2025 Reading Challenge discussion

183/180 - challenge completed!!!

2021 Book Adaptations

Books previously read:
- News of the World - not a close adaptation, but it captured the spirit. Tom Hanks was great!
- Firefly Lane - good series and adaptation seems good
- Lethal White - good adaptation!
- 9 perfect strangers - very different from the book. The book was better

Books read with adaptations out or coming in 2021:
- Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski - completed January 2021
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - completed July 2021
- The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer - completed July 2021
- The Awakening by Kate Chopin - completed August 2021
- The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo - completed August 2021
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - completed September 2021
- Passing by Nella Larsen - completed November 2021
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein - completed November 2021

Books with rights sold:
- Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, translated by Sandra Smith (purchased by Weinstein in 2015 but that company is now out of business) - completed January 2021
- Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl (rights purchased in 2006 by Fox) - completed January 2021
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Kenneth Branagh producing into TV series) - completed January 2021
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Amazon purchased rights 2019) - completed February 2021
- The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (optioned by Miranda productions August 2020) - completed February 2021
- China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (in production) - completed February 2021
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (John Legend producing 2017) - completed March 2021
- Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (being adapted into Swedish Netflix series) - completed April 2021
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (purchased by Fox in 2020) - completed May 2021
- Cowboys of California series by Rebekah Weatherspoon (rights purchased 2021) - completed May 2021
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (being adapted into series on Hulu) - completed June 2021
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (rights purchased by Studiocanal April 2021) - completed June 2021
- Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French (rights purchased by Papandrea May 2021) - completed June 2021
- While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams (rights acquired by NBC) - completed July 2021
- The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (rights acquired by Stone Village) - completed July 2021
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (rights acquired October 2020 by Studio eOne) - completed July 2021
- Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (rights acquired by Amblin) - completed September 2021
- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (rights acquired by Orion pictures) - completed September 2021
- Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton et al (rights purchased by Obama’s) - completed September 2021
- Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (rights purchased by Scott Rudin) - completed September 2021
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (rights purchased by Heyday Television) - completed September 2021
- An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (rights purchased by paramount) - completed October 2021
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (rights optioned by BBC) - completed October 2021
- We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (rights purchased by Disney) - completed October 2021
- The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa (rights purchased by Project X) - completed October 2021
- The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner (rights purchased by Fox) - completed October 2021
- Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (rights purchased by Will Packer) - completed November 2021
- Deacon King Kong by James McBride (rights purchased by Sister) - completed December 2021

2021 Goodreads Choice

5 stars:
- The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah - completed February 2021
- Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert - completed March 2021
- A ​Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas - completed March 2021
- Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas - completed March 2021
- The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - completed March 2021
- Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food by Julia Turshen - completed April 2021
- When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain - completed May 2021
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - completed May 2021
- Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford - completed June 2021
- Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French - completed June 2021
- The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould - completed August 2021
- The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood - completed August 2021
- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - completed September 2021
- Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton et al - completed September 2021
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang - completed October 2021
- How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith - completed November 2021
- Every Last Secret by A. R. Torre - completed November 2021

4.5 stars:
- Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green - completed January 2021
- The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin - completed February 2021
- The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon - completed March 2021
- Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly - completed May 2021
- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston - completed June 2021
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid - completed June 2021
- While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams - completed July 2021
- Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev - completed July 2021
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty - completed September 2021
- Isn't It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams - completed September 2021
- The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner - completed October 2021
- The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas - completed November 2021
- Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside by Nick Offerman - completed December 2021

4 stars:
- The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins - completed January 2021
- The Right Side of Reckless by Whitney D. Grandison - completed April 2021
- The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers - completed May 2021
- Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb - completed June 2021
- The Maidens by Alex Michaelides - completed July 2021
- While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory - completed July 2021
- One Two Three by Laurie Frankel - completed August 2021
- How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole - completed September 2021
- What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo - completed September 2021
- Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead - completed September 2021
- The Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis - completed October 2021
- A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon - completed October 2021
- Seven Days in June by Tia Williams - completed November 2021
- For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten - completed November 2021
- Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne - completed December 2021

