You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

2025 Challenge

Badge One - Themes

15/15

Badge One will be based on Themes. We are not doing a full alphabet so as to accommodate all readers and their ability to complete books. We want everyone to be able to complete a badge. Badge One will be for 15 books.

📍B - Books about books
📍C - Childhood
📍D - Dogs
📍F - Fantasy
📍G - Ghosts
📍H - History
📍L - Love
📍M - Mythology
📍N - Nature
📍P - Pirates
📍R - Religion
📍S - Survival
📍T - True Crime
📍V - Villainy
📍W - Women

**********************************************************************

1. B - Books about books - Eight Perfect Murders
2. C - Childhood - The Book Thief
3. D - Dogs - D-Day Dog
4. F - Fantasy - The Time Keeper
5. G - Ghosts - Motherthing
6. H - History - James
7. L - Love - Hands Down
8. M - Mythology - The Secret of the Nagas
9. N - Nature - The Outrun
10. P - Pirates - The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
11. R - Religion - The Immortals of Meluha
12. S - Survival - The Women
13. T - True Crime - I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
14. V - Villainy - The Fury
15. W - Women - The House of Lost Secrets

List Two - Titles. Read books alphabetically by Title. Articles such as a, an, the, etc will be ignored. A Night to Remember may be read as N, but not as A. The Bat may be read as B, but not as T.

0/25

📍A-
📍B-
📍C-
📍D-
📍E-
📍F-
📍G-
📍H-
📍I-
📍J-
📍K-
📍L-
📍M-
📍N-
📍O-
📍P-
📍Q-
📍R-
📍S-
📍T-
📍U-
📍V-
📍W-
📍Y-
📍Z-

List Three / Four - Authors -first or last name counts. Read books alphabetically by Male Authors.

25 / 25

📍A- Abdulrazak Gurnah - Theft
📍B- David Baldacci - A Calamity of Souls
📍C- Harlan Coben - I Will Find You
📍D- Fyodor Dostoevsky - White Nights: And Other Stories
📍E- Ernest Cline - Ready Player One
📍F- Fredrik Backman - Us Against You
📍G- [Author:Gregory David Roberts|18907] - Shantaram
📍H - Grady Hendrix - Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
📍I- Kazuo Ishiguro - Klara and the Sun
📍J- John Scalzi - Starter Villain
📍K- Shehan Karunatilaka - The Birth Lottery and Other Surprises
📍L- Alex Lake - The Choice
📍M- Mohsin Hamid - The Last White Man
📍N- When the Wolf Comes Home - Nat Cassidy
📍O- Richard Osman - We Solve Murders
📍P- Peter Swanson - Before She Knew Him
📍Q- Matthew Quick - The Silver Linings Playbook
📍R- Ryū Murakami - Audition
📍S - Sabahattin Ali - Madonna in a Fur Coat
📍T- Amish Tripathi - The Oath of the Vayuputras
📍U- Uketsu - Strange Pictures
📍V- Vikas Swarup - The Girl with the Seven Lives
📍W- Lawrence Wright- The End of October
📍Y- Yann Martel - The High Mountains of Portugal
📍Z- Zoran Živković- Hidden Camera

List Four - Female authors

18/25

📍A- Ashley Poston - The Seven Year Slip
📍B- Bridget Morrissey - A Thousand Miles
📍C- Costanza Casati - Babylonia
📍D- C.G. Drews - Don't Let the Forest In
📍E- Emily Henry - Great Big Beautiful Life
📍F- Alice Feeney - Beautiful Ugly
📍G- Pam Godwin - Dark Notes
📍H- Callie Hart - Quicksilver
📍I- Imbolo Mbue
📍J- Jesse Q. Sutanto - Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping On a Dead Man
📍K- Karina Sainz Borgo - It Would Be Night in Caracas
📍L- Leigh Bardugo
📍M- Freida McFadden - The Teacher
📍N- Natsuo Kirino / Namina Forna
📍O- Mónica Ojeda - Jawbone
📍P- Amanda Peters - The Berry Pickers
📍Q- Kelly Quindlen - She Drives Me Crazy
📍R-
📍S- Elsie Silver- Flawless
📍T- Pink Slime - Fernanda Trías
📍U- Thrity Umrigar - Honor
📍V- Kaikeyi - Vaishnavi Patel
📍W-
📍Y- Yael van der Wouden - The Safekeep
📍Z- Mariana Zapata / Zoulfa Katouh

