2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Please no comments in this thread, but I would welcome cheerleaders in my personal challenge. :)

Yearly Challenge
A-Z: Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales
January 1 - December 31, 2020

For this challenge, we will be searching near and far for mythological, legendary, magical, and fabulistic characters, creatures, and places in the titles, author names, and text of our books.

Not into myths, legends, fairy tales, and fables? No worries! These influential stories have seeped into many different stories and everyday life. For example, a book that takes place in Phoenix, Arizona, USA counts because a phoenix is a mythological bird. An unpleasant person may be described as an ogre, a term that derives from folklore, so it, too, counts. Someone may be seeking the "fountain of youth," and this also counts (towards F or Y). Creativity in interpreting the prompt is encouraged! Happy searching!

A
B
C
✔ D for Devils: The Last Days of New Paris - Finished January 29
E
✔ F for Fate: The Starless Sea - Finished January 12
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
✔ O for Ogre: The Buried Giant - Finished January 26
✔ P for Phoenix: A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4
Q
R
✔ S for Spirits: Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

5/26 books read

Yearly Challenge
Let's Turn Pages
January 1 - December 31, 2020

Target average per month: 3,333 pages

January (Total: 2,015 pages)
365 pages: A Closed and Common Orbit - Finished January 2
208 pages: A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4
512 pages: The Starless Sea - Finished January 12
404 pages: Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19
317 pages: The Buried Giant - Finished January 26
209 pages: The Last Days of New Paris - Finished January 29

2,015 / 40,000 pages read

Yearly Challenge
Serial Reader
January 1 - December 31, 2020

Wayfarers (2/3 books read)
✔ A Closed and Common Orbit - Finished January 2
Record of a Spaceborn Few

The Poppy War (1/2 books read)
The Dragon Republic

The Legacy of Orïsha (2/2 books read)
✔ Children of Virtue and Vengeance

2/20 books read

Yearly Challenge
Global Voices
January 1 - December 31, 2020

Default Challenge:
Read a book featuring a protagonist who identifies as _____ by an author who is also _____.

Voices From Around The World
✔ 1. African: Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19
2. Asian The Weight of Our Sky, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China
3. Caribbean A Brief History of Seven Killings
4. Indigenous Storm of Locusts
5. Latin American With the Fire on High, Gods of Jade and Shadow
6. Middle Eastern
7. Oceanic
8. From a Dependent Territory (e.g., Puerto Rican) or State with Limited Recognition (e.g., Palestinian)
9. Immigrant, Refugee, Migrant, or Asylum-Seeker
10. Black or Multiracial Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

Diversity of Beliefs
11. Agnostic, Atheist, or Humanist
12. Buddhist or Hindu
13. Jewish The Red Tent
14. Muslim
15. Practioner of a Minor Religion or Non-Religious form of Spirituality
16. Activist, Freedom Fighter, or Political Minority

Love is Love is Love
17. Asexual, Aromantic, or Celibate
18. Gay or Lesbian Brave Face
19. Bisexual or Pansexual
20. Adopted, Fostered, or raised by someone other than one's biological parents

Every Body Has Value
21. Body Positive, Body Neutral, or Fat Positive person who is a size or shape outside of their society's beauty norms (Diet, Weightloss, or other Body Modification books are not allowed for this prompt.) Bad Feminist
22. Non-binary, Genderqueer, Intersex or Transgender Gender Queer
23. Child (under 18) or Elder (over 75)
24. Differently-Abled (e.g., Autistic, Deaf) The Kiss Quotient
✔ 25. Living with a visible or invisible Chronic Health Condition or Physical Disability: A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4
26. Living with a Mental Health Condition, Cognitive/Intellectual Disability, or Addiction
27. Currently or Previously Incarcerated or Institutionalized
28. Low-Income or Financially Insecure
29. Survivor of Abuse, Neglect, Sexual Assault, a Hate Crime, or Human Trafficking
30. Victim of State-Sponsored Violence or Institutional/Systemic Discrimination

Bonus & Advanced Prompts
31. Read a book written by people indigenous to where you live or frequently visit.
32. Read a book translated from a language other than English.
33. Read a book that addresses social justice or ethics or in medicine, law, fashion, food, consumerism, or environmental stewardship as it relates to race, class, sex/gender, etc.
34. Read a “classic,” award-winning, or scholarly #ownvoices book that also meets the criteria for one of the above prompts.
35. Read a book of poetry or a graphic novel that also meets the criteria for one of the above prompts. American Born Chinese
36. Read an #ownvoices book promoted or written by a Bookstagrammer, Booktuber, Book Blogger, Goodreads Super Reviewer, or an Activist or Educator who uses social media as a tool to teach and inspire change.
37. Listen to an #ownvoices book read by the author, read the book and attend an author event about the book, or watch a recording of such an event.
38. Read a book about intersectional feminism or Black feminism.
39. Read a book that discusses unearned privilege, colonialism, imperialism, or white supremacy.
40. Read a book that helps you understand your own cultural heritage.