3.5 stars:
- The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict - completed January 2021
- The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth - completed May 2021
- Witchshadow by Susan Dennard - completed July 2021
- We Begin at the Endby Chris Whitaker - completed October 2021
- The Way You Love Me by Elle Wright - completed December 2021

3 stars:
- The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner - completed June 2021
- The Social Graces by Renee Rosen - completed July 2021
- Zero O'Clock by CJ Farley - completed November 2021

2.5 stars:
- Before the Ruins by Victoria Gosling - completed March 2021

2 stars:
- Replenishing the Sea of Galilee: A Family Saga across Ethnicity, Place, and Religion by Wagih Abu-Rish - completed September 2021

WPB Women's Book Club
January - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - completed January 2021
February - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
March - Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - completed February 2021
April - Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey - completed February 2021
May - The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi - completed February 2021
June - The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - completed May 2021
July - The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly - completed June 2021
August - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab - completed July 2021
September - The snow child by Eowyn Ivey (previously completed)
October - Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart - completed September 2021
November - Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle - completed November 2021
December - Deacon King Kong by James McBride- completed December 2021

Challenge Books I Voted for That Didn't Win:
- February: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
- November: Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos
- December: The Longest Night by Andria Williams
- August: The Once and Future King by T. H. White
- November: The Throwback Special by Chris Bachelder
- January: Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
- March: Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist by Sylvia Acevedo
- May: Bird Box by Josh Malerman
- July: The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister by Anne Lister
- September: A Killer Harvest by Paul Cleave
- October: Caraval by Stephanie Garber
- November: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
- December: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
- January: A Vision of Light by Judith Merkle Riley; How to Be an Antiracist by Irbam X. Kendi
- February: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- March: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
- April: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
- May: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
- June: Weather by Jenny Offill
- july: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
- August: Me: Elton John Official Autobiography by Elton John
- September: The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
- October: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
- November: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
- December: Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
- January: The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele
- February: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey - completed February 2021
- March: The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
- April: The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin; Anxious People by Fredrik Backman - completed April 2021
- May: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alex E. Harrow - completed May 2021
- June: Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker; The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - completed June 2021
- July: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller - completed July 2021
- August: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
- September: All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton
- October: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner - completed October 2021
- November: All of Us with Wings by Michelle Ruiz Kell

Personal Serial Challenge 2021

Started 2021:
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (1/2):
- The Henna Artist - completed February 2021

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (1/2):
- Shanghai Girls - completed April 2021

Cowboys of California by Rebekah Weatherspoon (3/3):
- A Cowboy to Remember - completed March 2021
- If the Boot Fits - completed May 2021
- A Thorn in the Saddle - completed October 2021

Time travelers by Caroline B. Cooney (2/4):
- Both Sides of Time - completed April 2021
- Out of Time - completed April 2022

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow (1/2):
- A Song Below Water - completed May 2021

The Grayson Family by Beverly Jenkins (1/2):
- Vivid - completed May 2021

The Hive by Alyssa Cole (1/1):
- The A.I. Who Loved Me - completed June 2021

Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer (1/7):
- The Case of the Missing Marquess - completed July 2021

When in Rome by Marina Adair (1/2):
- RomeAntically Challenged - completed August 2021

The Sixth World by Rebecca Roanhorse (2/4):
- Trail of Lightning - completed August 2021
- Storm of Locusts - completed November 2021

Cecelia and Kate by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer (1/3):
- Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot - completed October 2021

Wilderwood by Hannah Whitten (1/2):
- For the Wolf - completed November 2021

How to be by T. J. Klune (1/2):
- How to Be a Normal Person - completed December 2021

Lively St. Lemenson by Rose Lerner (1/4):
- Sweet Disorder - completed December 2021

Already in progress:
The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski (4/7):
- Sword of Destiny - completed January 2021
- Blood of Elves - completed April 2021
- The Time of Contempt - completed June 2021

Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine (4/5):
- Bitter Falls - completed January 2021

March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (3/4):
- March: Book Three - completed January 2021

Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (4/6):
- Undercover Bromance - completed February 2021
- Crazy Stupid Bromance - completed March 2021
- Isn't It Bromantic? - completed October 2021

Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire (5/8):
- Beneath the Sugar Sky - completed February 2021
- In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire - completed March 2021
- Come Tumbling Down - completed May 2021

Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (5/6):
- A ​Court of Silver Flames - completed March 2021

The Witchlands by Susan Dennard (5/6):
- Witchshadow - completed July 2021

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory (6/7):
- While We Were Dating - completed July 2021

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (1/2):
- Daughter of the Pirate King - completed July 2021

The Rajes by Sonali Dev (3/4):
- Incense and Sensibility - completed July 2021

Runaway Royals by Alyssa Cole (2/3):
- How to Find a Princess - completed September 2021

Kendra Chronicles by Alex Flinn (2/4):
- Bewitching - completed October 2021

Completed 2021:

Pure Talent series by Elle Wright (3/3):
- The Way You Tempt Me - completed April 2021
- The Way You Hold Me by Elle Wright - completed April 2021
- The Way You Love Me - completed December 2021

The Good Lick Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis (2/2):
- The Sisters of Reckoning - completed October 2021

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (3/3):
- The Heart Principle - completed October 2021

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (4/4):
- An Ember in the Ashes - completed October 2021
- A Torch Against the Night - completed October 2021
- A Reaper at the Gates - completed October 2021
- A ​Sky Beyond the Storm - completed October 2021

Reluctant Royals by Alyssa Cole (5/5):
- A Duke by Default - completed February 2021
- Once Ghosted, Twice Shy -completed February 2021
- Can't Escape Love - completed March 2021
- A Prince on Paper - completed May 2021

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (3/3):
- China Rich Girlfriend - completed February 2021
- Rich People Problems - completed March 2021

Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert (3/3):
- Act Your Age, Eve Brown - completed March 2021

THUG by Angie Thomas (3/3):
- Concrete Rose - completed March 2021

Modern Love by Alisha Rai (3/3):
- The Right Swipe - completed April 2021
- Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai - completed April 2021
- First Comes Like - completed April 2021

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3/3):
- Lost Roses - completed May 2021
- Sunflower Sisters - completed May 2021

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (7/7):
- The Fifth Witness - completed June 2021
- The Gods of Guilt - completed June 2021
- The Crossing - completed June 2021
- The Law of Innocence - completed June 2021

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (3/3):
- Shadow and Bone - completed July 2021
- Siege and Storm - completed July 2021
- Ruin and Rising - completed August 2021

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (2/2):
- Six of Crows - completed September 2021
- Crooked Kingdom - completed September 2021

Not continuing:
The Legion by A. C. Arthur (2/2 - not finishing series):
- Awaken the Dragon - completed January 2021
- Claim the Dragon - completed April 2021

Wormwood trilogy by Tade Thompson (not continuing):
- Rosewater - completed March 2021

Coffeehouse mystery by Cleo Coyle (not continuing):
- Through the Grinder - completed June 2021

Nervous conditions trilogy by Tsitsi Dangarembga (not continuing):
- Nervous Conditions - completed July 2021

Neapolitan series by Elena Ferrante (not continuing):
- My Brilliant Friend - completed November 2021

