2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I guess someone deleted their post and I'm now msg 35
Updated msg 35

18/25

Updated message 248 -- 10/50

Update to message 104 (formerly 105)
13/50 complete

6. A book about a forbidden romance - The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

Please update 107

11/40

Updated message 88-- 6/50

Updated message 104

14/50 complete

17. A book with a love triangle - Daughter of the Moon Goddess read 2/20/2023

Updated msg 29

Just completed #10 (romance w/ fat lead) - After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez. This book has three of my favorite things - ghosts, learning new stuff about history, and wonderful descriptions of drinks and food! I really liked the complexity of the characters and the town. I had a bit of trouble following things at the beginning and the various names for several of the characters was a touch confusing. I also read this during a very busy season, so perhaps longer durations of reading would have made a difference. Worth reading! 4 stars

19/50

Updated message 78

12/50

Thank you!

Update message 74.

10/30

23. Map Murder Before Evensong Reverend Richard Coles
6/26 read update to #71

Updated message 104
15/50 complete

37. A book you should have read in high school - A Tale of Two Cities read 2/21/2023

Updated message 89-- 8/50

Update to Message #11:

27. A #BookTok Recommendation: West with Giraffesby Lynda Rutledge

16/50

Update to post 25- 4/21

Update to message #6: 10/40

message 57 updated
13/50 books read

Update 85
15/50

A book by a first-time author

Craving Them: Scarlett City Series Book 1 by SJ Meares

This is the first book in the Scarlett City Series by this new author. 5 stars

This book would also work for an author who self-published, or a forbidden romance.

Update to #271

4/50

36. A book you think your best friend would like: The Book of Delights: Essays This prompt inspired me to send a copy to one of my friends. I think she'd love it!

Update to message #52

8/14

I read Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff for prompt #31, a book about a family

Update to Message #11:

30. A book that’s on a celebrity book-club list: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell (2/26/23) – Reese’s book list

17/50

Updated message 101 - 13/50

update message 123, 9/50

✓14. A modern retelling of a classic: a retelling of Peter Pan, Hooked by Emily McIntire (finished 2/21)

Update to message #18 - 13/50 books read!

Please update message 107

13/25

Updated msg 29

Just completed #17 (love triangle) - The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell. I’m really glad I took this in small bites. If I had tried to read it all together, I would have gotten very frustrated. It also helped to hear an interview the author gave to not explaining her vision for the book. I don’t think she quite brought it together, but I understood it better after hearing from her. The writing is good and is the redeeming characteristic in my opinion. “During his time at University, Ronald had learned that history was the word the English used for the record of every time white man encountered something he had never seen, and promptly claimed it as his own, often renaming it for good measure. History, in short, was the annals of the bully on the playground.” However, the story is rather convoluted. I did get a sense of Zambian history through the story. Worth reading with all the above caveats. 3.5 stars

20/50

Update to message #224 (used to be #225)

✅ 23. A book with a map - The Black Unicorn by Terry Brooks

Progress 7/20

Updating msg #23

Progress: 10/15

Message 24 Updated
Progress: 3/14

Updated message 247 -- 11/50

Update to message 28 - 7/50 books read.

FEBRUARY WRAP-UP

115 participants read
213 books this month!

Year-to-date
425 books
out of a goal of 3,902

Updated message 104
16/50 complete

4. A book by a first-time author - Memphis read 3/1/2023

Update #85
16/50

Cade by Callie Rhodes

A book with a fat lead. (I really don't like that description; it just feels rude to me.)

Love this series, and this is my favorite so far.

Update to message 12: 8/10 prompts done.

I’m a little late for the party, but I’m here for it! My goal is to complete 1-40. Right now I’m 0/40. Thank you for creating this group!

Update message 74

12/30

Updated message 247 -- 12/50

Update 85
17/50

Gender Queer: A Memoir

A banned book

5 stars! Highly recommend

Update message #80
7/20

Updated message 104
17/50 complete

8. A celebrity memoir - She Memes Well read 3/3/2023

Abbott Elementary is one of my favorite shows on tv right now and I really enjoyed this book by the brilliant creator Quinta Brunson.

update message #44

11/50

Updated message 88-- 9/50

Update Msg # 17

I'm upping my goal to all 50!

Books: 18/50

1. A book you meant to read in 2022 The Passengers ✅
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore Love in the Time of Serial Killers ✅
50. A book with alliteration in the title Déjà Dead ✅

Hi - I updated post 78 now 15/50.

Though internally debating if Butts: A Backstory counts as alliterative. I think technically it does but may replace later!

Update to #318

6/50

8. A celebrity memoir: I'm Glad My Mom Died A child star I grew up up seeing all the time - Jennette McCurdy.

10. A romance with a fat lead: The Love Con Kenya was that girl, and it was nice to have a fat lead whose worries about her romantic relationship did not stem from her weight or generally not feeling attractive.

Message # 111 updated

Progress: 21/40

Update to Message #11:

50. A book with alliteration in the title: The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (3/7/23)

18/50

Updated msg 29

Just completed #30 (celebrity booklist) - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I really didn’t expect this book to wrap me in a warm hug and refuse to let me go until my heart melted! But that’s exactly what it did. I loved her writing and her characters! Tova reminds me of my taciturn great-grandparents from Norway. Cameron reminds me of my brother before he grew up. And it all has this lovely veneer of people/creature just doing their best. Is it far-fetched and did I figure it all out? Yup, but it was delightful and perfect in its way. Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

21/50

Update to Message #29
Progress 13/50
✔️5 A book with mythical creatures Fairy Tale

✔️6 A book about a forbidden romance The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

✔️16 A book where the main character's name is in the title Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride


✔️21 A book set in the decade you were born The Book of Goose

✔️23 A book with a map What the Devil Knows

✔️30 A book that's on a celebrity book-club list OPRAH Olive Kitteridge

✔️46 A book with a pet character Scents and Sensibility

Update 85
18/50

All the Stars and Teeth

A book with a map