2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Hi everyone!

Time to nominate books for July! The theme is Circus.

~Please remember to state a connection to the theme when you nominate.

~Books we have read less than three years ago are not eligble. To see which books are not eligble, see this google sheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

~ Each person can nominate 1 book.

~ Book must be available both as a physical copy and as an ebook.

~ Authors: Please do not nominate your own book.

~ Please do not nominate books that are part of a series, unless it is the first book.

~ You can second someone else's nomination, but that will count as your nomination.


This thread will be closed by May 26th, and we will choose ten books for the poll. If there are more than ten books nominated, we will choose "seconded" books first. If there is still a tie to get into the top ten, we'll go back to the Goodreads average rating to see which is highest.

It's really tempting to go with the easy nominations here of "The Night Circus" or "Water for Elephants" BUT wanting to change it up, I'm nominating: The Circus Train

Unless,,, wait wait.. Does it have to be circus or could it also be carnival?

I would like to nominate The Life She Was Given, a historical fiction mystery surrounding someone in a traveling circus sideshow.

I’d like to nominate Water for Elephants (because it’s been on my tbr for a long time & this would give me a much needed excuse to read it!)

I'll second The Circus Train (I adore The Night Circus and would willingly reread but this might give me motivation to pick up The Circus Train instead)

I nominate Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times. The unpretentious people of the Sleary Circus woven throughout the novel contrast with Gradgrind's fact, fact, fact world, and Bounderby's egotistical, self-made man world.

Both Water for Elephants and The Night Circus are not eligible because they have been group reads in the last 3 years

I'll nominate Circus of Wonders connection is the title and setting!

I'd like to nominate Caraval which involves a circus/circus-like show!

I would like to nominate The Funhouse by Dean Koontz. It is kind of a mix between a carnival and a circus, but it is still a great read.

Lisa wrote: "It's really tempting to go with the easy nominations here of "The Night Circus" or "Water for Elephants" BUT wanting to change it up, I'm nominating: The Circus Train"

I second Circus Train as well!

I'd like to second The Life She Was Given

Lorelai wrote: "I would like to nominate The Funhouse by Dean Koontz. It is kind of a mix between a carnival and a circus, but it is still a great read."

Seconding :)

SarahKat wrote: "I'll nominate Circus of Wonders connection is the title and setting!"

I second this one!

I nominate the Night Circus. I have a copy of the book and I read few pages and I believe the story takes place in a Circus

Nora, The Night Circus isn't eligible as a contender, as it has been a group read within the span of the last 3 years.

if you're interested in reading it in a collective setting, I would recommend nominating it as a Buddy Read instead.

Nora wrote: "I nominate the Night Circus. I have a copy of the book and I read few pages and I believe the story takes place in a Circus"

It is an amazing book and some parts of the story do take place in a circus. However, as Lisa mentioned, it not eligible for nomination. Do you want to nominate another book?

I would like to nominate Caraval by Stephanie Garber, it was my first foray into fantasy and it hooked me!

I would like to nominate The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff, which is set in a traveling circus during World War II.

I second The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff

Anne wrote: "I would like to nominate Caraval by Stephanie Garber, it was my first foray into fantasy and it hooked me!"

This book has already been nominated. If you want you can second it or you can choose another if you'd like!

The night circus by Erin Morgenstern. Such a fun read.

The Night Circus is still not eligible as a choice. But you can choose another book to nominate, or second one that's already been mentioned.

I'll second Caraval. It's been sitting on my TBR for several years and I really would like to read it, as well the rest of the trilogy.

Poll is up finally! It will stay up for a couple more days since it's late :)

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...