DAILY TRACKING & DISCUSSION - Continents/Heritage: Individual Readathon 2025

[bailey, Challenges]

DAILY TRACKING AND DISCUSSION
2025 Continents/Heritage: Individual Readathon
Duration: May 16 to May 18, 2025


Welcome to the 2025 Continents/Heritage individual reading challenge! Within this thread, you can track your reading habits for the weekend and talk with other participants about books you’re reading and other related topics. Feel free to reserve yourself a post in this thread and continue updating it whenever you add pages/hours/titles to your readathon log. There is no pressure to post in here but we’d love to get a good conversation going to keep up everyone’s reading momentum!

Sample Tracking Log

Friday, May 16:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Saturday, May 17:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Sunday, May 18:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Totals:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

[bailey, Challenges]

Discussion Questions

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Discussion Questions & Answers (view spoiler)[
1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

My great-uncle Linden was a vaudevillian -- doing some song and dance, ventriloquism, and magic. He entertained us at family reunions for years. My late father caught the magic bug from him and followed in Uncle Linden's footsteps, performing at conventions, parties, and, yes, family reunions.

I recently found out from 23andMe that my roots include Colonial Americans (Blue Ridge Mtns, North Carolina Mtns, and Western South Carolina; NC Appalachians and Ohio Valley Early German Americans; and Mayflower Descendants!

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?

I'm hoping to read 1-2 books from the UK, the land of my ancestors; one from my state of birth; and one from my current state. I'm most excited about the last two.
The Appeal - UK
Cider with Rosie - UK
Call Your Daughter Home - SC
Mother May I - GA

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?

My challenges have been going well. Goodreads says I'm at 57% of my 2025 challenge.

I'm extremely stingy with 5-star ratings, but have found a handful of them already this year:
Isola
Broken Country
Homeseeking
The Queens of Crime
Defending Jacob

I've given about 25 books a 2-star rating this year. I won't bother to list them here since I wouldn't recommend them anyway. They are spread among celebrity book clubs, the 1001 books list, new releases, and more. What a disappointment. (hide spoiler)]

=====

🗺️ CONTINENTS/HERITAGE (INDIVIDUAL) - Readathon
Duration: May 16 - May 18, 2025
Progress: 5 Books | 1,254 Pages

Tracking and Discussion Thread
Message #3

Prompts
✅ 1. Anything on your TBR
✅ 2. Read a book that takes place on a continent you do not live in
✅ 3. Read a book written by an author from a continent you do not live in
✅ 4. Read a book with characters representing your heritage
✅ 5. Read a book with characters who have different heritage from you

Books
🗺️ The Appeal - UK - last 112p Fri.
🗺️ Cider with Rosie - UK - 228p Fri.
🗺️ Call Your Daughter Home - SC - first 120p Fri. | last 232p Sat.
🗺️ Mother May I - GA - first 70p Sat. | last 282p Sun.
🗺️ Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet - Tibet - 210p Sun.

Friday, May 16
Pages read: 112 + 228 + 120 = 460p

Saturday, May 17
Pages read: 232 + 70 = 302p

Sunday, May 18
Pages read: 282 + 210 = 492p

Totals
Books read: 5
Pages read: 1,254

[bailey, Challenges]

TerryJane wrote: "1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

My..."

That is so interesting about your great uncle and father! I can only imagine how amazing it was to see in person. Sounds like you're doing great with your Goodreads challenges, too. Looking forward to reading with you next weekend!!

[Rachael]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? Hmmm... I will come back to this question because I can't think of an answer at the moment. A couple of hours later, I now have an answer: apparently my several times great grandfather was a Lord Mayor of York (UK) in the 1500s. A relative was working on our family tree and found the connection but it could just be someone with the same name as our real life ancestor

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon? I am looking forward to reading Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (CRA) which has characters with different heritage to me. I am also hoping to complete one other book over the weekend; maybe Until the End of Time by Danielle Steel (UET) or Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q Sutanto (VW)

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite? They're going well; I think I'm currently 10 books ahead of my overall goal. My new favourite is the Strange the Dreamer duology by Laini Taylor. My least favourite book was The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (I don't really get on with Booker Prize winners)

📚📚📚
I'm going to use this as my tracking post.

* Friday 16 May: 202 pages (37%) read of CRA
* Saturday 17 May: 344 pages (63%) read of CRA & 173 pages (45%) read of VW. Books completed: Crazy Rich Asians (characters with different heritage to me)
* Sunday 18 May: 211 pages (55%) read of VW. Books completed: Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man (by an author from a continent I do not live in (Asia))
* Total books completed= 2. Total pages read = 930

[KSMary]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

- I was adopted so I grew up not knowing anything about my heritage until 2017 when I was reunited with my birth mother and siblings.

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?

