2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This year I have read well beyond the 100 I set at the beginning of the year. Therefore, I will be increasing my challenge to 125

I am attempting 2 reading challenges this year: Popsugar and the 52 Book Club Reading challenges. And yes, there will be double dipping between the two challenges but not within the list itself.

Finished the first book of 2022!

Sawman Werebear fits two challenge prompts.

Popsugar: Found family
52 Book Club: Rural setting

Just finished Vespertine. This one also works for both lists I am working on.

Popsugar: Man-made disaster (it would also work for nonpatriarchal society)
52 Books: published by Simon and Schuster

Finished Found #3 for the year. This is the first in the middle grade age series The Missing.

This book fits a prompt on both list:
Popsugar: Misleading title
52 Books: starts with F

#4 for the year A Bandit's Prequel

This book fits the following prompts:
Popsugar: a book finished in one sitting
52 Books: a book with a five-syllable title

#5 A Little Night Magic by Lucy March

Popsugar: a book that I know nothing about
52 books: Author has an x, y, or z in their name.

#6 Every Heart a Doorway

I had a hard time deciding where to put this one on the Popsugar list. I settled on:
Popsugar: a character on the ace spectrum
52 Books: for title starts with E

This book would have also fit the following prompts on Popsugar:
a book about gender identity
Hugo award winner

#7 13 Little Blue Envelopes Epic Reads Edition

I really enjoyed this one. It was happy and sad at the same time. You may not think that is possible, but it is. Ginny's aunt had passed away in London after an illness and left her a package of 13 little blue envelopes and an adventure. She learned a lot she didn't know about her aunt, had an adventure, met new people, and saw places she would otherwise never seen, and learned a lot about herself along the way.

Popsugar: this was the first in a duology. The Last Little Blue Envelope is the next one. I look forward to reading it.
52 Books: a book set on more than one continent.

#8 Pretense

I love this clean romance series. Each book is better than the one before it, and I have enjoyed them all. Looks like there will be a least one more and I look forward to it.

Popsugar: a book that features two languages (this might be stretching it a bit, but it does feature both elvish and escarlish)
52 Books: a book with illustrated people on the cover.

#9 The Last Little Blue Envelope

I really didn't think I was gonna like this one, but the ending made up for the middle of the book. Ginny did a lot of growing up right there at the end.

Popsugar: the second book in a duology
52 Books: Chapters have titles

#10 Bear My Soul Love this series. Can't get enough of sexy bear shifters. :)

52 Books: Character with superhuman ability. I think bear shifters fit this category.

#11 The God of Lost Words. This is the last book in this series (and without being too much of a spoiler) had a fitting ending. Really enjoyed this series. This series was very philosophical and very deep even with its lightheartedness. It was a wonderful balance.

Popsugar: a book about the afterlife
52 Books: A library or bookstore

#12 The Godfather I did a re-listen to this book, its one of my favorites. I think Joe Montagna does a wonderful job reading this on audible.

This only fills a 52 Books List prompt for a bilingual character. They speak both English and Italian.

#13 For Fox Sake This is the first book in this series. So far, I really like it. It does have that element of mate bond/ insta love but it works well for this group.

52 Books: has an author's note
Nerd Daily: has purple on the cover.

#14 Down Among the Sticks and Bones this book had so much sadness. It was heartbreaking on so many levels. But the story was told in a way that made it impossible to stop reading.

Popsugar: a book about gender identity
Nerd Daily: part of a series

#15 Book Scavenger this was a fun, middle grade age read. Emily is part of a family that is trying to live in all fifty states which has made it hard for her to find friends. She is also a fan of the Book Scavenger game and loves puzzles. When the family moves to San Francisco she makes a friend and learns what it means to be a friend while teaming up to solve the ultimate book scavenger quest.

Popsugar: Twin city. The twin city to San Francisco is Osaka Japan. I plan on reading Onyx: Truth
52 Books: a middle grade age book
Nerd Daily: the start of a new series

#16 When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller I read this for the popsugar challenge. It has a tiger on the front, and also in the title. This was an interesting read, and very well written. But *spoiler* it has a sad ending and that's all I will say about it. I don't like sad books. I have enough sadness in real life, I want to ready happy books. Or at least books with HEA. If you don't like sad stories, don't pick this one up.

#17 The Girl from Everywhere . I really enjoyed this book. It had a bit of magic, and throw in a dysfunctional family relationship, some time travel, and mystery and you end up with a great read. I read it for the popsugar challenge prompt Pacific Island author, and I may read more of her work.

Popsugar: Pacific Island author
52 Book Club: Includes a map
Nerd Daily: Four-word title

#18 Queen Takes Rook I like this series, but even for vampires this series is really, really bloody. This certainly isn't for everyone, and I have to read other books in between because it is so bloody.