2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge


1. A book that’s published in 2021 - The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins - completed January 2021
2. An Afrofuturist book - Rosewater by Tade Thompson - completed March 2021
3. A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover - China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan - completed February 2021
4. A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign - Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire - completed February 2021
5. A dark academia book - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - completed July 2021
6. A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title - Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl - completed January 2021
7. A book where the main character works at your current or dream job - The Way You Hold Me by Elle Wright - completed April 2021
8. A book that has won the Women’s Prize For Fiction - The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - completed October 2021
9. A book with a family tree - Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan - completed March 2021
10. A bestseller from the 1990s - Vivid by Beverly Jenkins - completed May 2021
11. A book about forgetting - The Lines We Leave Behind by Eliza Graham - completed January 2021
12. A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf (in real life, on a Zoom call, in a TV show, etc.) - Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - completed March 2021
13. A locked-room mystery - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - completed May 2021
14. A genre hybrid - A ​Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas - completed March 2021
15. A book set mostly or entirely outdoors - Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski - completed January 2021
16. A book with something broken on the cover - Perfectly Famous by Emily Liebert - completed March 2021
17. A book by a Muslim American author - The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood - completed August 2021
18. A book that was published anonymously - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein - completed November 2021
19. A book with an oxymoron in the title - The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa - completed October 2021
20. A book about do-overs or fresh starts - Memories in the Drift by Melissa Payne - completed February 2021
21. A magical realism book - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey - completed February 2021
22. A book set in multiple countries - Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Kugand, translated by Sandra Smith - completed January 2021
23. A book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021 - A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole - completed February 2021
24. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality - The F*ck It Diet: Eating Should Be Easy by Caroline Dooner - completed January 2021
25. A book whose title starts with “Q,” “X,” or “Z” - Zero O'Clock by CJ Farley - completed November 2021
26. A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child) - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - completed January 2021
27. A book about a social justice issue - Red, White & Royal Blueby Casey McQuiston - completed February 2021
28. A book set in a restaurant - Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams - completed February 2021
29. A book with a black-and-white cover - Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green - completed January 2021
30. A book by an Indigenous author - Carpentariaby Alexis Wright - completed July 2021
31. A book that has the same title as a song - The Shadows by Alex North - completed March 2021
32. A book about a subject you are passionate about - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
33. A book that discusses body positivity - Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating by Christy Harrison - completed January 2021
34. A book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list - Long Division by Kiese Laymon - completed November 2021
35. A book in a different format than what you normally read (audiobooks, ebooks, graphic novels) - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell - completed January 2021
36. A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads - Awaken the Dragon by A. C. Arthur - completed January 2021
37. A book you think your best friend would like - Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer - completed January 2021
38. A book about art or an artist - Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency by Bea Koch - completed January 2021
39. A book everyone seems to have read but you - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - completed January 2021
40. Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel - completed January 2021
41. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list - Solar Federationby S. E. Mulholland - completed November 2021
42. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list - The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole - completed June 2021
43. The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover - A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow - completed May 2021
44. The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover - The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela - completed July 2021
45. The book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time - Impatient with Desire by Gabrielle Burton - completed October 2021
46. A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t - Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine - completed January 2021
47. A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing - The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict - completed January 2021
48. A book from your TBR list chosen at random - The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer - completed July 2021
49. A DNF book from your TBR list - An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - completed October 2021
50. A free book from your TBR list (gifted, borrowed, library) - The Patient by Jasper DeWitt - completed January 2021

50/50 - challenge completed!!!

Msg 15

GLOBAL VOICES
Duration January 1, 2021- December 31, 2021

For many people, reading more diversely is a personal goal that has helped enliven their reading and expand their understanding of different lived experiences and perspectives.

For this challenge, you will read books from authors around the world, with a special emphasis on underrepresented, marginalized, and #ownvoices authors. You may read fiction or non-fiction for this challenge.

Many books will fit multiple categories but each book may be used only once. More information about #ownvoices can be found here.

IMPORTANT: Please include this at the TOP of your original post and each update:
X/Y Tasks Complete (Replace X with the number of books you’ve finished. Replace Y with your Goal Number)

Some of the prompts for this challenge may be difficult for some members emotionally or otherwise. Please only complete the tasks that feel right for you.