2/20 books read

Yearly Challenge
Listopia
January 1 - December 31, 2020

LIST ONE: Non-Caucasian Protagonists in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Paranormal Romance
At the end of 2019: 16/100
1. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
2. Parable of the Sower
3. Who Fears Death
4. American Born Chinese

LIST TWO: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Must Reads
At the end of 2019: 68/100
1. The Wise Man's Fear
2. Stranger in a Strange Land
3. The Martian Chronicles
4. Flowers for Algernon

LIST THREE: LitHub's Best of the Decade (2010s)
At the end of 2019: 20/84
1. The Underground Railroad
2. Salvage the Bones
3. A Brief History of Seven Killings
4. The Sympathizer

LIST FOUR: Best 21st Century Non-Fiction
At the end of 2019: 18/100
1. A Short History of Nearly Everything
2. Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
3. Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
4. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

0/16 books read

Yearly Challenge
Genre Bingo
January 1 - December 31, 2020



B Row
Romance
General Nonfiction
Literary Fiction
Science Nonfiction
Chick-lit

I Row
Horror
Graphic Novel
Dystopian
Magical Realism
Business Nonfiction

N Row
✔ Science Fiction: A Closed and Common Orbit - Finished January 2
(Auto)biography
Classics
✔ Memoir: A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4
Self-Help

G Row
Humor & Comedy
Historical Fiction
Mystery or Thriller
✔ Fantasy: The Starless Sea - Finished January 12
Crime

O Row
✔ Young Adult Fantasy: Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19
Historical Nonfiction
Young Adult
Poetry
Adventure

4/25 books read

Quarterly Challenge
Meet Us at the Bookshop
January 1 - March 31, 2020

Where were we? Oh yes, this quarterly challenge asks you to read any books of your choice, but each one must belong to a different genre or subgenre.

✔ Science Fiction: A Closed and Common Orbit - Finished January 2
✔ Memoir: A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4
✔ Fantasy: The Starless Sea - Finished January 12
✔ Young Adult Fantasy: Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19
✔ Fantasy > Historical Fantasy: The Buried Giant - Finished January 26
✔ Fantasy > Alternate History: The Last Days of New Paris - Finished January 29

6/9 books read

Quarterly Challenge
Myths from Around the World
January 1 - March 31, 2020

1. Janus - Roman god of beginnings and transitions. Read a book set in Italy, or a book with a character that starts out on a fresh beginning.

2. Fenghuang - Chinese bird, also known as the Chinese Phoenix, is a mythical bird that signifies high virtue and grace. Read a book set in China, or a book featuring a character full of grace and virtue.

3. Brownie- Scottish mythical creature that inhabits houses and aids in tasks. Read a book set in Scotland, or a book featuring a character that does work that is unseen.

4. Enenra - Japanese smoke creature. It inhabits bonfires and legend says can only be seen by the pure of heart. Read a book set in Japan, or a book with a pure-hearted character.

✔ 5. Cyclops - Greek mythical one-eyed giants. Read a book based on a Greek tragedy or a book featuring a short-sighted character.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19

6. Lang suir - Malaysian ghost of a woman who died in childbirth. Read a book from Southeast Asia, or a book featuring a character who dies from a broken heart.

7. Finnish water spirit who will capture unmindful children. Read a book set in the Nordic countries, or a book about a captured child.

✔ 8. Hippogriff - European medieval beast that is half eagle and half horse, known for being extremely fast and able to fly long distances. Read a book about medieval Europe, or a book featuring a character who flies: A Closed and Common Orbit - Finished January 2

✔ 9. Wandjina - Australian aboriginal wind and cloud spirits. Read a book set in Oceania, or a book featuring an important weather event.
The Buried Giant - Finished January 26

10. Jumbee - Caribbean malevolent entities. Read a book set in the Caribbean, or a book featuring a malevolent character

11. Deer Woman - a half-deer half-woman creature in Native American lore. Read a book that features a Native American protagonist or a forest setting.

✔ 12. Anansi - trickster spider. Read a book set in Africa or one in which one or more insects play a conspicuous (but not necessarily major) role.
The Starless Sea - Finished January 12

✔ 13. Encantado - shapeshifting dolphin in Brazilian myth. Read a book set in South America or about any type of metamorphosis.
The Last Days of New Paris - Finished January 29

14. Leprechaun Read a book with a green cover, a book set in Ireland, or about a character who experiences very good luck.

15. Merfolk Read a book that features a mermaid or takes place at sea.

16. Nightmare Read a book in which dreaming or dreams play a central role, or a book which features horses.

✔ 17. Phoenix Read a book about rebirth, or a book that features fire (because a phoenix rises from the flames): A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4

18. Nine-tailed fox - a magical fox with nine tails that appears in East Asian legend. Read a book about foxes or read a manga (because the epononymous Naruto manga stars a ninja who transforms into a nine-tailed fox).

19. Baba Yaga - a supernatural being in Russian fairy tales who appears as a fearsome old woman. Read a book set in Russia or a book featuring a witch.

20. Shahbaz - a fabled bird in ancient Persian mythology. Read a book set in Western Asia or that takes place in a desert region.

6/6 books read

Monthly Challenge
Marathon
January 1 - January 31, 2020

1. A Closed and Common Orbit - Finished January 2
2. A Body Undone: Living on After Great Pain - Finished January 4
3. The Starless Sea - Finished January 12
4. Children of Virtue and Vengeance - Finished January 19

4/6 books read