2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Unfortunately I didn’t complete my 40-book challenge for 2018 so I’ll be taking it easy next year and attempt to read at least 15 books. These will likely be books I already own. I won’t be including books I’ve already started reading last year and will finish this year (there are 2 I’m currently trying to complete). I also want to try to avoid buying any new books but we’ll see how long I can last lol.

7/25 completed

Edit: I initially said I’ll read at least 12 but I’ve bumped it up to 15 instead. (Jan 17, 2019)
Edit: I'm increasing my goal to 25 now! (Feb 8 2019)

Good luck next year, Libby! Did you check out the Clear the Shelves challenge? It fits your goal :)

Ilona wrote: "Good luck next year, Libby! Did you check out the Clear the Shelves challenge? It fits your goal :)"

I just checked it now and signed up for it :) Thanks!

1. The Promised Neverland, Vol. 2
Finished: 1/12/2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First book completed for this challenge! This is a manga series about children in an orphanage planning to escape after accidentally uncovering a dark secret behind those who run their seemingly peaceful and happy home. Full of suspense and mind games. Don’t let the cover fool you! Such a good read.

2. The Promised Neverland, Vol. 3
Finished: 1/16/2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This volume had my heart racing and the cliff hanger at the end freaked me out. I can’t wait to read the next book.

My review: I was not expecting things to ramp up so quickly in this volume! The stakes have gotten even higher for the protagonists and their hope for escaping looks dim (view spoiler)[ I was NOT expecting Mama to break Emma's leg like that! So brutal. And Sister Krone dying so soon was a surprise! Even though she was selfish and initially planned to have the trio shipped out along with Isabella I felt bad to see her go out like that but seeing that she left the pen for the kids to find was great. I'm excited to see what's so special about it! (hide spoiler)]. I must say Sister Krone had the scariest facial expressions but I find Isabella to be more menacing and frightening and I think it's because of how calm and collected she is. That cliffhanger had my heart racing. On to the next volume!

3. The Promised Neverland, Vol. 4: I Want to Live
Finished: 1/22/2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4. The Promised Neverland, Vol. 5: Escape

Finished: 1/24/2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5. The Promised Neverland, Vol. 6: B06-32
Finished: 1/31/2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6. The Promised Neverland, Vol. 7: Decision
Finished: 02/03/2019 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

7. Go Ask Alice
Finished: 02/03/2019 ⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Review: So I didn’t do any research prior to reading this book so I went into it with an impression that was a real diary of a drug-addicted teenaged girl but apparently it was authored/edited by Beatrice Sparks who had worked with troubled teens and wanted to use their stories to create something young readers could relate to. An adult such as Sparks being the true author of this book could explain why I felt that the writing was odd. Sometimes Alice sounds like the teen she’s supposed to be (e.g. when she goes on about boys she likes, complains about unfavourable situations) and other times she’s using words such as “impregnable”, “posterity” and “gregarious”. I can’t imagine a regular teen whether he or she is from the 70s or 2010s using such sophisticated vocabulary outside of essay writing. I also felt some parts of the story dragged so I tended to skim past them.

Whether you see Go Ask Alice simply as a cautionary take against drug abuse or propaganda for Nixon’s War on Drugs, I think there’s still valuable lessons to take away from it. Alice may have spiraled out of control too drastically in the eyes of some readers but there are people out there who can say their descent into drug addiction happened similarly. Everyone’s experiences are different. However, scare tactics rarely work for most people. Providing realistic solutions and strategies for people to navigate their problems have proven to be most effective. Young people especially need a reliable system of family and friends who support and love them, they need professionals to help them develop healthy coping skills so that they can lead successful lives.

That being said I’m giving this book 2.5/5

Looks like you are right on track, great job! :)

Ilona wrote: "Looks like you are right on track, great job! :)"

Thank you! :D