2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Kate wrote: "Hello all Kate here from Minnesota. I love reading/listening to books while I work. Typically use the Libby app (local library). So I have two goals: Listen to 100 new (to me) titles in 2025. And p..."

I live by the Libby app. I also really want people to support their local libraries more! My local library is experiencing budget cuts and it makes me so sad! 100 books, oh my gosh that's a lot! I also work from home, so I am sure if I tried I could double my personal goal of 32 books, but I get distrtacted easily and often times during work need to rewind the audiobook.

MeganMarieReads wrote: "Hello, my name is Megan and I’m from Maine. My goal for the new year is to make a habit of reading. So far I’ve enjoyed reading classic stories such as The Wizard of Oz and the books to follow that..."

Oh if you like Oz-adjacent stories, you should check out Danielle Paige she has a series called Dorothy Must Die that is SO GOOD. I always insist my friends/family give it a shot.

Kelly wrote: "Thank you! I think setting a goal was baffling me. I read so fast sometimes and other times I'm reading a few pages a night just to decompress. Just so excited to see all these book lovers and endl..."

This was my last year, I read 2 books a month then didn't touch a book for about 3 months. Life happens!

Hi all, Tanu here from Aus. My actual goals are basically to have fun reading and to read regularly, but I also want to get in some poetry and nonfiction when I can.

Hi everyone and Happy new year! My name is Chiara and I’m from Italy. I read almost 30 books last year and I would like to achieve the same or even more this year, I read a bit of everything but especially thrillers and horrors, but I like to try new things. I hope everyone will achieve their goals both in the book challenge but also in life this year

Hi everyone!.I'm Jessica from Pennsylvania. I am hoping to read 75 books this year. I am open to all genres but find sci-fi to be my least favorite also I could never get into Stephen King. Excited to find some new suggestion and broaden my reading horizon.

Kate wrote: "Hello all Kate here from Minnesota. I love reading/listening to books while I work. Typically use the Libby app (local library). So I have two goals: Listen to 100 new (to me) titles in 2025. And p..."

Welcome, Kate! 👋
That's a fantastic goal! And Libby is such a great app 😊. I really wish I could get more into audiobooks - it would definitely be helpful from time to time, but my mind tends to drift when I'm multitasking. I do enjoy it when I'm reading non-fiction or a book that's narrated by the author.

Do you have any plans for what books you'll be reading in the new year?

Good luck with your goals in 2025. May you have an amazing reading journey.
Happy reading!

Hi, I’m Simon, and I’m an aspiring author!

I’m currently living in southern Indiana, guy I’m originally from Detroit, Michigan. I read a lot of horror, mystery, and thrillers, but I am a lover of most genres!

I have my goal set at 75 this year, which would be 20 more than I read this year, so I’m excited to take on a new challenge. Happy New Year, everyone!!

Welcome to our group, Tanu, Chiara and Jessica! 👋
Happy New Year to you ladies! 🎆

Wishing you the best of luck with all your reading goals in 2025. I hope the year is filled with some good books and bookish discussions.

Here's to a fantastic year that helps us all broaden our horizons!
Happy reading. 📚

Simon wrote: "Hi, I’m Simon, and I’m an aspiring author!

I’m currently living in southern Indiana, guy I’m originally from Detroit, Michigan. I read a lot of horror, mystery, and thrillers, but I am a lover of ..."

Happy New Year, Simon, and welcome! 👋🎆
Wishing you all the best with your reading journey in the new year. May it be a really good year, filled with gems and phenomenal discoveries.

Have a great 2025! Happy reading!

Nadine wrote: "Hiya, my name is Nadine, and I live in Colorado, USA. I love mysteries, thrillers, fiction, and biographies. I really want to find my romance niche as well. I'm signed up on Netgalley and BookSprou..."

Nice to meet you, Nadine! 👋
And welcome back to the world of books and leisurely reading. 📚

Honestly, I think 3.6 is a pretty okay average to have. Hell, mine's lower than that, at the moment. Lots of the reviewers I trust the opinions of, are around that average.

As someone who works in publishing (not in the US). and a freelance reviewer myself, I promise there's no expectation to love everything you read. I think that's something really important I learned after a while of being on Netgalley. This idea that just because you're reading something you get for free it all has to be positive and high-ratings, is a fallacy. Obviously, if you hate everything you're requesting then perhaps you're not requesting the right books for you.

