Introduce Yourself to the Group - 2024

[Lisa]

Sylvia wrote: "Hello. I'm Sylvia.
I'm from the US

I've never been in a reading group or bookclub (despite wanting to join. Anxiety. Yay!) and thought I'd start somewhere that I'm visiting almost constantly anyw..."

Welcome to the group, Sylvia! 👋
First, I want to congratulate you on your progress, and achievement of 15 books this year. That's awesome!

I know the saying is "Go Big or Go Home", but honestly, I think the best approach to anything you haven't done in a while, is to start small and work up from there. It's like any other muscle in your body, after all. If you had been a long-distance runner for years, and then suddenly stopped for whatever period, you wouldn't then just get up one day and decide to run a marathon the next day - or at least, I would hope not. 😅

Anyways, we're thrilled to have you join us, and to be a part of your reading journey in the upcoming year! 😊
We're currently preparing for 2025, so there's plenty of buzz in the wings. Feel free to look around, and join any challenges or other activities that fit your fancy.

Wishing you the best of luck with all your reading and journaling goals 😊.
Happy reading!

[melanie]

Its amazing to see so many new members! I technically joined in 2024 but it was late in the year, and I wasn't very active. This year on top of my reading goal I want to be more of an active member in the group.
And now for formal introductions
Hey everyone I'm Mel and I'm from Toronto. I like pretty much any genre of book that peaks my interests, but my favorites are romance, thrillers, mystery, and fantasy. I found the group based on a suggestion by goodreads when I set my 2024 reading goal. My reading goal for 2025 is at least 30 books!
Happy reading :)

[Mary]

Hi!
I'm Mary from Northern Ireland, U.K. I like most genres but thrillers and fiction are my favourite. Would like new book friends so feel free to add / friend me.
Thankyou!

[Lisa]

melanie wrote: "Its amazing to see so many new members! I technically joined in 2024 but it was late in the year, and I wasn't very active. This year on top of my reading goal I want to be more of an active member..."

Hi Mel! 👋
I hope you've had an amazing reading journey thus far, that you've had fun, and that you continue to enjoy your time in our group 😊.

Also, 30 books sounds like a great goal for 2025! Do you have any books you're most excited to get to in the new year?
I saw that you had read Anna O earlier this year, and would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Wishing you all the best on your literary journey in 2025. May it be filled with lots of fantastic books!
Happy reading!

[Lisa]

Mary wrote: "Hi!
I'm Mary from Northern Ireland, U.K. I like most genres but thrillers and fiction are my favourite. Would like new book friends so feel free to add / friend me.
Thankyou!"

Hi and welcome to the group, Mary! 👋
I'm most probably biased, but I dare say you've come to the right place to find book friends. We're all super friendly, so there's no doubt in my mind that you'll connect with likeminded people quite easily 😊.

I haven't had the best of luck finding really great thrillers this year. Have you read any that you'd recommend?
Wishing you an extraordinary 2025 filled with many phenomenal books, and lots of wonderful bookish friendships!

Happy reading!

[Mara]

Hi everyone!
I'm Mara, and I'm from Boston, MA, USA.
I have lately been really invested in Queer, Latine, and Native American Horror, particularly of the supernatural variety, but am also fond of slow-burn romance.
I found the group mostly by scrolling through the open GR groups - I'm excited to connect with people and read together, and maybe make some friends along the way!
My goal is to increase my reading - I got six books in 2024, so I'm hoping to go for maybe one a month for 2025.
Happy to be here!!!

[Lisa]

Mara wrote: "Hi everyone!
I'm Mara, and I'm from Boston, MA, USA.
I have lately been really invested in Queer, Latine, and Native American Horror, particularly of the supernatural variety, but am also fond of..."

Welcome to the group, Mara! 👋
Wishing you the best of luck with your reading goals in 2025 - one per month sounds like a really great place to start 😊.

