I’m excited to present the 2025 Thoughtful Reading Challenge, and doubly happy that I’m still around to host it!
Each year, Book Thoughts From Bed hosts a low pressure book challenge designed to introduce you (and me!) to different genres, authors, settings, etc. Taking the challenge is a great way to expand the types of books you read and help you fulfill your reading goals for the year.
If you stick to this book reading challenge, you will read at least twelve books in 2025, one per month. I design the monthly challenges to be relevant to that month by tying the type of book to historical events, National Days, time of year, and more.
The 2024 Thoughtful Reading Challenge introduced me to some terrific books I may have otherwise not read. Here are a couple of examples:
Here’s how it works: At the end of each month, I’ll review the book I read for that month and invite you to share your thoughts about what you read. You don’t have to comment (although I’d love to hear from you). See – no pressure!
Let’s unveil the monthly categories for this year’s book challenge:
January – read a book published the year of your first birthday.
Why? Simply because January is the first month of the year, plus it’s always fun to go back in time and read older books that you might not be familiar with. Wikipedia is a good source to find books published by year.
February – read a book with “ice”, “cold”, or “snow” in the title.
We might as well embrace one of the coldest months of the year!
March – read a book about or set in the former USSR.
Did you know Stalin died AND Churchill gave his well-known “Iron Curtain” speech during the month of March?
April – read a book set in a US National Park.
National Park week is April 19-27, so it’s only fitting to celebrate our beautiful National Parks by learning more about them. I’m really looking forward to this category!
May – read a book with a main character who’s a journalist.
I thought this would be an appropriate category since May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day.
June – read a book set in the American South during post-Civil War reconstruction.
Juneteenth, of course, is in June and celebrates the end of slavery in the US. The reconstruction era is fascinating to read about as people try to rebuild their lives following such a devastating event.
I highly recommend The Book of Lost Friends for this category!
July – read an epistolary or semi-epistolary novel.
Since July 1st is National Postal Worker Day, let’s celebrate the lost art of written correspondence. If you need a suggestion, you can’t go wrong with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
August – read a political thriller.
Why? Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.
September – read a science fiction book, preferably one that takes place in space.
September 8 is National Star Trek Day. The Martian and Project Hail Mary are great choices for this monthly reading challenge!
October – read a book with a witch character.
Because Halloween.
November – read a book written by a native American author.
I chose this category in honor of Thanksgiving. Need a suggestion? Try The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
December – read a book with an airplane on the cover.
The Wright brothers’ first successful flight was on December 17, 1903.
Will you take the annual reading challenge? What category are you most interested in?
Book Thoughts from Bed 
I need a challenge like this to get me to slow down and take the time to read (and finish) a book! This looks like a fun way to do it. I am already excited to pick a book for January. I will let you know how it goes for me. Thanks for the inspiration. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Emily
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you’re going to join us, Emily! Merry Christmas to the Wilsons!
LikeLike
I am holding myself accountable Michelle and reporting back on my progress! I read Watership Down in January and didn’t even know it was about rabbits. I fell into its charms and really enjoyed this classic. I am starting Cold Mountain as my February selection. Thanks again for the fun challenge!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this thoughtful list, Michelle – I will try hard to rise to the challenge! Very much appreciate the inspiration to broaden my reading horizons. I have a few recommendations for books with an airplane on the cover (haha – of course) including the fact I need to finish reading them myself..!
Hope you and your family are looking forward to a beautiful Christmas season – sending you my very best!
Robin
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the recommendations, Robin! I love stories about the Berlin airlift, so it looks like I found next December’s book. Merry Christmas to you, Rob and your kids. 🎄
LikeLike
Great choices. Looking forward to taking part.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Welcome aboard!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m joining again.
LikeLike
Excellent!!
LikeLike
Looks like a great list! Reading more Russian authors has been on my annual New Year’s Resolution list for at least 5 years…. Looks like I’ll get to that this year, or at least a book set in Russia.
I look forward to reading along with you again in 2025!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking forward to it, as well!
LikeLike
Great list. I’m joining. Thank you for this challenge!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so happy you’ll be joining us!
LikeLike
Very nice list. I am joining. Thank you for the challenge!
LikeLike
Pingback: The Ultimate 2025 Reading Challenges List: 70+ Ways to Tackle Your TBR This Year
I took the 2024 challenge and found it to be a great way to stretch my comfort zone. Sometimes the books were difficult to fit to the prompts for what I felt like reading but I did manage to hit all the prompts for the year. Thank you for creating this wonderful resource.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Mallory! And thank you for doing the reading challenge!!
LikeLike
Pingback: 2025 Reading Challenges: The Ultimate List | The Candid Cover
Pingback: Audio Book Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, Narrated by Therese Plummer | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: Reading Challenges 2025 – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Discussion: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, Narrated by Spike McClure | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: In One Word, Daggerspell by Katherine Kerr is… – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Review: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris, Narrated by David Sedaris | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: 2025 Reading Challenge Check-In (1 out of 6) – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Review: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, Narrated by Dennis Boutsikaris | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: Audio Book Review: Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton, Narrated by the Author | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: 2025 Reading Challenge Check-In (2 out of 6) – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Thoughtful Ghibli Scorecard – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Review: The Broken Girls by Simone St. James, Narrated by Rebecca Lowman | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: Laconic and Sardonic Lines #17 – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: In One Word, The Blackbird Girls by Anna Blankman is… – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Review: Chenneville by Paulette Jiles, Narrated by Grover Gardner | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: 2025 Reading Challenge Check-In (3 out of 6) – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Narrated by Noah Galvin | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: 2025 Reading Challenge Check-In (4 out of 6) – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Review: Absolute Power by David Baldacci, Narrated by Scott Brick | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: Audio Book Review: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Narrated by Stephen Fry | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: Spooky Scorecard – The Corner of Laura
Pingback: Audio Book Discussion: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Narrated by Michael York | Book Thoughts from Bed
Pingback: 2025 Reading Challenge Check-In (5 out of 6) – The Corner of Laura