I know some reviewers set up their whole reviewing style to be overly positive, and it annoys me to no end every time I see it. Because where's the critical thinking?
Obviously, reading is very personal and subjective, but if everything is "brilliant"/"exceptional"/" a masterpiece"/"most impressive"/"mind-blowing"/etc., then you're either gravely exaggerating, having the best reading experience in the history of time, or omitting a lot of the negative reviews to get your average up. Which then raises the question: "where's the balance?". It's just not representative, and negative reviews have a function too. After all, our responsibility as reviewers is ultimately to our readers, who are trying to make informed decisions about which books are worth their time and money.

I think, in the end, the question is, what do you want to accomplish with your reviews, if anything.
If you're writing reviews for your own sake and for entertainment, then who cares? Rate how ever you wish. If you're reviewing with the purpose of building up an audience/"influencing", then I would think honesty is the best policy. It's fine not to rate everything 4-5 stars, as long as you're able to showcase the positive and negative aspects equally. I would even argue the same is the case if you're reviewing to promote an author's work - anything else is a disservice to said author.
There's a reason literary reviewers and book critics don't generally use star-ratings.

Okay, "rant" over. Sorry 😅
Welcome once again to the group, Nadine! 😊
Wishing you the best on your reading journey. I hope you have lots of fun and discover some phenomenal books in 2025.

PS. Please note whenever I've used the pronoun "you", I obviously don't mean you specifically, but the generic "you".

hi i'm juls, i'm an italian reader. I usually read romance (romcom) and fantasy (also romantasy) but i want also to read more books from different genres.
My goal is 100 books. In 2024 i read 130 books (i read also on wattpad so i can't log them in gr).
My other interests are F1, taylor swift, tv series

Hello everyone!

My name is Charlotte, I am 25 years old and come from Norway.
I love reading historical fiction, crime and I’m weak for cliche romantic novels.

I found this group through other members joining, and I’m really excited to be a part of this community with fellow readers🫶🏼

Hope you all have a wonderful new year🥰

Welcome, Juls and Charlotte! 👋
We're so happy you've decided to join our group, and hope you have a phenomenal reading year.

Take a look around, and join any challenges or other activities that sound appealing. Wishing you both the best of luck with your literary journeys in 2025.
Hopefully the year brings fantastic books into your lives😊 .

Happy New Year! 🎆

Hi everyone, I'm new to this group and am from Tasmania, Australia. I love to read almost any genre but particularly love contemporary, classics and smart thrillers.

I love the feel of a real book in my hand but have also started reading e-books as well as it's so much easier to travel with my iPad rather than lugging multiple books around.

I've read 1 book so far this year and have set myself the goal of reading 150! I'm looking forward to chatting and getting to know you all

Diane wrote: "Hi! I'm Diane. I'm a 55 year old woman living in Maine in the U.S. I read everything I could get my hands on, and I read it fast when I was a kid. In my late 20's, I developed an issue that resul..."

Audiobooks are fabulous. My son has a dyslexic cluster and has a few processing issues (but is very bright) and finds audiobooks the best. In high school I borrowed every assigned novel for him on CDs so he could listen and then read it separately. He also didn't have binocular vision until he did Vision Therapy--that helped him be able to read with both eyes but didn't fix everything. However you got your reading processing issues, it's great that you've found audiobooks :)

Hello I’m Amber from Australia but living in Bristol, UK. I love to read all kinds of books and am a part of three book clubs which gives me a huge variety. I enjoy listening to biography audiobooks however they have to be narrated by the author. My goal for 2025 is 52 books! That was my goal for 2024 also and I just made it!

Hola! My name is Chris and I’m looking to eat some books up like Pac-Man. I am a former teacher living in Moab, Utah. I typically read a few books a month, but hoping to expand my horizons a bit as I usually read nonfiction.

hi everyone.

i'm omar and i'm from brazil. one of my main focuses this year is to bring back my love (or just wake it up) for reading and try to improve my english skills, you know.

i love thriller books and some fantasy too.

feel free to send a friend request and exchange some recommendations. :)

Hello, fellow book lovers! I'm Noor, an English Major with a passion for romance, Japanese, and Korean cozy reads.
After taking a break from classics (those tears were real!), I'm excited to dive back in and explore more literary worlds.

Looking forward to sharing my reading adventures with you all!