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

Voices From Around The World
1. African - The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - completed May 2021
2. Asian - The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi - completed February 2021
3. Caribbean - Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat - completed November 2021
4. Indigenous - Carpentaria by Alexis Wright - completed July 2021
5. Latin American - Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez - completed October 2021
6. Middle Eastern - The Wrong End of the Table: A Mostly Comic Memoir of a Muslim Arab American Woman Just Trying to Fit in by Ayser Salman - completed September 2021
7. Oceanic - The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth - completed May 2021
8. From a Dependent Territory (e.g., Puerto Rican) or State with Limited Recognition (e.g., Palestinian) - Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land by Toni Jensen - completed August 2021
9. Immigrant, Refugee, Migrant, or Asylum-Seeker - Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras - completed March 2021
10. Black or Multiracial - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Diversity of Beliefs
11. Agnostic, Atheist, or Humanist - Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman - completed February 2021
12. Buddhist or Hindu - Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev - completed July 2021
13. Jewish - The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner - completed June 2021
14. Muslim - The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela - completed July 2021
15. Practitioner of a Minor Religion or Non-Religious form of Spirituality - Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga - completed July 2021
16. Activist, Freedom Fighter, or Political Minority - While Justice Sleepsby Stacey Abrams - completed June 2021

Love is Love is Love
17. Asexual, Aromantic, or Celibate - How to Be a Normal Person by T. J. Klune - completed December 2021
18. Gay or Lesbian - Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food by Julia Turshen - completed April 2021
19. Bisexual or Pansexual - Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - completed February 2021
20. Adopted, Fostered, or raised by someone other than one's biological parents - When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain - completed May 2021

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.) - Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire - completed February 2021
22. Non-binary, Genderqueer, Intersex or Transgender - What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo - completed September 2021
23. Child (under 18) or Elder (over 75) - Replenishing the Sea of Galilee: A Family Saga across Ethnicity, Place, and Religion by Wagih Abu-Rish - completed September 2021
24. Differently-Abled (e.g., Autistic, Deaf) - The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang - completed October 2021
25. Living with a visible or invisible Chronic Health Condition or Physical Disability - Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - completed September 2021
26. Living with a Mental Health Condition, Cognitive/Intellectual Disability, or Addiction - A ​Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas - completed March 2021
27. Currently or Previously Incarcerated or Institutionalized - Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French - completed June 2021
28. Low-Income or Financially Insecure - Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - completed September 2021
29. Survivor of Abuse, Neglect, Sexual Assault, a Hate Crime, or Human Trafficking - Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford - completed June 2021
30. Victim of State-Sponsored Violence or Institutional/Systemic Discrimination - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell - completed January 2021

Bonus & Advanced Prompts
31. Read a book written by people indigenous to where you live or frequently visit. - The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom-Seeking People by Kenneth W. Porter, edited by Alcione Amos and Thomas Senter - completed December 2021
32. Read a book translated from a language other than English. - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman - completed April 2021
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. -The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
34. Read a “classic,” award-winning, or scholarly #ownvoices book that also meets the criteria for one of the above prompts. -The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder - completed July 2021
35. Read a book of poetry or a graphic novel that also meets the criteria for one of the above prompts. - Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds and Danica Novgorodoff - completed March 2021
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. - Odd One Out by Nic Stone - completed May 2021
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. - Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - completed March 2021
38. Read a book about intersectional feminism or Black feminism. - A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow - completed May 2021
39. Read a book that discusses unearned privilege, colonialism, imperialism, or white supremacy. - Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency by Bea Koch - completed January 2021
40. Read a book that helps you understand your own cultural heritage. - Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown - completed March 2021

40/30 - challenge completed!!!

Msg 16

Clear the Shelves

1. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
2. Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, translated by Sandra Smith - completed January 2021
3. The Patient by Jasper DeWitt - completed January 2021
4. The Lines We Leave Behind by Eliza Graham - completed January 2021
5. Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green - completed January 2021
6. Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine - completed January 2021
7. March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell - completed January 2021
8. Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer - completed January 2021
9. Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl - completed January 2021
10. I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel - completed January 2021
11. Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency by Bea Koch - completed January 2021
12. Memories in the Drift by Melissa Payne - completed February 2021
13. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey - completed February 2021
14. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - completed February 2021
15. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire - completed February 2021
16. Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras - completed March 2021
17. Perfectly Famous by Emily Liebert - completed March 2021
18. Rosewater by Tade Thompson - completed March 2021
19. The Shadows by Alex North - completed March 2021
20. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - completed April 2021
21. Odd One Out by Nic Stone - completed May 2021
22. The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - completed May 2021
23. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - completed May 2021
24. The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cold - completed June 2021
25. The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick - completed June 2021
26. The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly - completed June 2021
27. The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer - completed July 2021
28. The Awakening by Kate Chopin - completed August 2021
29. RomeAntically Challenged by Marina Adair - completed August 2021
30. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo - completed August 2021
31. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter - completed September 2021
32. The Wrong End of the Table: A Mostly Comic Memoir of a Muslim Arab American Woman Just Trying to Fit in by Ayser Salman - completed September 2021
33. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - completed October 2021
34. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - completed October 2021
35. The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa - completed October 2021
36. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders - completed December 2021
37. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell - completed December 2021

