Revised Dusty Bookshelf Challenge 2025

[Liz, Moderator]

As we enter 2025, I thought it was time to revise the Dusty Bookshelf challenge... and add a random element!

How this would work:

*If you look at your to-read shelf on the web version of Goodreads, you will notice a number to the left of each book (when you look at it in list form, not covers only). The book that's been the longest on your to-read shelf is number 1 and they move forward from there.

*At the beginning of the month (or at the end of the previous month) I will generate a random number, say 25, and that month everyone reads whatever book is number 25 on their to-read shelf.

* I currently have over 1000 books on my Goodreads to-read shelf and I realise not everyone will have as many, especially if they are new to Goodreads. so perhaps we should stick with random numbers between 1 and 100?

*Once the number has been announced, we share which books we'll be reading and encourage each other as we make progress through our to-read shelves.

*The bonus is, they're all books we WANT to read (and often feel guilty that we're not reading...)

Let me know what you think and I will spin the wheel and select the first number!

[Ilia]

Sounds like a great idea!

[Sureyya]

Loved this idea 🎈

[Liz, Moderator]

Great. I will go ahead and find out what our first number will be...!

[Bill]

I've updated my Dusty book list for 2025.

[Leanne]

Fab idea! Count me in! :-)

[Liz, Moderator]

I used a random number generator and it picked: 59.

So look to your Goodreads to-read shelves and find book number 59. If you have fewer than 59 books to read, you can pick either number 5 or number 9.

Let us know what book you'll be reading for January!

[Elaine]

does anyone have fewer than 59 on their to read list? wow!

[Liz, Moderator]

Book number 59 on my Goodreads to-read shelf is: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. So that's what I'll be reading...

I added it on 2nd Feb 2011 - only 14 years ago!! I really need this challenge...

[Bill]

Book number 59 on my Goodreads' bookshelf is Mrs. Pargeter's Pound of Flesh by Simon Brett (Mrs. Pargeter #4). I bought in Nov 2012. I'll try to read in Jan... Checking again I seem to have made a mistake. #59 is in fact an Inspector Sejer mystery, Calling Out for You by Karin Fossum. I'm starting it today, Jan 14.

[Elaine]

mine is Jhereg by Steven Brust. its a scifi fantasy and it has dragons .The first in a series I added it on July 10th 2012 lol same as you Liz

[Kate, Moderator]

I don't use my Want to Read Shelf for books I own. It's more a case of reading a recommendation on Goodreads and adding it to find at a later date.

So I've counted my physical TBR pile for this. Book number 59 is Crimes in Southern Indiana: Stories which I picked up for the USA states challenge and haven't got round to yet. It looks totally uninviting and gory. One of the comments on the cover is "Take American Gothic + Tarantino + 1 cup of human blood. Liquidise in a blender. Result: The great stories of Frank Bill" I guess at least I'll DNF it quickly if its no good!

[Liz, Moderator]

Good luck everyone. It's so interesting what comes up this way :)

[Kerensa]

Great idea! Mine is The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. I did actually buy it years ago and it's on my TBR shelf. I've decided that as I spend far too much money on books, I will join this challenge but if the book that comes up is one that I don't own, and isn't in the library, I'll move to the next one on the list that I do own :)

[Liz, Moderator]

Sounds like a good plan, Kerry!

[Linda Ferguson]

Sounds good!

[Paul]

I do like this idea, thank you Liz.
My no. 59 is The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner, added to my TBR list January 24, a new author to me so I am looking forward to it.

[Linda Ferguson]

Hello, and thank you for creating the dusty bookshelf game. It appears to me that I don't use my TBR book shelf like others here do. I used to put books on my TBR, but found it problematic for the reasons you mentioned above. Now, when I start reading a book.I add it to the read list, then when I have finished I add stars/my review.
This keeps me more on track with reading, having said all that the next physical book I will be reading: Alexander McCall Smith
The Great Hippopotamus Hotel: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (25) (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series)

[Lucy]

This is actually quite a good thing to do for many reasons. But one I found is that I really need to update my Want to Read list. some books I put on there years ago, I definitely do NOT want to read now! Maybe a clear out is in order?!

[Liz, Moderator]

Yes, I sometimes come across a book on my list that I can't for the life of me remember wanting to read!

[Kate]

What a fantastic way clear your tbr list! Love it!

