2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I've finally read one of my recommendations!

Candide - Voltaire (1001) (03/21/14) ****

Total read: 1/6

I've read And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini earlier this month.

1/13 completed

I've just finished The Lovely Bones making me 4/6

Just completed my 4th selection - Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire. I loved this book because it confronted my own biased views of Africa, its cultures, and its peoples. The story presents simply as a letter from a mother to her daughter but contains many more truths than this simplistic beginning. Maybe the reason it is so impactful is the premise's basic simplicity. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

4/10

Megan wrote: "Just completed my 4th selection - Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire. I loved this book because it confronted my own biased views of Africa, its cultures, and its..."

If you like Africa culture and you can read French I suggest
. I doubt it was translated because I'm the one who add the book on 카지노싸이트, so it'S definitely not a mainstream book.

Chloé wrote: "Megan wrote: "Just completed my 4th selection - Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire. I loved this book because it confronted my own biased views of Africa, its cul..."

I highly suggest Out of Africa or Heart of Darkness if you are looking for a classic.

Hi Adriana,

I just crossed another one off my list. I edited message #8 to include

Finished my 5th book for this challenge, The Golem and the Jinni, making me 5/6 so far and I edited message #79 to include. I'd like to up my goal to a nice round 10 please.

I just looked over the list for the first time since the new year and I'd like to update my goal from 8 to 12.
It also turns out that I've read two books from the list that I didn't originally realize were on it: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America.
So now I am at 8/12 total. Thanks, Adriana!

Fantastic job everyone!

Hi Adriana, I'm now at 5/20 (after reading The Fault in Our Stars) and I'm trying to read 2 more right now. :)

I just finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower and really enjoyed it!



Finished March 26, 2014

2/10

Finished The Help, I loved both the book and the movie.
6/10 Completed

What I read so far
5★ 4★ 4★ 5★ 5★ 5★

Update 9/10

@Helena- Need to read it over again! I hope it's as great as the first time.
@Cassandra- Reading that soon! Loved the movie, hope I feel the same way about the book.
@Chloe- Awesome to know (:
@Karena- Yay! Almost done.

Update!

Recommended by 2014 Reading Challengers
7/10

1. Joyland 1/1/14
2. And the Mountains Echoed 1/4/14
3. The Road 1/5/14
4. The Fault in Our Stars 1/24/14
5. Looking for Alaska 2/4/14
6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane 2/25/14
7. Secret Daughter 3/12/14

Completed my 8th book for the challenge.....Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West. This was a difficult book to read because of the subject, but I finished. I've got to read something lighter!

Read 3 more from the list this month to bring me up to 5/10:

1. Code Name Verity - 2/1
2. Paper Towns - 2/10
3. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America - 3/11
4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - 3/20
5. This Song Will Save Your Life - 3/30

Just finished the 9th book for this challenge....The Cuckoo's Calling.....it was great! I was thinking I wouldn't like it much because why would I care about the death of a supermodel, but the story and characters roped me in and held me. Great recommendation!

I've finished Animal Farm by George Orwell on March 30, 2014. This is my second read from the list.



2/13

Everyone has been updated!

Finished And the Mountains Echoed yesterday. I'm at 6/20 now. I loved this book. I really enjoy Khaled Hosseini's writing style. I still have to read A Thousand Splendid Suns

Finished Eleanor & Park today.....I'm ✼ 10/15 ✼ for the challenge.

❖ 12/14


✔ The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

❖ 13/14


✔ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

5/10



1. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
2.✓How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
3. ✓Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
4.✓The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
5.✓ Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
6. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
7. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
8.✓ The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
9. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
10. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

finished my 4th

9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good.

Erika wrote: "9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good."

I just bought this one today - I had a gift voucher to use up, and there are more than 50 holds on the copies at the libraries (almost 15 copies available, but still…!) I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but at least it will be there whenever I'm ready! Great to hear it's a good read!

Fantastic job everyone!

Just completed my 5th selection - Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. I really enjoyed this book. Follett did an excellent job of presenting the history surrounding World War I without being boring. His multitude of characters made the events very personal. Cannot wait to read the 2nd book! My only criticism is that, understandably, the book is lengthy and quite a commitment. Other than that, definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

5/10

Finished Tell the Wolves I'm Home today.....I'm ✼ 11/15 ✼ for the challenge.

Kathryn wrote: "Erika wrote: "9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good."

I just bought this one today - I had a gift voucher to use ..."

It is such a good book!! I think you will love it!!

Finished Charlie's Pond by CL Heckman and on to Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson and Jellico Road by Melina Marchetta.

17/60

Updated everyone.

4/12
The Thirteenth Tale - completed - 12/4/14

Fantastic book - loved the atmosphere, the characters and the story.

1/10, message 398
I am little behind with this challenge, but I have just finished The Fault in Our Stars. Such a moving book.

Kathryn wrote: "Erika wrote: "9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good."

I just bought this one today - I had a gift voucher to use ..."

You will love it! ☻

Laura wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Erika wrote: "9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good."

I just bought this one today - I had a gift..."

Thanks, Laura and Jamie! I've certainly heard a lot of good reports. Now to find the time to read it!!

Kathryn wrote: "Laura wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Erika wrote: "9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good."

I just bought this one today ..."

You won't have to find too much time, so don't worry! It is a pretty quick read and it just sucks you in! I hope you enjoy it!

@Jayne- Glad you enjoyed the book so much. I haven't read The Thirteenth Tale myself but it sounds really good by your description.
@Meimei- Loved that book! You've still got a lot of time to go for this challenge so don't worry (:

Erika wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Laura wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Erika wrote: "9/12

The Fault in Our Stars

I cannot seriously believe I waited so long to read this. It. Is. So. Good."

I just bought..."

So I'd better make sure I've got a little bit of time with a pretty clear schedule - since I may not be able to drag myself away to do anything else?!

I've finished 7/18 for this challenge so far and am really enjoying my reads so far:

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - 5 stars
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown - 3 stars
It Takes A Village by Christine Stinson - 4 stars
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - 4.5 stars
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - 5 stars
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan - 3.5 stars
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - 3.5 stars

I've just started The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty and it's already grabbed me. Unfortunately, I'm reading it as an audio book, so it's not something I can just sit and devour - I'll be manufacturing opportunities to listen to it - car trips, train trips, walking on the treadmill, while I crochet…!

Great job Kathryn! The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris sounds wonderful (:

Finished Code Name Verity today and it's a great book....best adventure I've read in a long time! I'm ✼ 12/15 ✼ for the challenge.

Just realized that I finished another one a while back: Gone with the Wind. That puts me at 10/12. Yay!

❖ 14/14 (Completed)


✔ And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
✔ A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
✔ The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
✔ The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
✔ A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
✔ Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
✔ The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
✔ Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
✔ The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
✔ The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
✔ The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
✔ The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
✔ Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown
✔ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Finished The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue. She's one of my favorite authors, so this was an easy one to pick from the list. I'm ✼ 13/15 ✼ for the challenge.

Just completed my 6th selection - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. Entertaining book with a mischievous, unique heroine! Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Definitely worth reading! 4 stars

6/10

Complete my 3rd book:

3/16

16.Me Before You 4/20/14