Has it already been a year (or has it only been a year) since we gathered in this wonderful place for last year's challenge? No matter! It's onwards as always!
Below is a list of suggested topics from which to choose 12 books to read throughout the year. There are no rules, only to have fun, and perhaps reach out to tackle either those long-postponed "I really should get to that some day" books, or to branch out to something entirely new. Discussion is encouraged, and it's always thrilling to see what people pick.
Thanks for participating, everyone, and happy reading in 2025!
1. Year of the Snake: Slither on over and choose a book published in any of the Chinese Years of the Snake: 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, etc. (keep subtracting by 12 if you want to go earlier).
2. Animal house: A book about animals in any way.
3. Behind the desk and under the table: A book taking place in a business setting (corporate intrigue, office romance, industrial espionage, whacky hijinks of a start-up).
4. Bits and pieces: An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever).
5. Breaking ground: A book about exploration or discovery, fiction or non-fiction.
6. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture or TV series.
7. Continuing on: A book from a series you have already started.
8. Crossing the (color) lines: A book about a BIPoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
9. Daguerreotype vibes: A book authored in the 19th century
10. Do you read about the land down under?: A book about or taking place in Australia, New Zealand or Pacific Islands.
11. Doorstoppers: A book more than 600 pages.
12. Earth, wind, & fire: A book related to the Earth sciences (geography, oceanography, climate, etc.)
13. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Vietnam).
14. Enabled: A book with a differently abled main character (blind, deaf, physically impaired, etc.).
15. Face your fears: A book that intimidates you, for any reason.
16. Family of choice: A book about adoption or blended families.
17. Folks, Farces, and Fables: A collection or analysis of folk tales, practices, and oral histories of any culture.
18. Get Lost: A book authored by someone of the Lost Generation
19. Get on with it already: A book that’s been on your TBR (to be read) list for over a year.
20. Getting started: Read the first book of a series.
21. Getting’ buggy with it: A book with an insect or spider on the cover.
22. Gonzo the Great: A counter-culture book from the 1960s (The Counter-Culture of the 1960s (fiction and nonfiction) (410 books))
23. Happy days are here again: A book published between 1945 and 1960 and about that time period.
24. Heavy is the head: A book about a king or queen
25. Howdy, stranger: A book about immigrants or immigration, or with an immigrant main character.
26. I know kung fu: A book about martial arts
27. I remember that!: A book about a historical event that took place in your lifetime.
28. Let’s go clubbing!: A book in a celebrity’s book club
29. Literary literal alliteration: A book whose title or author’s name is an alliteration.
30. Mind, body, and soul: A book where mental health or illness figures prominently.
31. Name droppings: Fiction where a real-life person is a character with their own lines.
32. New horizons: A book in a new-to-you genre.
33. No Cliff Notes this time: A book that’s required reading in most high schools or universities.
34. No hablo: A book originally written in another language (either a translation or in the original if you’d like!).
35. Old enough to know better: Any of the best books of 2007 (18 years ago) Best Books of 2007 (1100 books)
36. One more try: A book from a genre you have given up on.
37. Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet.
38. Pulp up the jam: A pulp fiction book.
39. Revenge of the nerds: A novel with scientist main characters, or a science plot.
40. Ripped from the headlines: A true crime book.
41. So that’s what they think of us: A book about your country by someone from another country.
42. Succinct: A book with a one-word title.
43. Take note: A book where music features prominently, or about musicians.
44. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel, manga, or comic book.
45. Tuesdays with Balaam’s Ass: A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character.
46. Upstaged: A play.
47. Waxing lyrical: A book with the same title as a popular song (or well-known lyric).
48. We were here first!: A book by or about an indigenous person or people.
49. Witching time of night: A gothic novel
50. You really shouldn’t have: A book bought for you as a gift.
Below is a list of suggested topics from which to choose 12 books to read throughout the year. There are no rules, only to have fun, and perhaps reach out to tackle either those long-postponed "I really should get to that some day" books, or to branch out to something entirely new. Discussion is encouraged, and it's always thrilling to see what people pick.
Thanks for participating, everyone, and happy reading in 2025!
1. Year of the Snake: Slither on over and choose a book published in any of the Chinese Years of the Snake: 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, etc. (keep subtracting by 12 if you want to go earlier).
2. Animal house: A book about animals in any way.
3. Behind the desk and under the table: A book taking place in a business setting (corporate intrigue, office romance, industrial espionage, whacky hijinks of a start-up).
4. Bits and pieces: An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever).
5. Breaking ground: A book about exploration or discovery, fiction or non-fiction.
6. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture or TV series.
7. Continuing on: A book from a series you have already started.
8. Crossing the (color) lines: A book about a BIPoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
9. Daguerreotype vibes: A book authored in the 19th century
10. Do you read about the land down under?: A book about or taking place in Australia, New Zealand or Pacific Islands.
11. Doorstoppers: A book more than 600 pages.
12. Earth, wind, & fire: A book related to the Earth sciences (geography, oceanography, climate, etc.)
13. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Vietnam).
14. Enabled: A book with a differently abled main character (blind, deaf, physically impaired, etc.).
15. Face your fears: A book that intimidates you, for any reason.
16. Family of choice: A book about adoption or blended families.
17. Folks, Farces, and Fables: A collection or analysis of folk tales, practices, and oral histories of any culture.
18. Get Lost: A book authored by someone of the Lost Generation
19. Get on with it already: A book that’s been on your TBR (to be read) list for over a year.
20. Getting started: Read the first book of a series.
21. Getting’ buggy with it: A book with an insect or spider on the cover.
22. Gonzo the Great: A counter-culture book from the 1960s (The Counter-Culture of the 1960s (fiction and nonfiction) (410 books))
23. Happy days are here again: A book published between 1945 and 1960 and about that time period.
24. Heavy is the head: A book about a king or queen
25. Howdy, stranger: A book about immigrants or immigration, or with an immigrant main character.
26. I know kung fu: A book about martial arts
27. I remember that!: A book about a historical event that took place in your lifetime.
28. Let’s go clubbing!: A book in a celebrity’s book club
29. Literary literal alliteration: A book whose title or author’s name is an alliteration.
30. Mind, body, and soul: A book where mental health or illness figures prominently.
31. Name droppings: Fiction where a real-life person is a character with their own lines.
32. New horizons: A book in a new-to-you genre.
33. No Cliff Notes this time: A book that’s required reading in most high schools or universities.
34. No hablo: A book originally written in another language (either a translation or in the original if you’d like!).
35. Old enough to know better: Any of the best books of 2007 (18 years ago) Best Books of 2007 (1100 books)
36. One more try: A book from a genre you have given up on.
37. Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet.
38. Pulp up the jam: A pulp fiction book.
39. Revenge of the nerds: A novel with scientist main characters, or a science plot.
40. Ripped from the headlines: A true crime book.
41. So that’s what they think of us: A book about your country by someone from another country.
42. Succinct: A book with a one-word title.
43. Take note: A book where music features prominently, or about musicians.
44. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel, manga, or comic book.
45. Tuesdays with Balaam’s Ass: A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character.
46. Upstaged: A play.
47. Waxing lyrical: A book with the same title as a popular song (or well-known lyric).
48. We were here first!: A book by or about an indigenous person or people.
49. Witching time of night: A gothic novel
50. You really shouldn’t have: A book bought for you as a gift.
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