2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Please update msg 100 - 9/20

Updated message 104
18/50 complete

7. A book with "Girl" in the title - Shanghai Girls - read 3/9/2023

Updated post 390 28/35

Update to #345

7/50

17. A book with a love triangle: The Queen of Hearts It's a love triangle of wild proportions that left me like ????

Updated msg 29

Just completed #48 (2 languages) - No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib. This book is well-written and heartbreaking! An important exposure of America’s hypocritical stance on immigration by using the relationship of one couple. I loved the descriptions - incredibly evocative. The audiobook has multiple narrators, but I had to switch to kindle as the content was affecting my experience. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

22/50

Update msg # 17

Books: 21/50


13. A book published the year you were born The Alchemist ✅
I can tell this will be forever one of my favorite books, this is why I love reading challenges. I probably wouldn't have gotten around to reading this for years, if at all, if not for this challenge.
37. A book you should have read in high school 1984 ✅
39. A book you wish you could read for the first time again Eragon ✅

Updated msg 29

Just completed #23 (map) - The Book of Stolen Time: Second Book in the Feylawn Chronicles by Dashka Slater. while I still enjoyed the world and characters in this book, it was much slower to get going. I was also confused at the beginning trying to figure out where the story pocked up after the first book. But once it got going, I appreciated the character development and subtle commentary woven into everything. Nice wrap up! 3.5 stars

23/50

Update 85

The Alchemist of Riddle and Ruin: An Accidental Alchemist Mystery

a book with alliteration in the title

Updated message 88-- 10/50-- Everything My Mother Taught Me
I am not sure if this is the shortest book on my TBR, but at 28 pages it's pretty darn short

Updated message 104

19/50 complete

3. A book about a vacation - A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail read 3/12/2023

I’m in for all 50!
30/50

1. A book you meant to read in 2022
2. A book you bought from an independent bookstore
✅3. A book about a vacation - The Island
✅4. A book by a first-time author - The Maid
5. A book with mythical creatures
✅6. A book about a forbidden romance - We'll Always Have Summer
✅7. A book with "Girl" in the title - Good Girl, Bad Blood
✅8. A celebrity memoir - I'm Glad My Mom Died
✅9. A book with a color in the title - Black Candle Women
✅10. A romance with a fat lead - A Worthy Opponent
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 - The Weight of Blood
✅15. A book with a song lyric as its title - Ace of Spades
✅16. A book where the main character's name is in the title - Daisy Jones & The Six
✅17. A book with a love triangle - Havoc at Prescott High
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 - Imposter
✅20. A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023 - Dear Edward
✅21. A book set in the decade you were born - The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
✅22. A book with a queer lead - Learn My Lesson
✅23. A book with a map - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
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 - Comfort Me with Apples
✅27. A #BookTok recommendation - Addicted to You
28. A book you bought secondhand
✅29. A book your friend recommended - Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
✅30. A book that's on a celebrity book-club list - Wrong Place Wrong Time
✅31. A book about a family - Daisy Darker
32. A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
33. A book about an athlete/sport
✅34. A historical-fiction book - Passing
✅35. A book about divorce - Before I Let Go
✅36. A book you think your best friend would like - Big Little Lies
✅37. A book you should have read in high school - The Summer I Turned Pretty
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 - The Night Circus
42. A book based on a popular movie
✅43. A book that takes place entirely in one day - Five Survive
44. A book that was self-published
45. A book that started out as fan fiction
✅46. A book with a pet character - Lessons in Chemistry
47. A book about a holiday that's not Christmas
✅48. A book that features two languages - Victory at Prescott High
49. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
✅50. A book with alliteration in the title - The Haunting of Hill House

Lisa 37 (was 38) 8/30

Update 85
20/50

Girl in the title: The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Updated message 247 -- 12/50

Please update Msg 64

7 / 30

17. Book with a Love Triangle - Spell Bound
31. Book about a Family - Nowhere But Here

Thank you

Message 79 updated!

Completed: 19 / 50

╰☆☆ Normal: 16 / 40
╰☆☆ Advanced: 3 / 10

PSA: Please also note, I changed my display name from "selina" to "luna" :)

Update 85
21/50

Featuring a holiday other than Christmas: Frankencat

Welcome newcomers and congrats everyone on so much progress!!

