2025 Reading Challenge discussion

My goal for 2015 is 102 books (one more than last year)!

1. Wayfaring Stranger by James Lee Burke - completed January 2015

2. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - completed January 2015

3. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - completed January 2015

4. The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber - completed January 2015

5. Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey - completed January 2015

6. Red Rising by Pierce Brown - completed January 2015

7. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult - completed January 2015

8. Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood - completed January 2015

9. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen - completed January 2015

10. Landline by Rainbow Rowell - completed January 2015

11. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - completed February 2015

12. The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes - completed February 2015

13. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica - completed February 2015

14. Married by Monday by Catherine Bybee - completed February 2015

15. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - completed February 2015

16. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan - completed February 2015

17. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - completed February 2015

18. Fiancé by Friday by Catherine Bybee - completed February 2015

19. The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters - completed February 2015

20. Single by Saturday by Catherine Bybee - completed February 2015

21. The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman - completed February 2015

22. Messenger by Lois Lowry - completed February 2015

23. Waking Kate by Sarah Addison Allen - completed February 2015

24. War Brides by Helen Bryan - completed February 2015

25. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - completed February 2015

26. Taken by Tuesday by Catherine Bybee - completed February 2015

27. Golden Son by Pierce Brown - completed February 2015

28. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan - completed March 2015

29. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale - completed March 2015

30. Son by Lois Lowry - completed March 2015

31. The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton - completed March 2015

32. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan - completed March 2015

33. Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol - completed March 2015

34. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - completed March 2015

35. Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins - completed March 2015

36. The Dead Key by D.M. Pulley - completed March 2015

37. The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins - completed March 2015

38. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan - completed March 2015

39. Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins - completed March 2015

40. The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughn - completed March 2015

41. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan - completed March 2015

42. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan - completed March 2015

43. The House of Hades by Rick Riordan - completed April 2015

44. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan - completed April 2015

45. Things We Set On Fire by Deborah Reed - completed April 2015

46. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin - completed April 2015

47. Second Glance by Jodi Picoult - completed April 2015

48. Prudence by Gail Carriger - completed April 2015

49. Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler - completed April 2015

50. At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen - completed April 2015

51. Chocolat by Joanne Harris - completed April 2015

52. The Liar by Nora Roberts - completed April 2015

53. The Young Elites by Marie Lu - completed May 2015

54. The Signature of All Things by Elisabeth Gilbert - completed May 2015

55. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen - completed May 2015

56. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - completed May 2015

57. The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel - completed May 2015

58. Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish by John Hargrove - completed May 2015

59. My One and Only by Kristan Higgins - completed May 2015

60. Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews - completed May 2015

61. Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins - completed May 2015

62. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes - completed June 2015

63. The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll - completed June 2015

64. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - completed June 2015

65. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - completed June 2015

66. Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran - completed June 2015

67. The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski - completed June 2015

68. Inamorata by Megan Chance - completed June 2015

69. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley - completed June 2015

70. Foodies Rush In by Tanya Eby - completed June 2015

71. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire - completed July 2015

72. In the Land of the Long White Cloud by Sarah Lark - completed July 2015

73. The Courtesan by Susan Carroll - completed July 2015

74. Song of the Spirits by Sarah Lark - completed July 2015

75. Call of the Kiwi by Sarah Lark - completed July 2015

76. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler - completed July 2015

77. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - completed July 2015

78. Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden - completed August 2015

79. The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai: A Novel by Ruiyan Xu - completed August 2015

80. Sea of Stars by Amy Bartol - completed August 2015

81. The Silver Rose by Susan Carroll - completed August 2015

82. Alert by James Patterson - completed August 2015

83. The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes - completed August 2015

84. Crazy Little Thing by Tracy Brogan - completed August 2015

85. The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick - completed August 2015

86. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi - completed September 2015

87. A Duty To The Dead by Charles Todd - completed September 2015

88. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins - completed September 2015

89. The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin - completed September 2015

90. White Collar Girl by Renee Rosen - completed September 2015

91. Darken the Stars by Amy Bartol - completed September 2015

92. The Last Midwife by Sandra Dallas - completed September 2015

93. Night Music by Jojo Moyes - completed September 2015

94. Nine Days a Queen: The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey by Ann Rinaldi - completed September 2015

95. Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner - completed September 2015

96. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - completed September 2015

97. American Ghost: A Family's Haunted Past in the Desert Southwest by Hannah Nordhaus - completed October 2015

98. Fools Rush in by Kristan Higgins - completed October 2015

99. For Better or Money by Amy Minty - completed October 2015

100. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin - completed October 2015

101. Paperweight by Meg Haston - completed October 2015

102. Second Life by S.J. Watson - completed October 2015

103. After You by Jojo Moyes - completed October 2015

104. The Huntress by Susan Carroll - completed October 2015

105. Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes - completed October 2015

106. The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson - completed October 2015

107. Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older - completed October 2015

108. Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins - completed October 2015

109. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - completed November 2015

110. The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki - completed November 2015

111. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin - completed November 2015

112. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - completed November 2015

113. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - completed November 2015

114. The Scorch Trials by James Dashney - completed November 2015

115. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradel - completed November 2015

116. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - completed November 2015

117. Trail of Broken Wings by Sejal Badani - completed November 2015

118. Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin - completed November 2015

119. In the Age of Love and Chocolate by Gabrielle Zevin - completed November 2015

120. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware - completed November 2015

121. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich - completed November 2015

122. The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes - completed December 2015

123. The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg - completed December 2015

124. Honeymoon in Paris by Jojo Moyes - completed December 2015

125. The Glass Magician by Charlie Holmberg - completed December 2015

126. The Master Magician by Charlie Holmberg - completed December 2015

127. The Hole We're In by Gabrielle Zevin - completed December 2015

128. Sheltering Rain by Jojo Moyes - completed December 2015

129. Windfallen by Jojo Moyes - completed December 2015

130. Margarettown by Gabrielle Zevin - completed December 2015

131. Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes - completed December 2015

132. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich - completed December 2015

133. The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey - completed December 2015

134. The Forgotten Recipe by Amy Clipston - completed December 2015

135. The Death Cure by James Dashner - completed December 2015

135/102 - Challenge completed!!!

First book in 2015 - Wayfaring Stranger by James Lee Burke. This book reminded me of some of my least favorite books from high school English. The irrepressible perfect American male narrator facing down the worst demons in American society. The whole story felt contrived. I did not enjoy this book. 2 stars

Second book in 2015 - Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. Endearing and incredibly charming, the book winds old Southern myths into reality. Love the characters and the cooking sequences make me want to check out edible flowers! Definitely worth reading! 4 stars

Third book in 2015 - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. While I had basically figured out the twist in the book about 30% of the way through, the unusual writing style kept me interested despite that. I enjoyed the characters, which were particularly complex in their oddities and personalities. Worth reading! 4 stars

Fourth book in 2015 - The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber. While I appreciate the complexity of this novel, the lack of closure left me feeling incredibly frustrated at the end. The characters were well-written, and in particular, Peter reminded me of many born-again, liberal Christian missionaries that I know. Worth reading but be warned about the lack of an ending! 3.5 stars

Fifth book in 2015 - Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey. I was not a fan of this book. It was depressing and the flashbacks seemed rather obvious. I have come to realize I do not like books that are told from the perspective of someone loosing their memories or perceptions. I don't know if this was a failure of writing, or if I'm just not the target audience. I would not recommend. 1 star

Good luck with your challenge, Megan! Are there any books in particular that you're looking forward to reading this year?

Cassandra wrote: "Good luck with your challenge, Megan! Are there any books in particular that you're looking forward to reading this year?"

I'm really looking forward to reading the authors for the complete works challenge. Good luck with your challenge as well!

Which authors did you pick?

Gabrielle Zevin, Kristin Higgins, Jojo Moyes, and Sarah Addison Allen.

I actually haven't read any of those authors, but I picked up Me Before You at the bookstore a couple of days ago, so I'm looking forward to that.

Each of the authors wrote one of my fav books from last year. Zevin wrote the Storied Life of AJ Fikry (probably my fav book of 2014). Higgins wrote the In Your Dreams series which was fantastic! Moyes wrote One Plus One which I devoured. And Allen wrote Lost Lake which I found utterly charming. I highly recommend at least those four works:)

I've been meaning to read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, and I added Lost Lake to my TBR. Thanks for the recommendations!

