2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Update to Message # 11:

#11: A book about or set in Hollywood: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

4/50

Rabbit on the Cover - Lavender House
6/25

36. A book your best friend would like Sad Cypress Agatha Christie
Challenge 2/25 Update to #71

Welcome all! So glad to see everyone making amazing progress already! 10 days into the year and we've read a total of 57 books for this challenge!!

Just a reminder Please DO NOT delete your posts! Even if you find an accidental double post of yours, please just leave it. I think I got all of the Message #'s fixed on my end from someone deleting an early post. Thanks to all who brought my attention to that.

I'm going to try for 13 prompts/13 books this year.

Update to msg #17 (was #18)

2/40 completed

21. A book set in the decade you were born The Witching Hour ✅
31. A book about a family Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six ✅

Updated message 105

3/50 complete

10. A romance with a fat lead - Act Your Age, Eve Brown read 1/11/2023

Romance is not a genre I tend to read, but I discovered Talia Hibbert for another Popsugar prompt last year or the year before and I really enjoy her books. The Brown sister series is so fun, and I think Eve's story is my favorite. I really appreciate the diverse representation in her books.

Update to #71
8. Celebrity Memoir Just Ignore Him Alan Davies

3/25 read

Update message 124, 3/50

✓1. A book you meant to read in 2022: Snow Dog by Jim Kjelgaard (finished 1/10)

✓46. A book with a pet character: Wild Trek by Jim Kjelgaard (finished 1/11)

update to message #61....3/10

Update message 96: 1/25

15. A Book with a song lyric as a title: All Fall Down

Msg 55 updated: 2/30

Lisa (msg 38) 3/30

Updated msg 36

9/25

Update message 95:

4/50

✅ 1. A book you meant to read in 2022 - Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Updated message 105
4/50 complete

16. A book where the main character's name is in the title - Klara and the Sun read 1/13/2023

I loved Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, but this one was a disappointment. Told from the point of view of an "artificial friend' (more or less a robot), it was very detached and I didn't feel very invested in any of the characters.

update message #45
2/50

Update to Message #11:

34. A historical fiction book: The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel

5/50

Update message 96 2/25

Dead Flip

9/25 with The Kitchen House - 1/14/23

Please update message #108 to 4/25

Ranmali wrote: "I'm signing up for 15 books

A book with mythical creatures - Siege and Storm
A book with "Girl" in the title - The Slave Girl
A book with a color in the title - [book..."

Completed 1/15
1. A book with mythical creatures - [book:Siege and Storm|14061955]

I'm in!
Goal: 0 / 40

1. A book you meant to read in 2022
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore
3. A book about a vacation
4. A book by a first-time author
5. A book with mythical creatures
6. A book about a forbidden romance
7. A book with "Girl" in the title
8. A celebrity memoir
9. A book with a color in the title
10. A romance with a fat lead
11. A book about or set in Hollywood
12. A book published in spring 2023
13. A book published the year you were born
14. A modern retelling of a classic
15. A book with a song lyric as its title
16. A book where the main character's name is in the title
17. A book with a love triangle
18. A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022
19. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge
20. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023
21. A book set in the decade you were born
22. A book with a queer lead
23. A book with a map
24. A book with a rabbit on the cover
25. A book with just text on the cover
26. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
27. A #BookTok recommendation
28. A book you bought secondhand
29. A book your friend recommended
30. A book that's on a celebrity book-club list
31. A book about a family
32. A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
33. A book about an athlete/sport
34. A historical-fiction book
35. A book about divorce
36. A book you think your best friend would like
37. A book you should have read in high school
38. A book you read more than 10 years ago
39. A book you wish you could read for the first time again
40. A book by an author with the same initials as you

Sheila from eastern NC signing in for 5, bringing my total to 9/50.

