2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I read 25 books in 2024 after getting back into reading through my online library apps (Absolute godsend as books are expeeeeensivee!!) so aiming for 30 books in 2025!
However I’m back at work in March so hopefully I can still make 30! I’ll be happy with anything over 25 again 🫶🏻

I’m also aiming to branch out into other genres, getting into a bit of a rut with crime, thrillers, classics. Also making a commitment to stop stopping a book if I’m not obsessed in the first chapter🤦🏻‍♀️

Going to kick off 2025 with the January Cozy challenge!

Cozy Books: The Last Devil to Die (Richard Osman)

Cozy Arrangement: The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)

Cozy Fireplace: Firekeepers Daughter (Angeline Boulley)

Cozy Up: Ugly Love (Colleen Hoover)

Cozy Cabin: Through the Woods (Emily Carroll)

*She says she’s going to branch out and the above 5 books are mostly crime thrillers and classics🤦🏻‍♀️🫠* I WILL DO BETTER😂

Please feel free to add and message or comment with your thoughts and recs!🫶🏻

Good luck for your Goal Jemma! I am also aiming for 30 books in 2025.

I like to read through the goodreads news&interviews lists to find new books - I read every description of these books and if something catches my interest it´s on my want-to-buy list. Maybe these lists would help you for your goal in reading new genres!

I also saw that we have a few books in common on our TBR so if you ever feel like reading something together hit me up!

Ahh Alina that’s amazing!
Yes definitely!! Let me know if there is anything you want to read together!

So I’ve already read 4 books this year, So definitely on track for the 30 book goal🤞🏻

I’m on track for finishing the January Cozy challenge also🔥

way to go Jemma! What books have you read so far?

Howl’s Moving Castle
Definitely the cosiest book of the January challenge❤️

The Invention of Wings
my January TBR twin read🙋🏻‍♀️

Little Fires Everywhere
Very very good book, but I felt like the ending was a bit quick and left questions unanswered🫠

Too Late
THE BEST BOOK I’VE READ IN SO LONG😍

Into the Wood, David Mark
Wow, such a hard read, -1/10 would not recommend. Written in a really difficult to follow way.

The Last Thing He Told Me
The January buddy read. I do think i would have still read it if it wasn’t the buddy read but I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I wasn’t massively gripped but also couldn’t put it down??

Jemma wrote: "Howls Moving Castle (Diana Wynne Jones)
Definitely the cosiest book of the January challenge❤️

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)
my January TBR twin read🙋🏻‍♀️

Little Fires Everywhere (Celest..."

Whoa! Quite a few books so far!
I read Howl’s Moving Castle last year but I didn´t enjoy it that much. Glad you liked though!

I used to be a huge Colleen Hoover fan! I read everything she put out until a few year ago. However I´m not really into her romance books anymore. If she ever releases another indie novel like Verity or Layla again I might pick that up - although then I would like to read more into the criticism surrounding her to gather more information if I want to support her work. I don´t know if you´re familiar with the criticsm - I picked it up a few years ago but by then I already didn´t read much of her work anymore anyway so I didn´t dig deeper into it to make up my mind.

Excited to see what your next books are going to be!

Ahh Alina I didn’t even know there was criticism into Colleen Hoover you know! I just pick books up and read them tbh, I don’t think too much about the authors. I’ll have a look into it though just because I’m nosy!

I loved Howls Moving Castle, Studio Ghibili films have always been firm favourites of mine so it was nice to finally get round to reading the book!

Soooo February has been a flop for reading for me!
I started reading Someday, Maybe at the beginning of the month and am still trying to finish it, not that it’s a bad book I just can’t stick at reading!

I also started A Clockwork Orange and didn’t even finish because what the actual is that book🤦🏻‍♀️

In all fairness I’ve bought a house, went back to work at the end of my maternity leave and my daughter has started at nursery this month so I’ve had a LOT on!
Hopefully March sees me back on track 🤞🏻

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

The God of the Woods

12/30

Hi Jemma! Hope all is well! Looks like you've been making great progress on your goal. And with everything on your plate, no less. A new house, new baby and back to work?!? When do you find time to read? Kudos to you!

Hope you've been successful in branching out into other genres. Not that there's anything wrong with crime, thrillers, and classics. Crime, thrillers and mysteries are my favorite genres to read. But I get it. The challenges were instrumental in helping me explore other genres.

I'm a huge fan of Studio Ghibli films, too. I've watched many of them. I had read Howl's Moving Castle and thought it was okay. Then I watched the movie. When I re-read the book, I enjoyed it much better after having watched the movie.

I hope you're enjoying your 2025 reads! Happy reading!

The Memory Police Yōko Ogawa

The Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali

The Warm Hands of Ghosts Katherine Arden

Blue Sisters Coco Mellors

The Women Kristin Hannah

Five Total Strangers Natalie D. Richards

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue V.E. Schwab

The Briar Club Kate Quinn

The Midnight Library Matt Haig

The Witch's Heart Genevieve Gornichec

The Unworthy Agustina Bazterrica

23/30