50 Books Challenge 2025 Part One

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the first thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2025, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles and maybe authors as well of books you've read or going to read? It makes it much easier to keep track, especially when the threads move quickly at this time of the year.

Who's in for this year?

Definitely in for this year! Thanks for the new thread @Southeastdweller and Happy New Year everyone 😀

First book should be finished today (as always, cheating as it was started last year!) - Nostalgia by Agnes Arnold-Forster

Thanks @Southeastdweller and Happy New Year to all you lovely Bookers.

I thought I’d be finishing one today - about the British and the rise of tourism- should be exactly my sort of thing, but the writing is pretty dull so it’s not calling to me.

Hello everyone. Thanks @Southeastdweller for the thread and here's hoping everyone has a good reading year (and a good year generally - I was not a fan of 2024).
I'm going to finish my book about the GDR which is nearly done then take a look at my book shelves and see what appeals.

Which GDR book is it @PepeLePew ? I had to have a self induced ban on German history after overloading on it, but prepared to break it.

Thank you @Southeastdweller and a Happy New Year to all!

I am definitely in for 2025. Have about 17% of Girl A to finish as my first book of the year. Got to yet another uneasy revelation that I kind of expected but hoped wasn’t the case and decided that wasn’t how I wanted to finish 2024. It’s bloody good though! Don’t know where I got the idea Abigail Dean wrote generic American thrillers I would dislike, but that’s one of the beauties of these threads - makes me try things I’d otherwise dismiss.

I’d like to join, please. I’m trying to get my reading mojo back. I got Welcome to Night Vale for Christmas so I’ll start that later. Also have I’m thinking of Ending Things on audio.

Remus, it is Beyond The Wall. It's excellent - a really engaging mix of personal story and political history. But I have a feeling you have read it as I think it was recommended on here (I can never remember who recommends what so should try to do better in 2025!).

Ahh yes. Read it. I don’t think I liked it though!

Just checked- it was my first book of 2024 and I said it was a real slog. Glad you’re enjoying it though!

Hi
Can I join please?
In 2024 I only managed 38 books, which is dismal for me - my usual average is at least double that. In my defence, it was a crazy year; we got a puppy in spring that kept me busy all summer, then I lost my mum in the autumn, which took away my focus for weeks.
So, aiming for 50 this year seems realistic, anything beyond that would be great.
First on my list is Januaries by Olivie Blake.

I usually follow these threads, and I’m going to join you this year.

I have about 15 books in a pile which I’ve started but not finished, so I’m going to get through them before I start buying any more!

Starting with Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi.

Signing in! Finished The Great Alone this morrning - a bold. I will review it later.

Oh @InWithThePlums Half of a Yellow Sun was one of my top books last year - enjoy!

Happy new year everyone!

Thanks for the new thread @Southeastdweller and I am definitely back in this year. I’m starting the year ‘clean’ with all new reads on kindle/ physical and audio- rarely happens so here’s hoping it’s a good start.
I’m also doing 2 year long reads - A Poem for Every Day of the Year by Allie Esiri on audio (hope this is not too child oriented) War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy a chapter a day with my book group.
Welcome to all the new members for 2025.

I'm about two thirds of the way through Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey. MIL bought it when we visited Highclere Castle in the summer.

Just checking in to activate the thread - I'm rereading Kevin so I'll be a while.

Happy New Year all and welcome to the new joiners.

1 The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith

Bit of a cheat as I’ve been reading this for the last few days but finished it this morning. It’s a reread in advance of watching the TV version. Other than being too long (a fault of almost all her books) it’s absolutely brilliant. I’m not a gamer at all but the plot is so immersive and clever. How she keeps track of all the different characters and identities I have no idea. I’m really looking forward to the next book in September and the TV version of The Running Grave - hopefully also this year.

Could I join please? Currently reading I’m sorry you feel that way, Rebecca Fait. I’m actually enjoying it, she writes well and I found it interesting the way she introduced her characters. The idea that a mother has not always been so, and how her childhood and experiences shape her parenting. Would recommend.

Good Morning lovely people. Happy New Year!

Thanks for the new thread Southeast.

I'm carrying over half of This Thing of Darkness

No mad challenges this year, other than to sit with an actual book more often. And to keep up with the thread better.

I'm still waging war with the house, but I'm hoping to get enough done by the end of Jan that I have more time for me. I'm also going to declutter some some books. There, I said it. I'm going to put 1 a week into the little free library in the park.

Thank you southeast. Happy new year all.

Need to start a new book today as well as The Count

I’m back in for 2025, thanks southeast.

Not likely to finish anything soon as I don’t get much reading done in the Christmas break - DP usually works evenings but over Christmas we get to watch tv together and even converse.

Happy New Year everyone, hello to old friends (and poets) and welcome to the newbies

Thank you for the new thread @Southeastdweller.

I'm half way through All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker and very much enjoying it. The setting is giving me vibes of Demon Copperhead, To Kill a Mockingbird and the TV series Ozark. It's a page-turner but with quite beautiful descriptive passages, so a great combination.

I've also started The Count of Monte Cristo for the Readalong; it's already caught my interest.

No rigid plans for my reading year apart from, like Remus, reading what I want with no pressure. To that end, I've ordered the last eight books I really fancied having read reviews from our last couple of threads. It would be good if I could tackle some unread ones from my shelves too. Plus a few rereads.

My NY resolution - apart from finding time for more exercise - is not to be sucked in by the clickbait on the top right of this screen and to limit myself to What We're Reading on Mumsnet. Does anyone know if it's possible to delete the Trending box? I could really do without it!

I'm in. Only made 31 last year so going for an improvement. Maybe spend more time reading and less time playing Candy Crush.

Happy New Year to all old & new book friends. I expect my first book of the year will be Polo by Jilly Cooper as I'm half way through already.

I'm going on holiday for the 2nd half of January with lots of long train journeys, so getting my books stacked up on Kindle for then.

I'd love to do this but genuinely no idea how you all manage to read so many books! I could aim for 1 a month and still find it a challenge.