Theresa's TBR Purge

[Theresa]

Uncommon Type

https://time.com/5009167/tom-hanks-bo...


Nora Ephron - inspired and urged him to write. She did same for Padma Lakshmi and even came up with title for Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir. Wonder who else she inspired?

[Theresa]

Bollywood Confidential by Sonia Singh

Surprisingly enjoyable

Buddha Bar CDs - compilations of global instrumental music - indian, african, etc.

Need to find a book about Bollywood. I also need to watch some real Bollywood movies. There were titles given but I assume most if not all are fake as characters in the book star in them ... like the book about Bollywood Raveena reads.

[Theresa]

No, We Can't Be Friends is the story of Sloane, whose blog and podcast the author had her MC consulting in an earlier book: Sorry Not Sorry.

Sophie Ranald, the author, writes excellent contemporary fiction centered on womens concerns and lives. It's a shame they are essentially relegated to chick lit and romance tags.

Will have to read more of her work.

[Theresa]

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

Use of witch magic for power reminiscent of The Fifth Season and Iron Widow. The binding of primary and secondary brings to mind that in Gideon the Ninth and the Locked Tomb series. Is this a common trope that my lack of fantasy reads missed?? Or a new trend? Certainly having mages or witches as advisors and re-inforcers of power to retain a throne etc. is nothing new.

[Theresa]

Lock In by John Scalzi

Link to free copy Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome - scalzi novella in series

https://reactormag.com/unlocked-an-or...

[Theresa]

Poison Gardens

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

https://youtu.be/52Ou1OiYCK0

https://www.alnwickgarden.com/the-gar...

book with Poison Garden - Umberland

[Theresa]

A Mathematics Rabbit Hole?!?!?!

And it isn't even from reading SciFi!

First it was Japanese LitFic The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa, where professor was a professor of mathematics.

Now it is The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson where Salander has at the start become fascinated by mathematics.

Both have someone become fascinated by mathematics and set out to study.

Both spend time discussing Fermat's unsolvable problem -well except for the guy in 1993 - only one to do so in 600 years I think.

And my eyes roll back at it all. Lordy I once upon a time 50 years ago understood and thought math easy - at least through 1st year calculus.

[Theresa]

Unofficial Trim 2025

1. Dear Money
2. Buried in a Book
3. Death of an Avid Reader
4. Dreamland
5. The Lady in the Attic
6. The Bastard of Istanbul * with BnB, Amy
7. The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna
8. Night Boat to Tangier
9. Forever
10. A Scream in Soho
11. The Ghosts of Belfast
12. Cake on a Hot Tin Roof

All books on nightstand.
* = buddy read

[Theresa]

THE 2025 ATY READING CHALLENGE
(view spoiler)[

1. A book with a cover that has an image of something that starts with A, T, or Y
2. A prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list
3. A book connected to something mentioned in the Do Re Mi song
4. A book set underground, under sea or in an underworld
5. A book with a weird or intriguing title

6. A book with a serpentine element on the cover
7. A book by an author that uses 3 names
8. A collection of short stories or novellas, essays, poetry, or a mix of various brief writings
9. A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year

10. A book about witches, goddesses or nuns
11. A book set in a fictional location
12. A book by an Irish author
13. A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family
14. A science fiction or fantasy novel written by a woman

15. A book of secrets, lies, or deception
16. A book that fits a prompt from the 2016 ATY list
17. A history or historical fiction book set prior to 1925
18. A book set primarily in nature

19. A book with a cover that has a building or cityscape
20. A book with an animal, vegetable (plant), or mineral in the title
21. A book connected in some way to any collective noun for animals
22. A translated novel from Asia

23. A book that involves art, music, dancing or acting
24. A book with a main character who is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal
25. A book with waves on the cover
26. A book by an author with a common noun in their name
27. A book set in the winter

28. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 1
29. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 2
30. A monster book
31. A book with a coastal setting

32. A mystery or true crime book
33. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time
34. A book title that could be a country song
35. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists

36. A book with a common household object on the cover
37. A book featuring adult friendships
38. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 1
39. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 2
40. A book you'd consider a comfort read

41. A book that involves digging up the past
42. A book set in a manor, mansion, or estate
43. A book whose title has ten or fewer letters
44. A haunting book

45. A book by an author whose publishing career spans at least ten years
46. A book related to one of the traditional full moon names
47. A book relating to fire
48. A book with a character dealing with death

49. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines
50. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2024 or 2025
51. A book published in 2025
52. A book with a sunset vibes on the cover

This list was suggested, voted on, and chosen by ATY group members.

THE ANNIVERSARY LIST
In honor of ATY's 10 year of reading challenges, we have put together an anniversary list made up of member-chosen prompts. Each prompt comes from that year's respective list and was chosen by the members of the group.

