We’re over halfway through the year, so ideally I should be over halfway through my reading challenges, though it hasn’t quite worked out like that (yet). I’m hoping the next two months or so see me completing a couple, so I can focus on the bigger ones. For next year, I’m definitely going to do at least one less.
2025 Reading Challenges
Update #1 / #2 / #3 / #4 / #5
Goal: 39/70 (+9)
Musicals Reading Challenge 2025
7/24 (+1) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Phantom of the Opera – Angel of Music – Toxic relationships
I’m finally reading Daisy Jones & The Six, which is…okay? I’m finding it getting a bit better as it goes on, but it took a bit – the first chunk just dragged. We’ll see how I feel when I finish this though.
Read
Matilda the Musical – When I Grow Up – Middle Grade or younger, OR a child as the/a main character
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One was an adorable read with a brilliant MC. I adored Hazel – she’s such a relatable character and really reminded me of being 12. It’s such a great story about friendships and finding your voice. Beautiful.
Books to Read: Tell Me I’m Worthless, This Cursed House, Black Victorians: Hidden in History
2025 TV Shows Reading Challenge
6/12 (+1) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
SENSE8 – A book featuring a LGBTQ+ character
The Stars Too Fondly is really interesting – I’m only about 30% through it, but I’m totally hooked. Every moment feels equally important as the group try to work out what happened on the ship they’ve accidentally stolen. I’m really enjoying it.
Read
Desperate Housewives – A book featuring a group of women
I loved The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires – I listened to the audiobook for this, and it was really excellent. Hendrix is a great horror writer.
Books to Read: Blob, Kiss Across Time, A Hunger Like No Other
Be Curious – Non-Fiction Challenge 2025
6/12 (+2) Prompts Completed
Read
Investigative Journalism – Uncover the secrets of this world
Under the Banner of Heaven was an absolutely fascinating read, delving into Mormonism and especially fundamentalist Mormons, the history of the religion, the persecution the church faced and providing excellent examples of how religious cults form and operate.
Travelling – Small routes, big routes, this country, the whole world, other worlds…
Monsterland was brilliant, and a really entertaining and informative read. Part travel, part folklore, Jubber takes us across the world to hunt down monsters, and gives us plenty to chew on in the meantime.
Books to Read: The Early Life of Walt Disney, ADHD Unpacked, Enchanted Wales
Romance Readers Diversity Challenge 2025
7/12 (+3) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
A sapphic romance
For this one, I picked out an audiobook I’d had for a fair while – Written in the Stars. Unfortunately, I’m not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. The characters are just…not very likable. I’ll push on though, and hopefully it gets better.
Read
A book featuring mental health representation
Considering at the start of June I wasn’t actually reading any books this challenge, I feel like I’ve done really well! First, In Memoriam – this book was beautiful and heart-breaking and really delves into the story of two men, in love with each other, who end up going to the trenches of World War I together. There’s a lot that gets in their way, and a lot of moments where it felt like they wouldn’t quite make their way back to each other, either mentally or physically. Full review coming soon.
A book written by an author with a disability
I had a lot of fun reading Marked by the Panther, by Zoey Indiana, and it’s definitely a series I’ll be continuing with! Shifter body guards with fated mates – yes please!
A book with a romance between people older than 26
As a mid-thirties girl, I love books that cover romances between ‘older’ couples (though I still don’t really feel like an adult!). It feels like a lot of the time romances are dominated by Young/New Adult characters and slightly older. Anyway, for this one I went for A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street – I loved the Christmas addition to this series (book 4), so was very excited to go back to the start!
Books to Read: Match Me If You Can, The Mercury In Me, The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet
2025 SFF Title Challenge
6/16 (+2) Prompts Completed
Read
quest
I struggled to find a book for this one, so I hopped on Reddit and someone suggested Goblin Quest. What a great recommendation! I really enjoyed it, and listened to the full cast audiobook. Very funny and enjoyable.
monster(s)
I also adored The Monster MASH, which I thought of as soon as I saw this prompt. I’m so glad I finally read this one, and I loved it! Can’t wait to check out the next one.
Books to Read: The Forest of Stars, Space Army Recruits, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
Netflix Movies & TV Shows
14/24 (0) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Julie and the Phantoms – has a band/musicians
Yes, I am finally reading a book from this challenge! Well, because it’s crossing over with another challenge. This one is Daisy Jones & The Six, so at least by the end of this month there will be slight movement on this. I also have one or two others on other challenges, and as I said above I’m hoping I can finish a couple of the smaller challenges within the next few months, so can hopefully pick this one up again before the end of the year.
Books to Read: So You Want to Talk About Race, All That Remains, A Discovery of Witches
I feel like I had a really good reading month in June! Hopefully I can keep this up and start clearing a couple of challenges – there really isn’t too much left on some of them, and it would be good to focus on a couple of the bigger ones. How did June go for you? Read a lot? I hope wherever you are, it’s not too hot for you, either, but if it is, well, perfect for a glass of something icy and a good book, isn’t it?
Unwrapping Words 