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2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed

(Updated: )
  • end of the year
  • reading challenges

For 2025, I added some reading challenges to my plan, but didn’t force myself to tailor my reading to those challenges. I had a good variety of challenges, but my overall reading took a hit this year. I really leaned into my mood reading to help keep me motivated.

Overall Stats

3/16 Challenges 18.8%

440/598 Spots 73.6%

Completed Challenges

Goodreads

Goal 249/200 Books 100%

Completed Challenges

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 1 of 15

Spooky Season

25/25 Books 100%

  1. Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove (9/4/25)
  2. Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson (9/8/25)
  3. In the Shadow of Spindrift House by Mira Grant (9/9/25)
  4. A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck (9/24/25)
  5. Dr. Mütter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (9/25/25)
  6. Lone Women by Victor LaValle (9/27/25)
  7. The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud (9/28/25)
  8. The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers by Jen Campbell (10/3/25)
  9. Zomromcom by Olivia Dade (10/4/25)
  10. Rosen Blood Vol. 1 (10/8/25)
  11. Rosen Blood Vol. 2 (10/8/25)
  12. Rosen Blood Vol. 3 (10/9/25)
  13. Rosen Blood Vol. 4 (10/9/25)
  14. Rosen Blood Vol. 5 (10/10/25)
  15. Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli (10/11/25)
  16. The Carrow Haunt by Darcy Coates (10/18/25)
  17. Tomes of Terror by Mark Leslie (10/23/25)
  18. Fiend by Alma Katsu (10/24/25)
  19. Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen (10/25/25)
  20. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco (10/28/25)
  21. The Great Mortality by John Kelly (11/5/25)
  22. My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher (11/7/25)
  23. This House is Haunted by John Boyne (11/12/25)
  24. A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig (11/19/25)
  25. The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (11/26/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 2 of 15

She Reads Romance

12/12 Books 100%

  1. Contemporary - Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks (12/20/25)
  2. Erotic - The Demon’s Bargain by Katee Robert (3/28/25)
  3. RomCom - The Lodge by Kayla Olson (12/13/25)
  4. Historical - The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (12/26/25)
  5. Fantasy - Feathers So Vicious by Liv Zander (8/9/25)
  6. Queer - Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert (4/16/25)
  7. Sports - Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (3/22/25)
  8. Dark - The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe (1/17/25)
  9. New Adult - Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon (12/24/25)
  10. Paranormal - The Demon’s Queen by Katee Robert (4/10/25)
  11. Suspense - Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert (12/12/25)
  12. Holiday - The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (12/17/25)

Failed Challenges

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 3 of 15

UnRead Shelf Project

28/50 Books 56%

  1. Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow (1/11/25)
  2. Small Angels by Lauren Owen (1/22/25)
  3. Partials by Dan Wells (1/21/25)
  4. The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas (2/4/25)
  5. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (2/15/25)
  6. Horseman by Christina Henry (2/19/25)
  7. Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver (2/18/25)
  8. Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert (4/16/25)
  9. Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (4/19/25)
  10. Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams (4/18/25)
  11. Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson (4/25/25)
  12. The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis (5/23/25)
  13. Water Moon by Sammantha Sotto Yambao (6/7/25)
  14. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (6/29/25)
  15. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (7/2/25)
  16. Wicked Pursuit by Katee Robert (7/10/25)
  17. Divine Intervention by RM Virtues (7/10/25)
  18. Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove (9/4/25)
  19. The Antidote by Karen Russell (9/23/25)
  20. Irresistible Devil by Jenny Norbak (9/26/25)
  21. Lone Women by Victor LaValle (9/27/25)
  22. Stolen Vows by Sav R Miller (10/2/25)
  23. Shattered Innocence by Sara Cate (10/16/25)
  24. Royal Heart by Nana Malone (10/22/25)
  25. Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen (10/25/25)
  26. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Mansicalco (10/28/25)
  27. Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert (12/12/25)
  28. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (12/26/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 4 of 15

Kid Read Alouds

29/50 Books 58%

  1. The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis (1/13/25)
  2. The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1/17/25)
  3. The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat (2/5/25)
  4. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (2/7/25)
  5. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (2/20/25)
  6. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhla Lai (2/20/25)
  7. The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan (3/14/25)
  8. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (3/14/25)
  9. Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (4/2/25)
  10. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (4/18/25)
  11. Matilda by Roald Dahl (4/22/25)
  12. Willodeen by Katherine Applegate (4/29/25)
  13. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (5/2/25)
  14. The Giver by Lois Lowry (5/20/25)
  15. Odder by Katherine Applegate (5/19/25)
  16. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (6/2/25)
  17. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (8/15/25)
  18. When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (8/19/25)
  19. Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (8/26/25)
  20. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (9/10/25)
  21. The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown (9/10/25)
  22. The Story Collector by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb (9/30/25)
  23. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (10/7/25)
  24. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving (10/9/25)
  25. The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien (10/31/25)
  26. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (11/25/25)
  27. Granted by John David Anderson (11/23/25)
  28. Starry River of the Sky by Grace LIn (12/19/25)
  29. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (12/19/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 5 of 15

