2025 Reading Challenge discussion

CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 🎉👏👏

🥳BELLS OF THE BALL
Debra Diggs (# 10) - 6/5 Completed!
Jordan (# 68) - 2/2 Completed!
Karin (# 5) - 5/5 Completed!

“November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.”
― Elizabeth Coatsworth

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STATS
Participants: 37
Books Read: 134
Book Goal: 448
Completed: 6

Updated on November 19, 2024 .

Update to message 29, 13/15.

Back to School: Read books set in a school or with an academic theme.
An Academy for Liars
Blood Over Bright Haven
Rani Choudhury Must Die

It’s a Killer Thriller Night: Pick thrillers or mystery novels.
The Murder on the Links
Lie or Die
Death at Morning House
Lord Edgware Dies
Three Act Tragedy
The Invocations

Monster Mash: Select books featuring monsters or supernatural elements.
Mina and the Undead
The Light That Blinds Us
The Burning Maze
The Lost Story

Updated message 4: 2/5

Updated message 51

3/6

Updated message #24 - 4/12

Update to message #38 - 6/6 - DONE

It’s a Killer Thriller Night: Pick thrillers or mystery novels.
A Pocket Full of Rye
Black Coffee
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Sweater Weather: Read cozy books set in fall or winter.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
Woodland Wander: Choose books with a forest or nature setting.
James Herriot's Treasury for Children: Warm and Joyful Tales by the Author of All Creatures Great and Small
Days Until Christmas: Pick books with a holiday theme or set during the festive season.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas

update to msg #11:
9/12

Updated message 39-- 12/10

CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 🎉👏👏

🥳BELLS OF THE BALL
Anna (# 38) - 6/6 Completed!

“I don’t understand why people are such snobs about books. If you enjoy romances, read them. I don’t want Thanksgiving dinner every day. Some days I want a ham sandwich and a dozen chocolate chip cookies. And some days I want to read Jane Austen, and other days I want to read Agatha Christie, or maybe some author that no one has ever heard of who writes fun books that make me smile.”
― Diana Xarissa, Cars and Cold Cases

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STATS
Participants: 37
Books Read: 159
Book Goal: 448
Completed: 7

Updated on November 25, 2024 .

Update message 51

Progress 4/6

Updated message 39-- 13/10

Update to message 13: 4/5 books read

Update to message 13: 5/5 books read

updated msg 22, 12/12

update to msg. #11:

11/12

update to message #24: 6/12

Updated message 39-- 14/10

CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 🎉👏👏

🥳BELLS OF THE BALL
Brianna Raquel (# 22) - 12/12 Completed!
Ursula (# 13) - 5/5 Completed!

““It is now, at Advent, that I am given the chance to suspend all expectation...and instead to revel in the mystery.”
― Jerusalem Jackson Greer, A Homemade Year: The Blessings of Cooking, Crafting, and Coming Together

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STATS
Participants: 37
Books Read: 182
Book Goal: 436
Completed: 9

Updated on December 3, 2024 .

Updated message 4: 3/5

Updated message 39-- 15/10

Update to message #19: 7/7 COMPLETED :)
Thanks !!

Update to message 29, 17/15 books.

Message 27 Updated

12/12

CHALLENGE COMPLETED

Updated message 39-- 17/10

Updated message 39-- 18/10

Update message 51: 5/6

Updated message 4: 4/5

Updated to message #24: 9/12

CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 🎉👏👏

🥳BELLS OF THE BALL
BarbaraBrubru (# 19) - 7/7 Completed!
Janine (# 29) - 17/15 Completed!
Sarah (# 27) - 12/12 Completed!

“Winter is coming.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

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STATS
Participants: 37
Books Read: 212
Book Goal: 436
Completed: 12

Updated on December 17, 2024 .

Updated message 4: 5/5. May be reading a couple more books for this challenge so I'll post a final update at the end

Updated message 39-- 20/10

Update to msg. #11:
12/12

COMPLETED

Update message 51: 6/6 completed :)

message 9 final update - 27/9!

Update to message #17

7/10

Updated message #59: 6/6 read

Updated message 4: 6/5

Update to Message #16: 57/30
Complete!

Carmen, thank you for creating and leading this challenge! 🌻

Update to message #24: 11/12

I am on the last book for this challenge now and should hopefully finish before time is up! 🤞🤞🤞

Update msg #28:

Progress: 20 / 20 - COMPLETED

message 9 final update - 29/9!

Update #47

10/10 Completed!

Back to School:

Orchard Outing:

Oktoberfest:

It’s a Killer Thriller Night:

Monster Mash:

Sweater Weather:

Fall Foliage:

Remembrance Day:

Happy Thanksgiving:

Days Until Christmas:

Final update to message 29: 19/15 books.

