2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2020
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The Quest of Rachael Readsalot continues (101+ in 2020)
24. The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Neil Gaiman16 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (16/20+), Genre Jammin' (13/30)
Why I read this: FREE Neil Gaiman short stories
PASS
Books TBR = 396
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***Overall goal increased to 85***
25. A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman9 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (17/30+)
Why I read this: another free short story by Neil Gaiman
PASS
Books TBR = 395
26. How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman11 pages
Rating = 3 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (18/30+)
Why I read this: yet another Neil Gaiman short story
PASS
Books TBR = 394
27. Feather & Nettle by H.S.J. WilliamsRating = 4 stars
Challenges: Kind of a Big Deal (19/30+), Genre Jammin' (14/30)
Why I read this: it sounded interesting
PASS
Books TBR = 394
28. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens521 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (14/36), Kind of a Big Deal (20/30+), Book Club (3/7, goal increased), Meet Us at the Bookshop (10/8), TBR twins
Why I read this: it was my March TBR pick
PASS
Books TBR = 393
29. Witchsign by Den Patrick464 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (13/30), Mount TBR (15/36), Clear the Shelves (9/30), TBR Jar (3/10), Genre Jammin' (15/30)
Why I read this: it's the start of a fantasy series inspired by Scandinavia/Norse mythology which felt so refreshing
KEEP
Books TBR = 394 (I took advantage of some free audible stories.)
30. The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo (narrated by Lauren Fortgang)Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Kind of a Big Deal (21/30+), Genre Jammin' (16/30)
Why I read this: it's too quiet working from home so I decided to listen to an audiobook. That's one perk of lockdown
PASS
Books TBR = 393
31. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne225 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (16/36)
Why I read this: there are travel restrictions in real life so I read about an extraordinary fictional voyage
PASS(partout 😉)
Books TBR = 392
PROGRESS REPORTNumber of books read = 31/85
Let's Turn Pages: 9,200/30,000 pages
Serial Reader: 13/30
Mount TBR: 16/36
Clear the Shelves: 9/30
TBR Jar: 3/10
Kind of a Big Deal: 21/30+
Genre Jammin': 16/30
Book Club: 3/7
Meet Us at the Bookshop: 10/8
Longest Book: The Well of Ascension (781 pages)
Shortest Book: A Study in Emerald (9 pages)
Best Book: The Case of the Somewhat Mythic Sword
Worst Book: Fools and Mortals
32. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch396 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (14/30), Mount TBR (17/36), TBR Jar (4/10), Genre Jammin' (17/30)
Why I read this: I've heard a lot about it
KEEP
Books TBR = 391
33. The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame (narrated by Anton Lesser)96 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (22/30+), Genre Jammin' (18/30)
Why I read this: I was listening to an audiobook as I worked from home
KEEP
Books TBR = 390
34. Cinder by Marissa Meyer400 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review previously written
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (15/40*), Genre Jammin' (19/40*)
Why I read this: part of the Lunar Chronicles
[* goals increased]
KEEP
Books TBR = 394 (I just downloaded the rest of this series which I will be reading next)
Books TBR = 397More audiobooks added to listen to as I work from home
35. The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo (narrated by Lauren Fortgang)Rating = 5 stars with review
Challenges: Kind of a Big Deal (23/30+), Genre Jammin' (20/40)
Why I read this: working at home means I get to listen to audio books
KEEP
Books TBR = 396
36. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer464 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (16/40), Genre Jammin' (21/40), Book Club (4/7), TBR twins
Why I read this: part of the Lunar Chronicles
KEEP
Books TBR = 395
37. The Selfish Giant by Oscar WildeRating = 4 stars
Challenges: Kind of a Big Deal (24/40+*)
Why I read this: without giving too much away, it's a very apt time to be reading this
(* goal increased)
PASS
Books TBR = 395
38. Cress by Marissa Meyer560 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (17/40), Kind of a Big Deal (25/40+), Genre Jammin' (22/40)
Why I read this: part of the Lunar Chronicles
KEEP
Books TBR = 394
39. Fairest by Marissa Meyer272 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (18/40), Genre Jammin' (23/40)
Why I read this: part of the Lunar Chronicles
KEEP
Books TBR = 393
40. Winter by Marissa Meyer833 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (19/40), Kind of a Big Deal (26/40+), Genre Jammin' (24/40)
Why I read this: part of the Lunar Chronicles
KEEP
Books TBR = 393
41. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer400 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Genre Jammin' (25/40)
Why I read this: part of the Lunar Chronicles
KEEP
Books TBR = 392
42. Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly352 pages
Rating = 5 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Genre Jammin' (26/40), Pinspiration (1/12)
Why I read this: I read an extract a few months ago and knew I had to read the rest
KEEP
Books TBR = 391
43. Little Knife by Leigh Bardugo (narrated by Lauren Fortgang)Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Kind of a Big Deal (27/40+), Genre Jammin' (27/40)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
PASS
Books TBR = 391 (one audiobook out, one audiobook in ;))
Books TBR = 393 I received notification that some books on my wishlist had reduced in price by rather a lot*** OVERALL GOAL INCREASED AGAIN TO 90 BOOKS***
44. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman304 pages
Rating = 5 stars with review previously written
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Genre Jammin' (28/40), Pinspiration (2/12)
Why I read this: I was in the mood to reread
KEEP
