2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2020
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The Quest of Rachael Readsalot continues (101+ in 2020)
90. The Darkest Goodbye by Alex Gray464 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (40/50), Mount TBR (39/48), Clear the Shelves (18/30), Women of the World (8/12, goal increased)
Why I read this: it was recommended by my dad
PASS
Books TBR = 413
91. Heidi by Johanna SpyriRating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Women of the World (9/12)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
PASS
Books TBR = 412
Bit late in the year but I've just decided to set up a members corner. Still trying to figure out what I'm going to include in it but I do know it's going to be one to carry forward to future years. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Books TBR = 413 A book disappeared from my to-read shelf so I had to re-add it
PROGRESS REPORTNumber of books read = 91/101
Let's Turn Pages: 25,516/30,000 pages
Serial Reader: 40/50
Mount TBR: 39/48
Clear the Shelves: 18/30
TBR Jar: 10/10
Kind of a Big Deal: 36/40+
Genre Jammin': 58/70
Book Club: 7/12
Women of the World: 9/12
Longest Book: Winter (833 pages)
Shortest Book: A Study in Emerald (9 pages)
Best Book: The Starless Sea
Worst Book: The Beast Within
92. Still Dark by Alex Gray400 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (41/50), Mount TBR (40/48), Clear the Shelves (19/30), Women of the World (10/15, goal increased)
Why I read this: it was recommended by my dad
PASS
Books TBR = 412
93. The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark464 pages
Rating = 3 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (41/48), Clear the Shelves (20/30), Women of the World (11/15)
Why I read this: it's a book about books
PASS
Books TBR = 411
94. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley400 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (42/48), Book Club (8/12), Women of the World (12/15), Wildlife Refuge (1/3), buddy read
Why I read this: it was a Secret Santa gift
PASS
Books TBR = 411
95. One Summer in Tuscany by Domenica De RosaRating = 4 stars
Challenges: Women of the World (13/15)
Why I read this: I've read and enjoyed other books by this author when she used a pseudonym (Elly Griffiths)
PASS
Books TBR = 410
Books TBR = 413We're in the midst of a pandemic and I've just bought a dystopian trilogy about an epidemic 🤷
96. The Bees by Laline Paull 353 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Genre Jammin' (59/70), Wildlife Refuge (2/3)
Why I read this: it was mentioned during a literary festival panel I went to a couple of years ago
KEEP
Books TBR = 412
97. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater468 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (42/50), Mount TBR (43/48), Genre Jammin' (60/70), Women of the World (14/15), Wildlife Refuge (3/3), Globetrotting with Wildlife (1/2)
Why I read this: I've heard a lot about it
KEEP
Books TBR = 452 Yes, I now have 452!!! books on my want-to-read shelf. I haven't bought 40 books today but I did another sort out of my shelves. Because I found even more anthologies/collections on my kindle that I decided to split into single books on here. So, I now have a new goal: no more than 500 books on my TBR pile. Wish me luck because books lure me like a siren's call 🤞
Books TBR = 454___
I made a poll. Please can you help me choose one of my books for Quarter 4? It will be open for a month. Thanks :)
98. The Call of the Wild by Jack LondonRating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Wildlife Refuge (4/3)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
PASS
Books TBR = 453
99. Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy836 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (44/48), Kind of a Big Deal (37/40), Women of the World (15/15), Globetrotting with Wildlife (2/2)
Why I read this: I've read a lot by this author
PASS
Books TBR = 452
PROGRESS REPORTNumber of books read = 99/101
Let's Turn Pages: 28,462/30,000 pages
Serial Reader: 42/50
Mount TBR: 44/48
Clear the Shelves: 20/30
Kind of a Big Deal: 37/40
Genre Jammin': 60/70
Book Club: 8/12
Women of the World: 15/15
Wildlife Refuge: 4/3
Globetrotting with Wildlife: 2/2
Longest Book: Light a Penny Candle (836 pages)
Shortest Book: A Study in Emerald (9 pages)
Best Book: The Starless Sea
Worst Book: The Beast Within
100. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules VerneRating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Anything Goes (1/25)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
PASS
Books TBR = 453
101. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith944 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (43/50), Kind of a Big Deal (38/40), Anything Goes (2/25), Serial Slayers (1/5)
Why I read this: part of the Cormoran Strike series
KEEP
Books TBR = 452
🎉🎉Woohoo! I've reached my reading challenge goal with just under three months to go!🎉🎉
Books TBR = 456
102. The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney336 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (44/50), Mount TBR (45/48), Clear the Shelves (21/30), Genre Jammin' (61/70), Anything Goes (3/25)
Why I read this: part of the Wardstone Chronicles
PASS
Books TBR = 455
103. Small Gods by Terry PratchettRating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Serial Reader (45/50), Genre Jammin' (62/70), Book Club (9/12), Anything Goes (4/25), Serial Slayers (2/5)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
PASS
Books TBR = 454
104. The Spook's Curse by Joseph Delaney433 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (46/50), Mount TBR (46/48), Clear the Shelves (22/30), Genre Jammin' (63/70), Anything Goes (5/25), Serial Slayers (3/5)
Why I read this: part of the Wardstone Chronicles
PASS
Books TBR = 453
Books TBR = 456Found some more online freebies I was interested in
105. The Spook's Secret by Joseph Delaney463 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (47/50), Mount TBR (47/48), Clear the Shelves (23/30), Genre Jammin' (64/70), Anything Goes (6/25), Serial Slayers (4/5)
Why I read this: part of the Wardstone Chronicles
PASS
Books TBR = 458 (Dad and I are swapping kindles for a bit as we both have a couple of books we'd like the other to read)
Great challenge keep working hard girl!