37/30 - challenge completed!!!

Msg 4

Reading Women 2021
1. Longlisted for the JCB prize - A Burning by Megha Majumdar - completed August 2021
2. Author from Eastern Europe - Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe by Kapka Kassabova - completed August 2021
3. About incarcerations - Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford - completed June 2021
4. Cookbook by a Woman of Color - In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries That Touch the Indian Ocean by Hawa Hassan, with Julia Turshen - completed December 2021
5. Protagonist Older than 50 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab - completed July 2021
6. South-American Author in Translation
7. Reread a Favorite - Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - completed September 2021
8. Memoir by an Indigenous Woman - Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land by Toni Jensen - completed August 2021
9. By a Neurodivergent Author - In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire - completed March 2021
10. Crime Novel or Thriller in Translation - The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda, translated by Allison Watts - completed December 2021
11. About the Natural World - When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain - completed May 2021
12. YA Novel by Latinx Author - Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez - completed October 2021
13. Poetry collection by Black Woman - Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine - completed December 2021
14. Biracial Protagonist - Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai - completed April 2021
15. Muslin Middle Grade Novel
16. A Queer Love Story - Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole - completed February 2021
17. About a Woman in Politics - While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams - completed July 2021
18. Rural Setting - Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, translated by Sandra Smith - completed January 2021
19. Cover Designed by a Woman - The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins - completed January 2021
20. Arab Author in Translation - Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi, translated by Marilyn Booth - completed December 2021
21. By a Trans Author - The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders - completed December 2021
22. Fantasy Novel by Asian Author - The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo - completed August 2021
23. Nonfiction Focused on Social Justice
24. Short Story Collection by Caribbean Author - Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat - completed November 2021
25. Books by Alexis Wright - Carpentaria % completed July 2021
26. Books by Tsitsi Dangarembga - Nervous Conditions - completed July 2021
27. Books by Leila Aboulela - The Kindness of Enemies - completed July 2021
28. Books by Yoko Ogawa - The Housekeeper and the Professor - completed July 2021

25/28

BookRiot Read Harder 2021

1. Read Book You've Been Intimidated to Read - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
2. Nonfiction about Racism - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell - completed January 2021
3. Non-European novel in translation - The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder - completed July 2021
4. LGBTQ+ history book - Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green - completed January 2021
5. Genre novel by indigenous author - Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse - completed August 2021
6. Read a fanfic - completed August 2021
7. Read a fat-positive romance - Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert - completed March 2021
8. Read a romance by a trans or nonbinary author - Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - completed February 2021
9. Read a middle grade mystery - The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer - completed July 2021
10. Read a SFF anthology edited by a person of color - Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker - completed September 2021
11. Read a food memoir by a BIPOC - In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries That Touch the Indian Ocean by Hawa Hassan, with Julia Turshen - completed December 2021
12. Read a work of investigative nonfiction by BIPOC - Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land by Toni Jensen - completed August 2021
13. Read a book with a cover you don't like - Both Sides of Time by Caroline B. Cooney - completed April 2021
14. Read a realistic YA book not set in the US, UK, or Canada - Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez - completed October 2021
15. Read a memoir by a Latinx author - The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande - completed December 2021
16. Read ownvoices book about disability - Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French - completed June 2021
17. Read an ownvoices YA book with a Black main character that isn't about black pain - The Right Side of Reckless by Whitney D. Grandison - completed April 2021
18. Read a book by/about a non-Western world leader - The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela - completed July 2021
19. Read historical fiction with POC or LGBTQ+ protagonist - The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi - completed February 2021
20. Read a book of nature poems - Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe by Kapka Kassabova - completed August 2021
21. Read a children's book that centers a disabled character but not their disability - I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith - completed November 2021
22. Read a book set in the Midwest - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - completed May 2021
23. Read a book that demystifies a common mental illness - A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole - completed February 2021
24. Read a book featuring a beloved pet where the pet doesn't die - Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, translated by Sandra Smith - completed January 2021

24/24 - challenge completed!

