2025 Reading Challenges

I’m tracking my 2025 reading challenge progress here. I’m limiting myself to challenges that might push me a little out of my comfort zone or at least mix up my habitual reading patterns. This looks like a lot, and it kind of is, but I can complete several of these by reading just one book.

The challenge buttons and names link to to the signup/information posts at the challenge host’s website if you’d like to join me!

Reading Challenges I’m Hosting

Books in Translation Reading Challenge

Hosted here at Introverted Reader. I’m signing up at the Conversationalist level, 4-6 books. #2025booksintranslation

1. What You Are Looking For Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts, illustrated by Rohan Eason
2. The Kamogawa Food Detectives (The Kamogawa Food Detectives #1) by Hisashi Kashiwai, translated by Jesse Kirkwood, read by Hanako Footman

Southern Literature Reading Challenge

Hosted here at Introverted Reader. I’m signing up at level four, 7+ books. #2025southernlit

1. Run: Book One by John Lewis with Andrew Aydin, illustrated by L. Fury and Nate Powell
2. The Whispered Word (Secret, Book & Scone Society #2) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart

Challenges I’m Participating In

Hundred Years Hence Reading Challenge

Hosted by A Hot Cup of Pleasure. Read and write about one book published in 1925. I found an article entitled “1925 in Literature” on Wikipedia that should help. #HYH25

Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

Hosted by Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book. Read cozy mysteries. I’m signing up for level 1, which is 1-25 cozy mysteries. #CravingCozies

1. Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody #9) by Elizabeth Peters
2. The Whispered Word (Secret, Book & Scone Society #2) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart

2025 Nonfiction Reader Challenge

Hosted by Shelleyrae at Book’d Out. I’m joining at the Nonfiction Nosher level to read 12 books, one from each of 12 categories. #ReadNonFicChal | Instagram: @shelleyrae _bookdout | Mastodon: @shelleyrae@aus.social

• History
• Memoir/Biography Run: Book One by John Lewis with Andrew Aydin, illustrated by L. Fury and Nate Powell
• True Crime
• Science Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are by Bill Sullivan
• Health
• Food
• Travel
• Garden
• Myth, Legend and Folklore
• Islands
• How-To
• Published in 2025

2025 Classics Reading Challenge

Hosted by Tea and Ink Society. I’ve done pretty well in the five-year long Classics Club challenge but I first signed up for Tea and Ink Society’s challenge to help steer my choices in 2022. I wasn’t completely successful but it definitely kept classics on my radar. I’m signing up again this year.

• January: A classic you discover in a used bookstore–Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins #1) by Scott O’Dell
• February: A Russian novel or short story collection
• March: A classic about immigrants or pioneers
• April: A classic set on your own turf
• May: A book you were supposed to read in school
• June: Nonfiction nature writing
• July: A science fiction novel or short story collection
• August: A classic by an author you’ve only read once
• September: A classic World War I or World War II novel
• October: A Jane Austen novel
• November: A poetry collection by one of the Romantic poets
• December: A Medieval or Renaissance classic

2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge

Hosted by Bloggin’ Bout Books. I’m signing up for level 1: read 1-10 books with covers that match the following prompts. I’ll decide which prompts I want to use as I go.

1. Your favorite color
2. Headwear of some kind (hat, helmet, yarmulke, hijab, etc.)
3. A mode of transportation
4. Bookish elements What You Are Looking For Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts, illustrated by Rohan Eason
5. An author that has a common name spelled in an uncommon way (i.e. Stephenie Meyer, Kelley Armstrong, etc.)
6. An illustrated scene Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins #1) by Scott O’Dell
7. A design that is in desperate need of a makeover
8. A wintry scene Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson #14) by Patricia Briggs
9. A summery scene
10. Food The Whispered Word (Secret, Book & Scone Society #2) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart
11. A skeleton, bones, or a skull and crossbones
12. Floral elements The Tea Dragon Society (The Tea Dragon Society #1) by K. O’Neill
13. Sports equipment Pickleball Is Life: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Obsession by Erin McHugh, illustrated by Jackie Besteman
14. A title and/or scene that makes you laugh
15. Something you might see in a hospital (medicine bottles, IV stand, stethoscope, doctor, etc.)
16. Someone wearing period clothing Ambush or Adore (Delightfully Deadly #3) by Gail Carriger
17. A famous structure or landmark (man-made or natural) Noir (Noir Chronicles #1) by Christopher Moore, read by Johnny Heller
18. A frame-worthy design
19. At least one person of color (POC)
20. Someone partly or fully submerged in water
21. A lighted window
22. A bird
23. A futuristic scene
24. A weapon
25. The name of and/or a depiction of a famous person
26. A number in the title or design (numeral or spelled out)
27. A backpack or piece of luggage
28. The words “light” and/or “dark” in the title
29. A foggy/stormy scene
30. A television or movie screen
31. No people The Devil’s Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea
32. An object that is broken Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody #9) by Elizabeth Peters
33. A silhouette or shadow—Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are by Bill Sullivan
34. A piece of jewelry
35. A sunrise or sunset
36. A cityscape
37. An aquatic animal
38. A light source that can be held in the hand (flashlight, torch, lantern, etc.)
39. The name of one of the four seasons in the title, design, or author’s name
40. A depiction of something that has been spilled (milk, paint, blood, etc.)
41. Eyewear of some kind (sunglasses, goggles, eyepatch, etc.)
42. A spooky scene
43. Something you might find in a child’s bedroom (teddy bear, nightlight, crib, etc.)
44. A key and/or a keyhole
45. A real, historical photograph
46. A proper noun in the title or design
47. Something that is plaid
48. Outdated technology (typewriter, film camera, rotary telephone, etc.)
49. The name of a month in the title, design, or author’s name
50. A flag, pennant, or banner Run: Book One by John Lewis with Andrew Aydin, illustrated by L. Fury and Nate Powell

Reading by the Numbers Challenge

Hosted by My Reader’s Block. This is similar to the GoodReads Challenge: choose how many books you want to read for the years and track them. I decided I’d like to have this list on my blog and not just on GoodReads so I’m signing up. My goal is 100 books. #ReadingByNumbers2025

1. Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody #9) by Elizabeth Peters
2. Run: Book One by John Lewis with Andrew Aydin, illustrated by L. Fury and Nate Powell
3. What You Are Looking For Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts, illustrated by Rohan Eason
4. Noir (Noir Chronicles #1) by Christopher Moore, read by Johnny Heller
5. Pickleball Is Life: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Obsession by Erin McHugh, illustrated by Jackie Besteman
6. The Tea Dragon Society (The Tea Dragon Society #1) by K. O’Neill
7. Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist by Evan Griffith, illustrated by Joanie Stone
8. A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Wendy Leach
9. Gibberish by Young Vo
10. The Devil’s Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea–4.5 Stars
11. Euphoria by Lily King, read by Simon Vance and Xe Sands
12. The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera #1) by David Bowles, illustrated by Raúl The Third
13. Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are by Bill Sullivan
14. The Whispered Word (Secret, Book & Scone Society #2) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart
15. Ambush or Adore (Delightfully Deadly #3) by Gail Carriger
16. Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson #14) by Patricia Briggs
17. The Kamogawa Food Detectives (The Kamogawa Food Detectives #1) by Hisashi Kashiwai, translated by Jesse Kirkwood, read by Hanako Footman
18. Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel #1) by Connie Willis
19. Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins #1) by Scott O’Dell

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