13. The High Mountains of Portugal 4 stars

May
14. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao 4 stars
15. The Things They Carried 4 stars
16. Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign 3 stars
17. A Confederacy of Dunces 3 stars
18. Plainsong 3 stars
19. The Thing Around Your Neck 4 stars
20. The Road 4 stars
21. The Testament of Mary 3 stars

June
22. The Girl with All the Gifts 2 stars
23. The Miniaturist 2 stars
24. The Power Of One 4 stars
25. Half of a Yellow Sun 5 stars

List updated... on to #18. Hoping to finish 2 more in May. "Confederacy of Dunces" was a great read overall. I found it a bit more sad though than I think many others seem to... or maybe not sad as much as melancholic?

Welcome to the group Chris, and best of luck reaching your goal :)
I'm really looking forward to getting to "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao".
I look forward to seeing more of the books you'll be reading throughout the year!

Thanks Lisa! The challenge has been helpful in moving me forward in a more thoughtful manner and I'm enjoying seeing what everyone else is reading. I really enjoyed "Oscar Wao." Fav of the month so far.

List updated... Plainsong. Quiet. Elegant. I had a few minor quibbles with development pace but probably more to do with me than the book. On to #19.

List updated.... The Thing Around Your Neck. Incredible short stories. Deeply moving and evocative. On to #20.

Chris wrote: "Thanks Lisa! The challenge has been helpful in moving me forward in a more thoughtful manner and I'm enjoying seeing what everyone else is reading. I really enjoyed "Oscar Wao." Fav of the month so..."

That's great, Chris! This group certainly seems to have that effect on most.
I've moved "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" further up my list ;).

Awesome! Wao is so good.... it's very immersive I think. And honestly, please do read Adichie if you find a place for her. I'm really not a short story guy but was mesmerized.

I've only really watched her TED talk (and read) We Should All Be Feminists. And I've watched "Half of a Yellow Sun" so now I want to read it aswell.
I've really enjoyed Adichie's literary voice, so I need more of her in my life :)

I have to admit ignorance. My friend recommended her a few weeks ago so I read. And was moved. I wonder often what passes me by b/c of blinders I never even realized.

I have a tendency to reach for what I know I'll enjoy for certain, instead of exploring what other unknown-to-me authors have to offer, which is really a shame. I'm actively trying to change that this year but still I'm always a bit cautious when it comes to books that have been overly talked about.

I'm rather the same. So I'm trying to mix in a bunch of approaches and recommendations. Honestly, this month has been one of my favorite reading times ever. And it's mostly because I took on a couple I had been pushing off and then gleaned onto two that I probably wouldn't have read otherwise.

List updated... The Road. I didn't even realize how invested I was in the characters until it was coming to a close. Disturbing story (even if somewhat formulaic which I think was maybe the point), yet also quite beautiful.

Final one of May... The Testament of Mary.

June off to an underwhelming start with these two, The Miniaturist & The Girl with All the Gifts.

The Power Of One Powerful, motivational, fast-paced narrative. Frankly, just a great book by any standard. However, though the writing is not bad by any means, there is little fluidity. It is somewhat jerky, requiring quick leaps. And I believe the socio-political issues of the time, while an acknowledged undercurrent of the narrative framework in place, are somewhat reduced to fleeting observational footnotes quickly subjugated to the pursuit of story. But, even with these "flaws" which are only my thoughts, it as a wonderful story and I can't believe it took me this long to read the novel.

The second book I just finished this week was one of the most moving I've read in years. Half of a Yellow Sun is beautifully heartbreaking. Tragic in its triumph. Thought-provoking in ways I had not considered before, a trait common to all of Adichie's works. She is a bright light in literature that I will follow anywhere. There is a quiet line late in the book that I cannot repeat here (as it gives too much away) which broke my heart, just made me stop and evaluate for a bit. It's still with me and always will be. That just doesn't happen much for me anymore.. too cynical, too busy, too pragmatic. I don't know, but it reminded me yet again that I love words, and I love books, more than I even can remember myself sometimes.

Almost at the halfway mark! You're doing great :) Keep it up.
I look forward to seeing what you'll be reading in July :)