I had an anthology in mind I wanted to recommend to fit your interests in Latin-American Horror, but of course I can't remember what it's called, at the moment. So I'll have to get back to you on that. In the meantime, I thought maybe Her Body and Other Parties: Stories might be right up your alley.

I hope you continue to have a great 2024, and that 2025 brings lots of amazing books your way aswell.
Happy reading!

[Michelle]

Waves hello to everyone. I'm Michelle and I'm a bit of a challenge addict.

- Where are you from? I'm from New York, The central part near Syracuse, not the city.

- What kinds of books do you like to read? I like a variety of genres. The only ones that I am not a fan of are self help and dark romance. My top 3 are Horror, creature feature, and paranormal.

- How did you find our group? I found this from my home page. One of my friends updated something in the group and I saw the group so I came over to check it out.

- What's your reading goal? My goal this year was 150. I have surpassed it and I'm at 221 right now. I think I may raise it to 175 for 2025.

[Lisa]

Michelle wrote: "Waves hello to everyone. I'm Michelle and I'm a bit of a challenge addict... "

*waves back* 👋
Welcome to the group, Michelle!

That's such an amazing goal. Congratulations on your progress so far.
I'm personally always looking for new horror books to add to my "gigantic-pile-of-books-that-I-want-to-read-but-will-probably-never-get-to-because-life-is-too-short", aka. TBR shelf, for short.
Have you read any good ones this year that you'd recommend?

Good luck with on your reading journey in 2025. Have a look around the group, and reach out if you've got any questions or want to chat 😊.
Happy reading!

[Meera]

Hello, I'm Meera from Massachusetts, USA. I'm an eclectic reader where I will almost try everything if it looks like it's written well. Right now, I am on a fantasy, sci-fi kick with some mysteries and literary fiction thrown in. I've been in this group for a bit but thought I would reintroduce myself because I haven't participated in here for a few years. I want to read with more intention next year where I'm not picking up a book just because it's available and if I start a series that I enjoy, I'm going to finish it or catch up before I start another one. My reading goal will to be to read at least 100 books. I'm at 142 so far this year.

[Katie]

Hi everyone! My name is Katie, and I'm so excited to be a part of a reading group!

I'm new to Goodreads, so I've stumbled upon the books I've read based on friends on Instagram. I finally got Goodreads and I'm sad I didn't join sooner!

I love romantasy, but I honestly love any book with great character development that really makes me grow to love and care for the people on the pages.

I found this group by googling! I wanted to be a part of a group to find new great reads, discuss books, and make new book friends, so I'm excited to be a part of this!

Since I'm new to Goodreads, I'm going to give myself grace and give myself a low goal of one book per month or 12 books a year. Of course I want to read more, but life can come at you fast sometimes, and I don't want to beat myself up if I can't finish my goal.

Thank you for letting me apart of this group and I look forward to getting to know new reading friends!

[Susan, Games & Events]

Hello! I stumbled into this group by browsing through the groups and love reading and reading challenges. I live in Oklahoma and love thrillers/mysteries, fiction, historical fiction, some women's fiction. My reading goal in 2024 was 50 and I'm currently at 49 and plan on passing that goal. I'm setting my reading goal for 2025 to 60. Thanks for letting me join in on the fun!

[Lisa]

Meera wrote: "Hello, I'm Meera from Massachusetts, USA. I'm an eclectic reader where I will almost try everything if it looks like it's written well. Right now, I am on a fantasy, sci-fi kick with some mysteries..."

Nice to meet you, Meera! 👋
Sounds like you've got some great plans for the new year. Before I implemented a reading budget, Bookbub (and by extension Amazon) were my worst nightmare because everything is just a click away when you only read e-books 😅 . Those $0.99 and $1.99 deals really add up by the end of a year, when you're checking those websites almost daily. I guess the upside is that I never needed to think about storage place on my shelves, but still...