This book works for the 52 Book challenge prompt of a wealthy character

#19 Smoke and Wishes I really wanted to like this book. I read it even though it didn't fit any prompts because it sounded like it was going to be really good. Maybe my expectations were just too high, but to me it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been. The reactions of the MC about important things was just way too implausible. No real person would act this way.

Edit: I did find one prompt for this one. It works for the Nerd Daily for a YA book

#20 Cemetery Boys I did like this book, but only gave it 3 stars because it was so repetitive. It was interesting hearing about all the cultural explanations, but it was the same information over and over. I picked this for the OWN voices Popsugar prompt.

Popsugar: OWN voices
52 Books: don't judge a book by its cover
Nerd Daily: OWN voices

#21 Binti This read was just full of surprises. It was very short, but there was a lot of story in such a few pages! It was very original and imaginative. This could be used for a prompt of read in one sitting.

Popsugar: favorite author quoted on the cover. Ursula Le Guinn is quoted on the cover.
52 Books: POC as the main character
Nerd Daily: Protagonist starts with B

#22 Odd and the Frost Giants Loved this! This is a retelling of a Norse myth. This was such a positive story about a boy that could have been very bitter about his lot in life and his disability but instead looked for the good in things. The illustrations were also beautiful.

This could have easily been used for a book read in one sitting.

Popsugar: protagonist that uses a mobility aid
Nerd Daily: a retelling.

#23 My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel This was a fun read! I remember when I was much younger and read those choose your own story, and this is one for adults. It fits the Popsugar prompt for set in a Victorian era and Nerd Daily for chosen at random.

#24 The Gilded Ones This was an awesome read! It was good from the very beginning, and I didn't expect things to go as they did. Although, there was a couple of things I found implausible, but I won't mention because of spoilers.

Popsugar: Booktock recommendation. (I don't actually have ticktock, but I've seen this recommended a lot on social media, so I figured it was there somewhere)
52 Books: Related to the word gold
Nerd Daily: Debut author

#25 Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things
I love this series, and it saddens me to think it will never be finished. It's like Martina McAtee just disappeared off the face of the earth. None of her books are on kindle any longer and most say out of print. I am really shocked that this series wasn't more popular. I love the characters and the world building and its very imaginative and flows really well. I know there was a hiccup when she changed the series to a serial. I don't think her fanbase took that well. If anyone know anything about the future of this series, I would love any information.

52 Books: Less than 2022 ratings on GR
Nerd Daily: a reread

#26 Greenglass House This was a cool book, even though it's really a middle grade age book. Milo's parents own an inn and its Christmas time. Usually, the inn is empty over the Christmas holidays and Milo enjoys this time with his parents. However, things don't go so smoothly this time. I love the puzzles Milo works to figure out and I didn't expect the twist ending. This was really a fun read.

Popsugar: set during a holiday (Christmas)
52 Books: Unlikely detective

#27 Midnight at the Blackbird Café

This was such a good read. I will have to check out more books by Heather Webber. I picked it for the Popsugar prompt: a book with cutlery on the cover but I fell in love with Wicklow, Alabama.

Popsugar: cutlery on the cover
52 Books: household object on the cover
Nerd Daily: standalone

#28 The Cerulean

Love Love Love this book!!! I gave it five stars. I could not put it down. This works for the popsugar prompt for a nonpatriarchal society, but it is also a duology. But I have already filled the duology prompt.

Popsugar: nonpatriarchal society
Nerd Daily: book with a blue spine (I read the ebook, but the whole book looks blue)

#29 The Hawthorne Legacy This was the second book in the Inheritance Games series. I loved the first one, so I had to continue. This one was just as good as the first and I cannot wait until the next one comes out in August. I didn't know if it would fit any prompts or not when I began, but I should have expected that it would be full of secrets.

Popsugar: about a secret

#30 Axman Werebear is the next in T.S. Joyce werebear series.

This series is all available on KU and I have enjoyed them all so far. Each one has encompassed a different issue that women or couples have in life and in relationships. I am looking forward to the next one.

This fit the Nerd Daily prompt of set in the summer.

#31 I just finished listening to That Touch of Magic by Lucy March. I enjoyed the first one and decided to continue. This was a 2nd chance romance set in a small town of Notaway Falls with a little magic thrown in. It worked for the 52 Books prompt of involves a 2nd chance and the Nerd daily for fantasy or romance.

#32 Bear the Burn by T.S. Joyce. This one doesn't fit any prompts in any of my reading challenges, but I love the series. This one is a fated mates and I love how things turned out. I'm already looking forward to the next in the Werebears series.

#33 The Alchemist of Fire and Fortune I just finished listening to this audiobook and Dorian was once again the star of the show. I love this little French gargoyle. Without giving any spoilers, I would have loved to throttle Max, Zoey's boyfriend.

