Board Games Reading Challenge

I found this new one offered through Instagram and Story Graph. I like this idea and it sounds like a fun one to try.

CHALLENGE PROMPTS

1. Apples to Apples Fruit on the cover: The Berry Pickers--Amanda Peters

2. Axis & Allies Set during WWII: The Last Train to London--Meg Waite Clayton

3. Backgammon A classic: East of Eden--John Steinbeck

4. Balderdash Title contains a strange or obscure word: Fingersmith--Sarah Waters

5. Bananagrams Yellow cover: My Favorite Half-Night Stand--Christina Lauren

6. Barrel O' Monkeys Animals are important to the story: The Mammoth Hunters--Jean M. Auel

7. Battleship Takes place on or in water: The Guncle Abroad--Steven Rowley

8. Boggle A book that kept you guessing: This One Summer--Jillian Tamaki

9. Candy Land A sweet read: Sinister Sprinkles--Jessica Beck

10. Cards Against Humanity A book containing irreverent humor: I Feel Bad About My Neck--Nora Ephron

11. Checkers Black and white or black and red cover: The Beautiful Struggle--Ta-Nehisi Coates

12. Chess Features royalty: A Man For All Seasons--Robert Bolt

13. Chinese Checkers A translated book: The Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov

14. Chutes N' Ladders A book with several plot twists: Mad Honey--Jodi Picoult

15. Clue A locked room mystery: Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion--Julie Campbell

16. Concentration A complex read: An American Marriage--Tayari Jones

17. Connect Four Part of a 4-book series OR 4th in a larger series: Beautiful Creatures--Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

18. Cranium Title contains the word "cat", "head", "star", or "word": The Travelling Cat Chronicles--Hiro Arikawa

19. Dominoes Part of a duology: Openly Straight--Bill Konigsberg

20. Don't Break the Ice Set in a cold climate: Before I Let Go--Marieke Nijkamp

21. Guess Who Mysterious villain: Maya and the Rising Dark--Rena Barron

22. Hi Ho Cherry-O Rhyming title: Martin McLean, Middle School Queen--Alyssa Zaczek

23. Hungry Hungry Hippos Alliterative title: The Last Letter--Rebecca Yarros

24. Jenga Tall tower or tall building on the cover: Eleven--Tom Rogers

25. Mahjong Set in the 19th century: The Signature of All Things--Elizabeth Gilbert

26. Mancala Set in Africa: Home is Not a Country--Safia Elhillo

27. Mastermind Features codes/code breaking: The Great Train Robbery--Michael Crichton

28. Monopoly Features a wealthy character: It Happened One Summer--Tessa Bailey

29. Mouse Trap Features a set up: Two Peas in a Pod--Sarah Mlynowski

30. Operation MC is in the medical field: Before the Coffee Gets Cold--Shikazu Kawaguchi

31. Othello Shakespeare play or retelling: Summer in the City of Roses--Michelle Ruiz Keil

32. Parcheesi Set in India: White Teeth--Zadie Smith

33. Perfection A tense read: Tiny Beautiful Things--Cheryl Strayed

34. Phase 10 Number in the title: Table for Five--Susan Wiggs

35. Pictionary A book with illustrations: Around the World in 80 Days--Jules Verne

36. Risk A book with a map: Lalani of the Distant Sea--Erin Entrada Kelly

37. Rummikub Face on the cover: Hello Beautiful--Ann Napolitano

38. Scattergories Published in the 1980s: The Great Boy Chase--Janet Quin-Harkin

39. Scrabble Buddy read: Pieces of Happiness--Anne Ostby

40. Sequence Features STEM: The Only Woman in the Room--Eileen Pollack

41. Settlers of Catan Characters are settlers/pioneers: Yellow Wife--Sadeqa Johnson

42. Simon MC's name is in the title: The Two Lives of Lydia Bird--Josie Silver

43. Skip-Bo Next book in a series you've already started: King of Fools--Amanda Foody

44. Sorry A book you wish you hadn't read: Rider of Lost Creek--Louis L'Amour

45. Stratego Character is in the military: Dream When You're Feeling Blue--Elizabeth Berg

46. Taboo A banned book: Tricks--Ellen Hopkins

47. The Farming Game Character is a farmer or set on a farm/ranch: Sunrise Canyon--Janet Dailey

48. The Game of Life Life story (fiction or nonfiction): The Devil's Highway--Luis Alberto Urrea

49. Ticket to Ride Character travels by train: The Blackbird Girls--Anne Blankman

50. Trivial Pursuit A nonfiction read that taught you something new: The Small and the Mighty--Sharon McMahon

51. Trouble Multiple character quest: Don't Read the Comments--Eric Smith

52. Twister Red, yellow, green, & blue on the cover: A Spark of Light--Jodi Picoult

53. Uno One-word title: Nightcrawling--Leila Mottley

54. Yahtzee A retelling: Cold Hearted--Serena Valentino

Challenge completed on November 12

2025 Foodies Read

 Another I like to do, getting as many books as possible.