(My name is Rena(short for LoRena). I live in Iowa. I did this challenge before at least once but I dunno I must have had a different password and email. I can check that people out and see what I can do. I love Christian books and self help books. Thanks for reading!

My goal of books is at least 50. I did pretty bad last year. I didn’t keep track and I can’t remember why.
-LoRena

Hey my name is Gavin from Louisiana. Mostly I like to read Christian, history, business, or self-help books but I’m open to branching out into different genres. Hoping this year I actually stick to my goal of reading 12 books.

Happy New Year, everyone ! 👋
We're thrilled to see so many new faces, and excited to welcome you all to the group! Can't wait to get to know everyone better. 😊

I see many great and inspiring reading goals for the new year. May you all have a phenomenal 2025 that is filled with the best reading experiences where you encounter lots of new favorite books.

If you have any questions or need help with anything, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Happy reading! 📚

Hello everyone Shankari here from Bombay. I hope to resume my reading habit which was quite disturbed lately. I am excited to explore new generes and ucoming read. Feels great to join this community and I hope to complete my reading challenge for the year with this club.

Shankari wrote: "Hello everyone Shankari here from Bombay. I hope to resume my reading habit which was quite disturbed lately. I am excited to explore new generes and ucoming read. Feels great to join this communit..."

Welcome to our group, Shankari! 👋
Wishing you the best of luck with rediscovering your love and interest of reading. Hopefully the year will be filled with lots of phenomenal books.

Happy reading! 📚

Hey y’all! My name is Birty and I live in southern North Carolina near the Atlantic Ocean. I read a variety of genres but am trying to add more nonfiction to my lists. I am also doing a reading challenge through my church that includes more socio-cultural readings from a prescribed reading list. My goal is 200+ books for 2025.

Hello Everyone, I’m Melanie. I’m new to GoodReads and to this group. I’m having lots of fun figuring it all out. I kinda feel like, as a book-lover (nerd,) I’ve finally found my home where there are other people like me. Yay!

I live in Michigan with my hubby and our two teenaged sons. We also have three dogs so there is rarely a dull moment in my life. Reading is my escape from it all. I especially love audiobooks because I can listen to them while also getting things (like dinner and dishes) done. I’m a teacher by trade but currently not working due to some pretty significant health challenges I’ve been facing. Did I mention reading is my escape from it all?

Last year I managed to read 55 books, which made me feel pretty proud. This year I set my goal at 48 but I actually hope to read many more than that. I’m enjoying reading all of your introductions and am super happy to be here.

👋Hello, I’m Kate. I’m from Utah,USA. I am kind of a beginner book lover and reader. In elementary and highschool i only read what was absolutely necessary for classes but i was a picky reader and never read alot. Since becoming a parent I’ve been exploring my interests and I’ve been challenging my comfort zone. I started reading for fun last year in September 2024. Since then I have noticed that I am more creative and inspired after reading. I enjoy adventure, fantasy, fairytales, and clean romance. I also enjoy some non-fiction books in the self improvement, themed recipe books, and art categories.

Birty wrote: "Hey y’all! My name is Birty and I live in southern North Carolina near the Atlantic Ocean. I read a variety of genres but am trying to add more nonfiction to my lists. I am also doing a reading cha..."

Welcome Birty! 👋
That's such an inspiring goal. Every year I set out to read more non-fiction, but it doesn't always go as well as I would like. Are there any areas you're more interested than others? Or is it just a broadening in general non-fiction?

Have a fantastic year. Happy reading!

Melba wrote: "Hello Everyone, I’m Melanie. I’m new to GoodReads and to this group. I’m having lots of fun figuring it all out. I kinda feel like, as a book-lover (nerd,) I’ve finally found my home where there ar..."

Aww, that's such a heartwarming sentiment.
Welcome to our group, Melanie! 👋 We're so happy to have you. 🤗

I'm really sorry to hear you're having health issues. Best wishes as you recover in 2025.
Congratulations on your achievement in 2024! Do you have any favorites from last year that you'd recommend?

Wishing you all the best on your reading journey in 2025. I hope it's filled with some phenomenal books that offer lots of enjoyment and escapism.
Goof luck with your goals, and Happy reading!

Kate wrote: "👋Hello, I’m Kate. I’m from Utah,USA. I am kind of a beginner book lover and reader. In elementary and highschool i only read what was absolutely necessary for classes but i was a picky reader and n..."

