The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge discussion

🍂 September Mini Challenge: Fall Into a Bookish Routine
Duration: 1-Sep-2025 to 30-Sep-2025

Theme: Celebrate the back-to-school and cozy September energy by reading books that spark curiosity, nostalgia, or a sense of new beginnings—just like Rory gearing up for a new semester at Chilton (or Yale!).

Goal: Read 1–3 books this month that fit at least one of the prompts below. No rush; it’s about enjoying the start of fall with a literary twist.

Prompts: Pick books that…

• Nostalgia Trip – Remind you of high school or college life (Rory’s journals, school settings, or coming-of-age stories).
• Back-to-School Reads – Feature a classroom, campus, or learning-focused plotline.
• Autumn Aesthetic – Fall vibes: crunchy leaves, coffee mugs, cozy sweaters, or small-town charm.
• Curious Mind – Feature a character with a big love of books, research, or intellectual curiosity (bonus if they live in a town like Stars Hollow!).
• Friendship & Coffee – Centers around friendships, conversations, or “coffee shop deep talks” moments.

Optional Twist: Pair one physical book and one audiobook to capture Rory’s multitasking reading style.

How to Share:
• Post your first book and which prompt it fits.
• Update with additional books as you go.
• Share a favorite quote, fun anecdote, or just your cozy fall reading mood.

R

Autumn Aesthetic - Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Nostalgia Trip - The Summer I Turned Pretty

For the Friendship (but not really coffee), currently reading A litte Life (I want to cry so badly)

Back-to-School Reads - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Friendship & Coffee - My Friends by Fredrik Backman

The Night Watchman, Louise Erdrich - A Curious Mind

(Several curious minds actually, and could also tick most of these mini-challenges this month in one way or another.)

Curious mind - The blind assassin by Margaret Atwood features the narrator talking about their sister who's an author and contains the actual book written by them. It's set in a small town in Canada!

I'm in!!!! First book down already- As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson, this one is kinda nostalgic for me, and also autumn aesthetic and curious mind, not exactly cozy but a great book. 4.5 stars, nothing compares to the OG AGGGTM! Starting the second wich is Jane Eyre again not exactly the coziest and we were already reading it for the non-mini-challenge but... I think it counts for the Back-to-School reads. Next book up is Different Seasons by Stephen King. It's 4 short stories and I am reading all but the one that fits into the prompts is The Body because it is nostalgic. "I've never had friends like when I was twelve, Jesus does anyone"