We are very rapidly approaching the end of the year and I’m…not as far on the reading challenges as I would like, at this stage. Some I’m still hopeful about, but I definitely think for next year I’m going to reduce the amount I’m doing, maybe just by one, though I’m still looking at a mix of genre specific and general ones. I might change the genres a little for 2026, too, but I’ll probably start really considering next year’s challenges over the next month or so.
2025 Reading Challenges
Update #1 / #2 / #3 / #4 / #5 / #6 / #7 / #8
Goal: 57/70 (+5)
Musicals Reading Challenge 2025
10/24 (+1) Prompts Completed
Read
Oliver – Oom-Pah-Pah – Set during OR about Victorian era (1837 – 1901)
For this one, I read Black Victorians – incredibly interesting and illuminating, this book puts the spotlight on otherwise hidden historical figures, highlighting the impact Black Victorians had on the era, from those in asylums to people who became close to Queen Victoria, as well as former slaves who used their own stories to promote the abolitionist movement. An excellent read.
Books to Read: Tell Me I’m Worthless, Love at First Psych, Her Rival Dragon Mate
2025 TV Shows Reading Challenge
10/12 (+1) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Teen Wolf – A book featuring creatures: werewolves, banshees…
I am so close to finishing this challenge, and that makes me very excited indeed! For this prompt, I went with A Hunger Like No Other, which has been on my TBR for quite a while now. I’m actually loving it – it’s very much of its time, but in a way that shows it was the blueprint for a lot of Paranormal and Fantasy Romance today.
Read
Modern Family – a book about a family or a ‘found family’
I really enjoyed Medusa’s Sisters, which focuses on the two not-quite-as-famous gorgons, Stheno and Euryale. The characters are complicated, flawed and messy, which made for a fascinating tale.
Books to Read: The Wedding Witch
Be Curious – Non-Fiction Challenge 2025
9/12 (0) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Technology – Today a central part of our live. How does it work? What does it do to us? Or for us?
For this, I picked out Invisible Women, which looks at the way data influences and shapes the world around us in a way that favours men. I’m not too far into it, but it’s already infuriatingly interesting. I’ve been wanting to read this for a fairly long time, and it does an excellent job of showing how sexism is built into everything.
Astronomie/ Astrophysics – Our blue dot is just a small part of something much bigger
My current ebook is Alien Earths, which is an incredibly interesting read about searching for life on other planets. I expect a fair bit might go over my head, but so far I am managing to follow along!
Books to Read: Bookish, The End of Bias, Black Klansman
Romance Readers Diversity Challenge 2025
9/12, +1 Bonus (+1) Prompts Completed
Read
A historical queer romance – A book set in the past featuring a same-sex relationship, or a character who is non-gender conforming (trans, non-binary, etc)
I adored The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet, and I’m really glad there’s going to be a second book coming out following this one. The romance between Charlotte and Mary was lovely, and I love how McLeod positioned them as curious, scientific women, as well as the way Mary was able to introduce Charlotte to what felt like a totally different world. Absolutely wonderful.
Books to Read: The Mercury In Me, Wish You Were Her, Lap Dance! for Dystopia
2025 SFF Title Challenge
10/16 (+1) Prompts Completed
Read
black
I really enjoyed The Black Hunger, though as I listened to it as an audiobook, it’s a book I’ve very much like to eventually revisit in print. I think I occasionally miss stuff with audio, and the prose here is so thick and often poetic, I’d like it read it in another version.
Books to Read: Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, Sorcery and Small Magics, Down in the Sea of Angels
Netflix Movies & TV Shows
16/24 (0) Prompts Completed
So this one is likely to go into next year (again), but I’ve made progress on this by using the books from this challenge for other challenges, so hopefully I can do that again. Fingers crossed I actually manage to finish this at some point in the near future!
Books to Read: So You Want to Talk About Race, All That Remains, A Discovery of Witches
Not too bad, but definitely hoping as life has calmed down (somewhat) now, I can get a bit more reading in. Fingers crossed I might be able to clear off some challenges before the end of October!
Unwrapping Words 