Wishing you all the best on your reading journey in 2025, and I hope you manage to stay motivated to read more intentionally .🤞
Have a fantastic year!

[Lisa]

Katie wrote: "Hi everyone! My name is Katie, and I'm so excited to be a part of a reading group!

I'm new to Goodreads, so I've stumbled upon the books I've read based on friends on Instagram. I finally got Goo..."

Hi Katie! 👋We're thrilled to welcome you to our community.

One book per month sounds like a fantastic goal for 2025! Are there any specific books you're already planning to read in the new year?

I think our group aligns perfectly with what you're looking for, so I encourage you to take a look around and see what might interest you 😊. We're currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird, should you be in the mood to read and discuss a phenomenal classic with the rest of us, now's the perfect opportunity! There are also plenty of exciting challenges you can join in December, and much more to come in 2025!

Feel free to reach out if you have questions, need help with anything, or just want to chat 😊.
Happy reading and best of luck on your reading journey! 📚✨

[Lisa]

Susan wrote: "Hello! I stumbled into this group by browsing through the groups and love reading and reading challenges. I live in Oklahoma and love thrillers/mysteries, fiction, historical fiction, some women's ..."

Welcome to the group, Susan! 👋
Congratulations in advance on reaching your goals this year! Have you found any new favorites within the genres you mentioned?
Sadly, my discoveries within thrillers and mysteries have been a bit disappointing this year, so I'm open to any recommendations. 😊

You're definitely in the right place for challenges! 😊 One of my personal December favorites is Advent Calendar, but we've another two revolving the theme of Kindness should those pique your interest. And we've also got some really fun ones planned for the new year that are well worth checking out, so have a look around 😊 .

Good luck on your reading journey, Susan! May you have an extraordinary reading 2025 that is filled with literary gems. 📚
Happy reading!

[Greyson]

Hey Everyone!

My name is Brody and I'm 31 years old. I have a very crazy busy life because I work in the airline industry and I also work in healthcare. I just joined this group because I never was a HUGE book reader but now I'm trying to do better at that. I have a kindle and I truly love using it and would love to see what others are reading so that I can try some new books. I'm currently reading The Inheritance Games series and I can't put the books down. I'm excited to be a part of this group and I'm excited to get to know all of you.

My goal for 2025 is to read as many books as possible. I just started getting into reading so l'm not going to be able to really make a goal for 2024 so I'm gonna truly start a goal for 2025.
Please feel free to introduce yourself below so l can get to know all of you. I'm hoping to have a small group of people that would be willing to have a virtual book club so we can read books together and talk about them.

Have a great day!

[manni]

Hi loves!

I'm manni, and once upon a time (like 3 years ago) i used to be posting on this group all the time, going overboard on the challenges and overestimating how many books I could read BAHAH- now i finally got over my years-long reading slump (uni has been so so busy) and am ready to get back into reading and the challenges! I'm from CA, and I read basically anything but love fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery (tho romcoms are excellent for getting out of a reading slump). In all honestly I missed making my little not-so-little book lists and challenge planning, so now Im back to this group! And I'm hoping to read AT LEAST 30 books next year. Down to read books together and happy to be friends here or on my booksta @mannireads!

Happy Reading! ~manni <3

[Lisa]

Brody wrote: "Hey Everyone!

My name is Brody and I'm 31 years old. I have a very crazy busy life because I work in the airline industry and I also work in healthcare. I just joined this group because I never wa..."

Hi Brody! 👋 It's lovely to welcome you to our community of fellow book-lovers 😊.
Out of curiosity, do you find that you read more because you have a Kindle? I love my Kindle and couldn't imagine my life without it, so sometimes I wonder if I would've gotten so easily back into reading, or be as enthusiastic and prolific a reader if I were relying solely on physical books. Specially during those periods when life gets hectic, there's just something so comfortable about just reaching for my Kindle.