A book with mythical creatures-Mermaids in Paradise. https://www.goodreads.com/work/400474...
* A book about a forbidden romance-A Pho Love Story. https://www.goodreads.com/work/627963...
* A book with "Girl" in the title - Vinegar Girl. https://www.goodreads.com/work/461907...
* A celebrity memoir- I know why the caged bird sings, maya angelou. https://www.goodreads.com/work/141358...
* A book with a color in the title- Blanche on the Lam, Blanche White mystery.(Blanche is French for white). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Update message 124, 4/50

✓3. A book about a vacation: Walt Disney World and Epcot Center by Valerie Childs and Walt Disney Company (finished 1/14)

Updated msg 29

Just completed #29 (rec’d by friend) - Hell of a Book by Jason Mott. I wish this had been a book of essays or short stories. The author can write some harsh truths beautifully. “Reality as a whole-past or present-just isn’t a good place to hang out, in my opinion. There are better ways and places to spend your time.” “You see, the thing those fablers don’t get is that certain kids don’t get a fair chance to chase the dream. The world murders them first. Murders them, but fails to kill them. So these kids, they die young and grow a little more mad every day from then on out.” But written with the confines of a novel, it was too real to be satire and too abstract to be fiction, even lit fic. I will read any nonfiction he ever writes, but I’m not sure I would fiction by him again. For the truth he shared, I give this 4 stars

6/50

Updated msg 36

10/25

Updated msg 29

Just completed #19 (fulfills past prompt) - The Key to My Heart by Lia Louis. I really enjoyed this heart-warming book! Received as part of my authentic book subscription, the book and the box were both winners! It was a touch slow to get started, but after that I enjoyed it! Do not be misled by the illustrated cocer - it’s not a comedy. The explorations of grief are well done, and I appreciated the honesty of the feelings experienced by the characters. Ending felt a touch fast but that’s probably because I didn’t want it to end! Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

7/50

I'm in for 50 books!
0/50

1. A book you meant to read in 2022
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore
3. A book about a vacation
4. A book by a first-time author
5. A book with mythical creatures
6. A book about a forbidden romance
7. A book with "Girl" in the title
8. A celebrity memoir
9. A book with a color in the title
10. A romance with a fat lead
11. A book about or set in Hollywood
12. A book published in spring 2023
13. A book published the year you were born
14. A modern retelling of a classic
15. A book with a song lyric as its title
16. A book where the main character's name is in the title
17. A book with a love triangle
18. A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022
19. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge
20. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023
21. A book set in the decade you were born
22. A book with a queer lead
23. A book with a map
24. A book with a rabbit on the cover
25. A book with just text on the cover
26. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
27. A #BookTok recommendation
28. A book you bought secondhand
29. A book your friend recommended
30. A book that's on a celebrity book-club list
31. A book about a family
32. A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
33. A book about an athlete/sport
34. A historical-fiction book
35. A book about divorce
36. A book you think your best friend would like
37. A book you should have read in high school
38. A book you read more than 10 years ago
39. A book you wish you could read for the first time again
40. A book by an author with the same initials as you

41. A book written during NaNoWriMo
42. A book based on a popular movie
43. A book that takes place entirely in one day
44. A book that was self-published
45. A book that started out as fan fiction
46. A book with a pet character
47. A book about a holiday that's not Christmas
48. A book that features two languages
49. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
50. A book with alliteration in the title

Update #85
4/50

Favorite prompt from a past challenge: Social Horror
Bloodchild and Other Stories

5/50
Meant to read last year
City of Ghosts

Update Lisa (Message 38) 3/30

Update Message # 11

#16 A book where the main character's name is in the title: Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

I’m in for 25!

Erica ☘️ wrote: "I'm in!
Goal: 0 / 40

1. A book you meant to read in 202
34. A historical fiction book
The spy's wife by Fiona Mackintosh. It is about a British woman who becomes a spy for the British government to save the man she loves, who was uncovered as a German spy which he was being to save his half-Jewish son. I started this in late 2022 but I didn't finish until early 2023, so I suppose you count it as a book I meant to read in 2022 as well.

Updated msg 29

Just completed #50 (alliteration in title) - Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. The good things - audiobook with Dolly Parton and Kelsea Ballerini’s voice. But other than that, this book is incredibly repetitive. The idea of the armed carjacking of a semi was completely unrealistic - that would never happen nor would she get away with it. And that was just the first unbelievable scene in this book. It could have been edited down a lot too. The audio kept me company on my commute, so that bumped it up a bit. 3 stars

8/50

Update msg # 17

6/40

6. A book about a forbidden romance The Night Circus ✅
10. A romance with a fat lead The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy ✅
15. A book with a song lyric as its title The Housemaid ✅
29. A book your friend recommended The Pagan Origins of Christian Holidays ✅

Hello! Please update Msg 65 please

3/30

22. Book with a Queer lead - The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea
23. Book with a Map - The Deceiver's Heart
29. Book your friend recommended - The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Update to message #53

