2025 Reading Challenge discussion
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ARCHIVE: Monthly Challenges
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Bonus Challenge - Rock the Vote

Cassie - 1/2
Catka - 5/5 - challenge completed!
Crystal - 3/2 - challenge completed!
Dominique - 4/4 - challenge completed!
☀︎Elena In Oz☀︎ - 0/2
Ilona - 4/4 - challenge completed!
Janine - 7/4 - challenge completed!
Jeannine - 4/4 - challenge completed!
Kelly - 0/2
Lulu - 7/6 - challenge completed!
Lynn - 0/2
Margie - 8/7 - challenge completed!
Megan - 14/10 - challenge completed!
Megan (msg 48) - 3/4
Nicole - 4/3 - challenge completed!
oshizu - 8/6 - challenge completed!
Rachael - 1/1 - challenge completed!
Sarah - 9/9 - challenge completed!
SarahKat - 2/2 - challenge completed!
Sunshine - 0/3
Tara - 5/2 - challenge completed!
Tasha☺ - 0/2
TerryJane - 12/3 - challenge completed!

Children/Middle:
- Reading - To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer - completed November 2019
- Have Read - none
- Opening Round Vote - To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
- Semi Vote - To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
YA Fantasy/Sci Fi:
- Reading - Wilder Girls by Rory Power, Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte - completed November 2019
- Have Read - Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
- Opening Round Vote - Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard - entire series is sooooo good!
- Semi Vote - Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
YA Fiction:
- Reading - With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo - completed December 2019
- Have Read - On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
- Opening Round Vote - On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
- Semi Vote - On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Debut:
- Reading - My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
- Have Read - When All Is Said by Anne Griffin, Miracle Creek by Angie Kim,
- Opening Round Vote - When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
- Semi Vote - When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
History/Bio:
- Reading - The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold - completed November 2019; Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe - completed December 2019
- Have Read - none
- Opening Round Vote - The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
- Semi Vote - The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
Memoir:
- Reading - How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land - completed November 2019
- Have Read - Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden
- Opening Round Vote - Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness (Because I love him!)
- Semi Vote - Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land
Nonfiction:
- Reading - She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
- Have Read - Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
- Opening Round Vote - Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
- Semi Vote - Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
Humor:
- Reading - Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis - completed November 2019
- Have read - none
- Opening Round Vote - Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis
- Semi vote - Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis
Horror:
- Reading - The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman
- Have Read - The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
- Opening Round Vote - The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
- Semi Vote - The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
Sci Fi:
- Reading - The Deep by Rivers Solomon - completed November 2019
- Have Read - Dark Age by Pierce Brown
- Opening Round Vote - Dark Age by Pierce Brown
- Semi Vote - Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Romance:
- Reading - The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - completed November 2019
- Have Read - The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves, The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
- Opening Round Vote - The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, but The Girl He Used to Know by Tracy Garvis Graves was very close
- Semi Vote - The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Fantasy:
- Reading - Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - completed November 2019
- Have read - The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
- Opening Round Vote - The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden - loved this entire series!!!
- Semi Vote - The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Historical Fiction:
- Reading - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
- Have read - The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Opening Round Vote - The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
- Semi Vote - The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
Mystery/Thriller:
- Reading - The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware - completed November 2019, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - completed November 2019, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite - completed November 2019
- Have Read - An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
- Opening Round Vote - The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
- Semi Vote - My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Fiction:
- Reading - Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane - completed November 2019
- Have Read - When All Is Said by Anne Griffin, The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
- Opening Round Vote - When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
- Semi Vote - When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
14/10 - challenge completed!