Books TBR = 393
45. How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell (narrated by David Tennant)Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Serial Reader (20/40), Genre Jammin' (29/40)
Why I read this: I've seen the movie and heard a lot about the book. Bonus, the audio book is narrated by my favourite actor
PASS
Books TBR = 392
46. The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris315 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (21/40), Mount TBR (18/36), Genre Jammin' (30/40), Pinspiration (3/12)
Why I read this: I was still in a Norse mythology mood
PASS
Books TBR = 391
PROGRESS REPORTNumber of books read = 46/90
Let's Turn Pages: 13,703/30,000 pages
Serial Reader: 21/40
Mount TBR: 18/36
Clear the Shelves: 9/30
TBR Jar: 4/10
Kind of a Big Deal: 27/40+
Genre Jammin': 30/40
Book Club: 4/7
Pinspiration 3/12
Longest Book: Winter (833 pages)
Shortest Book: A Study in Emerald (9 pages)
Best Book: Stepsister
Worst Book: Fools and Mortals
47. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir464 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (22/40), Mount TBR (19/36), Genre Jammin' (31/40), Book Club (5/7), buddy read
Why I read this: I've heard a lot about it
PASS
Books TBR = 390
48. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (narrated by Heather Wilds)Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Genre Jammin' (32/40)
Why I read this: another audiobook listened to while I worked from home
PASS
Books TBR = 389
49. Amazing Fantasy (1962) #15: Facsimile Edition by Stan Lee36 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (28/40+)
Why I read this: I keep meaning to read more comic books.
PASS
Books TBR = 389
Books TBR = 391
50. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern498 pages
Rating = 5 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (20/36), Clear the Shelves (10/30), TBR Jar (5/10), Genre Jammin' (33/40), Book Club (6/7), Shiver Me Timbers (1/2)
Why I read this: I really enjoyed Erin Morgenstern's first novel, The Night Circus
KEEP
Books TBR = 390
51. Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen by Serena Valentino259 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (23/40), Mount TBR (21/36), Clear the Shelves (11/30), Genre Jammin' (34/40), Pinspiration (4/12)
Why I read this: I really like fairytale retellings
PASS
Books TBR = 389
Catherine wrote: "You are zooming through these books this year! Glad to see you've rated so many of the ones on my own TBR quite highly, that's promising!I hope more of your reads this year are excellent!"
Thank you very much. Hope your reading challenge is going well and you're enjoying everything you're reading :)
52. Paradise Lost by John Milton (narrated by Ralph Cosham)Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Mount TBR (22/36), Pinspiration (5/12)
Why I read this: lockdown gives me a chance to reduce my tbr pile as I listen to audiobooks while I work. I chose this book because it has inspired, among other works, one of my favourite ever series, His Dark Materials
PASS
Books TBR = 388
53. The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince by Serena Valentino224 pages
Rating = 2 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (24/40), Mount TBR (23/36), Clear the Shelves (12/30), Genre Jammin' (35/40), Pinspiration (6/12)
Why I read this: part of the Disney Villains series
PASS
Books TBR = 387
54. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald64 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (24/36), Kind of a Big Deal (29/40+)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin' to reduce my TBR pile
PASS
Books TBR = 386
I love visiting your personal challenge thread!Last year, I copied you and tried to write a post for every finished book but I gave it up this year.
You are absolutely courageous to track your owned TBRs. (I'm afraid to look at mine...)
I've never been a gambler, but I bet you'll be time-warping to the 101-200 folder before the year's out. 🛸😊
P.S. Your Let's Turn Pages message number is #11.
oshizu wrote: "I love visiting your personal challenge thread!Last year, I copied you and tried to write a post for every finished book but I gave it up this year.
You are absolutely courageous to track your own..."
Thank you!
There's only one problem with my TBR pile, the number of books is going up not down. I have never read so many books this quickly - apparently I'm about 20 books ahead of schedule. Hope your reading challenges are going well! 📖
55. Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch by Serena Valentino208 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (25/40), Mount TBR (25/36), Clear the Shelves (13/30), TBR Jar (6/10), Genre Jammin' (36/40), Pinspiration (7/12), Shiver Me Timbers (2/2)
Why I read this: part of the Disney Villains series
PASS
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DNF: Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch because I'm not continuing the series
PASS
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Books TBR = 387 (I had a gift card to spend and I found out I could use it online)
56. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (narrated by Rachel McAdams)Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Serial Reader (26/40)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin' to reduce my tbr pile
PASS
Books TBR = 387
Books TBR = 390
57. Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know by Hamilton Wright Mabie292 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (26/36), Genre Jammin' (37/50, goal increased)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin' to clear my shelves
PASS
Books TBR = 389
58. The Enchanted Castle by E (Edith) NesbitRating = 4 stars
Challenges: Genre Jammin' (38/50)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
PASS
Books TBR = 388
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Stories on the Go: 101 Very Short Stories by 101 Authors (other topics)Now You See Them (other topics)
The House of Silk (other topics)
Serpentine (other topics)
Monsters of Men (other topics)
More...
Blame Neil Gaiman. He posted links on his Tumblr to some of his short stories that are available to read for free