2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This Year's Reading Corner

Last Year's Reading Challenge
Last Year's Reading Corner

2022's Reading Challenge
2022's Reading Corner

2021's Reading Challenge
2021's Reading Corner

Please refer to my priority reads and queue shelves too!

A few books I would really like to pick up this year:
✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

Rrereads I would like to get to:


Added Later Into the Year I'd like to get to soon, not necessarily all this year though:
✅

It's a new year!

0/44

Currently Reading:

I know this is really short, but since I'm planning on reading insanely long books this year, I don't feel bad counting this. I know I'm weak, but it still made me tear up.



1/44

Currently Reading:

... Work and life's been killing me so I haven't had time to read any of the things I want to read. I'm like 75% done with The Two Towers (and I have been since January) but I just can't get past Frodo and Sam's parts.



5/44

Currently Reading:

So I've finally gotten around to some reading!



9/44

Currently Reading:

You're doing great, Sara!
The Second Chance Year sounds really interesting and fun. Would you recommend it?

What did you think of The September House and Funny Story?
I read Beach Read a few years ago, really enjoyed it, and thought I had found a new favorite author, but so far it's been a one-off for me, sadly.
The more Emily Henry books I read, the more hesitant I become to continue picking up her books for some reason.

I hope works lightens up in the upcoming months so you have more time to read all the books you're interested in :)
Happy reading!

I found a new favorite book. I don't think I've cried like that over a book in a while. Just... wow.



10/44

Currently Reading:

Lisa wrote: "You're doing great, Sara!
The Second Chance Year sounds really interesting and fun. Would you recommend it?

What did you think of The September House and F..."</i>

<i>Lisa wrote: "You're doing great, Sara!
[book:The Second Chance Year sounds really interesting and fun. Would you recommend it?

What did you think of The September House and [book:F..."

Oh my gosh, hello and thank you for stopping by!

Yes, I would absolutely recommend The Second Chance Year. It was well done and I liked the message/overall conclusion our main character came to. I listened to it as an audiobook and I found myself actively trying to find time to listen to it because I genuinely wanted to know what was going to happen next. It’s not SUPER deep, but it was exactly what I needed at the time.

As for September House, I’m not spooked easily and that book actually freaked me out. Like, I had a nightmare the first night (yes I was reading right before bed. No I don’t always make the best decisions). I also think this one was super super creepy but I’d like to think, unlike most books in this genre, it had a satisfying ending. It was creepy and atmospheric and if that’s what you’re looking for then yes, highly recommend!

And YES I’ve been the same with Emily Henry! I haven’t read Beach Read yet (do you also do the thing where you sometimes “save” books either because you KNOW you’re going to love it or because you know you want to but you’re worried you won’t? That’s how I feel about Beach Read haha) but I think I’ve read her other contemporary romances. Unpopular opinion but I really loved People We Meet on Vacation, then I thought Book Lovers was just okay, and then I really disliked Happy Place. However, I LOVED Funny Story. The plot was fun and the characters were likable. It gave me New Girl vibes too, which I’m a huge fan of so that was a bonus for me.

Work will be lighter for the next few months until October, but I do have a few big trips planned so I’m not sure how that’ll impact my reading (maybe I’ll read a bunch on the flights, who knows). Thank you so much! I hope you find your next favorite read asap and please let me know if you end up picking up any of these!

While I was sticky-tabbing the pages I'd annotated in Lonely Castle in the Mirror, I finished another book!



11/44

Currently Reading:

I got approved for an arc right after finishing the books I was reading so it came at the perfect time. And I was hooked so I'm already done haha. It was actually pretty great, I just wish it was a standalone or we had an actual release date for the sequel.



12/44

Currently Reading:

I'm so happy I'm in a proper reading mood and actually getting to books I've been wanting to read for years, especially books I physically own!



13/44

Currently Reading:

Sara wrote: "Oh my gosh, hello and thank you for stopping by..."

Apparently, being the Silly-Me that I am, I accidentally closed or refreshed the browser mid-reply last time, sooooo.... Here's Take 2.0. 😅

I have now downloaded samples for both The Second Chance Year and The September House, so I'm looking forward to giving them a try soon. Thanks in advance for the recommendations. I'll be back to let you know how I got along with them whenever I pick them up :)

To answer your question: YES, I absolutely do do that!
I'm usually extremely wary of overly popular, and overhyped books. Case in point, I didn't read The Hating Game until 2020. Granted, I probably wouldn't have picked it up earlier anyways, since I hadn't gotten into romance/women's fiction until that year. The pandemic really pushed me in that direction for whatever reason :D

I'm not really a fan of New Girl (or Zooey Deschanel, in general) so sadly it doesn't work to boost the book. But I will probably still give it a chance though. Thank goodness for e-book samples!

I've been traveling a lot. I didn't get to a lot of reading in the first country I visited, but things definitely picked up towards the end of my Japan trip, and then South Korea too. It's mostly been reading on the subway, but also, coffee shops here are so amazing to read in. I like to read books based in the country I'm visiting because it takes visualizing and feeling the words to a whole other level, so that's the trend with my latest books.

Apart from How Do You Live? They were all incredible books in their own ways. Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop was so so so cozy and made me so happy and it was just so warm and perfect to read in the book cafe I found. Human Acts made me cry on the subway and I'll forever be haunted by it.