106. Alice by Christina Henry304 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (48/60*), Mount TBR (48/60*), Genre Jammin' (65/70), Book Club (10/14*), Anything Goes (7/25)
Why I read this: it's a very dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland
PASS
Books TBR = 458 (November's group read is free on Kindle)
* = goals increased
107. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman336 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (49/60), Anything Goes (8/25)
Why I read this: I briefly swapped kindles with my dad to read this mystery
KEEP
Books TBR = 457
Books TBR = 462 it's beginning to look a lot like... I've just ordered some books which is going to be my Christmas present from my parents
Rachael wrote: "Books TBR = 462 it's beginning to look a lot like... I've just ordered some books which is going to be my Christmas present from my parents"
I'm doing that too. I think my mom just finds it easier to say "please order what books you want and I'll give you the money back." It's also easier than handing her the never-ending list and not knowing where to find said books.
I'm doing that too. I think my mom just finds it easier to say "please order what books you want and I'll give you the money back." It's also easier than handing her the never-ending list and not knowing where to find said books.
Emma wrote: "Rachael wrote: "Books TBR = 462 it's beginning to look a lot like... I've just ordered some books which is going to be my Christmas present from my parents"I'm doing that too. I think my mom just..."
Yes, it is a lot easier. Hope you're okay x
108. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy1,235 pages
Rating = 2 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (49/60), Kind of a Big Deal (39/40), Anything Goes (9/30, goal increased)
Why I read this: I had previously DNF'd this book and wanted to give it one more chance
PASS
Books TBR = 461
109. The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves289 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (50/60), Anything Goes (10/30), Serial Slayers (5/5)
Why I read this: part of the Vera Stanhope series
PASS
Books TBR = 460
PROGRESS REPORTNumber of books read = 109/101
Let's Turn Pages: 32,802/30,000 pages
Serial Reader: 50/60
Mount TBR: 49/60
Clear the Shelves: 23/30
Kind of a Big Deal: 39/40
Genre Jammin': 65/70
Book Club: 10/14
Anything Goes: 10/30
Serial Slayers: 5/5
Longest Book: Anna Karenina (1,235 pages)
Shortest Book: A Study in Emerald (9 pages)
Best Book: The Starless Sea
Worst Book: The Beast Within
110. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik336 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (51/60), Genre Jammin' (66/70), Anything Goes (11/30), Rock the Vote (1/2)
Why I read this: Naomi Novik is one of my favourite authors
KEEP
Books TBR = 459
111. Red Queen by Christina Henry304 pages
Rating = 3 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (52/60), Mount TBR (50/60), Genre Jammin' (67/70), Book Club (11/15, goal increased), Anything Goes (12/30)
Why I read this: part of the Chronicles of Alice
PASS
Books TBR = 458
112. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini939 pages
Rating = 5 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (40/40), Anything Goes (13/30), Zodiac around the World (1/2), Rock the Vote (2/2)
Why I read this: Christopher Paolini is one of my favourite authors
KEEP
Books TBR = 457
113. The Zodiac Killer by W.L Knightly192 pages
Rating = 2 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Serial Reader (53/60), Kind of a Big Deal (41/40), Book Club (12/15), Anything Goes (14/30)
Why I read this: it's this month's group read
PASS
Books TBR = 456
114. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux285 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (51/60), Anything Goes (15/30)
Why I read this: audiobookin' as I'm workin'
KEEP
Books TBR = 455
Books TBR = 456Doing my bit for charity
115. Doctor Who: Adventures in Lockdown by Various192 pages
Rating = 4 stars
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Kind of a Big Deal (42/40), Anything Goes (16/30)
Why I read this: I am a big fan of Doctor Who
KEEP
Books TBR = 455
Books TBR = 456I've joined Netgalley
Sunshine wrote: "Rachael wrote: "Books TBR = 456I've joined Netgalley"
I just joined today as well. What book did you request if you don't mind me asking?"
I requested To Kill A Queen which had a "read now" option.
116. The Time Traveller's Almanac: The Ultimate Treasury of Time Travel Fiction - Brought to You from the Future edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer, written by various authors800 pages
Rating = 4 stars with review
Challenges: Let's Turn Pages, Mount TBR (52/60), Kind of a Big Deal (43/40), Anything Goes (17/30)
Why I read this: I've been dipping in and out of this anthology for years as I'm interested in time travel
PASS
Books TBR = 455
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...
Rating = 4 stars with review
Why I read this: I like Doctor Who
PASS
Books TBR = 413