Erin's Book Challenge 25.0

Once again, joining this one at a private Facebook group.

Welcome to our 25th edition of BCBE!

5 points: Freebie - read a book that is at least 200 pages

• 10 points: Read a book set in a country different than the one you reside in (from BCBE13; this category had the most books selected than any other category we’ve done with 137 books chosen that challenge)

*****The following two are similar but definitely different. Make sure you read and comprehend what we’re asking for before making your choice AND see notes in comments of examples*****

• 10 points: read book 2, book 5, book 20 or book 25 in a series

• 15 points: read a book with the words two or five or twenty-five in the title; we will allow the words second, fifth, or twenty-fifth as well

• 20 points: read a book where the author’s name is Silver, cover font is silver, or word “silver” is in title

• 20 points: read an award winning book from the last twenty five years (you MUST list what award and what year it won)

• 25 points: read a book where the main character is 25years old or early adulthood

• 30 points: read a book originally published in 1925 or 2025 or 25 years ago (2001)

• 30 points: read one of the 300+ books I’ve read in all the previous BCBE challenges combined
(Link: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/415897.Erin_s_BCBE_Reads )

• 35 points: read a book about a book club
(Link: https://www.goodreads.com/.../415880.BCBE_25_Books_about... )

Book Discussion: Finding a New Series to Begin

 

One year, I did a discussion post on how long it takes to finish a book series. In that post, I said how I was once eager to finish a series, but more recently had found myself reading only one or two books, then leaving the series unfinished. These were the reasons  I gave:

1. A lack of interest in continuing (though this is pretty rare)
2. Unable to find the rest of the books in the series at the library and not wishing to buy the rest if they can't be bought second-hand
3. Finding a book other than the first one (happens often when getting thrift-store books)
4. No hurry to continue right away, especially series with really long books (e.g., The Outlander series)
5. Simply forgetting that I even began (also rare)

How many of you have had these happen to you?

I was reminded of this post when reading Postcards From the Bookstore's post the other day, on Ten Series Deemed as Finished. I'm currently trying to find a book quartet to read for this challenge. Checking my Goodreads account, I found several quartets that I have begun, but have only completed one or two books (one in most cases). I'll have to re-read the book(s) already completed if I want it to count this year. Some of them I read years ago! Or I can start a new book quartet, of which I have at least two series in mind. Again, to count for the challenge, the series has to be completed this year. I must decide how soon to read to read each installment in the quartet, whether right away (one after the other), or whenever I feel up to diving into each one. It will depend on how eager I am to continue, as long as I get it done to count. 

What is your preference for reading series?

Summer Reading Challenge @ Messy Middle

I've been excited for this one to come! As with every year, I will get as many books as I can between the dates indicated. The "Make up Your Own Category" sounds like fun!

The Summer Reading Challenge will start on June 1 and run for eleven weeks through August 14, 2026. To enter, read seven books from 25+ categories and leave a comment at the end of the challenge with the books you read. That’s all. No entrance fee, no hassle, just fun.

What’s different?

• Only four charities were nominated, so we won’t be reading every Friday for Good. We’ll read on the 2^nd and 4^thFridays of June and July. Hopefully next summer we can return to reading every Friday with more nominations! You can learn more about the four charities here.
• Three special categories tied to big 2026 moments — the USA’s 250th birthday , my mom’s 90th birthday , and the World Cup 

What’s the same?

• Many of the categories were submitted by you!
• Choosing a penalty book within the first week of the challenge. A penalty book is one you declare to yourself:I will read this or be penalized. My penalty book this year has been sitting on my shelf long enough — Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. This is the year. (Or I’ll die, get it?! HA!)
• Like previous years, if you do not read your penalty book, you will subtract two books from your total
• The joy of reading!

What’s in it for you?

• All who comment on the summary blog post I’ll publish around August 14th will be entered to win one of several $10 Amazon gift cards. You’ll have a few days after August 14th to comment with the names of the books you read.

Drumroll . . . here are the categories!

1. A book someone mentioned in last year’s summer reading challenge
2. A book with cover that uses a color with a plant in the name. Turns out there are 20 colors with plant names!! Greens (moss, sage, fern, clover), Purples (lavender, violet, wisteria, thistle), Yellows (saffron, marigold, dandelion, goldenrod), Pinks and Reds (rose, blush, poppy, amaranth), and a mixed group (indigo, cornflower, eucalyptus, lichen)
3. A book with a verb in the title.
4. A book set where you’re going on vacation this summer/winter (or would like to vacation)
5. A book recommended by a child in your life
6. A book recommended by a bookseller or a librarian
7. A book that is Science Fiction, Fantasy or a Western
8. A book featuring nature such as a river, National Park, forest, or mountains
9. A book that has your favorite color in the title
10. A book with a great first line
11. A book whose title is someone’s name
12. A book that takes place in a place that you’ve been to
13. A how-to book
14. A book you stay up late to read
15. A book about space (I was thinking outer space but “space” could be interpreted in other ways)!
16. A book set on the opposite side of the world to where you are currently located
17. A middle grade or YA novel
18. A book told in epistolary style (letter or diary)
19. A book featuring travel as a theme
20. A graphic novel
21. A cookbook, picture/coffee table book, or wordless book
22. A mystery, classic, or play
23. A book for professional development (loosely defined)
24. An audiobook
25. A book you want to discuss with others
26. A book that’s outside of your normal reading
27. Choose your own adventure: Make up your own category!