Wishing you all the best on your journey back into the literary realm.
I recommend checking out our Buddy Reads section - it's a great way to organically get to know a lot of likeminded people who share the same interest in books, and enjoy discussing them together. 😊

I noticed that you had recently finished reading The Hate You Give, which was our group read in November. We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it! This month we're reading To Kill a Mockingbird and wouldn't mind having even more people join the discussion, should you be interested. The more, the merrier!

Good luck with your goals in 2025!
Happy reading!

[Lisa]

manni wrote: "Hi loves!

I'm manni, and once upon a time (like 3 years ago) i used to be posting on this group all the time, going overboard on the challenges and overestimating how many books I could read BAHA..."

Welcome back, manni!
It's good to hear you're surviving uni, and we're so glad to have you back! You're in good company with all the other members going overboard on challenges and overestimating how many books will be read 😂 .

30 books sounds like a fantastic goal to get back into the groove of things. Looking forward to seeing you be more active around the group.
May you have an amazing 2025! Happy reading!

[Susan, Games & Events]

Lisa wrote: "Susan wrote: "Hello! I stumbled into this group by browsing through the groups and love reading and reading challenges. I live in Oklahoma and love thrillers/mysteries, fiction, historical fiction,..."

Welcome to the group, Susan! 👋
Congratulations in advance on reaching your goals this year! Have you found any new favorites within the genres you mentioned?
Sadly, my discoveries within thrillers and mysteries have been a bit disappointing this year, so I'm open to any recommendations. 😊

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson was really good and I highly recommend it :)

[Felicia]

Hello I am Felicia from Virginia. I like mostly non-fiction bios and history. Want to read more fiction in 2025 so looking forward to see everyone’s suggestions. I am a super slow reader so setting my goal of 12 books. Very appreciative of this community!

[Madi]

Hi, I’m Madi from Ohio! I’ve always loved reading, but life’s been a bit busy lately with marriage and kids in the mix. I’m excited to dive back into books and set a goal to read 30 in 2025. It feels like the perfect way to make some time for myself and rediscover the joy of getting lost in a great story. Can’t wait to swap recommendations and tackle my growing TBR pile with all of you!

[Lisa]

Felicia wrote: "Hello I am Felicia from Virginia. I like mostly non-fiction bios and history. Want to read more fiction in 2025 so looking forward to see everyone’s suggestions. I am a super slow reader so setting..."

Hi Felicia, 👋
It's interesting. I think it's more common that readers aim to read more non-fiction, not vice-versa. It's definitely the case for me. So far, I'm not succeeding at that goal as well as I'd like, but maybe 2025 can be the year where I get back to exploring more non-fiction.

12 books sounds like a great goal aswell! Are there any specific genres you're most interested in? I'm always up to give recommendations but I would need more information or the list will be an infinity long 😅.

I hope you get some fantastic recommendations and that you find some new favorites to add to your list 😊 .
Wishing you a fantastic new year - Have fun and happy reading!

[Lisa]

Madi wrote: "Hi, I’m Madi from Ohio! I’ve always loved reading, but life’s been a bit busy lately with marriage and kids in the mix. I’m excited to dive back into books and set a goal to read 30 in 2025. It fee..."

Welcome Madi! 👋
I hope you manage to carve out some you-time in the new year, and get to rekindle your love for books. Wishing you the all best on your reading journey in 2025.

Looking forward to seeing what you'll be reading throughout the year!
Happy reading 😊

[Lily]

Hello. I'm Lily and I live in Japan (originally from Romania). I like classics, education books, fantasy and any quality book, really. My goal for 2025 is to read over 20 books, (which is pretty low for me but because of work I don't really have free time anymore. ) Nice to meet you all!