2016: A book originally written in a language other than English
2017: A book whose title doesn't contain the letter "E"
2018: An author's debut book
2019: A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
2020: A book with an emotion in the title
2021: A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
2022: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
2023: A book whose author has published more than 7 books
2024: A book that has been on your TBR for over a year
2025: A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family
(hide spoiler)]

[Theresa]

DRAGON NEXT TRIM LIST 2025

1. Ruth Ware
2. China Trade or Next S.J. Rozan
3. If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O by Sharyn McCrumb - last? Or Next Grace Burrowes
4. Next Marlow by Robert Thorogood
5. Next Periodic Table by Camille Minichino or next Kate Reilly by Tammy Kaehler
6. Next by Dianne Freeman or Next Julie Anne Long
7. 🐲Dragon🐲 Next Temeraire, Miss Percy, Highland Dragon
8. Next Captain Lacey by Ashley Gardner
9. Next Nick Travers by Ace Atkins - last? Or Next by Christopher Lane - last?
10. Deanna Raybourn
11. Next India Black
12. Next by Sherry Thomas
13. Next by Victoria Thompson
14. Next by Andrea Penrose
15. Next St. Cyr by C.S. Harris
16. Fatal Series by Marie Force
17. Next by Cara Black - Murder in the Bastille
18. Next J.D. Robb
19. Next by Sujata Massey
20. Next Ilona Andrews or Ozland

[Theresa]

Buddy Reads 2025

Evergreen

1. Bruno
2. Christmas In July
3. Edgars
4. Fall Into Smut!
5. Going Long - 500+ pages
6. Grumpy Monkey series - with Lyn
7. History - King William's War: The First Contest for North America, 1689–1697
8. May the 4th - early Han Solo, Martha Wells authored, PS space tourism book

Specific Books - Carryover

1. The Bastard of Istanbul - Trim
2. Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754 - 1766 - 2023 carryover
3. The Men Who Lost America - British Command during the Revolutionary War and the Preservation of the Empire - 2023
4. Anansi Boys - JD PT carryover
5. The Last Russian Doll - Edgars
6. On the Come Up
7. The Golden Gate Edgars
8. The Lost Summers of Newport RCC
9. The Ministry of Time debut BWF
10. Jacqueline in Paris - PBT and RCC


Specific Books - Newly Added 2025

[Theresa]

Going Long 2025 - Books over 500 pages

Quarterly reads. Must be at least 450 pages.

Set up in footnotes.

January - Labyrinth's Heart

[Theresa]

December challenge reads in addition to Flurries

Sharyn McCrumb - Peggy
Cara Black - Sentier
Ace Atkins - last Nick Travers
Christopher Lane - last Inuit
Fossil
Killed by Clutter
Remaining Christies
Unofficial Trim

[Theresa]

PBT Challenges. 2025

Play Harder
Starts Jan 1.
List of 12 Prompts - request Dec 20 and after. Request another as finish.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.


Compass
Travel the globe and read books set in locations based on compass direction - N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW. No limit on distance.

Must have a personal goal
extra points if match monthly tag.
no tags needed on location?

Start where you are currently located.

Start: NYC
Personal Goal: read crime fiction set in every location I land.

[Theresa]

Popsugar Challenge 2025 - p. 2 #56

Regular
1. A book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma
2. A book you want to read based on the last sentence. Someone We Know - suggested by Tessa
3. A book about space tourism
4. A book with two or more books on the cover or "book" in the title
5. A book with a snake on the cover or in the title
6. A book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge
7. A book about a cult
8. A book under 250 pages
9. A book that features a character going through menopause
10. A book you got for free
11. A book mentioned in another book
12. A book about a road trip
13. A book rated less than three stars on Goodreads
14. A book about a nontraditional education
15. A book that an AI chatbot recommends based on your favorite book
16. A book set in or around a body of water
17. A book about a run club
18. A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons
19. A highly anticipated read of 2025
20. A book that fills a 2024 prompt you'd like to do over (or try out)
21. A book where the main character is a politician
22. A book about soccer
23. A book that is considered healing fiction
24. A book with a happily single woman protagonist
25. A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee
26. A book where an adult character changes careers
27. A book set at a luxury resort
28. A book that features an unlikely friendship
29. A book about a food truck
30. A book that reminds you of your childhood
31. A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline
32. A book about an overlooked woman in history
33. A book featuring an activity on your bucket list
34. A book written by an author who is neurodivergent
35. A book centering LGBTQ+ characters that isn't about coming out
36. A book with silver on the cover or in the title
37. Two books with the same title (1)
38. Two books with the same title (2)
39. A classic you've never read. Go with Dickens The Old Curiosity Shop
40. A book about chosen family
Advanced Prompts
Easy
41. A book by the oldest author in your TBR pile
42. A book with a title that starts with the letter Y
43. A book that includes a nonverbal character - Innkeeper series- inn and Beastie
44. A book you have always avoided reading
Medium
45. A book with a left-handed character
46. A book where nature is the antagonist
47. A book of interconnected short stories. Olive, Again
Hard
48. A book that features a married couple who don't live together
49. A dystopian book with a happy ending. Ozland
50. A book that features a character with chronic pain

[Theresa]

Dragon Grand Tour

Germany - Umberland
China - Throne of Jade
Scotland - Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 2
Italy - Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 3
France - Murder in the Sentier

[Theresa]

All 2025 moved to 2025 member tracking on 12/20/24