The 52 Book Club: 2025 Challenge discussion

January is over and we're now a week into February. So let's chat.

What are you currently reading? (And for what category?)
How is the challenge going so far? Are you meeting your goals!

Give up an update!

Last week I finished The Beadworkers -written by indigenous author
Right now I am in the middle of three books:
One Day in December-before I read it, I thought it would use it for the “book set in winter”, but I think it falls better into the romance category
American Dirt-this will probably go into my hardcover category though it could also fit the celebrity book club category
I am listening to Ready Player One which I may use for the “outside my genre” or “set in the future” category.

Had such a good start to January with seven books completed am now in February having a slower start.
Finished the Erratics, a memoir by Vicki Laveau-Harvie, Australian author but mainly set in Canada.
Have started a couple of others: The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth, devouring the latest Elly Griffiths,the Lantern men, the next In The Ruth Galloway series, and the Way we Live Now by Anthony Trollope.
Will sort out categories soon. This challenge is lots of fun.

I’m ahead on this wonderfully fun challenge. So, I’m trying to read a book a day written by a black author for February. At first I was going to read only African American like last year, but I’m not sure I will tie myself down. I have some books on hold that are written by African, Europeans, and Caribbean authors who are black. This year, putting in more non fiction books, as that is a stretch for me anyway. I think one or two might fit this challenge. I’m having so much fun following what everyone else is reading and adding to my ever expanding list!

I am currently reading Lethal White by Robert Galbraith but am using it for the Modern Mrs. Darcy challenge for three books by the same author. May end up using it for this challenge too for the category of a character who frustrates you. Also reading Lillian Boxfish takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney for the category of a character who is a senior.

I am doing the MMD Challenge also. I haven’t started it yet, but borrowed East of Eden from the library fir a book written in the decade you were born. I need to start that one after I finish one of my current books.

Carol I just finished East of Eden hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Used it for celebrity book club as it was an Oprah selection.

Just finished From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle for Indigenous author. Great memoir of an addict sad but encouraging as he made it through. this is a Canada Reads which I am doing.

I am now reading Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club and listening to We have Always Been Here both also Canada Reads books. Thinking to use Small Game Hunting for book with orange on the cover and We Have Always Been Here for first person but that may change.

My plan right now is to slot the books I read into whatever category I can for the first half of the year then look for books to meet the missing categories.

Oh almost forgot picked up Art Matters by Neil Gaiman for book with illustrations.

I'm currently reading The Queen of Nothing for a Guilty Pleasure, and my next books are Storm of Locusts for By An Indigenous Author, The Giver of Stars for A Bestseller, and The Princess Bride for Written In The 1970's. I'm ahead of where I should be for the challenge, so I'm happy.

I just finished The Library of the Unwritten by A.J.Hackwith for "Reuse a prompt from a past year" an author that uses initials. It was good it unfortunately reminded me some of the Supernatural tv show story lines though. I enjoyed it anyway. I'm starting on Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco and using it for the prompt "An author's debut novel".

So far in Feb I have read: total of 20/52 prompts

#12 A guilty pleasure An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...

#14 Book in a series Toxic Toffee by Amanda Flower
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...

#18 A book that's published in 2020 Treason by Stuart Woods
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo... is full review - basically i wasn't too wowed by the lastest Stone Barrington installment but really shouldn't expect much but a light read from the series

#20 An author whose last name starts with the same initial as yours Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo.... This was another great thriller by this author. Definitely want to read everything by her since this is the 3rd I've read and loved

#22 A character that frustrates you Nine Perfect Strangers
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

#30 A book with recipes inside Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion by Joanna Campbell Slan
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo... fun lighthearted read that I always enjoy

A book used in a celebrity book club The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo... I really enjoyed this book although I did find it unsettling at times but that was the author's intention I'm sure



#35 An author’s debut book Fleishman Is in Trouble- I was not really blown away by it but did get me thinking about different perspectives

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

# 39. A book used in a celebrity book club The Last Mrs. Parrish
https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I’m currently reading The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews as a genre I don’t usually read. I’m not a fan of romances. This one is no exception. I’m trying to blow through it so I can get on to the next thing. Btw, this is book #8.

I read 17 books for the Challenge in January:
Book with W in title
Orange on the Cover
Book that leaves you thinking
Written by a female author
Book in a series
Book with Romance
Written by more than one author
Title Beginning with A
Title Beginning with C
A strong friendship theme
A Comic Book
A book with illustrations
Written in first person
A book featuring the medical profession
Set in a country you've never visited
A book that costs less than 5 dollars
Book with a foreword

In February I have read 4 books for this Challenge so far
Set in Winter
Published in 2020
A Character that frustrates you
Character who wears glasses

I may have read Author mentioned in an earlier category. I was not sure if that meant a same author I read for another category or the author of a book in the same category as an earlier category. I think I met both depending on the meaning of the prompt.

I am reading an ARC for Eli's Promise: A Novel by H. Ronald Balson. I just finished an ARC for "The Girl on the Roof" but I don't think either fit in this challenge. I have 6 challenges going, they will fit in one of them. My next book is "Code Name Helene" which is a story about Nancy Wake and will fit the spy prompt.

I have 21 books so far for the challenge, the spy one I will read next week will be 22. I am doing well. I have read 27 and am on my 28th book of the year and 21 of them fit in the challenge.

Here is my update for February so far:
Prompt 3-Indigenous Author- The Bead Workers
Prompt 15-Book with Romance-One Day in December
Prompt 51-A genre you don’t really care for-Ready Player One

Right now I am reading:
Prompt 33- Book with poetry-Poet X
Also reading East of Eden for another challenge.