[Ashlee]

Hi everyone:) my name is Ashlee or Ajax long time goodreads member but sometimes I drop off haha! hoping to be more active in 2025 - have even created my own 2025 corner. I am from Perth WA

[Ann]

Hi! My name is Ann.
I'm from Belgium, from the beautiful medieval city of Ghent to be more precise.
I like reading historical fiction, psychological novels, but I also enjoy poetry and even non-fiction.
I read in Dutch, English, Spanish and Swedish.
I am part of a local book club and we've just finished reading Virginia Woolf.
I was looking to set my 2025 Goodreads challenge and I ended up here.
Goal is 25 books in 2025.
Oh, by the way, I am a secondary school teacher (I teach English and Dutch, but I studied conference interpreting in English and Spanish).
Looking forward to being part of this group.
Ann

[Alia]

Hello! My name is Alia and I'm from Indonesia. I found this group while browsing around this site. Last year I was in reading slump, so I'm thinking of joining to keep myself motivated. I read all kind of things as long as they are available in my library :| (books are quite expensive here)

Anyway I'm so excited joining this group and the challenges! As this is my first time joining a proper book club, I'm just amazed at seeing so many people being this passionate on reading :)

please tell me if i'm posting in the wrong thread. is this thread also for the 2025 challenge?

[Lisa]

Welcome everyone to the group! 👋
May the new year bring you all many bookish discoveries and new friends.

Wishing you all the best of luck with your goals.
Here's to an amazing 2025! 😊

[Anna Rachel]

Hi I’m Anna Rachel from Texas! I’ve been a huge bookworm/bibliophile since I learned to read. Adulting happened (college & having a baby) so I unfortunately haven’t had the time or energy to read for pleasure the last few years. I’m almost done with school & I think I’m getting the hang of this mom thing now so I’ve made more time for reading and I’m super glad to be here. My goal for 2025 is to read 52 books & my favorite genres are mystery, romance & thriller but another big goal for 2025 is to read a lot of different genres! I made a genre challenge for myself for the year that I’m really excited about. I’m a huge yapper & I probably will be talking into the abyss a lot but I love talking about books. I have been making up for lost time & reading about 2-3 books a week for the past few months. I have a LOT on my TBR and I’m really excited to be here.

[Lisa]

Lily wrote: "Hello. I'm Lily and I live in Japan (originally from Romania). I like classics, education books, fantasy and any quality book, really. My goal for 2025 is to read over 20 books, (which is pretty lo..."

Welcome, Lily! 👋
That's so cool. I really want to visit both Japan and Romania again at some point.

20 books is a great goal! And hopefully, there will be other periods in your life where you'll have more time available to read more 😊. Any particular classics you're looking forward to getting your hands on in the new year?

Best of luck with your reading plans in 2025.
Happy reading!

[Lisa]

Ashlee wrote: "Hi everyone:) my name is Ashlee or Ajax long time goodreads member but sometimes I drop off haha! hoping to be more active in 2025 - have even created my own 2025 corner. I am from Perth WA"

Hi Ashlee! 👋Which name do you prefer to go by?
I can relate all too well! I've been on Goodreads since 2016 and I'm still awaiting a year where I don't drop off 😅. May 2025 be the year we both succeed!
Creating your corner is definitely a good first step in the right direction. All you need to do next is stick to it throughout the year. No worries though, I'll stop by and keep you motivated. 😊

Good luck with all your goals in the new year.
Here's to a fantastic 2025!

[Lisa]

Anna Rachel wrote: "Hi I’m Anna Rachel from Texas! I’ve been a huge bookworm/bibliophile since I learned to read. Adulting happened (college & having a baby) so I unfortunately haven’t had the time or energy to read f..."

Welcome back to the realm of books, and the bookish inclined enthusiasts, Anna! 👋 We're super happy to welcome another bibliophile into our midst.

I think many of us can relate to the whole "adulting = less reading time" equation, but it looks like you've been having a good year getting back into the habit, so hopefully 2025 will be just as great.
Any plans on which books you'll be reading in the new year? Or as you more of a "come what may" type person?

Wishing you a phenomenal year, filled with amazing books 📚✨.
Good luck and happy reading!