Happy Ides of March!

Updated message 104
20/50 complete

11. A book about or set in Hollywood - Mercury Pictures Presents read 3/15/2023

Update to #26, 8/25

Updated message 104
21/50 complete

31. A book about a family - Woman of Light

Update 85
22/50

A book that takes place in a day: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Message #361 updated! 17/50 books read!

Updated message 104
23/50 complete

5. A book with mythical creatures - The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea read 3/17/2023

23. A book with a map - The Cartographers read 3/17/2023

Edited Post #2

Finished 20/35 books so far

Updated msg 29

Just completed #44 (self-published) - Hopeless Romantic: The Untold History of Ethiopia by Dawit Muluneh. I learned quite a lot about the background of Ethiopic studies and how colonization has seeped into the current work in ethiopia. The writing is good in those sections, and I appreciated the undercurrent of snark based on solid facts. However, the history related was not presented chronologically, so it was difficult to place. There were also some odd choices that distracted from the solid core, like relating everything to marriage and the mouse story at the end. This desperately needed a good editor. I appreciated the effort, but it didn’t come together for me. 2.5 stars

24/50

Updated msg 29

Just completed #42 (based on movie) - Lost Stars by Claudia Gray. This was fantastic! Good, clear writing, characters that are complex and can be understood, and good solid plot. It definitely helps to have a working knowledge of the original trilogy. I loved how the author uses the conflict to show how good people continued to fight for the Empire, showed the grooming and fear that undergirded everything. And why so many saw the empire as hope, at least at the beginning. Truly wonderful! Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

25/50

Update #44
15/50

Updated message 104
24/50 complete

1. A book you meant to read in 2022 - The Sandman: Act II read 3/17/2023

Updated message 247 -- 13/50

Update to message #52

9/14

I read Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin for prompt #14, a modern retelling of a classic. It's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

i'm late to the party but i'd like to join!

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 - good girl, bad blood by holly jackson
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 - verity by colleen hoover
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 - it ends with us by colleen hoover
21. A book set in the decade you were born
22. A book with a queer lead
✓ 23. A book with a map - a good girl's guide to murder by holly jackson
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 - the book thief by markus zusak
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

5/50 completed as of 3/21/23

Updating message #9

13/50 completed

3. A book about a vacation The Unsinkable Greta James DONE

14. A modern retelling of a classic A Spindle Splintered DONE

19. A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre DONE

26. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list Galatea DONE

27. A #BookTok recommendation The Flat Share DONE

33. A book about an athlete/sport Beartown DONE

42. A book based on a popular movie Pan's Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun DONE

48. A book that features two languages The Poet X DONE

Update Message 74

14/30

Updated message 104
25/50 complete

21. A book set in the decade you were born - Damnation Spring read 3/22/2023

Updated message 88-- 11/50

updated message 382 - 5/50

Update msg #17

Books: 24/50


4. A book by a first-time author Church of Marvels ✅
7. A book with "Girl" in the title The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea ✅
25. A book with just text on the cover Who Is Maud Dixon? ✅

Update to post 25- completed 6/21

Updated message 88-- 12/50

Update to post 25- 7/21 completed

Updated msg 29

Just completed #41 (nanowrimo) - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. This book reminded me so much of college and brought up some old stuff I needed to deal with. I liked the world created, the exploration of fanfic, and the characters with their unique struggles. But the author didn’t land the plane with the ending. 4 stars

26/50

Please update message #107

16/25

Update message 231

5/50

update message 123, 10/50

✓7. A book with "Girl" in the title: Token Black Girl by Danielle Prescod (finished 3/26)

Update to Message #225

✅ 31. A book about a family - Hell's Spells

Progress 8/20

updated message 380 - 6/50 completed

31. a book about a family - the book of cold cases by simone st. james

Updated message 104
26/50 complete

36. A book you think your best friend would like - Under the Whispering Door read 3/28/2023

Updated message 88-- 13/50
A book about a forbidden romance-- The Comeback

Update to message #6: 17/40