The 52 Book Club: 2025 Challenge discussion

1. A pun in the title

What is a pun? A pun is a form of wordplay that explores multiple meanings of a word. It’s often a humorous use of a word or phrase to suggest more than one meaning, or a word that sounds like another word. (For example: “I have no shelf control,” “You Gatsby kidding me,” or “Reading is a novel idea,” are all bookish puns.)

For this prompt, the pun may be found in the title, subtitle, or series title. Titles may differ from region to region, or in different languages. As long as at least one edition has a pun in the title, you can read that book in any translation, format, or edition. While the cozy mystery genre is more prone to having titles with puns, they can be found across all genres.

As a creative interpretation, you may choose a title with a word that contains the word “pun” inside of it. For example: punishment, punctual, acupuncture, punctuation, spunky, punitive, punk, punch, expunge, spun, pundit, puny, etc.


Click here for our Goodreads List of suggestions

Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

Once Upon a Wardrobe

I am thinking Bubble, Bubble, Toil, and Cuddle by S. Frasher or Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner

Starting this Challenge with Come as You Are.

I peeked at Prompt 1 on GR and saw The Uncommon Reader listed. I would love to read it, since it’s on my bookcart. Is it a pun? 🤷‍♀️

Carol wrote: "I peeked at Prompt 1 on GR and saw The Uncommon Reader listed. I would love to read it, since it’s on my bookcart. Is it a pun? 🤷‍♀️"

I asked AI (chatgpt) and the answer is yes.

"Yes, The Uncommon Reader is indeed a title with a bit of a pun. It plays on the phrase "the common reader," which refers to an ordinary, typical person who reads, or to a concept in literary theory related to the average reader's experience.

The term "uncommon" suggests something rare or exceptional, so the title implies that the reader in question is not typical, but rather unique or different. In fact, this pun is particularly apt considering the nature of the story."

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks so much for checking. So happy I can use this little book that I heard great things about.

I am going to read We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker.

Ten dead comedians by Fred lente

I have 4 options:
The Eyre Affair
The Importance of Being Earnest
Americanah
The Honey-Don't List

I am planning on reading Dial A for Aunties because I have it for a long time.

First I was not sure about it, but chatGPT also answered me that the title fits the category.

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Yes, the title "Dial A for Aunties" is indeed a pun! It's a playful twist on the familiar concept of a "dial-a" service (like "Dial-A-Pizza" or "Dial-A-Ride") but instead of a service for things like food or transportation, it humorously refers to a group of aunties.

Here’s how the pun works:

The phrase "Dial A" is often associated with calling a service, and the letter "A" could refer to a specific category or option.
In the context of the title, "Aunties" replaces whatever service might normally be offered, suggesting that the story might involve calling upon, or interacting with, a quirky or helpful group of aunties in a comedic or dramatic way.
So, the pun comes from the familiar structure of a phone service (dialing a number or letter for something) being humorously applied to a family situation involving aunties, making it both playful and intriguing.

This title is also a nod to the "Dial M for Murder" classic thriller, blending suspenseful genre conventions with a comedic twist.
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A Novel Love Story

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

Reading Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender for this one

I will be using Fractions and Averages The Mean and Vulgar Bits by Kjartan Poskitt.

Some More Suggestions

1. Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea & of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists & Fools Including the Author Who Went in Search of Them (2011) - a non-fiction book about bath toys lost at sea, with a playful title referencing Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby-Dick”.

2. It’s Getting Scot in Here (2019) - a Scottish historical romance novel with a punny title.
Dachshund Through the Snow (novel in the Andy Carpenter series) - a mystery novel featuring a golden retriever, with a playful title referencing the classic “Through the Snow” phrase.

3. Mulch Ado About Nothing (Jane Jeffry mystery series) - a pun on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”, with a gardening twist.

4. Silence of the Hams (Jane Jeffry mystery series) - another pun from the same series, this time referencing “Silence of the Lambs”.

5. A Farewell to Yarns (Jane Jeffry mystery series) - a pun on Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms”, with a yarn-related twist.

6. Bratfest at Tiffany’s (The Clique series) - a young adult novel with a punny title referencing “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”.

7. Dial L for Loser (The Clique series) - another pun from the same series, this time referencing “Dial M for Murder”.

8. Feet of Clay (Discworld series) - a fantasy novel with a punny title referencing the phrase “feet of clay” and the book’s golem protagonist.

and a ton more...

https://tacoma.bibliocommons.com/list...

I'm going to read "Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami

sealed with a kiss

Can someone please explain to me what the pun in "Americanah" is? I know the term "Americana", but my mind refuses to get where the final h comes from 😥

I'm going with The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science.

Rain Reign by Ann M Martin is amazing, celebrates neurodiversity, and is a quick read.

It's not on the list, but I want to read Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In by Phuc Tran.

This is my first time in this group and to this challenge. I hope I'm doing it right. I am learning as I go.

Bear With Me Now

I'll be different and go with Just Us by poet Claudia Rankine. The title is a pun on Justice, and the book explores how injustice contributes to divisiveness amongst Americans (the us in 'just us').

Aquaria- I love this idea. I’m nearly all picked now but still choosing this one

The importance of being earnest.

I plan on finishing the Jasper Fforde series.

I thought I saw Hooked on Murder:a Crochet Mystery in someone’s post for this prompt. Does it fit?

Denise wrote: "I have 4 options:
The Eyre Affair
The Importance of Being Earnest
Americanah
The Honey-Don't List"

Please help me understnd why The Eyre Affair and Americanah are puns. I don't get it

I'm going to read Death Takes a Break by Vikki Walton

I will be reading Once upon a tower by Eloisa James and Friends without benefits by Penny Reid

Would The Body Lies by Jo Baker be considered a PUN??

I am planning to read Murder, She Knit by Peggt Ehrhart.
This will be my first year doing this challenge.

a Stuart Maconie book

Went through my entire TBR list and I actually felt a few books that will fit this prompt (I THINK)....here is what I have to choose from:

*Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

*The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

*The Body Lies by Jo Baker

*Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

*A Surrey State of Affairs: A Novel by Ceri Radford

*Trans-Sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian

The two books below are on the listopia...but I don't get how the title is a PUN?? Anyone care to explain it to me??

*The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
*Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Now I just need to decide which one to read :)

HAPPY READING!!!

Matzah Ball is a pun because it's both a food, and the fancy party they're having at the end of Hannukah.

Michele wrote: "Matzah Ball is a pun because it's both a food, and the fancy party they're having at the end of Hannukah."

Oh, okay I get it now....LOL!!! Thanks for the explanation :)

I'm planning to read The Seven Year Slip

Lisa Marie wrote: "Michele wrote: "Matzah Ball is a pun because it's both a food, and the fancy party they're having at the end of Hannukah."

Oh, okay I get it now....LOL!!! Thanks for the explanation :)"

You're welcome. BTW it's a cute, if predictable, book. I had to read it last year for my RL book club.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sarah Raasch

I will start with, The Importance of Being Earnest.
This is my 1st challenge, excited to see how much I read in 2025.

sono curioso di vedere se riuscirò a completare la sfida nel 2025. Inizierò con Terapia di coppia per amanti di Diego de Silva. Un inizio del 2025 con un sorriso. Tantissimi auguri a tutti per un 2025 ricco di gioie e di ottime letture

I’m going to read The Hating Game for this prompt

I'm new here and this will be my first challenge! For this prompt I'm going to read Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson.

I am planning to read Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson

I am going to read “The hating game”

I’m reading Single all the way.