-Not sure. I haven't planned out any books yet


3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?

-I am well on my way to my goal this year. The last readathon was a challenge for me and I read several books outside my normal genres that I just did not enjoy very much;; however, I did finally read Out Stealing Horses which I really enjoyed. Two other books that I read this year that I would recommend are: Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted and No Two Persons

Friday, May 16:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened: 3 hours
Prompts completed:

Saturday, May 17
Books read: 1
Pages read:
Hours listened: 7
Prompts completed: -Girl Wash your Face
#5 - NF - author has different heritage than myself

Sunday, May 18:
Books read:0
Pages read:0
Hours listened:0
Prompts completed:0

Totals:1
Books read:1
Pages read::
Hours listened:10
Prompts completed:1

On Friday, I finished 3 hours of a book but didn't count it for the Readathon and finished one book on Saturday. It was graduation weekend, so graduations and life didn't allow me to read any more for the weekend as intended.

[Allie]

Tracking
Friday, May 16:
Books read:
Those Opulent DaysThose Opulent Days
Accidently on Purpose
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

Pages read:
Hours listened: 4.5
Prompts completed: #2, #5

Saturday, May 17:
Books read:
Fatal Lies
Pages read: 60
Hours listened:
Prompts completed: 3

Sunday, May 18:
Books read:
Fatal Lies
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
Pages read: 60
Hours listened: 2.5
Prompts completed:

Totals:
Books read: 1
Pages read: 120
Hours listened: 6.5 hours
Prompts completed: 2, 3, 5

[Theresa, Readathons]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!
About 3 years ago, I got the shock of my life. I had done the ancestry DNA.
I learned I have three (1/2) brothers. I have met one of them, his wife, and kids.

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?
I hope to finish my current read before the readathon begins. I want to focus on Morning Glory for the readathon.

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?
My challenges have been slow going for several months, for medical reasons. since August 2024. (my son and myself.) We're doing good now, thankfully. I'm going to keep on keeping on. :)

* Friday 16 May: 60 pages
* Saturday 17 May: 58 pages
* Sunday 18 May: 33 pages
About 39% of "Morning Glory" read.

I've really enjoyed this book, so far!

[Susan, Games & Events]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

I completed my genealogy with 23 and Me a few years ago and learned somethings about my heritage I didn't know. Growing up, my grandma always said we had Native American in our blood. I found out that was a lie. So I bought my parents a 23 and Me kit and learned more about my lineage. We're mostly from England and my dad is a descendent of a King (I forget which one) but it was really far back. Kinda thought that was cool.

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?
I really enjoy Historical Fiction and WWII fascinates me and I also love thrillers, so I'm going to read Night, Last Twilight in Paris, The Family Upstairs

I'm wanting to read at least 4 books during this readathon, but I have 7 on the list.

Here's my list in order of importance:
Night
Last Twilight in Paris
The Family Upstairs
Murder on the Red River
Charlie, Presumed Dead
Mercy
By Any Other Name

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?

I've far exceeded my reading goals this year, I had planned on reading 60 books and I've flown past that goal. I'm now planning on reading 100 books, but I think I could easily read 120 as long I stay involved in these challenges.

I've given three books 5 stars this year - The Reformatory, A Little Life andKeep It in the Family. My least favorite books I've read so far have been Our Missing Hearts, The Midnight Feast and a few others.

Friday, May 16: Night, Last Twilight in Paris, Memory Slips: A Memoir of Music and Healing
Books read: 2
Pages read: 100
Hours listened: 11
Prompts completed: 1, 2, 3

Saturday, May 17: Last Twilight in Paris Murder on the Red River
Books read: 1
Pages read: 92
Hours listened: 3.5
Prompts completed: 2, 5

Sunday, May 18: Murder on the Red River The Family Upstairs The Tenant
Books read: 1
Pages read: 100
Hours listened: 2
Prompts completed: 5, 2, 1

Totals:
Books read: 5
Pages read: 562
Hours listened: 16.5

Prompts completed: Completed two books I had in progress on TBR (Memory Slips: A Memoir of Music and Healing and The Tenant). One book by an author from a continent that I do not live in (Night). Two books read that took place on a different continent than me Last Twilight in Paris, The Family Upstairs (75% completed). One book with characters who have a different heritage from me (Murder on the Red River)

[Jackie]

Reserving my space here :)

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!
I grew up with Irish lullabies instead of the usual, its a nice way to stay rooted in that.

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?
I honestly haven't done any planning just yet, hoping to this evening!

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?
Honestly while I've done a decent amount of reading, i've been in a bit of a slump so far this year. Thinking I need to do some phone detox to get my reading spark back!

