FALL 2025 READING CHALLENGE

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I listened to Whiskey Tender by Deborah Taffa which was nominated for the National Book Award, it was good"

Thanks for the update, Danell! :)

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Random Task
2022 - READ A BOOK WITH A NAME IN THE TITLE.
I have re-read Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking-Glass.
[boo..."


Thanks for the updates, Dustin! :)

[Danell]

I listened to Nestlings by Nat Cassidy. I really enjoyed it and am hoping my hold for Mary comes through before the end of the challenge. Thanks for this challenge and finding another great author to explore!

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I listened to Nestlings by Nat Cassidy. I really enjoyed it and am hoping my hold for Mary comes through before the end of the challenge. Thanks for this challenge and finding another great author ..."

You’re welcome, Danell! :D
I’ll have to read Nestlings sooner rather than later. I really loved his new release When the Wolf Comes Home. Look forward to hearing what you think of Mary!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I have finished Bad Things Happened in This Room by Marie Still.
The title has the letters B-A-T.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I have finished Bad Things Happened in This Room by Marie Still.
The title has the letters B-A-T.
"

Thanks for the update, Dustin! :)
What did you think of it?

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Rachel wrote: "What did you think of it?"

Ha Ha :-) Bad Things Happened in This Room was a nightmare!
Very similar to The Once and Future Me (just without the future).
I initially liked Bad Things, but it got old. Will be writing a review soon, gotta get the book back to the library in the next week.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Movie Recommendation: Rental Family starring Brendan Fraser
Watched this earlier today - among my favorites of 2025

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I am currently reading another Doorstopper: Voyager, book three in The Outlander Series. I also re-read a short inspirational book, You Will Be Found, based on the lyrics from Dear Evan Hansen.
Fall Challenge is coming to a close but had been considering re-reading Dear Evan Hansen if I had time. I might get to re-reading Anne of Green Gables. (name in title, random task).

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Rachel wrote: "What did you think of it?"

Ha Ha :-) Bad Things Happened in This Room was a nightmare!
Very similar to The Once and Future Me (just without the future).
I initially liked Bad Thing..."

Look forward to your review. :)

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Movie Recommendation: Rental Family starring Brendan Fraser
Watched this earlier today - among my favorites of 2025"

Will have to check out the trailer. Glad Brendan Fraser is back making movies.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I am currently reading another Doorstopper: Voyager, book three in The Outlander Series. I also re-read a short inspirational book, You Will Be Found, based on the lyrics from Dear Evan Hansen.
Fal..."

Thanks for the updates, Dustin! :D

[Rachel]

I finished A truce that is not peace by Miriam Toews. It works for the random ( short book and author I’ve only read once before).

Some reviewers mentioned they couldn’t connect with it due to the unconventional way that it’s written. I didn’t have that problem for the most part. I listened to the audiobook
and read along. I also just
would read/listen to it in bite sized chunks. Anyway it’s heavy (although there’s plenty of humor too) as it deals with the suicides of her father and sister.

[Rachel]

Hey guys

As mentioned previously, winter 2026 seems to be the season of the mystery thriller. I really need your input about which titles to feature for the group read. I thought these titles sounded promising :

My husband’s wife by Alice Feeney
Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden
Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
A box full of darkness by Simone St. James
The murder at world’s end by Ross Montgomery
It’s not her by Mary Kubica

[Danell]

I wouldn’t oppose any of them. My Husband’s Wife and Dear Debbie are two great authors and I think I might have a better chance to get those copies In time for the challenge, due to an earlier publication date. I think I’ll just try and get them all regardless of if I get to read them for the challenge. 😂

[Danell]

I listened to The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Canas which works for Fall 2020
L-O-O. The book was ok

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I wouldn’t oppose any of them. My Husband’s Wife and Dear Debbie are two great authors and I think I might have a better chance to get those copies In time for the challenge, due to an earlier publ..."

Thank you, Danell! :)

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I listened to The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Canas which works for Fall 2020
L-O-O. The book was ok"

Thanks for the update, Danell! :)
Hope your next book is more enjoyable.