[Lisa]

Alia wrote: "Hello! My name is Alia and I'm from Indonesia. I found this group while browsing around this site. Last year I was in reading slump, so I'm thinking of joining to keep myself motivated. I read all ..."

Welcome to the group, Alia! 👋
Sadly, books are expensive everywhere 😥. Making use of your library is a great alternative solution, though. I really enjoy Libby whenever a book is ridiculously pricey, and/or I'm either not sure I'll like it. The downside is that we (in Denmark) only get 2 loans and 4 holds, which drives me crazy every single time with the waiting periods on popular books.

You are most definitely not posting in the wrong thread. This is a great place to start exploring the group! You can create your personal thread, depending what your goal for 2025 is.
Personally, I use my personal thread to keep track of the books I read, and my corner to keep track of the challenges I join, but everyone does it differently, and you should customize them in whatever way works best for you 😊. Visiting other member's spaces is also great for inspiration! I'm not 100% done setting mine up, but you're more than welcome to check it out, here.

I hope this helps get you started. I encourage you to explore the group, and join any of the activities that pique your interest. Feel free to reach out if you need help with anything or have any questions. 😊

Good luck on your reading journey! I hope you have an amazing 2025!

[Jemma]

Hey everyone!

I’m Jemma, I’m 26 and from the UK!
I’ve recently got back into reading whilst on maternity leave with my little girl and am loving it!
Currently in the midst of a Taylor Jenkins Reid binge, just loving the strong feminine characters!!😍

Definitely going to set myself a challenge for 2025 and hopefully stick to it! Aiming to get into some different genres so any recommendations would be amazing!

Also feel free to add me🫶🏻

[Dori]

Hello! My name is Dori and I am from New York. I found your group by searching the tags. I was looking for ideas for a 2025 challenge and trying to find a group with good ideas and this was the first one I clicked on, and it just seems so friendly! I also loved the themes for the whole year already planned out. I Read anything really, my loves are Fantasy and Romance, but I also read Historical Fiction, Thrillers, crime..anything really that catch's my eye. My goal is 150 books this year. But also, a little side goal is to DNF less books. I find I give up on a book very fast if it does not catch my eye and recently, I kept on with a book and it turned out to be an amazing read. I feel like I need to give some books a little more of a chance.

[Lander]

Hi! My name is Lander and I'm from Belgium, but in January I will move to the UK to study for half a year! I mainly read thrillers and mysteries, but I do like some fantasy and non-fiction from time to time. I wanted to add something to Goodread's regular yearly challenge so that's how I found this group. I read 20 books in 2022 and 2023 and I'm probably finishing 2024 with 17, even though I read more pages this year! :) My goal for 2025 is to read 25 books!

[Lisa]

Jemma wrote: "Hey everyone!

I’m Jemma, I’m 26 and from the UK!
I’ve recently got back into reading whilst on maternity leave with my little girl and am loving it!
Currently in the midst of a Taylor Jenkins Reid..."

Welcome, Jemma👋
First of, congratulations on baby girl! I hope you're enjoying your time whilst on maternity leave. It goes by so fast, it really is about absorbing it all and enjoying it to the max.😊
And secondly, welcome back into the world of literature! 📚

I've yet to read more by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but I really enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo so I'm definitely open to dive deeper into her bibliograpy. Have you seen she's got a new one coming out in mid-2025?

Here's to rekindling your love for reading by discovering some amazing books, and surpassing your goals in the new year!
Happy reading!

[Lisa]

Dori wrote: "Hello! My name is Dori and I am from New York. I found your group by searching the tags. I was looking for ideas for a 2025 challenge and trying to find a group with good ideas and this was the fir..."

