Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It is with somewhat ambivalent feelings that I return to complete the 2025 ATY challenge. I always enjoy the weekly prompts, they help to challenge me, and last year I completed 49/52 prompts and 57 books overall. However, a lot of that was a result of escaping into books to avoid the constant stress that was my life. It left little time for my other hobbies, like writing and baking and fantasy sports, and I didn't spend a lot of quality time with my husband, either. This year I'm aiming for a more healthy balance and trying for just 40 books, my yearly average. I haven't determined how I'm going to manage that yet, maybe just skip my least favorite prompt each month?
My other two goals for the year are to a) read more in translation, and b) attend at least one meeting of an in-person book club. I don't know anyone else who has similar reading tastes and I miss the discussions we used to have in my college English classes. Ideally I'll attend more than one, but even one is way out of my comfort zone! Cheers 🥂

Last year's challenge thread

Completed: 27/40
Currently reading: Silence

January
1. A book with a cover that has an image of something that starts with A, T, or Y
2. A prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list (A Gothic book) - Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë (2/24/2025)
3. A book connected to something mentioned in the Do Re Mi song - The Tea Lords, Hella S. Haasse (2/4/25)
4. A book set underground, under sea or in an underworld
5. A book with a weird or intriguing title - I'm in Love with Mothman, Paige Lavoie (1/4/25)

February
6. A book with a serpentine element on the cover
7. A book by an author that uses 3 names - The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner (3/2/25)
8. A collection of short stories or novellas, essays, poetry, or a mix of various brief writings
9. A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year

March
10. A book about witches, goddesses or nuns - The Sacrament, Olaf Olafsson (3/5/25)
11. A book set in a fictional location - The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner (3/17/25)
12. A book by an Irish author - The Death of the Heart, Elizabeth Bowen (4/2/2025)
13. A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family - Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett (6/3/25)
14. A science fiction or fantasy novel written by a woman

April
15. A book of secrets, lies, or deception - The God of the Woods, Liz Moore (4/10/25)
16. A book that fits a prompt from the 2016 ATY list (A classic book with less than 200 pages) - Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys (7/29/25)
17. A history or historical fiction book set prior to 1925 - The Frozen River, Ariel Lawhon (8/26/25)
18. A book set primarily in nature

May
19. A book with a cover that has a building or cityscape - Trust, Hernan Diaz (4/7/25)
20. A book with an animal, vegetable (plant), or mineral in the title
21. A book connected in some way to any collective noun for animals
22. A translated novel from Asia

June
23. A book that involves art, music, dancing or acting - Experimental Film, Gemma Files (4/16/25)
24. A book with a main character who is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal - Fatal Vision, Joe McGinniss (7/16/25)
25. A book with waves on the cover - Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid (9/7/25)
26. A book by an author with a common noun in their name - Hunting Season, Nevada Barr (3/21/25)
27. A book set in the winter - An Unnecessary Woman, Rabih Alameddine (1/1/25)

July
28. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 1
29. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 2
30. A monster book
31. A book with a coastal setting - The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith (4/21/25)

August
32. A mystery or true crime book - Blood Lure, Nevada Barr (3/19/25)
33. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time
34. A book title that could be a country song - Maynard's House, Herman Raucher (6/15/25)
35. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists - Cahokia Jazz, Francis Spufford (8/23/25)

September
36. A book with a common household object on the cover
37. A book featuring adult friendships - Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett (6/14/25)
38. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 1 - The Buccaneers, Edith Wharton (8/9/25)
39. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 2 - Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age, Amanda Mackenzie Stuart (9/5/25)
40. A book you'd consider a comfort read

October
41. A book that involves digging up the past
42. A book set in a manor, mansion, or estate King Nyx, Kirsten Bakis (8/2/25)
43. A book whose title has ten or fewer letters - Hide, Kiersten White (6/19/25)
44. A haunting book

November
45. A book by an author whose publishing career spans at least ten years
46. A book related to one of the traditional full moon names
47. A book relating to fire
48. A book with a character dealing with death

December
49. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines
50. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2024 or 2025
51. A book published in 2025
52. A book with a sunset vibes on the cover - A Disappearance in Fiji, Nilima Rao (6/17/25)

Kelly - Enjoy your reading this year! I’m planning a reduced challenge, also. The Dark Forest was one of my favorite books in 2024. Hope you like it! I recommend watching the TV series The Three Body Problem. The show includes part of this book.

I’m glad to hear of someone feeling in a similar way to me. Before kids and my current job I was reading over 100 books per year, then that slipped to under 52 (only 15 in 2024). And felt guilty about it… but I have been pursuing other hobbies, plus work and family so I think I shouldn’t feel guilty. After reading your post I set my 2025 GR goal to 26 books. A bit more than this year but not so extreme. If I also include the books I read with my sons I can probably surpass it. Enjoy your balanced reading year!

Pam wrote: "Kelly - Enjoy your reading this year! I’m planning a reduced challenge, also. The Dark Forest was one of my favorite books in 2024. Hope you like it! I recommend watching the TV series The Three Body Problem..."

I'm excited to watch the series, but I don't want to spoil myself! Could I start after reading The Dark Forest or does the series go further than that?

Erica wrote: "I’m glad to hear of someone feeling in a similar way to me. Before kids and my current job I was reading over 100 books per year, then that slipped to under 52 (only 15 in 2024). And felt guilty..."

Right?? At my old job it was so easy to balance work and life, I worked from home and had no commute so it was a lot easier to build time for hobbies into my day. Now I do not have that, but I'm trying to reframe it as being grateful that my new job is not so boring or isolating!
Enjoy your 26 books this year! I'm 38 and I still like to read with my mom, so I'm sure your sons appreciate the time you're taking for them!

I can’t remember if the TV series goes into book 3 or not. It might a little bit because of the way the story is told, but I don’t think it matters. Hope you enjoy the books and the show!