[Danell]

I read The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle which works for Fall 2015
T-R-E-A-T. It was a challenging book for me but overall enjoyed it.
Happy Thanksgiving

[Franzi]

Hello everyone
Sorry I've been even more quiet than usual. Autumn has been pretty hectic here and I didn't get as much reading time as I normally do. Planning to change this in the coming weeks. Nevertheless I managed to read four books for the Fall Challenge, fairly easy reads, light entertainment because it was just what I needed after exhausting days at work.

2)Kiss the Duke by B. E. Pfeiffer - I am counting this as a British novel because this is where it's set. I've read a few others by British authors which would count too but even the cover has some British landmarks on so there's that.

3) Inheritance of a sultan of Sansibar was an important part in The scent of the foreign island by Christina Rey, a loooong but quite enjoyable historical novel focusing on the lives of three women in Sansibar and France.

4) B-A-T
You can always rely on a German title when having to cover on of those prompts. 🙃 I've gone for:Leichtes Herz und schwere Beine - Mit Mama auf dem Jakobsweg (Light heart and Heavy legs, on the Camino de Santiago with my mum) by Tobi Schlegl - an autobiographical account of a German presenter who walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route with his mum.

5) Go as a river by Shelley Read won a national book award

I look forward to many cosy reading hours this winter.
Thanks so much for the great fall prompts.

I've read and enjoyed books by McFadden and Alice Feeney but happy with any of the others too :)

Take care, stay warm and happy 😊

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I read The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle which works for Fall 2015
T-R-E-A-T. It was a challenging book for me but overall enjoyed it.
Happy Thanksgiving"

Thanks for the update, Danell!
Happy Thanksgiving. :)

[Rachel]

Franzi wrote: "Hello everyone
Sorry I've been even more quiet than usual. Autumn has been pretty hectic here and I didn't get as much reading time as I normally do. Planning to change this in the coming weeks. Ne..."

So good to see you post, Franzi! :)
Thanks for the updates and feedback about the group reads.

[Danell]

I read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne which works for A-N-G-E-L a prompt from Fall 2014. I enjoyed the book. Awhile ago I bought a scratch off poster of classic books and it was time to choose a title.

[Rachel]

Danell wrote: "I read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne which works for A-N-G-E-L a prompt from Fall 2014. I enjoyed the book. Awhile ago I bought a scratch off poster of classic books and it w..."

Thanks for the update, Danell! :)
Part of me wants to read more classics but I don’t tend to pick them up often.

[Rachel]

Just an update

The Alice Feeney book will be one of reads in the next challenge.
I’m waiting to hear from Dustin before I pick the second group read.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Happy December! I've been busy working at the movie theater over the holiday break. Wicked For Good and Zootopia didn't give me a chance to look at the suggested winter titles until now.
My choice would be
IT'S NOT HER. That one seems to have the highest average Goodreads rating and most 5-star ratings.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Rachel wrote: "I finished A truce that is not peace by Miriam Toews. It works for the random ( short book and author I’ve only read once before).

Some reviewers mentioned they couldn’t connect with it due to the..."

I like this author. I'm planning to re-read Women Talking and Fight Night. There's still a lot of her work I'd like to read.

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Happy December! I've been busy working at the movie theater over the holiday break. Wicked For Good and Zootopia didn't give me a chance to look at the suggested winter titles until now.
My choice..."

Thanks Dustin! :)

[Rachel]

Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I finished A truce that is not peace by Miriam Toews. It works for the random ( short book and author I’ve only read once before).

Some reviewers mentioned they couldn’t connect wit..."

I read Women Talking a while ago. I’d like to read more of her books too.

[Vanessa]

I had a terrible fall reading. Hope to join the next challenge!

[Rachel]

Vanessa wrote: "I had a terrible fall reading. Hope to join the next challenge!"

No worries! The winter challenge has been posted. Hope to see you there! :D