Bookish Challenges discussion
Yearly Challenge 2025
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Nadine's Yearly Challenge 2025
January - New Beginnings
Level 1
✅1. A book by an author you've never read before.
✅2. A book that starts a new series.
✅3. A book by a debut author.
Level 2
1. A book published in 2025.
✅2. A book about personal growth or change.
3. A book with "new," "begin," or "start" in the title.
Level 3
✅1. A book set during the start of a new year or a new season.
✅2. A book set in the future or involving a fresh start.
3. A book recommended by someone else to "start your year right."
Book: I Want to Die But I Want to Eat TteokbokkiAuthor: Baek Se-hee
Date completed: 02-Jan
Task: A book about personal growth or change.
How it fits: Se-hee explores her personal growth by detailing her therapy sessions.
Book: The Moving FingerAuthor: Agatha Christie
Date completed: 06-Jan
Task: A book set in the future or involving a fresh start.
How it fits: After being severely injured, Jerry is recommended to rest and reset, and so he starts anew in the village of Lymstock.
Book: The Echo WifeAuthor: Sarah Gailey
Date completed: 09-Jan
Task: A book by an author you've never read before.
How it fits: -
Book: The Last Devil to DieAuthor: Richard Osman
Date completed: 12-Jan
Task: A book set during the start of a new year or a new season.
How it fits: The Thursday Murder Club celebrate Christmas and see in the new year together.
Book: Black CakeAuthor: Charmaine Wilkerson
Date completed: 16-Jan
Task: A book by a debut author.
How it fits: This is the author's first book.
Book: We'll Prescribe You a CatAuthor: Syou Ishida
Date completed: 30-Jan
Task: A book that starts a new series.
How it fits: Book 2, We'll Prescribe You a Cat Again, due to come out this year.
February - Love Around the World
Level 1
1. A romance novel or a book with a love story.
2. A book set in a different country than the one you live in.
✅3. A book by a diverse or international author (your interpretation).
Level 2
1. A book with a pink or red cover (50%+).
✅2. A book about friendship, family, or other non-romantic love.
✅3. A book with a travel element (road trip, vacation, etc.).
Level 3
1. A book with "heart," "love," or "passion" in the title.
✅2. A book with food, music, or art as a central theme.
3. A book with a famous couple or relationship at its core.
nadine wrote: "Book: We'll Prescribe You a CatAuthor: Syou Ishida
Date completed: 30-Jan
Task: A book that starts a new series.
How it fits: Book 2, We'll Prescribe You a Cat Again, due to come ..."
✅
Book: ButterAuthor: Asako Yuzuki
Date completed: 07-Feb
Task: A book with food, music, or art as a central theme.
How it fits: As the title suggests, Butter is a food-centric thriller.
Book: At Night All Blood is BlackAuthor: David Diop
Date completed: 09-Feb
Task: A book by a diverse or international author (your interpretation).
How it fits: David Diop is a Senegalese-French author.
Book: My Name Is WhyAuthor: Lemn Sissay
Date completed: 12-Feb
Task: A book about friendship, family, or other non-romantic love.
How it fits: The book explores the author's complex relationship with family - his biological mother, his foster family, and his time in the care system.
Book: Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of MysteryAuthor: Agatha Christie
Date completed: 23-Feb
Task: A book with a travel element (road trip, vacation, etc.).
How it fits: In the short story "The World's End", Mr. Satterthwaite is on holiday in Corsica when he meets Harley Quin.
March - Mysteries & Adventures
Level 1
✅1. A mystery, thriller, or adventure book.
✅2. A book set in a place you've never visited.
3. A book with a one-word title.
Level 2
✅1. A book with a detective or amateur sleuth.
2. A book by an author known for mysteries or thrillers.
3. A book with a plot twist you didn’t see coming.
Level 3
✅1. A book featuring a chase or hunt.
2. A book with "dark," "shadow," or "hidden" in the title.
3. A book with an unreliable narrator.
Book: The Return of Sherlock HolmesAuthor: Arthur Conan Doyle
Date completed: 03-Mar
Task: A book with a detective or amateur sleuth.
How it fits: A collection of short stories about Sherlock Holmes, one of the world's most famous fictional detectives.
Book: The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryAuthor: Alix E. Harrow
Date completed: 06-Mar
Task: A mystery, thriller, or adventure book.
How it fits: Tagged MPG Adventure.
Book: Firekeeper’s DaughterAuthor: Angeline Boulley
Date completed: 12-Mar
Task: A book featuring a chase or hunt.
How it fits: The end of the book features Dauney/the police having to race (view spoiler).
Book: The Weight of BloodAuthor: Tiffany D. Jackson
Date completed: 14-Mar
Task: A book set in a place you've never visited.