1. Green is a Chili Pepper--Roseanne Greenfield Thong
2. Before the Coffee Gets Cold--Shikazu Kawaguchi
3. Pieces of Happiness--Anne Ostby
4. Be Ready When the Luck Happens--Ina Garten
5. Mad Honey--Jodi Picoult
6. From the Desk of Zoe Washington--Janae Marks
7. The Berry Pickers--Amanda Peters
8. Sinister Sprinkles--Jessica Beck
9. Two Peas in a Pod--Sarah Mlynowski
10. The Music of What Happens--Bill Konigsberg
11. Magic Candies--Heena Baek (reread)
12. Pumpkins--Jacqueline Farmer
13. Blackmail and Bibingka--Mia P. Manansala
14. Fearless--Fern Michaels
15. For Never & Always--Helena Greer
16. This Time Next Year--Sophie Cousens
17. The Gingerbread Bakery--Laurie Gilmore
18. Kernel of Truth---Kristi Abbott

Calling challenge complete on December 29

My Year in Books

Last year I found another website, that like Goodreads, also gives you a year in books: myyearinbooks.com. You just have to submit the link to your Goodreads profile/shelf and it'll gather all the info for you. Let's see what it can tell me about my 2024 reading year... 

In 2024, you read:

249 Books which adds up to 67,521 pages and 114,786 minutes

that’s bananas! You should feel proud of yourself.

Based on our data from last year, this puts you in the

top 3.0% of readers

You read 126 genres Your top genres were:

Contemporary 71

Romance 68

Mystery 46

Historical Fiction 46

Young Adult 44

Fantasy 43

Nonfiction 29

Children's 27

Middle Grade 27

Biography 26

Though you read a total of 249 books, you read the most in December

when you read 29 books.

Your reads spanned 75 publication years:

1949, 1965, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1996, 2005, 2007, 2009, 

2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022,  2023, 2024

Fun fact, 8+ of the books you read were published in 2018!

And throughout 2024, one author stood above them all for you...drum roll please...

Jessica Beck

You read 3 books and 884 pages by them!

I was surprised by some of the results. I mean, 29 books in December! Last year it was 30 in December. I wonder why I get so many in December. Probably because I was rushing to finish the reading categories that remained among my various challenges. And I had a lot of short reads, such as picture books, that month.  And all publications from the 1900s? I know I read a few "classics," so why didn't those get counted? Though I'm guessing that they were reissues from the 20th century. And more than eight books published in 2018? Who knew, until now?

Try this to see what your "year in books" results are. See if it surprises you, too 🙂

My Year in Reading

 

It's the end! I got all my year-long challenge completed today. I'm taking a break from reading until tomorrow. Here are my Goodreads highlights for the year.

I was surprised to have gotten a lot fewer books this year (249) than last year (261). I was worried over not being able to find book that fit some categories, but it all worked out in the end. I was rushing to finishing what remained before the year was over. 

I'm excited to start over beginning tomorrow. The library won't be open again until Thursday, but I have some e-books planned And some physical ones at home for the first of the year. 

I'm also still waiting for some challenges to come out. From what I read on Professional Book Needs site (I don't listen to podcasts), this year was their last reading challenge, so that's one fewer challenge for me. I haven't found very many I want to do other than those I have already signed up for on my blog. There are some I'm considering, but am not too sure about. Trying to decide.

More on my reading year to come...

New Year's Eve Fun

A lot of old ones here, but I still love them! But there are some new ones too.

2025 Linz The Bookworm and Logophile Reading Challenge

 Another I have been waiting for!

Level 1: Book of the Month Club

1 Read a book you got for free: The Mammoth Hunters--Jean M. Auel
2 Read a book that is under 350 pages: It's the End of the World and I'm in 
        My Bathing Suit--Justin A. Reynolds
3 Read or reread a book you consider an 'easy read.': 

        Invisible Emmie--Terri Liberson
4 Read a book with a green cover: Prodigal Summer--Barbara Kingslover
5 Read a cozy mystery: Sinister Sprinkles--Jessica Beck
6 Read a book that was recommended to you on social media/by a friend: 

        Pieces of Happiness--Anne Ostby
7 Read a book with a person's name in the title: 
        Martin McLean, Middle School Queen--Alyssa Zaczek
8 Read a book that takes place in the future: Dawn--Octavia E. Butler
9 Read a book published in 2020 (5 years ago): 
        The Girls With No Names--Serena Burdick
10 A book suggested by https://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/:

        When Christmas Comes--Debbie Macomber

11 Read a book by Jules Verne: Around the World in 80 Days
12 Free Space! Pick any book: The Rom-Commers--Katherine Center

Level 2: Casual Reader Club

13 Read a book listed on The Greatest Books of All Time List 
        https://thegreatestbooks.org: The Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
14 Read the book that's been on your TBR the a longest time: 

        This Side of Married--Rachel Pastan
15 Read a Young Adult novel: Tweet Cute--Emma Lord
16 Read a book with a three-word title: Tiny Beautiful Things--Cheryl Strayed
17 Read a book with a cantankerous main character: 

        The Love Story of Missy Carmichael--Beth Morrey
18 Read a book that has books on the cover: 

        The Reading List--Sara Nisha Adams

19 Read a book by an author who shares your initials: 

        The Beach House--Jane Green
20 Read a Standalone Novel: The Blackbirds--Eric Jerome Dickey
21 Read a book involving a detective or police officer: 

        Whiskers in the Dark--Rita Mae Brown
22 Read a self-published book: The Beach House--Rachel Hanna
23 Read a book that takes place somewhere warm: 

        Sunrise on Half Moon Bay--Robyn Carr
24 Free Space! Pick any book: The Beach Club--Elin Hilderbrand

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club

25 Read book 1 in a trilogy: Ace of Shades--Amanda Foody
26 Read book 2 in the same trilogy: King of Fools--Amanda Foody
27 Read book 3 in the same trilogy: Queen of Volts--Amanda Foody
28 Read a book you meant to read on last year's challenge: 

        Legacy of Secrets--Elizabeth Adler
29 Read a book by an author named Joe/Joseph/Josephine or a variant: 
        The Two Lives of Lydia Bird--Josie Silver
30 Read a romance novel: It Happened One Summer--Tessa Bailey
31 A book that you judged by its cover (either positively or negatively): 
        Sunrise Canyon--Janet Dailey
32 Read a book set in a country you've never been to: 

        Three Junes--Julia Glass
33 Read a book with a title that starts with the letter "N.": 
         Nightcrawling--Leila Mottley
34 Read a book that has a war or battle in it: 

        Dream When You're Feeling Blue--Elizabeth Berg
35 A book from Publisher's Weekly's Best Books of 2024:
       Intermezzo--Sally Rooney
36 Free Space! Pick any book: Yellow Wife--Sadeqa Johnson

Level 4: Speed Reader Club

37 A book with the word "song" in the title: 

        A Song Flung Up to Heaven--Maya Angelou
38 The Great Taylor Swift Category - read a book about Taylor Swift *or* 
        a book with the same title as one of her songs: 
       Fearless--Fern Michaels
39 Read a book by an author you've met or spoken to online: 

        Lady Nightmare--Rachel M. Yoldi
40 Read a book with an animal in the title: 

        The Diary of a Goose Girl--Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin
41 Read a book written from the villain/antagonist's perspective: 

        Cold Hearted--Serena Valentino
42 Read a reluctant hero story: Maya and the Rising Dark--Rena Barron
43 Read a book by an author using a pseudonym: Trixie Belden: 

        The Secret of the Mansion--Julie Campbell
44 Read a book that references a TV show or movie: 

        More Happy Than Not--Adam Silvera
45 Read a book that involves a game (board, card, video game): 

        Don't Read the Comments--Eric Smith
46 Read a Fantasy novel: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea--Axie Oh
47 Read a book with a secret society trope: Ninth House--Leigh Bardugo
48 Free Space! Pick any book: The Berry Pickers--Amanda Peters

Level 5: Overachiever Club

49 Read a book that is over 500 pages long: East of Eden--John Steinbeck
50 Read a book published in 1985 (40 years ago): 

        The Great Boy Chase--Janet Quin-Harkin
51 Read a book that has the word "begin" or the word "end" in the title: 

        Where I End--Katherine Elizabeth Clark
52 Read a book with a mask on the cover: 

        Mystery of the Maya--R.A. Montgomery
53 Read a book by Lawrence Block: Borderline
54 Read a book with a title that contains the letter "X": Saint X--Alexis Schaitkin
55 Read a book that involves amnesia or memory manipulation: 

        I Found You--Lisa Jewell
56 Read a cursed object story: How to Sell a Haunted House--Grady Hendrix
57 Read a book by an author named Pat/Patrick/Patricia or a variant: 

        Bonanza Girl--Patricia Beatty
58 A book that takes place in a school setting: Popcorn--Rob Harrell
59 Read a book with a bear on the cover: A Walk in the Woods--Bill Bryson
60    Free Space! Pick any book: The Love Haters--Katherine Center

Challenge completed on December 14