Finishing the Series

16/20 Series 80%

  1. Cat and Mouse by HD Carlton ✓
    • Hunting Adeline (1/12/25)
  2. Vicious Lost Boys by Nikki St. Crowe ✓
    • The Never King (1/17/25)
    • The Dark One (1/29/25)
    • Their Vicious Darling (2/1/25)
    • The Fae Princes (2/7/25)
  3. Alice in Borderland by Haro Aso ✓
    • Volume 2 (1/24/25)
    • Volume 3 (1/24/25)
    • Volume 4 (2/8/25)
    • Volume 5 (2/22/25)
    • Volume 6 (2/22/25)
    • Volume 7 (2/23/25)
    • Volume 8 (2/25/25)
    • Volume 9 (2/26/25)
  4. Glimmer Falls by Sarah Hawley ✓
    • A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing A Vampire (3/1/25)
  5. Sex Criminals ✓
    • Volume 1 (3/27/25)
    • Volume 2 (3/27/25)
    • Volume 3 (3/27/25)
    • Volume 4 (3/29/25)
    • Volume 5 (4/23/25)
    • Volume 6 (4/23/25)
  6. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure - Part 1 Phantom Blood ✓
    • Volume 1 (4/22/25)
    • Volume 2 (4/24/25)
    • Volume 3 (4/24/25)
  7. Partials Sequence ✓
    • Partials (1/21/25)
    • Fragments (3/18/25)
    • Ruins (3/26/25)
  8. Parasyte ✓
    • Volume 1 (3/25/25)
    • Volume 2 (4/2/25)
    • Volume 3 (4/2/25)
    • Volume 4 (4/3/25)
    • Volume 5 (4/11/25)
    • Volume 6 (4/11/25)
    • Volume 7 (4/12/25)
    • Volume 8 (4/12/25)
  9. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure - Part 2 Battle Tendency ✓
    • Volume 1 (4/26/25)
    • Volume 2 (4/26/25)
    • Volume 3 (4/29/25)
    • Volume 4 (4/29/25)
  10. Moonshine ✓
    • Volume 2 (3/19/25)
    • Volume 3 (3/19/25)
    • Volume 4 (3/20/25)
    • Volume 5 (3/20/25)
  11. Jujutsu Kaisen ✓
    • Volume 0 (6/11/25)
    • Volume 1 (4/9/25)
    • Volume 2 (4/15/25)
    • Volume 3 (4/15/25)
    • Volume 4 (4/20/25)
    • Volume 5 (5/14/25)
    • Volume 6 (5/14/25)
    • Volume 7 (5/24/25)
    • Volume 8 (5/24/25)
    • Volume 9 (5/29/25)
    • Volume 10 (5/29/25)
    • Volume 11 (6/5/25)
    • Volume 12 (6/5/25)
    • Volume 13 (6/23/25)
    • Volume 14 (6/25/25)
    • Volume 15 (6/25/25)
    • Volume 16 (6/26/25)
    • Volume 17 (6/27/25)
    • Volume 18 (6/27/25)
    • Volume 19 (7/11/25)
    • Volume 20 (7/16/25)
    • Volume 21 (7/16/25)
    • Volume 22 (7/19/25)
    • Volume 23 (7/19/25)
    • Volume 24 (7/24/25)
    • Volume 25 (7/25/25)
    • Volume 26 (8/20/25)
    • Volume 27 (10/30/25)
  12. Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul ✓
    • Volume 1 (6/21/25)
    • Volume 2 (6/21/25)
    • Volume 3 (6/22/25)
    • Volume 4 (6/22/25)
  13. Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion
    • Volume 1 (7/3/25)
    • Volume 2 (7/5/25)
    • Volume 3 (7/5/25)
    • Volume 4 (7/6/25)
    • Volume 5 (7/7/25)
    • Volume 6 (7/8/25)
    • Volume 7 (7/9/25)
    • Volume 8 (7/9/25)
    • Volume 9
  14. Black Rose Auction ✓
    • Wicked Pursuit (7/10/25)
    • Divine Intervention (7/10/25)
    • Stolen Vows (10/2/25)
    • Irresistible Devil (9/26/25)
    • Shattered Innocence (10/17/25)
    • Royal Heart (10/22/25)
  15. Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint
    • Volume 1 (8/2/25)
    • Volume 2 (8/7/25)
    • Volume 3 (8/29/25)
    • Volume 4
    • Volume 5
    • Volume 6
    • Volume 7
    • Volume 8
  16. Meant to Be ✓
    • Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto (9/3/25)
  17. Rosen Blood ✓
    • Volume 1 (10/8/25)
    • Volume 2 (10/8/25)
    • Volume 3 (10/9/25)
    • Volume 4 (10/9/25)
    • Volume 5 (10/10/25)
  18. The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World ✓
    • Volume 1 (10/14/25)
    • Volume 2 (10/14/25)
    • Volume 3 (10/15/25)
    • Volume 4 (10/15/25)
    • Volume 5 (10/16/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 6 of 15

