2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Hi everyone!

*IMPORTANT CHANGE*

We now allow books the group has read for more than three years ago to be nominated again. To see which books are not eligble, see this google sheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

It's time to nominate for April the theme is Green.

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

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.


This thread will be closed by February 26th, 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 nominate A Green and Ancient Light by Frederic S. Durbin



A gorgeous fantasy in the spirit of Pan’s Labyrinth and John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things.

Set in a world similar to our own, during a war that parallels World War II, A Green and Ancient Light is the stunning story of a boy who is sent to stay with his grandmother for the summer in a serene fishing village. Their tranquility is shattered by the crash of a bullet-riddled enemy plane, the arrival of grandmother’s friend Mr. Girandole—a man who knows the true story of Cinderella’­s slipper—and the discovery of a riddle in the sacred grove of ruins behind grandmother’s house. In a sumptuous idyllic setting and overshadowed by the threat of war, four unlikely allies learn the values of courage and sacrifice.

I nominate Falling by Jane Green



Connection: Author's last name is Green

The New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House, Jemima J, and Summer Secrets presents a novel about the pleasure and meaning of finding a home--and family--where you least expect them...

When Emma Montague left the strict confines of upper-crust British life for New York, she felt sure it would make her happy. Away from her parents and expectations, she felt liberated, throwing herself into Manhattan life replete with a high-paying job, a gorgeous apartment, and a string of successful boyfriends. But the cutthroat world of finance and relentless pursuit of more began to take its toll. This wasn't the life she wanted, either.

On the move again, Emma settles in the picturesque waterfront town of Westport, Connecticut, a world apart from both England and Manhattan. It is here that she begins to confront what it is she really wants from her life. With no job, and knowing only one person in town, she channels her passion for creating beautiful spaces into remaking the dilapidated cottage she rents from Dominic, a local handyman who lives next door with his six-year-old son.

Unlike any man Emma has ever known, Dominic is confident, grounded, and committed to being present for his son, whose mother fled shortly after he was born. They become friends, and slowly much more, as Emma finds herself feeling at home in a way she never has before.

But just as they start to imagine a life together as a family, fate intervenes in the most shocking of ways. For the first time, Emma has to stay and fight for what she loves, for the truth she has discovered about herself, or risk losing it all.

In a novel of changing seasons, shifting lives, and selfless love, a story unfolds--of one woman's far-reaching journey to discover who she is truly meant to be...

For the nature lovers, we can read, 'The white Giraffe'..
For adventure & nature, 'When the mountains roared'.
For apocalyptic world lovers, 'Breathe'
For Mystery & Adventure in nature, 'The sound of Whales'...

I am okay with any :D

I nominate the The Green Mile by Stephen King. Green in the title so that is why I nominated it.

Bernadette wrote: "I nominate the The Green Mile by Stephen King. Green in the title so that is why I nominated it."

That's a good one Bernadette! I haven't read or seen the movie in a long time.

I second A Green and Ancient Light

I nominate Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg for the April group read because of the title.

Joelyn wrote: "I nominate Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg for the April group read because of the title."

I love that book and movie!!

Check out this book on Goodreads: Turtles All the Way Down http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35...

I nominate Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. The connection is the author's last name.

Thanks everyone ^^

Jamie wrote: "Check out this book on Goodreads: Turtles All the Way Down http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35...

I nominate Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. The connection is..."

I second Turtles All the Way Down

I nominate the book Sprout by Dale Peck

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043D2BL6/...

Connection is the main character's hair is died green but it's about so much more than that.

I nominate The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce because the book cover is green and because the story takes place in the countryside which is also green :D

I second Fried Green Tomatoes.

I nominate Looking for Alaska by John Green.

Connection is obviously last name of the author.

Jamie wrote: "Check out this book on Goodreads: Turtles All the Way Down http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35...

I nominate Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. The connection is..."

I also second Turtles All the Way Down

So many good books nominated but I love to see my choice on the list so:


Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Walden; or, Life in the Woods, is very tied to nature and the environment. Making it a very green book.

The Green Man by Terri Windling

A collection of fantasy stories that would fittingly be fit with St. Patrick's Day coming up with the leprechauns.

Sean wrote: "So many good books nominated but I love to see my choice on the list so:


Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Walden; or, Life in the Woods, is very..."

I second this book, we are studying it in my American Literature class and it is very good so far

I will second Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe since it is one of the few listed thus far that I have not read and really want to read! :)

I echo Jamie's nomination of Turtles All the Way Down.

I would like to nominate Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It has a green cover, but more importantly it explores our eating habits and its sustainability.

Ilona wrote: "I would like to nominate Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It has a green cover, but more importantly it explores our eating habits and its sustainability."

I wish to second Ilona's nomination for Eating Animals. I've been wanting to read this book!

When and where do you announce the group reads? And where do we discuss the books? And finally why do you freeze the posts. It doesn't allow anybody to ask a question.

Nancy from NJ wrote: "When and where do you announce the group reads? And where do we discuss the books? And finally why do you freeze the posts. It doesn't allow anybody to ask a question."
Click on top left "group home" or on group name and scroll down.There is a folder "group reads". There you have everything. I got a message where a lot of things is explained so check your inbox too.

@nancy. There is a poll that goes up and people will vote on the nominations. Below this under group reads, the March read has just been posted. There are three threads - one for spoiler free discussion, one for spoilers and one for reviews.

I nominate Spring: A Novel by Ali Smith.

This is the one of Ali Smith's "seasonal" novels. I loved "Autumn" and "Winter". You don't need to be familiar with the other novels. "Spring", besides the association of the color green with the season, has a green cover, is available right now in hardback and e-book, and the paperback comes out April 4. Perfect timing for the April read.

Thank you both Sinis and Ashleigh for answering my questions.

Nancy from NJ wrote: "When and where do you announce the group reads? And where do we discuss the books? And finally why do you freeze the posts. It doesn't allow anybody to ask a question."

@Nancy from NJ

I imagine the monthly nomination thread is frozen at some point to prevent additional nominations for that month, so that Winter (the Group Reads mod) can start preparing the poll.

If you have a question about Group Reads but find all this folder's threads are locked, you can always post your question in the Questions for Mods thread.

I also nominate Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

Closing nomination. Thank you everyone! Poll will be up soon!

oshizu wrote: "Nancy from NJ wrote: "When and where do you announce the group reads? And where do we discuss the books? And finally why do you freeze the posts. It doesn't allow anybody to ask a question."

@Nanc..."

Thanks for answering, I didn't see that. Yes that's correct. Usually I freeze it to plan poll. It seems like all of the questions were answered, but please send me a pm if you have more questions! :)

Poll is open!

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...