List Five - Specified Object on Cover

25/25

📍A- Airplane - Falling
📍B- Butterfly - The Butterfly Tattoo
📍C- Chair - The No-Show
📍D- Dishes - The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
📍E- Elephant - The Naga Warriors 1: Battle of Gokul Vol 1
📍F- Fruit - Apples Never Fall
📍G- Gate - Traitors Gate
📍H- Horse - The Bedroom Window
📍I- Insect - The Crimson Moth
📍J- Jewel/Jewelry - Still Beating
📍K- Key - The Mystery Guest
📍L- Lighthouse - The Bad Luck Lighthouse
📍M- Mansion - The Haunting of Hill House
📍N- Night Sky - The Walnut Mansion
📍O- Orange Fruit OR 75% Orange Cover - The Wolf Den
📍P- Picture within a picture - Magnolia Parks
📍Q- Quilt - The Christmas Quilt
📍R- Rose_ - The Villain Edit
📍S- Sky (50% of cover) - The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud
📍T- Tea Cup - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
📍U- Umbrella - The Mad Girls of New York
📍V- Vase with flowers - Interview with the Vampire
📍W- Water- Just My Luck
📍Y- Yacht OR 75% Yellow Cover - Listen for the Lie
📍Z- Zeppelin - The Wind Whales of Ishmael

List 6 - Specified Location

📍A- Alaska
📍B- British Columbia
📍C- Congo
📍D- Detroit
📍E- Egypt
📍F- France
📍G- Georgia US
📍H- Hawaii
📍I- Iceland
📍J- Jamaica
📍K- Kenya
📍L- London
📍M- Moscow
📍N- Nevada
📍O- Oslo
📍P-Pakistan
📍Q- Queensland, Australia
📍R- Rome
📍S- Spain
📍T- Tuscany
📍U- Ukraine
📍V- Venice
📍W- Wisconsin
📍Y- Yellowstone
📍Z- Zurich

List 7 - Specific Word in Title

📍A- Away
📍B- Black
📍C- Crow
📍D- Dark
📍E- Evening
📍F- Fortune
📍G- Girl
📍H- Hand
📍I- Island
📍J- June
📍K- Kind
📍L- Lord
📍M- Murder
📍N- Name
📍O- Opal
📍P- People
📍Q- Quiet
📍R- Rain
📍S- Silver
📍T- Tree
📍U- Under
📍V- Valley
📍W- West
📍Y- Young
📍Z- Zebra or Zero

Res

1. Badge 1 Book 1
2. Theme list - Religion
3. The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi
4. PB, 400 pages
5. Theme of Religion
6. This is a mythological fiction based on religion of Sivaism (part of Hinduism) of Great Lord Mahadev and how it would have been if he was just a human

Rating 2 stars, while the book was overall gripping the way its dialogue was written was too juvenile

Great to see your first book is done.

1. Badge 1 Book 2
2. Theme list - Women
3. The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris
4. PB, 334 pages
5. Theme of Women
6. This book is based on friendship of 2 women and how its impacted over the years through their very secrets from each other. Also deals with issues rhat women face related to safety / consent

Rating 3 stars, while the book was well written the story itself wasnt much

1. Badge 1 Book 3
2. Theme list - History
3. James byPercival Everett
4. Audiobook, 10 hours
5. Theme of Historical Fiction
6. The book is a historical fiction retelling of Huck Finn from James pov. It is set in the pre-Civil War plantation South.

Rating 3 stars, while the book was heartwarming and witty, I loved The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn much more!