Welcome to the group, Dori! 👋
That's such a great goal for the new year. It's really interesting to me, because usually I hear people wanting to be better at putting a book down instead of pushing through. I understand what you mean though, because, as a mood reader, I'm also guilty of DNF'ing if it doesn't hook me quickly. I will say though, it never has to be a permanent DNF. I do make a distinction between a "soft DNF", where I might just not be in the mood, or finding it interesting, and a "hard DNF", where it's more of a "no, thanks".
Something that really helped me, is deciding where to draw the line. Is it two chapters into a book? At 20%, or at 50%?

I hope you have an amazing reading journey in the new year! Wishing you all the best.
Happy reading!

[Lisa]

Lander wrote: "Hi! My name is Lander and I'm from Belgium, but in January I will move to the UK to study for half a year! I mainly read thrillers and mysteries, but I do like some fantasy and non-fiction from tim..."

Hi Lander, and welcome to our group!
Sounds like you're pretty consistent on the amount of books you read 😊. Do you have a thriller or mystery favorite that you'd recommend? I'm always up to adding more books to my gigantic TBR.

Good luck with all your reading goals in the new year!
Happy reading!

[Karin]

Lisa wrote: "I think many of us can relate to the whole "adulting = less reading time" equation, "

I found that once my kids reached their teens/early 20s I had more time for reading again. When they were in their teens I could read while waiting for them in waiting rooms if it was too far to just drop them off, so that started the upswing. Now they're all in their 20s and I retired from chauffeuring when my son got a used car passed down from one of my daughters (the last couple of years the chauffeuring was in the summers to his job--no bus service there and our kids have to pay for their car expenses, etc.)

Now I read in the evenings, but since I tend to read quickly (not the fastest--I've met people who blow me out of the water, but I'm in the top 1 percent on GR now) I read books in the 3 figures, usually lower 3 figures.

[LinaVer]

Jemma wrote: "Hey everyone!

I’m Jemma, I’m 26 and from the UK!
I’ve recently got back into reading whilst on maternity leave with my little girl and am loving it!
Currently in the midst of a Taylor Jenkins Reid..."

Oooh, I loved "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo"!!! Read "Malibu Rising" this year too, but really Evelyn Hugo captured my heart for the same reason that you mention. I'll be reading more as well. :)

[Jennifer]

Hello! My name is Jennifer and i'm brand new to GoodReads, reading challenges, and just having friends that read in general! 2025 is going to be a great reading year for me!

I'm from South Carolina in the US. I have two teenage daughters which funny enough, is what caused my "reading addiction relapse" as I like to call it. My oldest daughter LOVES to read so I would "pre-read" books she wanted to get into if they seemed to be right at that age line for me ... that was the gateway!

I'm interested in a few challenges which is how I found this group in the first place. Since i'm trying challenges out for the first time, my goal this year is 50 books so I don't get overwhelmed!

My favorite genres at the moment are fantasy and thriller, although i'm known to read everything from finance books to Dr. Suess so that can change from time to time haha.

Thanks to the holiday sales, i've snagged quite a few books i'm anxious to dig into. I hope that this year is great to all of us in our reading journeys!

[melanie]

Anna Rachel wrote: "Hi I’m Anna Rachel from Texas! I’ve been a huge bookworm/bibliophile since I learned to read. Adulting happened (college & having a baby) so I unfortunately haven’t had the time or energy to read f..."

Hey Anna I was reading your intro and the idea of a genre challenge is absolutely stellar! I would love to hear more about it if you're willing to share

[Lisa]

Jennifer wrote: "Hello! My name is Jennifer and i'm brand new to GoodReads, reading challenges, and just having friends that read in general! 2025 is going to be a great reading year for me!

I'm from South Carolin..."

Hi Jennifer! Welcome to the group 👋.
Word to the wise, learn by my mistakes and don't join ALL the challenges even though you'll most likely be tempted and everything is new and shiny 😅. No, but in all seriousness, have a look around and join whichever challenges pique your interest. We've got plenty of fun challenges already up for 2025 😊 .

