More reading challenges updates! I feel like this was a good month for reading, but that might have come to a bit of a standstill now thanks to some issues with my Kindle! At this point, I’m just really hoping I haven’t now lost the arcs I had on there. But it does mean I’ll be looking to get a new ereader sooner than planned, so if you do know anyone looking for an editor, please feel free to point them my way. Now, onto the updates!
2025 Reading Challenges
Update #1 / #2 / #3
Goal: 24/70 (+6)
Musicals Reading Challenge 2025
5/24 (+2) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Sweeny Todd – No Place Like London – Set in OR about your hometown/city or a favourite place
I pretty much knew from the moment I created the challenge last year that I wanted to use The Story of Cardiff for this one. It’s so interesting too, and is telling me a lot about the city I grew up in that I never knew. I feel like we often learn so much about other places, but sometimes it’s really good to dig into your local area, too.
Read
Into the Woods – Prologue: Into the Woods – A fairy tale retelling OR about fairy tales
For this, I went with The Fairy Tellers, a history of the people who wrote, collected or who we otherwise have to thank for many of the most popular tales still being told today. As the author points out, many of these people have been overlooked, their roles ignored, and I do always quite enjoy books that aim to bring lesser known historical figures to light.
Singin’ in the Rain – Make ’em Laugh – Comedy/humour
The World According to Cunk seemed the perfect choice for this, and I was totally right. It’s a fun journey through history, and listening to the audio version was an excellent decision.
Books to Read: Daisy Jones & The Six, Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One, Tell Me I’m Worthless
2025 TV Shows Reading Challenge
3/12 (0) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Desperate Housewives – A book featuring a group of women
I have been looking forward to The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires for a good while, and am pretty excited to finally get to it! I’m listening to this as an audiobook, and though I’m not far in, I’m quite enjoying it so far.
Once Upon a Time – A retelling of a fairy tale
I actually changed my mind about what book I was going to read for this, and landed on The Story of the Hundred Promises. The first part is a bit of a slog, but I was just starting to get into it when the Kindle issues started! Hopefully I can get it sorted soon and it won’t be too long before I’m back to this one.
Books to Read: Scales and Sensibility, The Stars Too Fondly, Blob
Be Curious – Non-Fiction Challenge 2025
3/12 (0) Prompts Completed
No progress on this one for April, but there’s a few books here I’m really looking forward to…that happen to be on my Kindle! So making movement on this next month will also depend on getting that sorted.
Books to Read: Under the Banner of Heaven, We Can Be Heroes, Enchanted Wales
Romance Readers Diversity Challenge 2025
4/12 (+2) Prompts Completed
Read
A book written by a Black author
Get a Life, Chloe Brown was so much fun – I really enjoyed it, and now I’m keen to get my hands on the third book.
A book featuring an interracial couple
Unladylike Lessons in Love was intriguing, and I loved that the focus was more on the ton’s outskirts. The mystery at the centre had me hooked, even with an idea of who probably did it!
Books to Read: In Memoriam, Marked by the Panther, A Midnight Kiss in Ever After Street
2025 SFF Title Challenge
4/16 (+1) Prompts Completed
Read
voyage
I really enjoyed Voyage of the Damned – queer and with a very British sense of humour, it’s a great blend of Fantasy and Mystery.
Books to Read: Goblin Quest, The Monster MASH, The Forest of Stars
Netflix Movies & TV Shows
14/24 (0) Prompts Completed
No movement on this one, but there’s some crossover with other challenges so maybe there will be an actual update to this next month.
Books to Read: So You Want to Talk About Race, Daisy Jones & The Six, All That Remains
So…we’ll just have to see how the next month goes. How about you – making progress on any challenges, or are there particular books you were aiming to read this year that you’ve now moved from TBR to Read?
Unwrapping Words 