1. Badge 1 Book 4
2. Theme list - Villainy
3. The Fury by Alex Michaelides
4. Hardcover, 357 pages
5. Theme of Villain
6. This book shows the perspective of a villain in a whydunnit murder - rest in spoilers (view spoiler)[ The killer is the MC of the book and shows the wicked ways his mind operates even in simple things. He is sufficient to bend the truth to his will - manupulative and cunning (hide spoiler)]

Rating 5 stars, I really enjoyed this thriller - its a whydunnit and I love seeing the mindset of a killer - a grey character

1. Badge 1 Book 5
2. Theme list - Mythology
3. The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi
4. Kindle, 398 pages
5. Theme of Mythology
6. This book is series 2 of the Shiva trilogy based on Indian mythology of Lord Shiva and reimagining him as a human

Rating 4 stars, though I did not like part 1 so much but the part 2 was quite intense and weaved mythology into something different in quite an unexpected way

1. Badge 1 Book 6
2. Theme list - Survival
3. The Women by Kristin Hannah
4. Audiobook, 10hr+
5. Theme of Survival
6. A good portion of the book deals with survival based on the backdrop of Vietnam war and the nurses and soldiers there

Rating 4 stars, I really liked the book and how it grips you with the journey of Frankie - it is an emotional book and almost feels like a memoir

1. Badge 1 Book 7
2. Theme list - Ghosts
3. Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
4. PB, 288 pages
5. Theme of Ghosts
6. The book deals with tough matters of mental health in a dark comedy and what happens when the ghost of Abby's mother-in-law enters their lives

Rating 3.5 stars, this was a different book and has lot to unpack. The ending was not very satisfying but the writing is great

1. Badge 1 Book 8
2. Theme list - Childhood
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. PB, 538 pages
5. Theme of Childhood
6. The book is about the childhood of book thief aka Liesel and how her life navigates on the backdrop of Nazi Germany

Rating 5 stars, no words, this book is a masterpiece

This book is perhaps my favourite of all time. It's fabulous.

Janice wrote: "This book is perhaps my favourite of all time. It's fabulous."

Mine too as well now :)

1. Badge 1 Book 9
2. Theme list - True Crime
3. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
4. Audiobook, 10 hours
5. Theme of True Crime
6. The book is about true crime account of the Golden State Killer—the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade—from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case

Rating 4 stars, I was amazed at the way the case unfolded and how difficult it was to catch this man. Michelle's persistence was commendable

1. Badge 1 Book 10
2. Theme list - Books about books
3. Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
4. PB, 316 pages
5. Theme of Books about Books
6. The book is about "perfect" murders that has happened in other famous mystery novels

Rating 2 stars, the book was so stupid - there were plot twists all for nothing - it felt more complex than it was required to be

I've only read one of his books and I liked it well enough, but his other books don't seem to get great reviews.

Janice wrote: "I've only read one of his books and I liked it well enough, but his other books don't seem to get great reviews."

Yep, my suggestion would be to avoid this one. Which one did you loke?

1. Badge 1 Book 11
2. Theme list - Books about dogs
3. D-Day Dog by Tom Palmer
4. PB, 208 pages
5. Theme of Books about Dog
6. The book is about a paratrooper dog and how Jack's point of view on war changes because of the dog

Rating 3 stars, it was a nice book showing the confusion and inquisitiveness of a child and making him question about war

Nistha wrote: "Janice wrote: "I've only read one of his books and I liked it well enough, but his other books don't seem to get great reviews."

Yep, my suggestion would be to avoid this one. Which one did you loke?"

It was The Kind Worth Killing

Janice wrote: "Nistha wrote: "Janice wrote: "I've only read one of his books and I liked it well enough, but his other books don't seem to get great reviews."

Yep, my suggestion would be to avoid this one. Which..."

Thanks, added to TBR!