Prompts
1. Anything on your TBR
2. Read a book that takes place on a continent you do not live in
3. Read a book written by an author from a continent you do not live in
4. Read a book with characters representing your heritage
5. Read a book with characters who have different heritage from you

Friday, May 16:
Books read:
Pages read: 80
Hours listened:
Prompts completed: 0

Saturday, May 17:
Books read:
Pages read: 120
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Sunday, May 18:
Books read:1
Pages read:220
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:1

Totals:
Books read:1
Pages read:420
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:1

[JennH, Cheerleader]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

Food. We don’t say ‘Hello, how are you?” We customarily greet each other with “Have you eaten you yet?” lol

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?

I don’t have a book I’m particularly excited about, but I am making an attempt to complete each of the readathon prompts with a book set on a different continent. So if I can manage to read 5 books, hopefully, I’ll hit/visit 5 continents.

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?

My reading challenges are going well enough. I’m a few books ahead on my Goodreads challenge. I’ll admit to getting anxious when the number goes down and I’m not ahead of schedule, or dare I say, behind. Lol I am loving the manhua graphic novel series that I’m currently in the middle of, and the novel of the same name which I’m also reading, Grandmaster of the Demonic Cultivation.

Prompts
1. Anything on your TBR
The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan 5/17/25 - North America
2. Read a book that takes place on a continent you do not live in
Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood 5/18/25 - Australia
3. Read a book written by an author from a continent you do not live in
The Healer by Antti Tuomainen 5/18/25 - Europe
4. Read a book with characters representing your heritage
The Crystal Ribbon by Celeste Lim 5/18/25 - Asia
5. Read a book with characters who have different heritage from you
- When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohamed; Victoria Jamieson 5/16/25 - Africa

Currently reading:


Friday, May 16:
Books read:
When Stars Are Scattered
Pages read: 295 pages
Hours listened: 3.25 hours
Prompts completed:
- Read a book with characters who have different heritage from you

Saturday, May 17:
Books read:
The Burning Maze
Pages read: 98 pages
Hours listened: 8 hours
Prompts completed:
- Anything on your TBR

Sunday, May 18:
Books read:
The Crystal Ribbon
Blood and Circuses
The Healer
Pages read: 109 pages
Hours listened: 5.5 hours
Prompts completed:
- Read a book with characters representing your heritage
- Read a book that takes place on a continent you do not live in
- Read a book written by an author from a continent you do not live in

Totals:
Books read: 5
Pages read: 502
Hours listened: 16.75 hours
Prompts completed: 5

[bailey, Challenges]

Welcome, everyone!

I’ve really enjoyed reading all of your responses to the discussion questions. It’s so interesting to learn about other peoples cultural traditions and family histories! And I love that what brings us all together in this group is reading. I can’t wait to start reading with you soon!!

[Tanu]

TANU TRACKING THREAD
2025 Continents/Heritage: Individual Readathon
Duration: May 16 to May 18, 2025

Friday, May 16:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Saturday, May 17:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Sunday, May 18:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

Totals:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed:

[E]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!

Hmm... I will come back to this one

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?
I have enjoyed The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates and this book does not really fit the Readathon theme of Heritage exactly... but the way he described Dakar Senegal was fascinating. This is the first book of his I have read and makes me want to read more. I am about halfway through this since this a short and fast read. I don't think I have learned anything new though... but his writing is beautiful for non-fiction.

I am sure I can find another book to read about another Heritage and that will probably interest me more than getting through a random book on my TBR. Can I really read 3 books this weekend? LOL!

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?
My reading challenge started out strong, I was reading a book every other week or so but then life got busy and I could never find time to prioritize my reading so I had a long slump with DNF after DNF...
FINALLY! I am back, I am hoping I will not fall back into my reading slump this year because I feel the best when I'm reading.

I LOVED Kindred
I also LOVED LOVED LOVED 11/22/63
I just finished 11/22/63 last night and it was one of the BEST books I've ever read. It is by far my favorite Stephen King novel even before Needful Things. I DEVOURED this. I've never read a book so fast, it was 849 pages and it took me a week, shorter than a regular sized book.

I also was severely disappointed by Karin Slaughter... and even more aggravated by Pageboy by Elliot Page. Pageboy was unfortunately a DNF for me :( and one of the worst books I have read... which pains me to say because I love Elliot Page and the cover is brilliant. there was no consistent theme and I did not connect to anything.

I have been looking forward to this but it certainly snuck up on me this week! oops!
I started 2 books today, that kind of work for this challenge!

for 2. Read a book that takes place on a continent you do not live in (the first part of three Coates goes to Dakar in Africa and the third part talks about Palestine).
The Message

for 1. Anything on your TBR:
The Crash

Friday, May 16:
Books read: 1!
Pages read: 200
Hours listened: 3.5
Prompts completed: 1!