I listened to this one just because I love Dorian and this series, however, it fits the following prompts:

52 Books: a job title in the title (alchemist may be a stretch, but I'll take it)
Nerd Daily: by a favorite author.
Popsugar: by an author I read last year.

#34 Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

This series has always been one of my favorites. This one is the first in the Beyond Series but all of them are really good. If you like dystopias with a little (or a lot) of spice, then I would highly recommend this series.

It fits the Nerd Daily prompt for author that starts with R

#35 Elevation by Stephen King for the 52 Books prompt for a book read by the author. This was a most unusual book. The MC, Scott, is suffering from an unusual condition where gravity on him is reversing. It is such an original and fascinating read that leaves you to ponder so many questions. I really liked it.

52 Books prompt: book read by the author
Popsugar: begins with the last letter of your previous read.

#36 The School for Good and Evil. This was such a fun read with a great message about being more than what you seem, both good and bad. I look forward to A World Without Princes

Popsugar: a book with a mirror image on the front
52 Books: more than 500 pages
Nerd daily: to be a movie in 2022

#37 Soul Eater by Lily Mayne This is a series that my daughter ran across and recommended that I read. I am now hooked on this series and looking forward to the next one.


52 Books: an indie author
Nerd Daily: Recommended by friend or family member

#38 The Best Kind of Magic by Crystal Cestari

This is an audio book that worked perfectly for the Popsugar prompt for a book about witches. It's a fun listen about a girl who is a matchmaker in a world of witches. I shall continue with this series. :)

#39 The Strangers

This was a book whose description intrigued me. Kids were kidnapped that had the same names and birthdays, and mother's name, as the Greystone kids. It was ok and it fit the Popsugar prompt for a parallel reality, but it was long and repetitive. I know that it was told from the POV of three kids but so many aspects were talked about over and over. I ended up skimming the last 100 pages. I don't think I will be continuing this series.

#40 The Sweetest Kind of Fate

This was an audio book that doesn't fit any prompts that I haven't already filled. But I liked the first one, so I decided to continue the series. This one wasn't quite as good as the first, but it was ok. I will most likely read/listen to the last one in this series and hope for a HEA ending.

#41 The Fairest Kind of Love

This is the final installment of Windy City Magic on audible. This series was included in audible membership, and it was a fun listen. There were several aspects that just didn't seem plausible and an event that wouldn't have been set up in such a way, but without giving away spoilers, these things didn't take much away from the story.

#42 The ​Alcazar

I'm starting to get behind, life has gotten in the way a bit. But I have no worries that I can catch up.

Love, Love, Love this duology. It doesn't fit any prompts that haven't already been filled but had to finish it.

It would work for a duology, or a book with a blue spine. Both books are blue.

#43 Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf

Just finished listening to this audiobook (free with audible) and it was rather funny. Timmy is a necromancer with a 10-year-old girl as an apprentice. His favorite weapon is a shovel, and she wants all her zombies to be pink.

It fits the Nerd Daily prompt for a protagonist that starts with T

#44 Death by Laura Thalassa

OMG! this book, along with the whole series, is so much more than 5 stars. If I hadn't been at work, I would have cried fat ugly tears by the end. So emotional! Thats one reason I had been putting off reading it. I had to prepare myself for it. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It is so worth the tears.

It fits prompts:
Popsugar: 2 POV
52 Books: A book that intimidates you
Nerd Daily: on my TBR list

And yes, I know I'm behind schedule. But this was over 500 pages and life has been hectic. I'll catch back up.

#45 Up From Ashes: A New Spark is Lit by R. Gordon Carlton

This was a book written by a friend of mine. It's a good first attempt at a fantasy novel. It has some imaginative characters and scenes but could use a good editing and some additional world building.

It fits the Nerd Daily prompt for author that starts with G
It also works for 52 Books prompt of a re-do of a prompt with a different genre. It also has less than 2022 reads.

It would also work for anyone needing one for indie author, or low number of reviews. I think I'm the only one that has read and reviewed this one.

#46 Two Necromancers, an Army of Golems, and a Demon Lord

Had to finish the audio book. This has been such a funny series.

#47 Servant by Rebecca Royce

Love this author. Nearly all of her books I have really enjoyed, she's one of my very favorite indie authors. If you haven't ready any of her books, run to kindle unlimited and pick one!

Prompts:
Popsugar: published in 2022
52 Books: Published in 2022
Nerd Daily: Released in Feb 2022

#48 The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

I chose this one for the Popsugar prompt for a Hugo Award Winner. This was an alternate history where the US lost WWII and allowing the Nazis and Japanese to take over the US along with the rest of the world. I really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't get into it. One can only read so much internal dialogue about racism without getting bored. Yes, we all agree it's horrible, but what is going on in this story????? Yeah, I don't know what was going on.