2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I'm planning on limiting myself to the Popsugar challenge and the 52 books challenge. I managed to finish those this past year and am proud of my accomplishment. I'm looking forward to challenging myself in the coming year.

I finished Broken Bonds just after midnight so it counts as the first book I finished in the new year.

It fits prompts:
52 Books: a grieving character
Popsugar: Enemies to lovers

I liked it, the further I went along the more invested I was in the story. I have so many questions that need answering. I will continue the series.

Finished Jack Frost by Rebecca F. Kenney

This was a fun read. I look forward to reading more of this series and other books by this author.

52 Books: picked without reading the blurb
Popsugar: set in snow

Savage Bonds by J. Bree

This is the second book in the Bonds That Tie series. The more I read the more that I like the series. I have so many questions, I have my doubts that I will get them all answered. I plan to continue despite some bad reviews. I like to see for myself I guess.

Popsugar: Character sleeps for more than 24 hours
52 Books: lower case letters on the spine

Origin by A.J. Sherwood

Love a good dragon shifter romance! This is the first book in the Scales 'N Spells series. This was such a good read, but I had some issues with the whole mating and having children with same sex couples. I just don't understand how that works. It wasn't explained other than magic was involved. If dragons have to have mages to make more dragons, then how do they make more mages? If all mages mate to dragons they can't have more mages the normal way????? It's a bit confusing. If you don't look at that aspect too closely and focus on the rest of the story and worldbuilding it's really good. Thats why I gave it four stars instead of five.

Prompts this one fits:
Popsugar: about dragons
52 Books: a smelly book. Dragons track mages by scent and scent is a big part of the storyline.

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

This is the second book in the Unwind series. I really like this series because so much of it is plausible. If the technology is actually developed and abortion controversy isn't settled, this could be our future and its pretty scary.

52 Books: Published in the year of the dragon.
Popsugar: someone dies in the first chapter


Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

Octavia Butler was a master of her craft. I have loved everything I have ever read by her. And with this series, its my second time around. I couldn't stop thinking about it and decided that I would read it again. Set far in the future after a nuclear apocalypse, the definition about what it means to be human could drastically change.

52 Books: A sticker on the front
Popsugar: set in the future


Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland
I picked this one up after reading Legends & Lattes. There are a lot of similarities with them both being cozy fantasies. and while I liked them both its not really my favorite genre.
52 Books: Plot similar to another book
Popsugar: cozy fantasy

Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk by Coyote J.M. Edwards
I picked this one to go with a challenge prompt. It was really short and not a bad read. It was a lot like the previous two books I mentioned.
52 Books: The other book

White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton
This one was free on audible so I decided I would take a chance with it. It's a MM with a magical twist but lacking in anything spicey. (Which is fine). I really liked it and decided I would continue the series with Trailer Park Trickster, which I just finished. I will continue with the third. I hope there are more to come.

White Trash Warlock fits:
52 Books: more than forty chapters.

Trailer Park Trickster:
52 Books: a cover without people on it.
Popsugar: someone dies in the first chapter

Unhinged by Onley James

This is the first book in this series and it was a bit darker than I usually read. I was challenged to read it and I'm glad I did. I plan on continuing the series.

52 Books: a buddy read

Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper
Another audiobook (I've been listening to a lot more lately because I've been busy moving) Harper is one of my favorite authors for audiobooks. This one took me a few tries to get started. I just couldn't get into the beginning of it. But I'm glad that I kept at it. I really liked it.

Popsugar: title is a complete sentence
52 Books: magical realism

Blood Bonds by J. Bree

This is book #3 in the series. I'm hooked on this series, and I'm not even sure why. They are much longer than I normally choose. Each of them have been 500+ and I like them around 300. The FMC and her guys go from cold to hot in seconds. And there are still to many unanswered questions.

52 Books: hybrid genre

Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler
This is my second time with this series. Butler is one of my very favorite authors.
52 Books: published by Hatchette
Popsugar: coming of age story


A Curse of Shadows and Ice by Catharina Maura
This is a beauty and the beast retelling and I absolutely loved it!! It gets all of the stars. Its one of those books that you don't want the story to end.

52 Books: a character driven novel

Big Witch Energy by Molly Harper
Another audiobook, and the second in the Starfall Point series. Loved this one as well as the first. I look forward to the next one. The first two focuses on the FMC and their love interest. That only leaves one woman left.

52 Books: 2nd chance romance

Variant Lost by Kaydence Snow
This book is so similar to the Ties That Bind series by J. Bree. There are some minor changes to the world building and characters but that's it. I doubt I continue the series just for that reason.
Popsugar: magical realism

UnSouled by Neal Shusterman
This is #3 in the Unwind series. I have really been hooked on this series. I think it should be required reading in schools as well as US Congress. The battle over women's reproductive rites is a sensitive topic and Shusterman touches on all of the gray areas.