Saturday, May 17:
Books read: 0
Pages read: 30
Hours listened: 0
Prompts completed: 0

Sunday, May 18:
Books read: 1
Pages read: 200
Hours listened: 0
Prompts completed: 1!

Totals:
Books read: 2!
Pages read: 500+
Hours listened: 3.5
Prompts completed: 2!

[Chalmation]

1. What is something you celebrate about your heritage that you’d like to share with others? It can be something sentimental, unique, or just something random you think we may find interesting!
--Well, I don't really celebrate this, but I guess it is unique. My mom's maternal grandfather, during Prohibition, would take liquor from the ships and bring them to the speakeasies. My mom's paternal grandfather ran a bookie operation out of his house and his kids would be lookouts for the police.

2. Which book are you most excited about for this readathon?
--I'll probably finish 2 books, neither of which are terribly exciting. The 1st one is good so far.

3. How are your reading challenges going so far? Have you found a new favorite book this year? Or a new least favorite?
--Challenges are going good. No favorites or least favorites.

Friday, May 16:
Pages read: 221

[Rachael]

Just completed my first book for this Readathon: a book with characters who have different heritage from you - Crazy Rich Asians. It was interesting to get an insight into a different culture to my own. It is probably highly fictionalised, sensationalised and exaggerated here though. There were a lot of characters to keep track of. Even though we had a family tree and regular information about them, I still struggled to remember how they were all connected.
I'm going to pick up Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man next. I was planning a different book but think Vera Wong will be good for this Readathon

[Chalmation]

Saturday, May 17:
Pages read: 193
Books read: 1
Prompts completed: 1
Total pages read: 414

[bailey, Challenges]

I forgot to reserve my own post!!

Friday, May 16:
Books read: The Haunting of Hill House
Pages read: NA
Hours listened: NA
Prompts completed: 1

Saturday, May 17:
Books read: The Wraith and Her Killer
Pages read: NA
Hours listened: NA
Prompts completed: 0

Sunday, May 18:
Books read: The Wraith and Her Killer
Pages read: NA
Hours listened: NA
Prompts completed:

Totals:
Books read:
Pages read:
Hours listened:
Prompts completed

[Rachael]

Just finished Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man - this is the second book of a series and I would really recommend it. It's about a 60 year old Chinese woman living in San Francisco running a teashop who begins to solve murders. She is brilliant as are the books!

[TerryJane, Challenges]

It's almost midnight here, so I'm closing out Message #3 with 5 Books | 1,254 Pages.

Thank you, bailey, for setting up this readathon. 🤗🥰

[Chalmation]

Sunday, May 18:
Pages read: 42

Totals:
Books read: 1 complete, 2 partial
Pages read: 456
Prompts completed: 1

[Susan, Games & Events]

Totals for post #9...Wish I could have done more but I was a little too busy Saturday. Thank you Bailey for organizing this readathon.

Totals:
Books read: 5
Pages read: 562
Hours listened: 16.5
Prompts completed: Completed two books I had in progress on TBR (Memory Slips: A Memoir of Music and Healing and The Tenant). One book by an author from a continent that I do not live in (Night). Two books read that took place on a different continent than me Last Twilight in Paris, The Family Upstairs (75% completed). One book with characters who have a different heritage from me (Murder on the Red River)

[Jackie]

Well, didn't read as much as I hoped but my town was hit with a literal tornado and power was out all weekend 😅 giving myself a pass on this one but I did finish a book!

[Susan, Games & Events]

Jackie wrote: "Well, didn't read as much as I hoped but my town was hit with a literal tornado and power was out all weekend 😅 giving myself a pass on this one but I did finish a book!"

Oh no, hope everything is okay. We were dodging tornadoes all weekend as well, but luckily nothing was too close to us.

[JennH, Cheerleader]

Jackie wrote: "Well, didn't read as much as I hoped but my town was hit with a literal tornado and power was out all weekend 😅 giving myself a pass on this one but I did finish a book!"

Whoa, a tornado!!? I hope the power outage was the worst of what you had to deal with and everything else is okay!

[bailey, Challenges]

Jackie wrote: "Well, didn't read as much as I hoped but my town was hit with a literal tornado and power was out all weekend 😅 giving myself a pass on this one but I did finish a book!"

Oh my gosh, Jackie!! I hope you are okay! We're all proud of you for still reading a book during this crazy weekend!

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Jackie wrote: "Well, didn't read as much as I hoped but my town was hit with a literal tornado and power was out all weekend 😅 giving myself a pass on this one but I did finish a book!"

Wow, Jackie! I'm glad you are okay. Stay strong as your community recovers, and know that someone across the miles is thinking of you. 🤗🙏

[Jackie]

Thanks everyone for your kind responses! It was wild for sure, but the power outage was thankfully the worst of it aside from all the storm cleanup. The last few sections of my town are getting power restored today!