Nonfiction Reader

9/12 Books 75%

  1. A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks by David Gibbins (2/14/25)
  2. The Secret Lives of Colors by Kassia St. Clair (3/14/25)
  3. Kinky History by Esme Louise James (4/13/25)
  4. Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (4/19/25)
  5. The Darcy Myth by Rachel Feder (7/12/25)
  6. Dr. Mütter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (9/25/25)
  7. Tomes of Terror by Mark Leslie (10/23/25)
  8. The Great Mortality by John Kelly (11/5/25)
  9. Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane (11/18/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 7 of 15

Quarter of a Century

13/25 Books 52%

  1. 2000 -
  2. 2001 -
  3. 2002 -
  4. 2003 - Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow (1/11/25)
  5. 2004 -
  6. 2005 -
  7. 2006 -
  8. 2007 -
  9. 2008 -
  10. 2009 -
  11. 2010 -
  12. 2011 - The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab (3/5/25)
  13. 2012 -
  14. 2013 - Partials by Dan Wells (1/21/25)
  15. 2014 - Ruins by Dan Wells (3/26/25)
  16. 2015 - Shiver by Junji Ito (5/2/25)
  17. 2016 - Tomie by Junji Ito (5/3/25)
  18. 2017 - The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (2/25/26)
  19. 2018 - The Carrow Haunt by Darcy Coates (10/18/25)
  20. 2019 - A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker (1/25/25)
  21. 2020 - A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (7/4/25)
  22. 2021 -
  23. 2022 - The Demon’s Bargain by Katee Robert (3/28/29)
  24. 2023 - Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (3/15/25)
  25. 2024 - Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (7/11/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 8 of 15

Retreat Recommendations

3/12 Books 25%

  1. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2/13/25)
  2. The Darcy Myth by Rachel Feder (7/12/25)
  3. Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli (10/11/25)
  4. The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
  5. Off with Her Head by Eleanor Herman
  6. Pandora by Susan Stokes Chapman
  7. Empress for All Seasons by Emiko Jean
  8. The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald Shoup
  9. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Story by James McBride
  10. James by Percieval Everett
  11. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
  12. The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson
  13. Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
  14. There There by Tommy Orange
  15. The Governess by Anne Serre
  16. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
  17. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
  18. Divinity 36 by Gail Carriger
  19. Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
  20. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
  21. The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 9 of 15

Read Around the USA

13/50 Books 26%

  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska - The Gathering by CJ Tudor (1/16/25)
  3. Arizona
  4. Arkansas
  5. California - Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (6/24/25)
  6. Colordao
  7. Connecticut
  8. Delaware
  9. Florida - Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson (4/25/25)
  10. Georgia - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (6/19/25)
  11. Hawaii - Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams (4/18/25)
  12. Idaho
  13. Illinois
  14. Indiana
  15. Iowa
  16. Kansas
  17. Kentucky
  18. Lousiana
  19. Maine - In the Shadow of Spindrift House by Mira Grant (9/9/25)
  20. Maryland
  21. Massachusetts - The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (8/23/25)
  22. Michigan
  23. Minnesota
  24. Mississippi
  25. Missouri
  26. Montana - Lone Women by Victor LaValle (9/27/25)
  27. Nebraska - Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver (2/18/25)
  28. Nevada
  29. New Hampshire
  30. New Jersey
  31. New Mexico
  32. New York - All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall (3/7/25)
  33. North Carolina
  34. North Dakota
  35. Ohio
  36. Oklahoma
  37. Oregon
  38. Pennsylvania
  39. Rhode Island - The Wedding People by Alison Espach (6/29/25)
  40. South Carolina
  41. South Dakota
  42. Tennessee
  43. Texas - Shark Hear by Emily Habeck (2/15/25)
  44. Utah
  45. Vermont - The Lodge by Kayla Olson (12/13/25)
  46. Virginia
  47. Washington
  48. West Virginia
  49. Wisconsin
  50. Wyoming

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 10 of 15

Romanceopoly

25/36 Books 66.7%

  1. Crystal Lake (Fairy Tale Retelling) - Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova (1/15/25)
  2. Alpine Cottage Inn (Snowbound) - Blame the Mistletoe by Dani Collins (1/10/25)
  3. Pin & Peak Lanes (Friends to Lovers)
  4. Mystic Pines (Magical Realism)
  5. The Frosty Bistro (Mystery Set in Winter) - My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine (3/8/25)
  6. New Year, New Love (Second Chance) - The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton (7/29/25)
  7. Valentine’s Day Prelude (Grand Gestures) - Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (6/24/25)
  8. Heroine’s Rising (Strong, Independent Female Character) - A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley (3/1/25)
  9. Luck of the Irish (Irish Main Character or Setting) - Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks (12/20/25)
  10. The Book Nook (Bookish Main Character) - The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (12/17/25)
  11. Butterfly Garden (Morally Gray Character Getting a Happy Ending) - Hunting Adeline by HD Carlton (1/12/25)
  12. Farmers’ Market (Food or Foodie Romance) - Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon (12/24/25)
  13. Festival Barn (Musician or Rock Star) - Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (3/15/25)
  14. Blooming Acres Farm (Farmer or Cowboy)
  15. Sunset Picnic (New-to-You) - Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti (6/28/25)
  16. Parent Trap (Strong Parental Figure)
  17. Lotus & Lei (Asian American Author) - Seoulmates by Susan Lee (7/18/25)
  18. Spring Fling Pride (LGBTQ+ Characters or Author)
  19. Beachside Cafe (Set by the Water or On Vacation) - Swept Away by Beth O’Leary (5/30/25)
  20. The Lighthouse (Pirate Character) - A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle (1/29/25)
  21. Breezy Pier (Strong Summer Vibes, Beach Read) - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (6/19/25)
  22. Starlight Cinema (Group read) - Is She Really Going Out with Him by Sophie Cousens (8/27/25)
  23. Sunset Bay Marina (Been Sitting on Your TBR Pile)
  24. Full Moon Adventure (Adventure Romance) - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (1/18/25)
  25. Wedding Season (Marriage of Convenience) - Enchantra by Kaylie Smith (6/6/25)
  26. Latinx Summer Fiesta (Latinx Author) - Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura (2/5/25)
  27. Fireworks Spectacular (Military Romance)
  28. Gallery of Shadows (Gothic Setting)
  29. The Highpoint (Workplace Romance) - Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto (9/3/25)
  30. Willow Grove Park (Sweet Fall or Cozy Setting)
  31. Starstruck Sweets (Celebrity Main Character) - The Roommate by Rosie Danan (1/26/25)
  32. The Holiday Spectacle (Holiday Theme or Winter Magic) - The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (11/26/25)
  33. Spooky Reads (Horror Romance) — Zomromcom by Olivia Dade (10/4/25)
  34. Diwali Lights (Indian Author)
  35. Native American Heritage Month (Indigenous Author)
  36. Krampus Night (Monsters) - My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher (11/7/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 11 of 15

COYER

11/20 Books 55%

  1. Blame the Mistletoe by Dani Collins (1/10/25)
  2. Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen (1/14/25)
  3. A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker (1/25/25)
  4. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2/13/25)
  5. The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab (3/5/25)
  6. The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair (3/14/25)
  7. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (7/4/25)
  8. Is She Really Going Out with Him by Sophie Cousens (8/27/25)
  9. We are Legion (We are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor (10/1/25)
  10. For We are Many by Dennis E. Taylor (11/25/25)
  11. The Haunting of HG Wells by Robert Masello (12/3/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 12 of 15