A BETTER WORLD
Duration: January 1 to December 31, 2021

We all want a better world. But how do we shape a better world and where do we start?
This challenge is designed for you to show us how you view a better world, starting with yourself and moving toward a better home and community. The moderators have compiled prompts that promote good feelings and good reading. Pick the number of prompts you want to complete and let's all feel better, and do better one book at a time.

”We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt


A Better You
Read a book with a character who shares a trait with you that you once (or still do) considered a flaw, or a book that discusses body positivity. - The F*ck It Diet: Eating Should Be Easy by Caroline Dooner - completed January 2021
Read a book that makes you feel good or helps you relax. - I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel - completed January 2021
Read a book with a main female character who does not enter into a romantic relationship. - Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer - completed January 2021
Read a book featuring a protagonist who's compassionate. - The Patient by Jasper DeWitt - completed January 2021
Read a book about something you would like to learn more about or about a skill you want to improve. - Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl - completed January 2021
Read a self-help book. - Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating by Christy Harrison - completed January 2021
Read a book about a public figure or a fictional character that you admire. - The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict - completed January 2021
Read a book on a topic that is new to you. - The New Plant Parent: Develop Your Green Thumb and Care for Your House-Plant Family by Darryl Cheng - completed February 2021
Read an old favorite just to make you smile.

A Better Home
Read a book about a family or found family. - Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine - completed January 2021
Read a book with a house on its cover. - Both Sides of Time by Caroline B. Cooney - completed April 2021
Read a book recommended by a family member or friend. - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - completed January 2021
Read a book with a family tree - Rich People Problemsby Kevin Kwan - completed March 2021
Read a coming-of-age story. - Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas - completed March 2021
Read a book about marriage. - The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins - completed January 2021
Read a book about a unique parent-child relationship - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - completed January 2021
Read a book which features siblings as its main characters. - The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin - completed February 2021
Read a family saga spanning at least three generations. - The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers - completed May 2021

A Better Community
Read a book for a Buddy Read, TBR Twin, or Group Read activity. - The Snow Childby Eowyn Ivey - completed February 2021
Read a book outside your comfort zone that a fellow group member has rated highly. - Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras - completed March 2021
Read a book you checked out from the library. - Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski - completed January 2021
Read a book recommended by anyone living in your town. - Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds and Danica Novgorodoff - completed March 2021
Read a book with a central theme of friendship. - A ​Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas - completed March 2021
Read a book in which teamwork leads to success. - Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams - completed February 2021
Read a book in which a community works together to improve its quality of life. - The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - completed March 2021
Read a book recommended by someone in our group.
Read a book with “Community,” “Town,” or “City” in the title.

A Better World
Read an #OwnVoices book. - Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - completed March 2021
Read a book about a current global issue. - Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - completed February 2021
Read a book about sustainability or characters that strive to preserve nature. - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - completed May 2021
Read a book about freedom in any sense of the word. - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
Read a book set in another country than your home country. - The Lines We Leave Behind by Eliza Graham - completed January 2021
Read a book with “World” or “Earth” in the title.
Read a book featuring a culture or religion that differs from your own. - The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi - completed February 2021
Read a book involving efforts toward peaceful reconciliation. - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell - completed January 2021
Read a book translated into the language you are reading. - Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, translated by Sandra Smith - completed January 2021

32/30 - challenge completed!