After being not okay from finishing that book, I decided to pick up The Two Towers again. I needed something not real and fantasy, and it was nice to go back into the world of Tolkien (even though I hate the part I'm at because Frodo's story is so boring to me. Gotta finish it to get to the good parts!).



18/44

Currently Reading:

Lisa wrote: "Sara wrote: "Oh my gosh, hello and thank you for stopping by..."

Apparently, being the Silly-Me that I am, I accidentally closed or refreshed the browser mid-reply last time, sooooo.... Here's Tak..."

I never got the notification for this reply! And as you can see I haven’t been updating since I’ve been traveling (still am, but it’s nearly over. I still can’t believe it!). I’m glad you came back for a take two haha!

Yes, please let me know what you think of them! It’s been a while since I finished them, so I don’t know how I feel about them still. I feel less strongly about The Second Chance Year but I still remember being spooked by The September House.

I’m glad I’m not the only one! Sadly The Hating Game didn’t work for me at all even though EVERYONE seems to love it. I also didn’t pick up romance/women’s fiction until the pandemic. I think the pandemic just made me realize how much I needed lightheartedness and just cute things in general in my life. Sadly they’re still hits or misses for me but I try a lot more now!

Ahhh no I loved New Girl but okay well then I’m extra curious to see how you like it. I will say it only gave me New Girl VIBES in the beginning, so if you’re not a fan of the show it won’t likely take away from the book for you. I’m glad you have access to samples and can try all these books out before you commit though! I’m really bad with samples though because if I haven’t fully committed to reading the book in my mind then I kind of don’t pay attention when I’m reading a sample? Idk how it works my brain is weird. But basically I just have one foot out the door and then I can’t enjoy the sample even if it’s really good.

Guess what I finally finished a few days ago? I decided I needed something not real and fun after Human Acts and so I re-picked up The Two Towers. I read a lot of it on various public transportation rides in South Korea and then I finished it on the airplane on my flight back home. I've already sort of started The Return of the King, and I can't believe this trilogy is almost coming to an end!



19/44

Currently Reading:

I listened and read this one because I love Santino Fontana but damn.



20/44

Currently Reading:

I can't believe it's really over. :( What a journey oh my gosh.



21/44

Currently Reading:
& tbd

I'm sad I didn't love this Gaiman.



23/44

Currently Reading:

Wtf did I just read.



24/44

Currently Reading:

This was such a disappointment :(



25/44

Currently Reading:

I flew threw that oh my gosh that was so good!



26/44

Currently Reading:
& tbd

Going to do something a little different and put a tentative month(s) tbr. The first book I'm about to start, the second I'm reading with my friend for our little book club, and up to (and including) the third I physically own. The rest are just high-priority/in the mood books that I want to get to. This is a pared-down version of course, the longer list I'll throw at the bottom but know I won't get to them most likely. Regardless, I'm putting them out into the universe.

✅ ✅



Update: I finished the first (main) two, then got side-tracked as my mood changed based on what I was reading. This was still helpful and gave me an idea of what kinds of books I was in the mood for AND they're all books I really want to give priority to so I've added them to the top list I made in the beginning of the year.

I might do this for other months as I liked how it set the tone and gave me options/ideas.

That was actually amazing.



27/44

Currently Reading:

I'm in the minority here where I really liked this but I definitely preferred the first book more.



28/44

Currently Reading:
& tbd

That was a car crash I couldn't look away from omg.



29/44

Currently Reading:

That was so beautiful.



30/44

Currently Reading:
& tbd

That was so creepy omg.



31/44

Currently Reading:

I really really enjoyed this!



33/44

Currently Reading:

I enjoyed this slightly less than the first book but still really good and a very satisfying ending.



34/44

Currently Reading:

The essays were especially interesting.



36/44

Currently Reading:

I did not enjoy reading that book but I can still acknowledge that it was beautifully written and just... a lot.



37/44

Currently Reading:

I feel like One Hundred Years of Solitude either put me into a slump or it's basically made me feel like I can read anything if I've read that lol.



39/44

Currently Reading:
(I really should go back to reading a little bit of this every night)

Soon for Bookclub (Save Me):

... yeah I'm not reading my book club book but I am reading. A lot apparenly.



41/44

Currently Reading:


Soon for Bookclub (send help):

... yeah I'm not reading my book club book but I am listening to a lot of audiobooks apparently.



46/44

Currently Reading:

That was so freaking cute. I loved this one so much! I can't remember the last time I stayed up and gave up basically all my sleep for a book.



47/44

Currently Reading:

Who would have seen this coming? Not me.



50/44

Currently Reading:

That took a really long time despite me finishing like 97% of it within a week. If I was just rating based on the parts that included Laurie or just the first half, this would have been an EASY 4 stars but her flip-flopping between Collith and Laurie when Laurie is clearly the superior choice is just INFURIATING to read. I hate it. He's been terrible and he IS terrible and he's BORING and just UGH.

Also, the Oliver chapters were so long and for what?



51/44

Currently Reading:

That was not good. Also the Oliver reveal was not it. This lacked way too much Laurie. The only good thing this might've done is make me realize how maybe it's a good thing she doesn't seem to look like she'll pick Laurie because he deserves so much better.



52/44

Currently Reading:

I ended the year with 52 completed books, with 29 physical books and 23 audiobooks. I'm quite pleased with that split!

Physical Books:


Audiobooks: