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2025 CHALLENGE BUFFET

Another year, another Buffet. This year the chef has made some changes to the menu. A couple of entrees have been removed and a few added. Another change to the menu is that many dishes have been reduced in size. Hopefully this will reduce the stress that can occur when faced with a plate to full to comfortably finish. The chef is optimistic that there is still dish for everyone. As always feel free to pick as few or as many challenges as fits your appetite.

At this buffet gluttony is not a bad thing; take as much as you want and don't worry about not finishing all you take. This is for fun!

Remember every challenge created, every author and every book listed, becomes a resource for our members to learn about authors and books they haven’t heard of before.

Next Year's 2025 Buffet Menu:
Details See Messages 2-18

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
Challenge #2 - Members Choice
Challenge #3 - New Authors
Challenge #4 - Short Story
Challenge #5 - Decade/Century/Millennium
Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok
Challenge #7 - Series Books �� Start, Continue, Complete
Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time
Challenge #9 �� Rereading Some do Some don't
Challenge #10 - Most Popular ŷ������ Books Listed by Year
Challenge #11 - Future Classics
Challenge #12 - Fiction/Non-Fiction
Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories
Challenge #14 - Bestselling Novels in the United States
Challenge #15 - Award Winners
Challenge #16 - A-Z Author
Challenge #17 - A-Z Title

General/Helpful Challenge Information:
These challenges are personal. It is important that you enjoy your challenge/s; don't feel pressure to finish, this is for fun. Use your own creativity to make your challenge special. Select books that you truly have an interest in reading. It's your challenge your choices. Just stick to the basic challenge configuration.

Create your own separate thread to list the challenge/s you wish to participate in. If you plan on participating in several challenges, you will want to save/reserve several message/posts at the beginning of your thread to list each challenge you intend to try. Reserve 1-18 if you are going to try them all. Remember you can always delete the save posts if you don't need them.

To Create your challenge thread simply go to the top of this folder click on the title (Challenge Buffet). Then look to the right for the words (new topic), click that, a new screen will open. In the box (topic) type the name you wish to give your challenge. In the (comment) box list your books chosen for the challenge. Use the (add book/author) link so that others can link to your choices and learn more about the book you have selected.

Feel free to mark your finished books anyway you wish. After you have finished a book, you can strike it off your list. Directions are listed at the top of the comment box (some html is ok). You can list the date you finished or add the number of stars you though the book deserved.

Examples of marking books completed:
��1. Les Misérables
2. Great Expectations 11/20/25
3. The Woman in White
4. The Great Gatsby Finished 1/25/25
5. The Red Pony 5 Stars, Finished

Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

First started in 2015, this is our group's oldest challenge. It is designed to help/force us reduce our personal TBR's. This challenge commits you to reading 12 books next year from your oldest dust collecting TBR. Choose 12 books you want to read and list three alternates, to use as substitutes should one of your choices need to be replaced. You do not have to read all 15 books listed. 12 books read is a complete challenge. Any books read is a success, as you will have reduced your TBR. This 12 + 3 challenge will last all year, and you can read at your own pace. Once you create your reading thread, you and other members can comment on your book choices and progress.

Only six of the 12 books selected are required be Books based on the Groups date requirements, they do not have to come from the group's bookshelf . At least 3 old books (published before 1915) and 3 newer books (published from 1915-2005). The other six and your three alternates can be any genre or age you wish to read. Yes, even non-fiction and post 2005.

Starting today you can begin creating your challenge thread. The whole month of December is dedicated to planning your challenge. You can add your books and make edit adjustments till December 31st. No challenge reading can start till January 1, 2025. No changes should be made to your list once challenge starts

If you're a current Group Member, you have until midnight 12/31/2024 to finalize your list. You can post your list and make all the changes you want until then, but no changes after midnight 12/31/2024. If you join our Classics Group after that date, you may still participate by posting and editing your list within two weeks of joining the group, but you can't make changes after you post your list.

For New Members joining in 2025, in addition to the above rules, feel free to adjust your challenge according to the number of months left in the year. Example: If you join in March 2025 and wish to participate, list 9 books and 3 alternates. If your joined after June 2025 list the appropriate number of books according to the number of months left, but only pick two alternates. Remember to add your alternates to any challenge you set up.

Example of a Challenge:

My Dusty Musty TBR Clean-up Challenge
1914 and earlier
1. Les Misérables
2. Great Expectations
3. The Woman in White
1915-2005/New School
4. The Great Gatsby
5. The Red Pony
6. Of Human Bondage
Six Bookshelf Dust Collectors
7. The Return of the Soldier
8. The Pillars of the Earth
9. Ender's Shadow
10. 2001: A Space Odyssey
11. The Law
12. Sin Killer

Alternates
A-1. War and Peace
A-2. Gone with the Wind
A-3 Home

Challenge #2 - Members Choice Challenge Choose one book per category/genre for a total of 9 books.

1. 19th Century or Older -
2. 20th Century -
3. 21st Century -
4. Nonfiction -
5. An Author never read before -
6. Diversity, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours -
7. Members Choice Genre -
8. Members Choice Genre -
9. Members Choice Genre -

Science Fiction. Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Young Adult, Nonfiction, Poetry, Romance, etc.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

Seek out at least six (6) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.

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Challenge #4 - Short Story Challenge
Read 18 short stories.

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Challenge #5 - Decade/Century/Millennium Challenge

Only one version of the challenge is required to participate. For those exceptional readers, over achievers, or competitive eating gluttons, feel free to increase the difficulty of the challenge by taking on 2 or all 3 versions. There are three ways to participate. First, read one book per year for 10 consecutive years, one-decade total. Second read one book from 10 consecutive decades, one century total. Third, read one book from 10 consecutive centuries, one millennium total.

The Decade Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive years (1 book per year). The authors can only be used once in the challenge. You can use authors previously read by you. Or you can add a level of difficulty to your challenge by selecting only authors you've never read before.

Challenge Example: (Decade Challenge)

Decade Challenge
1920-Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
1921-The Narrow House by Evelyn Scott
1922-Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
1923-Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers
1924-A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
1925-The Professor's House by Willa Cather
1926-The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
1927-To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
1928-Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
1929-Passing by Nella Larsen


The Century Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive decades (1 book per decade). Authors can only be used once in the challenge. You can use authors previously read by you. Or you can add a level of difficulty to your challenge by selecting only authors you've never read before.

Challenge Example: (Century Challenge)

Century Challenge
1850-1859 The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850
1860-1869 Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1863
1870-1879 Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy,1874
1880-1889 Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott, 1880
1890-1899 Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling, 1896
1900-1909 The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, 1901
1910-1919 Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham, 1815
1920-1929 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, 1926
1930-1939 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, 1937
1940-1949 The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, 1940

The Millennium Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive Centuries (1 book per century). Authors can only be used once in the challenge. You can use authors previously read by you. Or you can add a level of difficulty to your challenge by selecting only authors you've never read before.

Challenge Example: (Millennium Challenge)

20th Century - 1952 The Far Country by Nevil Shute
19th Century - 1871 Middlemarch by George Eliot
18th Century - 1720 Captain Singleton by Daniel Defoe
17th Century - 1684 The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
16th Century - 1593 The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
15th Century - 1438 The Book of Margery Kempe by Margery Kempe
14th Century - 1353 The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
13th Century - 1298 The Travels by Marco Polo
12th Century - 1150 The Life of Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth
11th Century - 1001 The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

Challenge 6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, or Moderators Run Amok
The challenge is to read 12 total books/stories from this year's selected group reads. Your reads can come from this year's poll winners, the Buddy Read Requests, or the new Moderators Run Amok! There should be plenty of choices.

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Challenge #7- Series Books �� Start, Continue, Complete

Many if not most of us read series books. Sometimes these books are neglected in favor of other reading. As much as I like reading several of the series I have on my shelf. I have at times left them untouched for as much as a year. This year’s series challenge is to break the neglect and bring series books back into our current annual reading.