52 books: at least 4 different POV

Uncivilized by Rebecca Royce
I have loved everything I've ever read by Rebecca Royce. This is a spin off from her series Wings of Artemis. This is a RH featuring supersoldiers. Loved it, but I would recommend reading the Wings of Artemis series first.

52 books: related to the word wild
Popsugar: set in space

Forced Bonds by J. Bree

This is the 4th book in the Bonds That Tie series. I'm completely hooked on this series. I just wish they weren't all 500+ pages.

52 Books: a book with an abrupt ending.

Pond Water by Rian Mileti

This was recommended by someone who had seen it on TikTok. Apparently the author has parkinsons and the proceeds go to her treatment. This was not as good as I expected, The story development and world building needed a lot of help. But considering the health of the author she is to be commended for her efforts.

This was a short read, only 80 pages, and I skimmed most of them.

Popsugar: a genre I normally would not read.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

This is the first book by this author that I have read. It is the first of a duology, I don't know if there will be more in the series. But I don't think I want to read the next one. I like how this one ended. I don't want it to go in a direction where something happens to the MCs. But then again, I may not be able to resist.

Popsugar: unreliable narrator
52 Books: not told in chronological order

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I absolutely love the audio version with Joe Montagna. I either read or listen to it about once a year.

52 Books: omniscient narrator

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

This is one of the books in the Giver Quartet which are apparently stand alones but related. I picked this one for the Popsugar list for a book published in 2000.


Written Off by E.J. Copperman

This is another audiobook, Things have been busy this year with moving and other stuff, so I have found myself listening to more audiobooks. This one was a lot of fun. Its a cozy mystery that contains its own mystery about whether or not the character created by the MC, who is an author, actually came to life.

Popsugar: about a writer


Edited Out by E.J. Copperman

This is the second book in the series. There is still a search going on for the identity of the MC and this search turns into a search for a murderer. This was another fun cozy mystery to listen to. Apparently, this is the last book in the series. I asked the author on his GR page and was told that the publisher didn't want to continue the series. That is a shame, I really enjoyed the book and we will never solve the mystery of Duffy Madison.

52 Books: about finding identity

Once again, I have some catching up to do.

Popsugar 2024 has really turned out to be a challenge this year. I know that's the point, but I'm having a harder time with it than usual.

I have finished 58 books so far this year. I'm pretty proud of myself :)
But I still need to do better about posting here.

Murder on the Rocks by Allyson K. Abbott
1st audiobook in this series. Set in Milwaukee (fits the 52 books prompt for a city that starts with M) and the MC has synesthesia that she uses to help solve mysteries.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

All I can say is that I'm not a big poetry fan. Popsugar prompt: a book of poetry

Vespera by E.B. Haverly
Book by a new author, set in a world similar to Tolkien's middle earth.
Popsugar: self-published author

Murder's a Witch by Danielle Garrett

This is the first book in the Beechwood Harbor mystery series.

52 Books prompt: apostrophe in the title


We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

5 stars hands down! If I could give it more stars, I would give it all the stars. I think this is one everyone should read. Such a powerful read, it touches on love, loss, family, and mental health. This is a book that has been banned and challenged across the US. That alone is enough to make you want to read it. I'm so glad that I did.

52 Books: chapter headings have dates

The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket

So far all these books have just been fun reads.
52 Books: self-insert by an author

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Awesome read! It got 5 stars from me.
This book begins with a mystery, but the way it is solved is almost backwards. Not the typical Who-Done-It. Highly recommend.

Popsugar: recommended by a librarian

The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

Picked it for a book with the word secret in the title (52 Books prompt). It's a fun read, geared toward middle grade age kids.

The Cat of Amontillado by S.M. Reine

This is a backwards shifter story. The cat learns to shift to human. It has an interesting premise but could use some expanding. It's more of a short story than a full novel.

Popsugar: from an animal's point of view

Lucky Witch by Danielle Garrett
Audiobook #5. This was a really fun listen/read. It is set during St. Patrick's Day and is complete with leprechauns.

52 books: set during a holiday that you don't celebrate

Five Weeks by Dannika Dark

3rd audiobook in the series. A great second chance romance

Seraph by Lily Mayne

I had been putting off reading this one because Seraph has an ick factor with so many eyes and sharp teeth. It was much better than anticipated. I'm glad I read it, but I admit I did skim a lot of the sex scenes, too much ick factor.
Popsugar: recommended by a book seller

Shots in the Dark by Allyson K. Abbott

#4 audiobook in the series. I've enjoyed listening to these, but sometimes I get a bit lost and feel like I've missed something along the way. It would have made a great RH, but instead we get a love triangle.
Popsugar: published under a pen name

Lightning Born by Sam Burns

This is a MM Frankenstein retelling and an interesting take on the story. The monster is not who you expect it to be.

52 Books: begins with L