Megan, I can't wait to see (and borrow from) your reading list. :)
Disclaimer: I don't usually make an effort to read the latest books, so this is my first try.
Please sign me up for 6 books. I have "emulated" our challenge leader Megan's fabulous format, which is so organized and clear!
Progress: 8/6
FICTION
✔️Reading: Red at the Bone (Round 2)
✔️Reading: Lost Children Archive (Round 1 write-in)
Have Read: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (Jul)
MYSTERY
✔️Reading: The Lost Man (Round 1, 2, 3 votes)
Have Read: My Sister, the Serial Killer
HISTORICAL FICTION
📌Reading: The Water Dancer (Round 1, 2, 3 votes)
Reading The Nickel Boys
FANTASY
✔️Reading: A Brightness Long Ago (Round 1 write-in)
✔️Reading: Gods of Jade and Shadow
Have Read: Black Leopard, Red Wolf (Round 2 , 3 votes)
SCIENCE FICTION
📌This Is How You Lose the Time War: DNF
Have Read: Recursion (Round 1, 2, 3 votes)
Have Read: Gideon the Ninth
NONFICTION
📌Reading: The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays
My Vote:
MEMOIR & AUTOBIOGRAPHY
✔️Reading: In the Dream House: A Memoir (Round 1, 2) votes
Have read: none
HISTORY & BIOGRAPHY
✔️Reading: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland (Round 1, 2, and 3 votes)
FOOD & COOKBOOKS
✔️Reading: Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir (Round 1, 2, 3 votes)
BEST DEBUT NOVEL
📌Reading: The Water Dancer (Round 1, 2 votes)
Have Read: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Have Read: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
YA FICTION
Have Read: With the Fire on High (Round 1, 2 votes)
Member's Corner link
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Edited: raised goal to 4 books
4/4
Fiction
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood ★★★★☆
✔ The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion ★★★★/☆☆ (Write In Round 1)
Historical Fiction
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert ★★☆☆☆
Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly ★★★★★ (Voted Round 2)
✔ Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris ★★★★☆ (Write In Round 1)
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Fantasy
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden ★★★★☆ (Voted Round 1)
✔ The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Voted Round 2, 3)
Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Science Fiction
To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers ★★★★☆ (Voted Round 1, 2)
Romance/ Best Debut Novel
✔ Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston ★★★★☆ (Voted Round 1, 2, 3)
YA Fiction
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas ★★★☆☆
NF
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
YA Fiction
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

Duration: October 30, 2019-December 4, 2019
4/4
1. The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff Best Historical 19/11/19 2 stars
2. Recursion by Blake Crouch Best Science Fiction 11/17/19 5 stars
3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Nominee for best Mystery debut novel
11/8/19 3 stars
4. Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts 11/12/19 4 stars
An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks Best Mystery and Thriller
4. The Wicked King by Holly Black - Best YA Fantasy and Science Fiction

Megan, I can't wait to see (and borrow from) your reading list. :)
Please si..."
I look forward to seeing what you read, too!

Not sure. Last year it was 10/30, so hopefully this week.

9/9-Challenge Completed
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2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

I'm not the Challenge Leader, obviously, but I was planning to list the nominees I've read this year in my sign-up post without counting them toward this challenge.
I look forward to Megan's thoughts on this question.

Only books that you haven't read previously would count towards the challenge, but definitely tell us which ones you have read and what you thought! If the voting follows the same schedule as last year, there will only be one week for the first round of votes, so we'll need all the insight to make appropriate selections!

3/2
Already Read:
The Silent Patient- This was a good book and kept me guessing.
Happiness Is Baking: Cakes, Pies, Tarts, Muffins, Brownies, Cookies: Favorite Desserts from the Queen of Cake
Ideas:
The Turn of the Key
I'll Never Tell (own)
An Anonymous Girl
The Starless Sea
The Institute
The Twisted Ones
The Remaking- own
The Invited
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
Book Love
The Secrets We Kept- own

Unfortunately, I did not succeed in finding the dates, Goodreads is completely silent about it.

Someone put this link in the discussion below, it seems to be from Goodreads Librarians and says the awards will be launched on Nov 5
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thank you for the listopia link. It supports what I've already learned from my Group Read and Buddy Read nominations: my book choices are not very popular. LOL
I also nosed around for info about when the 2019 nominees would be posted. In both 2017 and 2018, they were announced on Oct 30.
Edited to add: Thank you for sharing the Nov 5 start date, Catka!

I understand that each of the 21 (?) categories will consist of 15 nominees chosen by Goodreads plus the top 5 write-in votes.
My remaining question:
Do I need to vote for each category that interests during the first round in order to continue voting in that category for subsequent rounds?

Duration: October 30, 2019-December 10, 2019
Progress: 12/3
NOMINEES READ DURING VOTING ROUNDS
1. A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II History & Biography
2. Southern Lady Code Humor
3. The Silent Patient Mystery & Thriller; Debut Novel
4. How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems Science
5. Things You Save in a Fire Romance
6. American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century Nonfiction
7. Book Love Graphic Novels & Comics
8. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home Memoir & Autobiography
9. Plant-Based on a Budget: Delicious Vegan Recipes for Under $30 a Week, for Less Than 30 Minutes a Meal Food & Cookbooks
10. The Test Science Fiction
11. The Huntress Historical Fiction
12. The Lost Girls of Paris Historical Fiction
NOMINEES READ PRIOR TO VOTING ROUNDS
An Anonymous Girl Mystery & Thriller
Daisy Jones & The Six Historical Fiction
Five Feet Apart Young Adult Fiction
Finale Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction

Lol, I know, right? I keep finishing books I was "saving" for Rock the Vote.

Updated 11/6/19 - I'd like to change my goal to 7 books. Some possibilities below (to be determined by the whims of the library hold list):
GR Choice TBR - 10/7
✔︎Mystery/Thriller: The Mother-in-Law ★★★★
Historical Fiction: The Dutch House
Fantasy: The Starless Sea
✔︎Romance: The Flatshare ★★★★
Science Fiction: The Test
Humor: Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living Your Best Life
✔︎Nonfiction: She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement ★★★★★
Nonfiction: The Witches Are Coming
✔︎Nonfiction: Thick: And Other Essays ★★★★★
Nonfiction: How to Be an Antiracist
Memoir & Autobiography: How We Fight For Our Lives
Memoir & Autobiography: In the Dream House: A Memoir
Memoir & Autobiography: Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me
Science & Technology: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
✔︎Science & Technology: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle* ★★
Food & Cookbooks: Midnight Chicken: & Other Recipes Worth Living For
✔︎Food & Cookbooks: Zaitoun: Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen ★★★ 1/2
Food & Cookbooks: Burn the Place: A Memoir
✔︎Food & Cookbooks: Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over ★★★
✔︎Graphic Novels & Comics: Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations ★★★★★
Debut: The Water Dancer
✔︎Debut: When All Is Said
✔︎Middle Grade: The Strangers ★★★
Have Read:
Fiction: Fleishman Is in Trouble - DNF
Fiction: Normal People - meh
Fiction: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - liked/didn't love but glad I read it
Fiction: Lanny - loved it
Mystery/Thriller: Disappearing Earth - a favorite read this year (but I think readers will be disappointed if they're looking for a typical thriller).
Mystery/Thriller: My Sister, the Serial Killer - not for me.
Historical Fiction: The Nickel Boys - excellent.
Fantasy: Magic for Liars - Enjoyable
Romance: Sapphire Flames - I'll read anything by Ilona Andrews. This new direction in the series was great, but start at the beginning. I'd call it urban fantasy with a romantic story line.
Nonfiction: The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays Highly recommend
My Votes:
Final:
Mystery & Thriller: Disappearing Earth
Historical Fiction: The Nickel Boys
Romance: The Flatshare
Nonfiction: She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement
Semi-Final Round (in progress):
Fiction: Lanny
Mystery & Thriller: Disappearing Earth
Opening Round:
Mystery/Thriller: Disappearing Earth

I just noticed that the Goodreads Choice Awards voting schedule has been posted, although the nominees aren't announced yet.
https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward...

Voting Schedule
Opening Round Nov. 5 - 10
Semifinal Round Nov. 12 - 17
Final Round Nov. 19 -
Dec. 2
Winners Announced Dec. 10

I'm going to tentatively sign up for 2, but may change when I see the lists!
Top picks from different sections / the ones I have the quickest access to:
Historical Fiction
The Giver of Stars
Lost Roses DNF
The Island of Sea Women
Fantasy
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
The Starless Sea
Ninth House
Non-Fiction
Three Women
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement
Parkland: Birth of a Movement
Memoir and Autobiography
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive
Know My Name
History and Biography
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper - FINISHED 11/27
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
Best Debut
Queenie
A Woman Is No Man
Young Adult Fiction
The Fountains of Silence
Frankly in Love
Young Adult Fantasy and SciFi
The Toll
Four Dead Queens

When I checked the Goodreads Choice Awards page just now, there's a new message:
Opening Round begins in 6h 32m
I hope that means....something.