Cassandra wrote: "I've been meaning to read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, and I added Lost Lake to my TBR. Thanks for the recommendations!"

Anytime:)

Sixth book in 2015 - Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It got much better towards the end. The beginning of the book was difficult for me to wrap my head around. I appreciate the extremely complex world the author created. It was introduced in a confusing way. I felt dropped right into the middle of the narrative. Then the book morphed into a vicious Hunger Games. However, I appreciated the ending and am looking forward to the next book. Worth reading! 4 stars

Seventh book in 2015 - Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. This book is amazing - well-written, stitched together tightly, lovely complex characters, and worth every moment of reading! This is my first Picoult book, and I now want to read everything she's written. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; it surprised me and that's difficult to do. 5 stars

I don't trust Jodi Piccoult after my first read of hers. I think it was called Handle with Care. Don't trust her at all.

Eighth book in 2015 - Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood. These stories are classic Atwood! My only criticism is that I wanted more, a little more closure or fleshing out of some of the tales. Worth reading. 3.5 stars

Ninth book in 2015 - First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen. Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, I found it very repetitious of the first Waverly novel. I understand some of that had to be explained for new readers, but not all of that was necessary. It was also a slow start. The charm and fantasy finally came through about 1/3 of the way in. Good ending. Worth reading. 3.5 stars

Tenth book in 2015 - Landline by Rainbow Rowell. This book proves the adage that one shouldn't judge a book by its cover (this is an awful cover for a book!). The book was fantastic, a quick read, fresh concept, interesting complex characters, quotable lines, so good! My only criticism was that there was a bit more left unresolved at the end then I would like but it was just a tad bit more. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

I'm glad you liked Landline! I have a copy of that waiting for me at some point this year. It will be my first book by Rainbow Rowell, but I'm excited to get to it, so many different readers love her work.

Rachel wrote: "I'm glad you liked Landline! I have a copy of that waiting for me at some point this year. It will be my first book by Rainbow Rowell, but I'm excited to get to it, so many different readers love..."

This is my first read of her work, and I'm definitely bumping her other books up on my list. My aunt says that she's also a journalist in Nebraska.

Eleventh book in 2015 - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. I wish this book was the beginning of a series, then I likely would have given it five stars. So well-written, the characters seem to be real, and the use of flashback was perfectly proportioned. My only criticism was the story cried out for more at the end. I didn't want these characters to stop at the end of this book - I wanted them to survive into a sequel. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

I can't wait to start Station Eleven! I've heard such good things about it and it should be fun to discuss.

It's so good. I couldn't put it down, and I've been thinking about it since I finished it. Always the sign of a good read:)

Twelfth book in 2015 - The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes. While I appreciate the characters and the unique storyline, I felt that the story was a bit long and could have been edited down. Worth reading. 3.5 stars

Thirteenth book in 2015 - The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. The book was written well and I liked the characters. The alternating chapters from before and after told from different perspectives was an interesting technique. The "surprise" at the end was rather unnecessary and I had figured it out by the time it happened. Worth reading. 3.5 stars

Fourteenth book in 2015 - Married by Monday by Catherine Bybee. Quick read with good plot points. Not the standard romance fair. Some of the slight legal references were inaccurate, but other than that, worth reading. 3 stars

Fifteenth book in 2015 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I am incredibly impressed with this book! The story is well-written, crafted beautifully, and contains complex characters. There is a very smart thread of suspense written throughout the story. Overall, it is a story of love and forgiveness and the will to survive unbroken. Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

Sixteenth book in 2015 - The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. While I appreciate the complex world that Riordan has built, I was a little irritated to start reading and realize that this book built on the Percy Jackson series. I kept reading to finish the book but now have to go back and finish the Jackson series to truly understand everything that occurred in the book. I enjoyed the suspense built in for the rest of this series. 3.5 stars

Seventeenth book in 2015 - The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I enjoyed the writing in this book and the world was much more understandable. I'm glad I went back to read the first book in the entire series. Definitely worth reading. 4 stars

Eighteenth book in 2015 - Fiancé by Friday by Catherine Bybee. While a good continuation of the series, I wasn't particularly fond of the characters and felt the story dragged on unnecessarily. 2.5 stars