Back to School: Read books set in a school or with an academic theme.
An Academy for Liars
Blood Over Bright Haven
Rani Choudhury Must Die

It’s a Killer Thriller Night: Pick thrillers or mystery novels.
The Murder on the Links
Lie or Die
Death at Morning House
Lord Edgware Dies
Three Act Tragedy
The Invocations
Voyage of the Damned

Monster Mash: Select books featuring monsters or supernatural elements.
Mina and the Undead
The Light That Blinds Us
The Burning Maze
The Lost Story
Five Broken Blades
When Among Crows
Here to Slay
Iron Widow
Lord Sunday

CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 🎉👏👏

🥳BELLS OF THE BALL
Amy (# 39) - 20/10 Completed!
Anna (# 38) - 6/6 Completed!
Ashly (# 59) - 6/6 Completed!
BarbaraBrubru (# 19) - 7/7 Completed!
Brianna Raquel (# 22) - 12/12 Completed!
Carmen (# 3) - 70/50 Completed!
Debra Diggs (# 10) - 6/5 Completed!
Denise (# 11) - 12/12 Completed!
Gail W (# 7) - 8/8 Completed!
Jaida (# 9) - 29/9 Completed!
Janine (# 29) - 19/15 Completed!
Jordan (# 68) - 2/2 Completed!
Karin (# 5) - 5/5 Completed!
Laurie (# 47) - 10/10 Completed!
Rachael (# 4) - 6/5 Completed!
Sarah (# 27) - 12/12 Completed!
Shari (# 28) - 20/20 Completed!
Sophia (# 51) - 6/6 Completed!
TerryJane (# 16) - 57/30 Completed!
Ursula (# 13) - 5/5 Completed!

“For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.”
― T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets

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STATS
Participants: 37
Books Read: 353
Book Goal: 436
Completed: 20
Updated on January 1, 2025 .

As always, it's been a real pleasure hosting this party for you all during the last quarter of the year we've just said goodbye.
Hope you enjoy this festive challenge as much as I did.
Let's read the new year together!

Update message #12 - lastly managed just 8/10

UPDATE to post #15: challenge completed! Did quite a few more than 25 books. Details under the spoiler tag.

(view spoiler)[Back to School: Read books set in a school or with an academic theme.
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - Marisa Crane
Trust Exercise - Susan Choi
Blessings - Chukwuebuka Ibeh
How We Named the Stars - Andrés N. Ordorica
Orchard Outing: Choose books set in an orchard or involving fruits and harvest.
The Bog Wife - Kay Chronister
Oktoberfest: Find books with a festive or cultural celebration.
Gold Fame Citrus - Claire Vaye Watkins
Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween - Diana Rajchel
Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween - David J. Skal
It’s a Killer Thriller Night: Pick thrillers or mystery novels.
Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson
The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix
Clean - Alia Trabucco Zéran
Monster Mash: Select books featuring monsters or supernatural elements.
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Changeless - Gail Carriger
The Fox Wife - Yangszee Choo
Dearest - Jacquie Walters
Mongrels - Stephen Graham Jones
Memorials - Richard Chizmar
She's Always Hungry: Stories - Eliza Clark
Angeline - Anna Quinn
Sweater Weather: Read cozy books set in fall or winter.
Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga
A Novel Obsession - Caitlin Barasch
Woodland Wander: Choose books with a forest or nature setting.
Weyward - Emilia Hart
The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk
What Lies in the Woods - Kate Alice Marshall
Playground - Richard Powers
Orbital - Samantha Harvey
Enjoy the Golden Season: Find books that embrace autumn coziness.
Intermezzo - Sally Rooney
Help Wanted - Adelle Waldman
The Book of George - Kate Greathead
Fall Foliage: Read books with a vivid autumn setting or cover.
American Rapture - C.J. Leede
Remembrance Day: Select books related to historical events or honoring memories.
Colored Television - Danzy Senna
Remember You Will Die - Eden Robins
The Mermaid - Christina Henry
The Lightning Bottles - Marissa Stapley
How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? - Anna Montague
The Repeat Room - Jesse Ball
Season of the Swamp - Yuri Herrera
The Last Love Note - Emma Grey
Happy Thanksgiving: Choose books about gratitude or family gatherings.
We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida
Model Home - Rivers Solomon
Blood Test: A Comedy - Charles Baxter
Rental House - Weike Wang
Days Until Christmas: Pick books with a holiday theme or set during the festive season.
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Claire Vaye Watkins
The Writing Retreat - Julia Baartz (hide spoiler)]

Update message #24 - 12/12

I was sweating it but managed to finish this challenge late last night! Thank you, it was fun!

Chrissie wrote: "Update message #12 - lastly managed just 8/10"

Well done!

Ciara and Carrie, CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 🎉👏👏

🍂🍁🧡☕🧣🧺🍄🍎🧸🏵️🍯🦔🎃👻🍬🦇💀🥮🦃☕️🪵🕯️🥜🐿️🦉🪶🌰🧡🍁🍂

STATS
Participants: 37
Books Read: 406
Book Goal: 436
Completed: 22


Updated on January 8, 2025 .