Wishing you all the best on your reading journey in the new year! Don't hesitate to reach out if you need help, have questions, or just want to chat.
Happy reading, Jennifer!

[Anna Rachel]

Lisa wrote: "Anna Rachel wrote: "Hi I’m Anna Rachel from Texas! I’ve been a huge bookworm/bibliophile since I learned to read. Adulting happened (college & having a baby) so I unfortunately haven’t had the time..."

I definitely a read as they come type of person. I think I spent so much time in college reading academically that I don't want to plan anything and just want to read whatever I'm interested in at the time! I'm growing my TBR so hopefully i get to read some things I'm interested in.

[Anna Rachel]

melanie wrote: "Anna Rachel wrote: "Hi I’m Anna Rachel from Texas! I’ve been a huge bookworm/bibliophile since I learned to read. Adulting happened (college & having a baby) so I unfortunately haven’t had the time..."

Hey Melanie! I posted about my genre challenge in the 2025 personal challenge thread (1-25) if you want to check it out. I also sent you a friend request & have been eyeballing the Shelf Awareness & Genre Bingo challenges in this group

[Frederik]

Where are you from?
My name is Frederik, I’m 27 years old, and I’m from Denmark.

What kinds of books do you like to read?
In general, I enjoy reading some of the great classics. Besides that, I’m a fan of various genres, but fiction is another favorite of mine that I often gravitate towards. I also have an interest in sports/leadership (especially football due to my background as a former player and now part-time coach/manager).

I’ve been wanting to get more into science fiction and fantasy for a long time. At this point, my TBR list has grown so much that I’ve almost lost track of where to start. On top of that, I already have a good stack of books (closer to 100) at home that I’ve collected over the last few years without really getting started on them.

How did you find our group?
I was looking for people to talk with or read alongside to hear others’ thoughts on books in general on Reddit and came across various challenges. Through Google, I discovered Goodreads, where I’ve had an account for a couple of years, though I haven’t really used it much yet.

What’s your reading goal?
My goal for 2025 is to read 20 books to start with. I still have six months left before finishing my education as a primary school teacher, so I’m not entirely sure how many books I can realistically hope to read in the first half of 2025, as I’ll also need to focus on studying and working at the same time.

I got an e-reader as a Christmas gift, and from what I’ve read (on Reddit), it has helped many people read more. So, even though I love physical books, I’ll probably end up reading more and more in e-book format.

I’m also considering trying one or two challenges to see how far I get as motivation :-)

[Riley]

Where are you from?
- What kinds of books do you like to read?
- How did you find our group?
- What's your reading goal?

Hey everyone!
I am from Wisconsin in the United States.
Romance novels have my heart, but I also am a sucker for thrillers and fantasy (bonus points if it is romantasy).
I found this group while scrolling and checking for others to join with the hope of making new friends and discovering new books.
My reading goal is to at least finish all of the books sitting on my desk lol. And to not rush through them.

[Lisa]

Frederik wrote: "Where are you from?
My name is Frederik, I’m 27 years old, and I’m from Denmark ..."

Welcome to the group, fellow-Dane! 👋

I can attest to the correlation between having an e-reader and an increment in reading. There's just something about the ease of whipping out a Kindle while standing in line or commuting, that beats carrying a physical book around, in my opinion.

I definitely recommend the challenges. There are so many different ones that can appeal to different types of readers, and even if you're not a fan of year-long ones, and would rather focus on something short term, the monthly challenges are fantastic. 😊
As for group discussions, buddy reads and/or group reads are amazing tools! We're currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and even though there aren't that many days left in the month, I'd encourage you to join, if you have the time or interest. Even if it's one you've read before, we'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

In January, we'll be reading The Spellshop, which could be a good entry point to some cozy fantasy. I'm also happy to share some recommendations, should you want them. 😊 Otherwise, you can also check out all the buddy reads that are planned for January, here.

Wishing you the best of luck with your reading goals in 2025!
Happy reading!