2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I am trying for 70 books plus various challenges. I managed 6 books a month in October and November after taking a 5 month hiatus from reading, so I will project those 2 months pace for 2024.

Let the challenges begin!

FINISH LINE 50 books. Message 24.
11/50

OUT ON A LIMB 50 books Message 24.
12/50

IT’S IN THE CARDS 22 books Message 25.
9/22

TBR JAR CHALLENGE 50 books Message 13
6/50

SERIAL READER CHALLENGE 50 books Message 20.
8/50

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR 50 books Message 20.
3/50.

BOOKWORMS TAKE SHELFIES 70 books Message 11.
12/70

Let’s Turn Pages 29,400 pages. Message 20.
4,161/29,400

BIBLIOPOLY 20 books. Message 13.
11/20

A-Z 26 books Message 170.
9/26

Monthly:
January Marathon Challenge: 6 books (1/6 read). Message 146.
Knots and Crosses

October Sugar Rush Challenge: 5 books. (1/5 read) Message 41.
9. 3 Musketeers: Named after the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, originally with three flavors—chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla.
Read a book with a number in the title or one featuring a sword.
1356

SERIAL READER:

Finish series (12 books): 4/12
Ben Treven by Barry Eisler 2 books
Rebel of the Sands 1 book
Infected by Scott Siegler 1 book
Isaac Biddlecomb by James L. Nelson 3 books
Night Soldiers by Alan Furst 1 book Under Occupation
Grail Quest Series by Bernard Cornwell 1 book 1356
Renee Ballard by Michael Connelly 1 book
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay 1 book River of Stars
Holly Gibney by Stephen King 1 book Holly

Start new series (15 books): 4/15
Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton Pandora's Star
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds
Detective Erica Foster by Robert Bryndza
Livia Lone by Berry Eisler
Travis McGee by John D. McDonald
Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout
Leephorn and Chee by Tony Hillerman
The Widow Maker by Mike Resnick
Starship by Mike Resnick
What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz
Harry Hole by Jo Nesbo
War of the Roses by Conn Iggulden
Inspector Rebus by Ian Rankin 1/8/24 Knots and Crosses
Fractured Space by J.G. Cressey 2/13/24 Star Splinter
Frontlines by Marko Kloos Terms of Enlistment

Continue 23 series already started.

Total 50 books.

8/50

BOOKWORMS TAKE SHELFIES

Authors:
Barry Eisler 5 books

Cecilia Holland 3 books

Robert Crais 3 books

Robert B. Parker 4 books

Genres:
Mystery 25 books (1/25)
Knots and Crosses

Fantasy 10 books (1/10)
River of Stars

Science Fiction 10 books (3/10)
Star Splinter
Terms of Enlistment
Pandora's Star

Horror 5 books (4/5)
Holly
The Inn Of The Two Witches
Blood and Smoke
Heart-Shaped Box

Historical Fiction 3 books (3/3)
Radigan
Under Occupation
1356

Time:
Late 1700s (American Revolution Era) 5 books

Total: 70 books

12/70

Let's Turn Pages
29,400 pages!

Knots and Crosses, 253 pages
Holly 449 pages
Star Splinter 389 pages
Radigan 224 pages
The Inn Of The Two Witches 104 pages
Blood and Smoke, 4 pages
Terms of Enlistment 345 pages
Under Occupation 210 pages
River of Stars 639 pages
Pandora's Star 768 pages
Heart-Shaped Box 376 pages
1356 400 pages

4,161/29,400 pages

OUT ON A LIMB
50 books

Trunk: Knots and Crosses Genre: Fiction Mystery
Branch 1: Holly Genre: Fiction Mystery Horror
Leaf 1: The Inn Of The Two Witches
Leaf 2: Blood and Smoke
Leaf 3: Heart-Shaped Box

Branch 2: Star Splinter Genre: Fiction Science Fiction
Leaf 1: Terms of Enlistment
Leaf 2: Pandora's Star

Branch 3: Radigan Genre: Fiction Historical Fiction Western Fiction
Leaf 1: Under Occupation
Leaf 2: 1356

Branch 4: River of Stars Genre: Fiction Fantasy Fiction

12/50

BIBLIOPOLY
20 books

7. Blue: Read a book with any type of hat or headwear on the cover or in the title. Radigan

10. Blue: Read a book with any shade of blue on the cover or in the title. River of Stars

14. Pink: Read a book with an author or character whose nationality or birth country is different from your own. Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin.
15. Pink: Read a book with any shade of pink on the cover or in the title. Holly by Stephen King.

17. Orange: Read a book with a ship or boat on the cover, or involving water travel. Terms of Enlistment

20. Orange: Read a book with any shade of orange on the cover or in the title. Star Splinter

22. Red: Read a book with a car, truck or bus on the cover, or involving a road trip. Heart-Shaped Box
23. Chance: Read a book from your TBR shelf among the ten oldest or newest additions. Under Occupation

25. Red: Read a book with any shade of red on the cover or in the title. Blood and Smoke

🟨 30. Yellow: Read a book with any shade of yellow on the cover or in the title. The Inn Of The Two Witches

39. Luxury Tax: Read a book with a gemstone or precious metal on the cover or in the title. 1356

11/20

A to Z
26 books

B - Blood and Smoke

E - Terms of Enlistment

H - Holly
I - The Inn Of The Two Witches

K - Knots and Crosses

P - Pandora's Star

R - Radigan
S - Star Splinter

U - Under Occupation

9/26

TBR Jar
50 booka

Knots and Crosses added April 5, 2014.
Under Occupation added December 5, 2023.
Pandora's Star added October 13, 2018.
River of Stars added May 2, 2013
Heart-Shaped Box added December 28, 2016
1356 added March 21, 2015

6/50

IT'S IN THE CARDS
22 books

The Hierophant: tradition, conformity, morality, ethics Holly
The Chariot: direction, control, willpower Radigan
Strength: inner strength, bravery, compassion, focus Star Splinter
The Hermit: contemplation, search for truth, inner guidance Knots and Crosses
The Fool: new beginnings, innocence, free spirit Terms of Enlistment
The Emperor: authority, structure, control, fatherhood Under Occupation
The Wheel of Fortune: change, cycles, inevitable fate River of Stars
Death: end of cycle, beginnings, change, metamorphosis Heart-Shaped Box
The Hanged Man: sacrifice, release, martyrdom 1356

9/22

Magical Mystery Tour
50 books

Who: 1/7
Solve cases featuring a main character (sleuth, perp, victim, or suspect) in one of the below fields.
1. Military (active, veteran, or reserve duty) Knots and Crosses

Where: 1/7
Where did the dastardly deed take place?
2. On a mountain The Inn Of The Two Witches

How: 1/7
For this category, each means of murder must be distinctly different.
For example, pistols and rifles are both firearms; knives and daggers are too similar.
1. Scalpel Holly



3/50

Finish Line
50 books

I. Themes - Complete quotes related to our 2024 themes.

2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in the Holly
3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought a Heart-Shaped Box


6. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind
People who deny the existence of dragons are often Blood and Smoke

8. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited
An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by Knots and Crosses

11. Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out the Star Splinter

14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be Under Occupation

II. Opening Lines - Complete the book beginnings.

6. Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Last night I dreamt I went to The Inn Of The Two Witches

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.

2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards Radigan

5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about the River of Stars
6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace Terms of Enlistment

9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at Pandora's Star

11/50