2/14

I read That Summer by Jennifer Weiner for prompt #28, a book I bought secondhand

Update msg 36

11/25

7. A book with "Girl" in the title-The Girl in the Woods (Emma Griffin FBI #15)1-18

Update #85
6/50

Death on the Nile about a vacation

Update to Message #11:

#33: A book about an athlete/Sport: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

7/50

Update Message #96

3/25

Adding Jurassic Park

Please update #108

5/25 books read

POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE 2023
Duration: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023

8/50 prompts

1. A book you meant to read in 2022: Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You Jenara Nerenberg
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore: My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Mending of Our Bodies and Hearts Resmaa Menakem
3. A book about a vacation: Happy Place Emily Henry
4. A book by a first-time author: The Language We Were Never Taught to Speak Grace Lau
5. A book with mythical creatures: The Sword of Summer Rick Riordan
6. A book about a forbidden romance
7. A book with "Girl" in the title
✔8. A celebrity memoir: We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story Simu Liu 1/19
✔9. A book with a color in the title: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev Dawnie Walton 1/4
✔10. A romance with a fat lead: Ship Wrecked Olivia Dade (1/26)
11. A book about or set in Hollywood
12. A book published in spring 2023: Love, Theoretically Ali Hazelwood
✔13. A book published the year you were born: The Fire Next Time James Baldwin 1/13
14. A modern retelling of a classic
15. A book with a song lyric as its title
16. A book where the main character's name is in the title
17. A book with a love triangle
18. A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022: Last Night at the Telegraph Club Malinda Lo
19. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge
20. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023: The Lightning Thief Rick Riordan
21. A book set in the decade you were born: Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus
22. A book with a queer lead:
23. A book with a map
24. A book with a rabbit on the cover
25. A book with just text on the cover: American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures America Ferrera

✔26. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list: 65 pages: We Should All Be Feminists Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 1/6
27. A #BookTok recommendation: You've Reached Sam Dustin Thao
28. A book you bought secondhand
29. A book your friend recommended: The Dictionary of Lost Words Pip Williams
30. A book that's on a celebrity book-club list: Black Cake Charmaine Wilkerson
✔31. A book about a family: The Lager Queen of Minnesota J. Ryan Stradal 1/31
32. A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
33. A book about an athlete/sport
✔34. A historical-fiction book: Band of Sisters Lauren Willig 1/4
35. A book about divorce
✔36. A book you think your best friend would like: The Strange Library Haruki Murakami 1/31
37. A book you should have read in high school
38. A book you read more than 10 years ago: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J.K. Rowling
39. A book you wish you could read for the first time again
40. A book by an author with the same initials as you: Jhumpa Lahiri

41. A book written during NaNoWriMo: The Astonishing Color of After Emily X.R. Pan
42. A book based on a popular movie: The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer Janelle Monáe
43. A book that takes place entirely in one day: Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf
44. A book that was self-published: Still Alice Lisa Genova
45. A book that started out as fan fiction: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Seth Grahame-Smith
✔46. A book with a pet character: the Oracle's Cat/Familiar: Outer Darkness, Vol. 2: Castrophany of Hate John Layman (2/13)
47. A book about a holiday that's not Christmas
48. A book that features two languages
49. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list: Memories of Ice Steven Erikson
50. A book with alliteration in the title

Updated message 105
5/50 complete

27. A #BookTok recommendation - The Many Daughters of Afong Moy read 1/19/2023

I've loved Jamie Ford ever since I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet several years ago. This book was a very ambitious undertaking and I was fascinated - I really appreciate his effort to delve into the field of epigenetics and explore intergenerational trauma. Due to the large number of characters, it was necessary to spend more time with some of their stories and than others, and I found myself wanting to know more about a couple of the women who were less of a focus.

Update to message 105
6/50 complete

14. A modern retelling of a classic - Demon Copperhead read 1/19/2023

I loved this novel - it is inspired by David Copperfield and is brilliant.

Update to Message #11:

7. A book with “Girl” in the title: The It Girl by Ruth Ware

8/50

I’m in for 10. I’ll update later. :)

1. A book you meant to read in 2022
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore
4. A book by a first-time author
12. A book published in spring 2023
18. A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022
21. A book set in the decade you were born
32. A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
34. A historical-fiction book

46. A book with a pet character
47. A book about a holiday that's not Christmas

0/10

Update Message 75. 4/30