Hi Kate 👋 Welcome!
Wishing you the best of luck with your reading journey, in 2025, as you explore and broaden your reading tastes.

I'd encourage you to check out our buddy reads if you enjoy book discussions. There is a bit of every genre you mentioned, except fairytales (I think), happening in January. Also, we're currently reading The Spellshop as the group read this month. Come join if it sounds like something you might enjoy 😊.

Have a fantastic 2025.
Happy reading!

Hello, my name is Ivana, I’m from Slovakia and i have 27 years. Friends call me Ivy, so you can do as well 😊 I like to read mostly non-fiction and educational books that help me understand wtf i going on in this sicko world 😁 Yet, i still dont have the answer , so i guess i just have to keep reading. I set up my goal for 11 book this year, but i hope it is going to be more. Nice to meet you all!

Hello! I am a little late but.. Happy New Year!
(I apologize beforehand if there is any grammar mistake)
I`m Lia from Brazil and an avid reader. I like to read romance (not a huge fan of historical romance though). I joined the group to find a supportive community of fellow readers (there is a lack of it in my area) and to focus my reading on the challenges (I tend to wander a little).
I hope you all have a great year full of fantastical books!

Hello, I am Porg. I've been getting back into reading more during this winter break so I joined because I want somewhere to track what I'm doing this year, basically to use this site as it was actually intended to be used. My favourite genre is fantasy. Some of my favourite series are Throne of Glass, Six of Crows, and Shades of Magic, though my favourite book of all time is Vicious by V.E. Schwab.

I'm keeping expectations low again this year with a reading goal of 20 books. I would love to read more but I don't want to overwhelm myself especially when school is always trying to take all my time. Anyways I am hoping that I can finally regain my insane reading capabilities this year

Hello all, Heather from Maine in the northeast. Next to Quebec and New Brunswick. I read just about everything, except horror, yes I know Steven King is from Maine.

I read a lot of biography and love a great story. My favorite read last year was Frozen River.

Hi, I'm Eugenia, Oregon, USA. I usually read for my Ukrainian online bookclubs. but sometimes, I have time, and read some English books.

Hi I’m Corinna, I live in Takeley which is about 6 miles from Stansted Airport.

I’m turning 60 in April and only started reading seriously in the last 5 years. Last year I managed 21 books, so have set my target at 20 for this one.

My mum was a literature snob and put me off reading, I don’t like flowery, overly descriptive language or having to analyse/look for hidden meanings in what I read. I try to mix up my books, read a page turner, then a story about women’s relationships, a romance, bit of crime etc. I’m a big fan of Kristin Hannah, Lucinda Riley, Jody Picoult & Imogen Clerk.

I’ve never joined a book club before as I don’t read overly quickly and always afraid of not reaching the end in time! But this year I am replacing social media scrolling with Kindle time.

I’m looking for inspiration, a bit of online chat about books, nothing too heavy!! 😊

Hi! Alizae here from Ohio. Im a 23 year old mom to a beautiful 3 year old boy. Im also a full time teacher, but read smut in my downtime😂 Ive recently gotten a kindle and am hoping that helps to increase my reading speed as Im kind’ve a slow reader right now.

hi! Kym from Indiana, 45, and I love my book fetish! I stick to the fantasy genre almost exclusively. Big fan of Fourth Wing and ACOTAR. I enjoy reading challenges that don't make me read outside my genre.

Ivana wrote: "Hello, my name is Ivana, I’m from Slovakia and i have 27 years. Friends call me Ivy, so you can do as well 😊 I like to read mostly non-fiction and educational books that help me understand wtf i go..."

Nice to meet you, Ivy! 👋
Are there any genres of non-fiction you gravitate most towards?

There are many things that could've come to mind, but for reason I was reminded of a song called "Que Pasa" by Colombian artist Juanes, which doesn't really help you if you don't understand Spanish, I guess, unless you translate the lyrics, but the song talks about the state of the world, particularly the prevalence of war, violence, and lack of love.
The lyrics convey a sense of questioning and seeking understanding, as Juanes tries to make sense of the chaos and darkness surrounding him, and expresses his desire for a more compassionate and empathetic society, where love and understanding prevail over hatred and conflict.

Good luck learning more about all that's wrong in the world. It's certainly not a short list of issues. I'm curious to seeing what books you'll be reaching for in 2025 to help you figure it out.
Happy reading!