[Kate, Moderator]

I've finished Crimes in Southern Indiana: Stories and it was as gory as I expected. Not my usual pick and if it wasn't for this challenge I'm sure I wouldn't have got round to it anytime soon.

[Linda Ferguson]

🥰

[Liz, Moderator]

Well done, Kate. You really bit the bullet with that one! - Bad pun intended ;)

[Kate, Moderator]

Lol Liz, I'm glad it got me Indiana for the USA challenge at least!

[Liz, Moderator]

I'm just starting mine: Snowflower and the Secret Fan-Deluxe Edition...

[Nikks]

fun challenge and would definitely make me look back at my cyber hoarding lol. however I only use the goodreads app. I wonder if counting from the bottom up would work ?

[Kate, Moderator]

Hi Nikks, I think you can play any way that suits you. Bottom up sounds good to me! Let us know what your first book will be.

[Liz, Moderator]

We'll be in February very soon, so I will go ahead and spin the virtual wheel to see what number from the to-read list we'll need to read next month.....

..... (drum roll please - it really is a wheel, called 'Picker wheel', nice and colourful)....

....and the number is: 70! - If you have fewer books on your to-read list, you can read no 7 instead. Let us know what you will be reading :)

[Liz, Moderator]

I have just checked my to-read shelf on Goodreads (on the desktop/web version) and my 70th book on the shelf is To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield.

On the downside it's 672 pages long, but it's been on my to-read shelf since March 25 2011, so it's definitely time I read it!

[Bill]

Unless I complete a book in front #70 on my shelf is The Snowman by Jo Nesbø

[Nikks]

#70 for me... is The elegance of the hedgehog

[Lucy]

Hi Nikks, I came across that book the other day and added it to my TBR list. I'd be interested to know what you think.

[writer...]

Looking forward to reading my book #59 The Murders in Great Diddling ;))

And..

#70 for February
The Windows of Venice

[Paul]

No. 70 for me is The Crucible by Arthur Miller

[Liz, Moderator]

That's a good one, Paul.

[Bill]

Completed my January dusty book, Calling Out for You by Karin Fossum 3.5 stars

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

Starting my Feb book, The Snowman by Jo Nesbø

[Paul]

My February book was The Crucible by Arthur Miller, having seen the play but never read it I was very interested to see how I would get on. I gave it 5 Stars.

[Paul]

Review of The Crucible by Arthur Miller Five stars because I will read this again and again to catch every nuance.
It is a superb read full of tension and fury and disbelief. I have seen the play twice and wish I had read this beforehand, perhaps next time I will take the book with me. Very simple plot kept very tight, wonderfully created characters and the reasoning clear to any sane person but history shows we could all fall like this. Hence why Miller wrote the play looking in a mirror at the House Un-American Activities Committee in the USA, swap Reverend Parris for Joseph McCarthy.

[Liz, Moderator]

I read the play for school and reread it more recently as it is such a corker! But I have never seen a production. I even missed out on the film version - was it Daniel Day Lewis as John Proctor and Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams?

[Liz, Moderator]

Oh no! I haven't started my February dusty read and March is just around the corner...

Putting that to one side. Let's see what number will be coming up in March (drum roll)....

#51

So check your to-read shelf and see what is number 51 on your list and that's what you'll be reading in March. If you have a nice short list, you can choose #5 or #1.

Now I'm going to check what I'll be reading...

[Liz, Moderator]

My #51 is On the Beach by Nevil Shute, which I am very happy to finally get to read.

What is #51 on your shelf/list?

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "My #51 is On the Beach by Nevil Shute, which I am very happy to finally get to read.

What is #51 on your shelf/list?

"

I think I've read this 3 or 4 times. It always strikes a chord. I also have enjoyed the movie a few times. Hope you 'enjoy'

[Bill]

At the moment, #51 on my shelf is A Series of Murders by Simon Brett (Charles Paris #13) finished 25 Mar, 3.5 stars

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

[Paul]

I will be reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

[Liz, Moderator]

Ooh! That's a good one, Paul.

[Paul]

It is Liz, one that's escaped me, though I did like the film with James Mason

[Kate, Moderator]

#51 for me is Green Darkness by Anya Seton It's been on my TBR physical shelf for about 10 years.

[Paul]

Paul wrote: "I will be reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier"Oh my, what a great opening sentence.
'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.'
I can hear Joan Fontaine saying it now. I am enjoying this a great deal.

[Liz, Moderator]

Excellent!