1. Badge 1 Book 12
2. Theme list - Books about nature
3. The Outrun: A Memoir by Amy Liptrot
4. Audiobook, 8 hours
5. Theme of Books about Nature
6. The book is about recovering alcholohic Amy Liptrot who finds herself using nature to cope with this issue - spending her mornings swimming in the bracingly cold sea, her days tracking Orkney's wildlife, and her nights searching the sky for the Merry Dancers, Amy discovers how the wild can restore life and renew hope

Rating 2 stars, while the writing and description of the island was great, the book had nothing much to offer than just the plot summary above

1. Badge 1 Book 13
2. Theme list - Books about romance
3. Hands Down by Mariana Zapata
4. Kindle, 550 pages
5. Theme of romance
6. A cute love story between Bianca and Zac who used to be close friends but had lost touch

Rating 5 stars, dare I give Mariana Zapata any other rating! another very cute friends to lovers story

1. Badge 1 Book 14
2. Theme list - Books about fantasy
3. The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
4. Hardcover, 224 pages
5. Theme of fantasy
6. Fantasy time travel elements using mythical and human characters to explore the theme of time

Rating 3 stars, it was short and sweet

One to go!

Janice wrote: "One to go!"

Yes, just finishing my pirate book - then I will start with objects on cover list! I will have so many validation questions for that one haha

Thanks for the warning. :)

1. Badge 1 Book 15
2. Theme list - Books about pirates
3. The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
4. PB, 336 pages
5. Theme of pirates
6. The book revolves around a society of lady pirates

Rating 4 stars, this was an absolutely hilarious and charming read!

Finished badge one! That was fun..now onto the cover tasks

Congrats on finishing Badge 1!

1. Badge 2 Book 1
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Chair
3. The No-Show by Beth O'Leary
4. Kindle, 341 pages
5. Chair on cover
6.

Rating 2.5 stars, this was okay. I am being constantly disappointed by this authors

Badge 2 Book 2
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Rose
3. The Villain Edit by Alisha Aitken-Radburn
4. Kindle, 288 pages
5. Rose on cover


Rating 3 stars, very shallow but entertaining

Badge 2 Book 3
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Vase with flowers
3. Interview with the Vampire
4. PB, 340 pages
5. Vase with flower on cover



Rating 5 stars, a vampire book done right, it almost felt like a vampire reciting his story - I need to read this series

Lovely cover for Interview. When I read the book, it had the plain cover with just title and author. This is much more intriguing.

Janice wrote: "Lovely cover for Interview. When I read the book, it had the plain cover with just title and author. This is much more intriguing."

Indeed and I really liked the book!

Badge 2 Book 4
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Gate
3. Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer
4. Kindle, 376 pages
5.Gate on cover



Rating 3 stars, this was an average book. I don't like Jeffrey Archer that much

Badge 2 Book 5
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Elephant
3. The Naga Warriors 1: Battle of Gokul Vol 1 by Akshat Gupta
4. PB, 256 pages
5.Elephant on cover



Rating 4 stars, really liked it, it was an Indian version of 300

Badge 2 Book 6
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Fruit
3. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
4. Audiobook, 18 hours
5.Apples on cover



Rating 4 stars, very nice family saga, I was gripped

Badge 2 Book 7
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Dish
3. The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
4. Hardcover 224
5.Dish on cover


Rating 3 stars, cute book

Badge 2 Book 8
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Mansion
3. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
4. Pb 228
5. Mansion on cover


Rating 3.5 stars, it was a good read but to me the series was even better

Badge 2 Book 9
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Key
3. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
4. Audiobook, 8+ hrs
5. Key on cover



Rating 3.5 stars, the audiobook is great but I had enjoyed book #1 even more. Molly's past felt a bit dragged on

Badge 2 Book 10
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Yacht OR 75% Yellow Cover
3. Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
4. PB, 432 pages
5. Yellow cover


Rating 4 stars, it as a fun whodunnit - I wasnt able to guess till the very end

Badge 2 Book 11
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Butterfly
3. The Butterfly Tattoo by Philip Pullman
4. PB, 186 pages
5. Butterfly on cover


Rating 1 star, worst read of this year, it was so bad and tried to be so deep. Good thing it was short

Badge 2 Book 12
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Water
3. Just My Luck by Adele Parks
4. Audiobook, 9+hrs
5. water on cover



Rating 5 stars, this was an unexpected page turner

Badge 2 Book 13
2. List Five - Specified Object on Cover - Sky
3. The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
4. PB 237
5. sky on cover



Rating 2 stars, if you have just read the blurb then that's it, nothing more to add