Cover Lover

35/50 Books 70%

  1. Favorite color - Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura (2/5/25)
  2. Headwear of some kind (hat, helmet, yarmulke, hijab, etc.) - The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis (5/23/25)
  3. A mode of transportation - Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen (1/14/25)
  4. Bookish elements - Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakas (3/12/25)
  5. An author that has a common name spelled in an uncommon way (i.e. Stephenie Meyer, Kelley Armstrong, etc.) - The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry (4/4/25)
  6. An illustrated scene - The Demon’s Queen by Katee Robert (4/10/25)
  7. A design that is in desperate need of a makeover - The Roommate by Rosie Danan (1/26/25)
  8. A wintry scene - The Lodge by Kayla Olson (12/13/25)
  9. A summery scene
  10. Food
  11. A skeleton, bones, or a skull and crossbones - The Dark One by Nikki St. Crowe (1/29/25)
  12. Floral elements - The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold (1/30/25)
  13. Sports equipment
  14. A title and/or scene that makes you laugh - This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman (5/20/25)
  15. Something you might see in a hospital - Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (8/6/25)
  16. Someone wearing period clothing - Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti (6/28/25)
  17. A famous structure or landmark (man-made or natural) - All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall (3/7/25)
  18. A frame-worthy design - Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao (6/7/25)
  19. At least one person of color (POC) - Seoulmates by Susan Lee (7/18/25)
  20. Someone partly or fully submerged in water - Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (3/22/25)
  21. A lighted window - Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (7/11/25)
  22. A bird - Swept Away by Beth O’Leary (5/30/25)
  23. A futuristic scene - Fragments by Dan Wells (3/18/25)
  24. A weapon - Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (3/21/25)
  25. The name of and/or a depiction of a famous person - Dr. Mütter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (9/25/25)
  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 - Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson (9/8/25)
  29. A foggy/stormy scene
  30. A television or movie screen
  31. No people - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (1/18/25)
  32. An object that is broken
  33. A silhouette or shadow - Small Angels by Lauren Owen (1/22/25)
  34. A piece of jewelry - The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (2/25/25)
  35. A sunrise or sunset - The Compound by Aisling Rawle (12/4/25)
  36. A cityscape - Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (5/16/25)
  37. An aquatic animal - Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire (2/12/25)
  38. A light source tha 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. Depiction of something that has been spilled (milk, paint, blood, etc.)
  41. Eyewear of some kind (sunglasses, goggles, eyepatch, etc.) - My Vampire Plus-one by Jenna Levine (3/8/25)
  42. A spooky scene - The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks (2/21/25)
  43. Something you might find in a child’s bedroom (teddy bear, nightlight, crib, etc.)
  44. A key and/or a keyhole - The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers by Jen Campbell (10/3/25)
  45. A real, historical photograph - The Antidote by Karen Russell (9/23/25)
  46. A proper noun in the title or design - Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett (4/5/25)
  47. Something that is plaid
  48. Outdated technology (typewriter, film camera, rotary telephone, etc.) - The Haunting of HG Wells by Robert Masello (12/3/25)
  49. The name of a month in the title, design, or author’s name
  50. A flag, pennant, or banner

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 13 of 15

Fairytale Retelling

5/12 Books 41.7%

  1. January (Snow White and Rose Red)
  2. February (Sleeping Beauty)
  3. March (Peter Pan) - The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe (1/17/25)
  4. April (The Twelve Dancing Princesses)
  5. May (Villain Retelling) - Heartless by HG Parry (11/8/25)
  6. June (The Goose Girl)
  7. July (Reader’s Choice) - How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann (5/27/25)
  8. August (The Little Mermaid) - A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle (1/29/25)
  9. September (Mythology Retelling) - The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (3/14/25)
  10. October (Alice in Wonderland)
  11. November (The Snow Queen)
  12. December (Fairytale featuring Santa)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 14 of 15

I Read Horror

9/12 Books 75%

  1. Vampires - The Gathering by CJ Tudor (1/16/25)
  2. Witches
  3. Folk Horror - The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (8/23/25)
  4. BIPOC Author
  5. Ghost Story - The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas (2/4/25)
  6. Female Author - Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (8/6/25)
  7. Cosmic Horror - The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks (2/21/25)
  8. Frightening Cover - Shiver by Junji Ito (5/2/25)
  9. Adapted as movie or tv
  10. Katsu, Ketchum, King, or Koontz - Fiend by Alma Katsu (10/24/25)
  11. Black, Gray, Orange, or Red Cover - The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud (9/28/25)
  12. Cryptid - A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig (11/19/25)

2025 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed - photo 15 of 15

Books to Movies

7/12 Books 58.3%

  1. Horseman by Christina Henry (2/19/25)
  2. Alice in Borderland (2/26/25)
  3. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (3/14/25)
  4. Parasyte (4/12/25)
  5. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (4/24/25)
  6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  7. The Shining by Stephen King
  8. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
  9. Jujutsu Kaisen (8/20/25)
  10. Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (8/2/25)