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (I listened to this on audio and LOVED it!!!)
There are so many of these that I would love to read:
-Maid by Stephanie Land is our book club book this month so I already have that from the library.
-I already have 'The Overdue Life of Amy Byler' and 'Where the Forest Meets the Stars' on my Kindle Fire.
-I have been patiently waiting for 'The Starless Sea' and should get notice from my library hopefully any day now.
-and 13 others on my first pass through the nominees list!

Progress: 5/5
Fiction:
Reading:
✔️ The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms ★★★★★
✔️ Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams ★★☆☆☆
Have read: When All Is Said ★★★☆☆
Vote for: The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms
Historical Fiction:
Reading: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Have read: The Huntress by Kate Quinn ★★★★★
The Night Tiger ★★★☆☆
Vote for: The Huntress by Kate Quinn (my absolute winner of this year)
Romance:
✔️ Reading: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang ★★★★☆
Have read: The Girl He Used to Know ★★☆☆☆
Vote for: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Science Fiction:
Reading: (maybe) Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
Have read: -
Vote for:
Humor:
✔️ Reading: Riding the Elephant: A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations by Craig Ferguson ★★★★★
✔️ Life Will Be the Death of Me: . . . and You Too! by Chelsea Handler (no rating)
Have read: -
Vote for: Riding the Elephant: A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations by Craig Ferguson
Debut Novel:
Reading:
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams ★★☆☆☆
Have read: When All Is Said ★★★☆☆
Vote for: none of the above
I have already read four of the nominees, but can heartily recommend only one, which was by far apart in quality of writing and storytelling and also its depth: The Huntress by Kate Quinn. It is my personal winner and favourite of this year, regardless of which will be the actual one. my review here

7/6
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Extra: 7.





Maybe:
Where the Forest Meets the Stars (Fiction)
Normal People (Fiction)
The Deep (Sci Fi)
Mooncakes (Graphic Novels & Comics)
Birthday (YA Fiction)
Serpent & Dove (YA Fantasy)
Nominated books I've already read: (view spoiler) ["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

1. Finale by Stephanie Garber
2. Supernova by Marissa Meyer
Trying to finish off some series

Nov 28 update:
Updating my total to 4. So far I've read 3/4




If I write in a nominee as my vote but it doesn't appear in Round 2 of the voting, may I still count it for this challenge or not?
A Brightness Long Ago has an average rating of 4.2 stars, which is higher than some of the Round 1 nominees. I guess it fell behind in the quantity of ratings...
However you choose to decide is fine with me. It is a beautiful book and I don't regret reading it. :)

Already read: Meet Cute, Paper Girls, Vol. 5, Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos, They Called Us Enemy, SHOUT, The Princess and the Fangirl
Read for the Challenge:
Southern Lady Code
I Wish You All the Best
The Undefeated
Pumpkinheads
4/3


Thank you, Megan. I'm happy to hear that I'm not the only one!
I'm still 40 pages from finishing it, but I sent a write-in vote for the book, anyway.

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Books mentioned in this topic
I Wish You All the Best (other topics)The Undefeated (other topics)
Pumpkinheads (other topics)
Southern Lady Code (other topics)
Miracle Creek (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Erin Morgenstern (other topics)Kelly Harms (other topics)
Jojo Moyes (other topics)
Candice Carty-Williams (other topics)
Kate Quinn (other topics)
More...
Duration: October 30, 2019-December 10, 2019
Goodreads Choice 2019 is just around the corner! Let's participate not only by voting but also by logging as many of these GR Choice Nominees as possible. Just indicate how many books you want to read to participate in the challenge and let us know if you read any of the winners!
Megan will be leading this challenge