Msg 11

Spell A Better World

A - Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating by Christy Harrison - completed January 2021
C - Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green - completed January 2021
T - Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer - completed January 2021
I - I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel - completed January 2021
V - Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai - completed April 2021
I - In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire - completed March 2021
S - Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski - completed January 2021
M - The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict - completed January 2021

L - The Lines We Leave Behind by Eliza Graham - completed January 2021
E - Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole - completed March 2021
A - Awaken the Dragon by A. C. Arthur - completed January 2021
R - Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, translated by Sandra Smith - completed January 2021
N - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
I - If the Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon - completed May 2021
N - The New Plant Parent: Develop Your Green Thumb and Care for Your House-Plant Family by Darryl Cheng - completed February 2021
G - Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl - completed January 2021

16/16 - challenge completed!!!

Msg 5

Q1 - BEST IN SHOW
Duration: January 1 to March 31, 2021

GR Choice Historical Fiction:
- The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - completed January 2021
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - completed January 2021
- The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi - completed February 2021

Reading women fiction:
- Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - completed January 2021
- Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras - completed March 2021

5/5 - challenge completed!!!

msg 5

WHO RUNS THE WORLD?
April 1, 2021-June 30, 2021

This quarter we want to focus on diverse voices from women, trans, and non-binary people from around the world. To qualify, the book must be written by:
1. A woman author. Participants can only read one book set in their country of residence and the remainder must be from different places, OR
2. A trans or non-binary author.

Who runs the world? Obviously, Beyoncé, but at the end of this challenge, we will have more answers from different perspectives;)

1. Shanghai, China - Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - completed April 2021
2. Los Angeles, CA, USA - The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai - completed April 2021
3. Molinov, Russia - Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly - completed May 2021
4. Paris, France - The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers - completed May 2021
5. Mallorca, Spain - Under Almond Blossoms by Anja Saskia Beyer, translated by Annette Charpentier - completed May 2021
6. Victoria, Australia - The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth - completed May 2021
7. Lagos, Nigeria - The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - completed May 2021
8. England - The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick - completed June 2021
9. Hungary - The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner - completed June 2021
10. Venice, Italy - Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb - completed June 2021

10/10 - challenge completed!!!

Msg 26

Q3 - BOOK RECYCLING
Duration: July 1 - September, 30, 2021

Let's recycle some books! For this challenge you may read anything you want, and we have only one rule: the books should be 'recycled'.

This means that you can borrow them from a library or friend/relative, get them from a second hand store, or pass your copy to someone else. You can choose to read physical copies, but e-books and audiobooks also count for this challenge!

1. While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams - completed July 2021
2. Carpentaria by Alexis Wright - completed July 2021
3. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - completed July 2021
4. The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela - completed July 2021
5. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder - completed July 2021
6. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides - completed July 2021
7. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab - completed July 2021
8. Witchshadow by Susan Dennard - completed July 2021
9. While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory - completed July 2021
10. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller - completed July 2021
11. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo - completed August 2021
12. One Two Three by Laurie Frankel - completed August 2021
13. A Burning by Megha Majumdar - completed August 2021
14. Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europey Kapka Kassabova - completed August 2021
15. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse - completed August 2021
16. The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould - completed August 2021
17. Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker - completed September 2021
18. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - completed September 2021
19. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - completed September 2021
20. What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo - completed September 2021
21. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead - completed September 2021
22. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty - completed September 2021

22/10

Msg 3

Reserved Q4

SHADES OF YELLOW
Duration: April 1 - April 30, 2021

In previous years, we've searched for blue books and green books. This month we will be collecting as many shades of yellow in our books as possible. You may use books with yellow covers or books with yellow shades in their titles. It may be a bit tricky but if you can find an author's name that contains a shade of yellow, that can count too. Although you can only count each book once, feel free to see if you could find books that fit more than one criteria. Please let us know the number of books you would like to read for this challenge.

Some examples include:
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan , The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman , Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ,
The Yellow House, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Legally Blonde
Lord of the Flies by William Golding

P.S. This challenge may help you complete a prompt or two in some of our yearly challenges such as the Color Challenge or Give Us a Clue

1. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman - completed
2. The Right Side of Reckless by Whitney D. Grandison - completed
3. First Comes Like By Alisha Rai - completed

3/3 - challenge completed!!!

Msg 15