Bookish Challenges discussion

Yearly Challenge 2025


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.

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: Southern Ruby
Author: Belinda Alexandra
Date completed: 04/01/25
Task: Level 2/2
How it fits: Ruby has to change her appearance to be able to support her family and be able to keep her standing in high society for her families sake in the 1950's.

✅

Book: Jail Break
Author: Ross Greenwood
Date completed: 07/01/25
Task: Level 3/3
How it fits: MC leaves prison and tries to start a fresh in a new city

✅

I ticked it off as Level 3 Task 2

Title: The Nurses of Eastby End
Author: Anna Jacobs
Date completed:
Task: 1/2
How it fits: New series 1st book

✅

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.

Title: Birds in Flight
Author: Anni Taylor
Date completed: 02/02/25
Task: L2/3
How it fits: MC goes on a road trip to find out what happened to her mother who disappeared when she was a child.

✅

Title: Abroad in Japan: Ten Years In The Land Of The Rising Sun
Author: Chris Broad
Date completed: 02/02/25
Task: L1/2
How it fits: Book is set in Japan

✅

Title: Yes No Maybe So
Author: Becky Albertalli
Date completed: 03/02/25
Task: L1/1
How it fits: YA romance novel

✅

Title: The Perfumist of Paris
Author: Alka Joshi
Date completed: 08/02/25
Task: L1/3
How it fits: The author was born in Jodhpur, India

✅

Title: Red Dust
Author: Fleur McDonald
Date completed: 09/02/25
Task: L2/1
How it fits: Red cover 50%

✅

Title: Horse
Author: Geraldine Brooks
Date completed:
Task: L3/2
How it fits: Horse painting found at a road side turns out to be of a famous historical race horse and is worth a lot of money. Story is based around the horse and the museum discoveries concerning it including various paintings and the horses skeleton.

✅

Title: The Wolf Den
Author: Elodie Harper
Date completed:
Task: L2/2
How it fits: Amara and Dido are both slaves in a brothel but care about each other like sisters

✅

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: Identity
Author: Nora Roberts
Date completed: 01/03/25
Task: L3/1
How it fits: Gavin takes Morgan's identity steals all her money, life and kills her BFF instead of her...Gavin is hunted by the FBI while he builds up to seeking his revenge for missing his mark...he keeps killing.

✅

Book: Graves on the Fens
Author: Joy Ellis
Date completed: 03/03/25
Task: L2/1
How it fits: Nikki is a detective

✅

Title: The Good Dog
Author: Simon Rowell
Date completed: 07/03/25
Task: L2/2
How it fits: Simon Rowell is known for his Zoe Mayer series of Detective books

Title: Cat & Mouse
Author: James Patterson
Date completed: 06/03/25
Task: L2/3
How it fits: Has a gruesome ending and twists before.

✅

Title: Whitethorn
Author: Bryce Courtenay
Date Completed: 23/03/25
Task: L1/3
How it fits: One word title


Title: The Mountain Shadow
Author: Gregory David Roberts
Date Completed: 18/03/25
Task: L3/2
How it fits: Shadow is mentioned in the title of this book


Title: The Ghost Ship
Author: Kate Mosse
Date Completed: 12/03/25
Task: L1/2
How it fits: book is based around the canary islands for part of the story. I have never been there.

✅

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.

Title: White Gardenia
Author: Belinda Alexandra
Date Completed: 07/04/25
Task: L1/1
How it fits: flowers on cover

Title: The Seven
Author: Chris Hammer
Date Completed: 12/04/25
Task: L3/2
How it fits: Set in rural Australia

✅

Title: Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World
Author: Max Lucado
Date Completed: 16/04/25
Task: L2/1
How it fits: How to live without anxieties and find peace, giving everything to The Lord.

✅

Title: The Secret History of Christmas
Author: Bill Bryson
Date Completed: 17/04/25
Task: L3/3
How it fits: Christmas is a mythical as it comes

✅

Title: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family
Author: Paul David Tripp
Date Completed: 28/04/25
Task: L2/2
How it fits: Parenting guide for Christians to find strength and guidance in The Lord to bring up their children in the way that they should go.

✅

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.

Title: Retribution
Author: Sarah Barrie
Date Completed: 02/05/25
Task: L1/2
How it fits: Lexi Winter is a very quirky trainee police officer who used to be a prostitute among other things.

✅

Title: The Perfumer's Secret
Author: Fiona McIntosh
Date Completed: 11/05/25
Task: L3/3
How it fits: bright and cheerful cover with flowers

✅

Title: The Knitting Club at Wagtail Ridge
Author: Janet Gover
Date Completed:
Task: L3/3
How it fits: Alpaca on cover

✅

June - Across the Genres


Level 1
✅1. A book with multiple perspectives.
2. A book published before the year 2000.
3. A book adapted into a movie or TV series.

Level 2
1. A book outside your usual favorite genre.
✅2. A book that blends two or more genres (e.g., fantasy romance, sci-fi thriller).
3. A book featuring a genre-specific trope (e.g., enemies-to-lovers, chosen one, locked-room mystery).

Level 3
1. A book by an author who writes in multiple genres.
✅2. A book that is hard to classify into a single genre.
3. A book that redefines or subverts its genre.

Title: Face Off
Author: David Baldacci
Date completed: 01/06/25
Task: L1/1
How it fits: lots of stories by different authors in one book, so lots of perspectives.