Nineteenth book in 2015 - The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. While I appreciate the scope of the book, it fell flat for me. It had a very slow start and pace, I did not connect with the characters, and the author spent more time describing all of the emotions the characters were having, rather than moving the story along. Good effort but not my fav. 2.5 stars

Twentieth book in 2015 - Single by Saturday by Catherine Bybee. One of the better books in this series. Much more coherent storyline with a lot more depth than the previous book. Don't get me wrong, it's still a romance book, but it's an entertaining read/listen. Worth reading. 3.5 stars

Twenty-first book in 2015 - The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman. Beautiful story with lovely prose. Really interesting characters. My only criticism was that at times the story got lost in the language. Definitely worth reading. 4 stars

Twenty-second book in 2015 - Messenger by Lois Lowry. Much better than the second book in the series. This book seemed to bring the first two books together. Loved the simple message of the outward world reflecting the evil or good within. Definitely worth reading. 4 stars

Twenty-third book in 2015 - Waking Kate by Sarah Addison Allen. I wish that I had read this novella prior to Lost Lake. Nice little prelude to that book. Worth reading. 3 stars

Twenty-fourth book in 2015 - War Brides by Helen Bryan. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and sympathetic and written very well. I felt, especially towards the end, that there were massive gaps in the plot. The ending felt rushed, almost as if the author was writing under a page limit. Still good book and definitely worth reading! 4 stars

Megan wrote: "Twenty-fourth book in 2015 - War Brides by Helen Bryan. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and sympathetic and written very well. I felt, especia..."

That is good to know. I think I picked up this book for $1.99 on my Kindle. I am glad it is a good one.

Twenty-fifth book in 2015 - The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. Good continuation of the story. My only complaint is that sometimes important story points get lost in the quick prose. Definitely worth reading. 4 stars

Twenty-sixth book in 2015 - Taken by Tuesday by Catherine Bybee. While I appreciated the suspense in this book, I thought the plot was a little too unbelievable. The connection between the two main characters seemed a stretch. Overall worth reading. 3.5 stars

Twenty-seventh book in 2015 - Golden Son by Pierce Brown. I really enjoyed 3/4 of this book. The pacing was good, the plot kept me guessing, and the twists are worthy of Game of Thrones. The negatives are that it took about 100 pages for the book to get going. It also irritated me that the author occasionally referred to the fictional gap between books without explaining what happened in that gap. Overall, though, really good sequel! 4 stars

Twenty-eighth book in 2015 - The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan. Another good book in the series! I'm glad the characters are developing a bit more. I am curious when in the series the author decided on the 2nd series with Roman Olympians, because it appears there are some inconsistencies right now. Overall good book. 3.5 stars

Twenty-ninth book in 2015 - Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. Overall, I ended up liking this book. It's based on a little known fairytale, and I loved the story. That being said, the book was paced a bit slow. The audiobook was good after I got use to the singing of the cast, but that was rather disconcerting at first. Definitely worth reading. 3.5 stars

Thirtieth book in 2015 - Son by Lois Lowry. While none of these books has come close to the near perfection of The Giver, this was the closest. I really appreciated how the author finally brought the divergent stories together. And the glimpses back at Jonas' community through the eyes of another person were very interesting. Definitely worth reading. 4 stars

Thirty-first book in 2015 - The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton. I loved this story! It was unexpected and beautiful as it slowly unfurled from a simple story about a boy visiting his grandfather in Kentucky to an examination of grief, evil, loss, and the impacts of impulsive decisions. My only criticism was that the end was rather muddled, the last chapter skipped around in time quite a bit so it was confusing. I read the ARC, so hopefully that was fixed in the final edition. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

Thirty-second book in 2015 - The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. Another really good book in the series! The environmental bit at the end seemed a bit forced, but other than that, very entertaining. 4 stars

Thirty-third book in 2015 - Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol. While I got a touch annoyed at some of the teen angst-y and romance elements of the book, I also found it wildly entertaining. I love the world the author created. And the lead character Kricket is a blast to read. Definitely worth reading! 4 stars

Thirty-fourth book in 2015 - Ruby by Cynthia Bond. While I appreciated this book, it is a heavy read. The terrible history it relates is tempered a bit by the sense of hope that runs through the book. The mysticism is fascinating but a bit confusing for the first third of the book. Overall definitely worth reading. 4 stars