How it fits: Set in Georgia, USA
April - Blossoming Stories
Level 1
✅1. A book with flowers, trees, or nature on the cover.
✅2. A book with a predominantly green cover.
✅3. A book where a character overcomes a challenge.
Level 2
✅1. A book about growth or transformation.
✅2. A book about self-discovery.
3. A book that feels "uplifting" or hopeful.
Level 3
1. A book with "spring" or "bloom" in the title.
✅2. A book set in a rural or nature-focused setting.
3. A book inspired by or involving mythology.
Book: Bitter Orange TreeAuthor: Jokha Alharthi
Date completed: 07-Apr
Task: A book with flowers, trees, or nature on the cover.
How it fits: Orange trees on the cover
Book: We Solve MurdersAuthor: Richard Osman
Date completed: 10-Apr
Task: A book where a character overcomes a challenge.
How it fits: Steve overcomes his fear of travel and of abandoning his comfortable daily routine.
Book: Crying in H MartAuthor: Michelle Zauner
Date completed: 15-Apr
Task: A book about growth or transformation.
How it fits: Explores a lot of Michelle's self-growth especially as it relates to her relationship with her mother.
Book: The Best We Could DoAuthor: Thi Bui
Date completed: 18-Apr
Task: A book about self-discovery.
How it fits: The author traces her parents' histories and, in so doing, understands who she is and who she will be as a mother.
Book: A Psalm for the Wild-BuiltAuthor: Becky Chambers
Date completed: 25-Apr
Task: A book set in a rural or nature-focused setting.
How it fits: The book is set on Panga, a world that is very environmentally-conscious, and the majority of the story takes place in the wild, untouched forests.
May - May We Laugh?
Level 1
1. A humorous or lighthearted book.
✅2. A book with a quirky or unconventional protagonist.
3. A romantic comedy.
Level 2
1. A book by a comedian or featuring comedic elements.
2. A book that made someone else laugh (get a recommendation!).
✅3. A book with an animal on the cover or in the story.
Level 3
1. A book with "funny," "laugh," or "smile" in the title.
✅2. A satirical book or one poking fun at society.
✅3. A book with a bright, cheerful cover.
can i still use the below for April?Book: How to Say Babylon
Author: Safiya Sinclair
Date completed: 30-Apr
Task: A book with a predominantly green cover.
How it fits: -
✅As long as you complete a book in that month, it counts! I just want to give people the chance to plan books ahead of time :)
Book: The CatchAuthor: Yrsa Daley-Ward
Date completed: 08-May
Task: A book with a bright, cheerful cover.
How it fits: -
Book: Brotherless NightAuthor: V.V. Ganeshananthan
Date completed: 11-May
Task: A book with an animal on the cover or in the story.
How it fits: Sashi and her family have a dog, Henry.
Book: YellowfaceAuthor: R.F. Kuang
Date completed: 17-May
Task: A satirical book or one poking fun at society.
How it fits: A satire of the publishing industry and its false attempts at racial diversity.
Book: The Death of Vivek OjiAuthor: Akwaeke Emezi
Date completed: 20-May
Task: A book with a quirky or unconventional protagonist.
How it fits: Vivek Oji shirks gender conventions in Nigeria in order to live the truest version of himself.
Bookish Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
I Who Have Never Known Men (other topics)Fourth Wing (other topics)
The Poppy War (other topics)
Sweetness in the Skin (other topics)
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) (other topics)
More...
Sign-ups are open throughout 2025.
The challenge will end on December 31, 2025.
The Challenge
1. Comment here to sign up and I will create a challenge thread for you. You can sign up at any point during the year but only for the months that are left. Example: If you join in January, you will be able to participate in the months January-December. If you join in March, you will be able to participate in the months March-December.
2. Each month, I will post prompts surrounding a specific theme to your thread. There will be 9 prompts each month, divided into 3 levels. For the completion of a level 1 prompt, you will receive 1 point. For level 2, you will receive 2 points and for level 3 it will be 3 points.
To receive each month's Book Award, please complete one prompt in each level. You can complete as many prompts as you want and are able to and in any order. Note that only books completed in the respective months will be accepted.
3. You have 3 free skips throughout the challenge but you can only use one free skip each month. To skip a prompt, please read a book that meets the general guidelines.
If you are out of free skips or want to use another skip in that month, you can either:
- spend 2 points to complete a prompt from a previous month,
- spend 3 points to complete a prompt from the current month twice or
- spend 5 points to read a book that meets the general guidelines.
4. Please make a completion post in your thread using this template:
Book:
Author:
Date completed:
Task:
How it fits:
5. If you don't have a personal point account thread yet, request one here.