A few categories special to Summer 2026

1. Since this summer is the 250th birthday of the USA, either a book about the birth of that nation or a book with 250 in the title.
2. In honor of my mom’s 90th birthday in August, either a book with an elderly person (at least 80 years old) or the number 90 in the title.
3. Because the world cup is in June, a book with soccer (football 😉) or the world cup in it

Bonus: choose a Penalty Book in the first week of the challenge as a way to kick yourself in the pants. If you don’t read your penalty book you will subtract two (2) books from your grand total.

Book Discussion: Bookmarks or Dog-Earing?

 

I saw this post on The Chocolate Lady's blog. 

Are you team dog-eared or strictly no creases?

As someone who borrows a lot of library books, I rely on bookmarks so as not to damage the books. I have also collected fancy ones, so no need for using store receipts or torn-off edges of paper. Even with books I have at home, I use the bookmarks. It's one thing if I buy a used book with pages that have been creased in the top corners, but I won't be doing it myself. 

What is your preference for saving places in physical books?

PS...The Discussion Challenge now has two new co-hosts: Lindsi @ Do You Dog Ear? and Julie @ Chapter Break. 

13 Things About May

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. The blog host doesn't have any official graphics to display on the Thursday 13 posts, so I decided to whip one up myself. 🙂   

Last week, I had my trivia class at work and the topic I chose was about the Month of May. I based my questions on those from this video. I then looked for other trivia on different sites. Click here, here and here for more. 

1. No US President has died during the month of May.
2. May is known as the Month of Flowers and as the Merry Month.
3. The Empire State Building opened in May 1931.
4. No other month of the year starts and ends on the same days of the week as May.
5. Blue Jeans were invented in May of 1873 by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis.
6. At one point, May was once considered a bad luck month to get married. There was a poem that said, "Marry in May and you'll rue the day."
7. May is named after the Greek goddess Maia, the Greek Goddess of Spring. The Romans had a similar goddess named Bona Dea where they would hold a festival in the month of May for her.
8. In the US, the last week of May is library and information week.
9. In the UK, May is National Smile month.
10. Colors associated with May celebrations are green and yellow.
11. May 1 in France is known as "Fėte du Muguet," meaning "Lily of the Valley Day." Lily of the valley is the birth flower for May.
12. The May Day celebration is known for dancing around the pole.
13. In the Southern Hemisphere, May occurs in the fall.

Movie Day

One thing I have not been doing a lot of lately is going out to the movies, something I decided to do yesterday afternoon on Tuesday bargain day. One reason is that not too many movies have come out that I have been interested in seeing. Also, movies released recently don't seem to get a lot of hype. Well, except two lately. One of course, is  the Michael Jackson biopic, which I don't think I'll be seeing. Another is The Devil Wears Prada 2, which I decided to see yesterday.

I had seen the original 20 years ago, but did not read the book until years later. And I did not know that the book had a sequel. Now I'll have to read that one. I also have the original movie on DVD, and was thinking of rewatching it, but never got around to that. I was bored yesterday and needed to get out. I just had to see the movie now and not have to wait until it was on streaming. One thing I miss about getting DVDs is getting to see the movie right away. Most streaming services charge to watch a movie when it's first released on the service, and it can be a long time before the movie can be seen free. I did not want to wait for that to happen. 

I now wonder when I'll ever get out to see a movie again. Ticket prices are one thing keeping me away, exactly why I chose to go on a bargain day. And i have not heard of many upcoming films that seem to interest me. Movies don't seem to get the same hype as they used to.

And on a side note, I came across this about a week ago. Sounds about right!

13 Words Beginning With Z

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. The blog host doesn't have any official graphics to display on the Thursday 13 posts, so I decided to whip one up myself. 🙂  

I haven't posted a Thursday 13 in almost two months. My topic this week is inspired by the A to Z Blogging. 

1. Zeitgeist
2. Zanzibar
3. Zephyr
4. Zulu
5. Ziggy
6. Zebra
7. Zirconium
8. Zero
9. Zinger
10. Zoological
11. Zipper
12. Zygote
13. Zany

What are some that come to your mind?