I'm still relatively new to book blogging (I've had this blog since 2018, but have only been consistently back in the blogging world since April 2023), and I must confess that I've never done a reading challenge! But this year, I want to change that. So, in addition to two personal challenges that I set for myself, I've decided to take on three organized challenges: the 2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge hosted by Susan at Bloggin' Bout Books, the Fantasy/Sci-Fi Reading Challenge hosted by Rachel at Fantasy and Sci-Fi Fanatics, and the 2025 New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog.
I'm expecting (and planning) there to be a lot of crossover. I'll keep this page updated with my progress!
Books I Didn't Get to Last Year
Me vs. Brain, by Hayley Morris
Briar Rose, by Jane Yolen
Splintered, by A.G. Howard
A Sorceress Comes to Call, by T. Kingfisher
Masquerade, by O.O. Sangoyomi
Peter Darling, by Austin Chant
Dust, by Kara Swanson
Girls Made of Snow and Glass, by Melissa Bashardoust
A Blade So Black, by L.L. McKinney
The Wrath and the Dawn, by Renée Ahdieh
Watership Down, by Richard Adams
The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom
Hangsaman, by Shirley Jackson
Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad
The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton
David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens
The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, by Julia McKay
The 13th Gift, by Joanne Huist Smith
The Winners, by Fredrik Backman
Moon of the Crusted Snow, by Waubgeshig Rice
The Republic of Salt, by Ariel Kaplan
Dracula, by Bram Stoker
The Blood Spell, by C.J. Redwine
Selling Sexy, by Lauren Sherman
National Month
January: Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month
February: Black History Month
March: Women’s History Month
April: Arab American Heritage Month
May: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
June: Caribbean American Heritage Month
July: South Asian Heritage Month
August: National Back to School Month
September: National African Immigrant Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month
October: Filipino American History Month
November: Native American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
December: Advent
2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge
Rules
1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
2. Since this isn't a competition and we're just playing for fun, not prizes or even acclaim, books of any length count (as long as they fit one of the prompts). All genres and formats are allowed.
3. Don't overthink or stress out about the prompts. If a book fits-ish a prompt, that's totally fine, but a book should only be used once (unless you're going rogue and just doing things your own way). I'm all about being flexible and laidback!
4. 50 prompts can be overwhelming, so let's break it down:
Level One: 1-10 books
Level Two: 11-20 books
Level Three: 21-30 books
Level Four: 31-40 books
Level Five: 41-50 books
You can sign up at any level you'd like and even change levels mid-challenge if you need to.
5. Reviews aren't required, but I always like to get suggestions for prompts and for good reads. I will publish a challenge post at the beginning of each month with a form for review links. If you post one, I promise to come give it some love.
Here are the prompts!
1. Your favorite color
2. Headwear of some kind (hat, helmet, yarmulke, hijab, etc.)
3. A mode of transportation
4. Bookish elements
5. An author that has a common name spelled in an uncommon way (i.e. Stephenie Meyer, Kelley Armstrong, etc.)
6. An illustrated scene
7. A design that is in desperate need of a makeover
8. A wintry scene Moon of the Crusted Snow, by Waubgeshig Rice
9. A summery scene
10. Food
11. A skeleton, bones, or a skull and crossbones
12. Floral elements
13. Sports equipment
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
17. A famous structure or landmark (man-made or natural)
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) The 13th Gift, by Joanne Huist Smith
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 Winners, by Fredrik Backman
32. An object that is broken
33. A silhouette or shadow
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
Fantasy/Sci-Fi Reading Challenge
Rules:
- Each book needs to be either a fantasy or sci-fi book. If you’re not sure whether a book fits or not, check out these fantasy genres or look at these sci-fi categories. Usually if the book takes place in another world or has elements not found in ours, it will fall into one of these two categories.
- You may pick either a fantasy or sci-fi book unless the challenge specifically states one or the other.
- You may reread a book for the category.
- Books may count for only one category.
- You may join the reading challenge at any time.
January: An Epic Fantasy Book
February: A Fantasy or Sci-Fi Written by a Black Author
March: An Irish-based Fantasy Book
April: A Greek-Mythology Inspired Fantasy Book
May: A Fantasy or Sci-fi Book with Flowers on the Cover
June: A Book That Takes Place on Another Planet
July: A Fantasy or Sci-Fi Book that Features Pirates
August: A Dystopian Book
September: A Fantasy/Sci-Fi Book that Takes Place in a School
October: A Gothic Fantasy Book
November: A Fantasy/Sci-Fi Book by an Author You’ve Never Read Before
December: A Book With Robots
2025 New Release Challenge
Rules:
- Books included in the link party have to be only those released in 2025, and reviewed before the end of the year.
- Books can count towards more than one challenge, meme, book-tag, or book-list, as long as the ones you use for the 2025 New Release Reading Challenge qualify to the other rules.
- The minimum length for a book to qualify is 100 pages, it can be in any format though, physical, e-book, ARC or audiobook.
- The New Release Challenge is open on January 1st, and run through December 31st 2025.
- You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate, you can link to your review on Goodreads or Booklikes or anywhere that you post a review of a newly released book – so don’t be shy!
- If you want to spread the love, please use #2025NewReleaseChallenge on any and all social media sites where you promote your reviews.
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