Hey! My name is Maddie and I’m from the Cincy area. I’ve graduated college recently and finally have time to get back into reading!

I love fantasy / romance stories. The plan for this year is to read 50 books. I don’t really have specific genre targets, though I would like to read at least 5 nonfiction books. It’s so nice to meet you all!

Lia wrote: "Hello! I am a little late but.. Happy New Year!
(I apologize beforehand if there is any grammar mistake)
I`m Lia from Brazil and an avid reader. I like to read romance (not a huge fan of historica..."

Happy New Year to you aswell, Lia!
I mean, traditionally it is still Christmastide until the 6th of January, so in my world it's also perfectly appropriate to wish a Happy New Year until at least the 12th. 😊

I think you've definitely joined the perfect group to achieve what you're looking for. It's certainly helped me.
I recommend checking out the buddy reads and/or group read for the community, and collective discussion aspect, as well as the challenges to stay motivated each month, in a fun way.

Wishing you a fantastic reading journey in 2025!
Happy reading!

Porg wrote: "Hello, I am Porg. I've been getting back into reading more during this winter break so I joined because I want somewhere to track what I'm doing this year, basically to use this site as it was actu..."

Hi, Porg - Welcome! 👋
Out of pure curiosity, do you mainly read YA fantasy, or was it just coincidental that the ones you mentioned were all YA? 😊

Wishing you al the best on your reading journey in the new year. I hope you discover lots of enjoyable books, and manage to expand your list of favorites even more.

Here's to 20 (or more) phenomenal books!
Happy reading 📚

Heather wrote: "Hello all, Heather from Maine in the northeast. Next to Quebec and New Brunswick. I read just about everything, except horror, yes I know Steven King is from Maine.

I read a lot of biography and ..."

Welcome to our group, Heather! 👋

It's good to know your own tastes and boundaries - even when it's "just" reading.
We can't necessarily all enjoy the same genres, or to the same degree. Like, you mentioned reading biographies. which is by far my personal least read genre. 🤷‍♀️
The beauty of being such an eclectic group, is that everyone enjoys different genres, reads at different speeds, languages, whatever, and yet we all unite for one common interest in an open, friendly, and non-judgmental way.

May you have a phenomenal 2025. Good luck reaching your goals.
Happy reading!

Hello My name is Morgan from Long Beach, California. This year I want to read more so I can be smarter and save money on subscriptions. I tend to make really big challenges for myself without finishing but hopefully I stick with this one. My goal is to read about 50 books this year but if I read 12 I would be happy with myself. When I do read it's usually nonfiction whether it's history or self help. I bought lots of non fiction novels based on the shows and movies I like to watch which is usually historical fiction with an element of magic/fantasy. I also really like listening to classic fairy tales. Currently I am reading "The Story of Britain" by Roy Strong and I have barely cracked the ice. So I also hope to read a ton of classics because those are also something I love. Any way Happy New years

Hi I'm Beth from NC, currently residing in SC. I will read pretty much anything but I tend to lean towards thrillers and horror. I read 120 books last year, but I didn't feel accomplished because I did not enjoy a lot of the books. I have NEVER DNF'd a book because I find myself incapable of just walking away from an unfinished story. I want to change that this year and focus more on the qulaity of books I am reading. With that being said I am going to set my goal at 100 just so i dont get too picky.


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Hi! I'm Mia from MS, but close to Memphis, TN. I will try any genre, but my favorites are usually fantasy and romance. I read 177 books last year, but my goal this year is to slow down a bit and be more picky about what books I read. I am a serial DNFer and kinda proud of it haha. Life is too short and there are too many options to keep reading a book you don't love!

Hi! I'm Annie, currently residing in New York City. My reading goal is (as always) 12 books a year. Somehow before I knew it I have a backlog of books on my shelves and I should really get to that.

I just hit 30 recently, and that plus several other life events have thrown me into an extended existential crisis that I'm attempting to navigate by delving into more literary fiction. But mostly I tend to pick up books based on story blurbs or cover. I did join a local book club, but I'm also hoping to be able to buddy read in a smaller group setting where it's hopefully less overwhelming.

Hello, I’m CJ.

I’m primarily live in Key West in the winter and travel via camper van RV around North America. I enjoy crime themed books, murder mysteries, biographies and sometimes romance. My reading goal for 2025 is 45 books. I look forward to events and reading of this group.