Start
For those who have never read a series collection or have finished one and are stalling off on starting another. The challenge is to find an interesting series and read at least two books this year from the selected series. Some series are only three books in length, such as The Hunger Games #1, #2, #3

Continue
If you are currently reading a series and have stalled out and set it aside, here is your chance to get back to it.

Complete
If you are close to finishing a series, but have not been actively reading them, here is your chance to finish it. Set a goal to see it finished or make a big dent in it.

To help members find new reading, list a few series that you enjoy.

Example
Clive Cussler, Issac Bell, Oregon Files, NUMA Files
Nevada Barr, Anna Pigeon
Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple


Each member is to decide what they wish to accomplish. For challenge purposes, read at least two books. That is only 1 every six months. This is doable

Examples for Stating Your Goal
I plan to read one book per month from my favorite series.
I plan to finish books 4, 5, and 6 of series _______
I plan to start series _______

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time

Select a book or an author from each of the seven world continents, *Antarctica is optional, and can be substituted for a country specific book. I understand that most around the world challenges are much longer in both time and number of books required. Our challenges run from January 1-December 31. So, this seems more doable.

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America
South America
*Antarctica, or a Country

*Read a book set in the country you'd most like to visit

Challenge #9 - Rereading - Some do Some don't

Some of us reread regularly, others reread rarely if ever. We have all read books that we found fantastic. We finish the last page, set it aside and think someday I would like to read this again. Let us know the titles of five or more books you found worthy of rereading. This year’s challenge is, reread two of your reread selections.

Books I'd Love to Reread
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Read Again in 2025
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Challenge #10 �� Most Popular ŷ������ Books Listed by Year
Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read 3 books from that list.

/book/popula...

NOTE: click on the link above then change the date to the date you wish to search.

10 Books of Interest for 1929
1. A Farewell to Arms
2. Letters to a Young Poet
3. Passing
4. Look Homeward, Angel
5. Partners in Crime
6. Red Harvest
7. Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story
8. The Secret of the Caves
9. The Last September
10. The Blacker the Berry...

2023 Books Read
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Challenge #11 - Future Classics
A Quarter of the 21st Century has passed; did you read any potential classics? For discussion, and the benefit and curiosity of our members please list 5 books you have read over the last 25 years that you believe will still be actively read in 50-100+ years.

Examples
These Five Were Great, I Believe They Will Stand the Test of Time
2003 - The Kite Runner
2006 - The Road
2011 - 11/22/63
2016 - A Gentleman in Moscow
2021 - The Lost Apothecary

The Future Classic Challenge - List 3 unread books published between 2000-2024 that you feel have the potential to become a classic. The challenge, read 1 of your 3 selections. Then let us know if you think it has a chance at greatness, or will it pass into oblivion.

Examples
These Might have a Chance at Greatness?
1. 2008 - The Hunger Games
2. 2012 - A Man Called Ove
3. 2024 - The Women

Book Chosen
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Challenge #12�� Fiction/Non-Fiction

Using the below categories or a selection of your own pick three subjects of interest and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is six.

Categories
Space Exploration
War
Sea Travels/Adventures
Family
Exploration
Animals
Historic Event
Natural Disaster
Survival
Death
Civilization
Justice
Religion/Faith
Slavery
Politics
Royality

Example:
Sea Travels/Adventures
Fiction - The Sea Wolf
Non-Fiction - Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories

Using the below categories or choices of your own, pick three subjects of interest. Link the chosen subjects to an old book 1914 or earlier to a newer book 1915 -present. Total number of books for this challenge is six.

Categories
Genres-Romance, Science Fiction, etc.
Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Coming of Age
An Error in Judgement - Paying the Ultimate Price
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
Friendship
Bravery/Courage
Generation Gap

Example:
Life Changing Action
Old - A Horseman in the Sky
New - A Separate Peace

Challenge #14 - Publishers Weekly lists of Bestselling Novels in the United States

The below link provides a list of bestsellers from 1895-2023. Pick 10 years of interest. List the bestseller for each year selected. If you have read it, list the 2nd bestseller and so on. Ideas for picking years: birth years for family and friends, memorable events graduations, anniversaries, etc. or historic events.

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NOTE: click on the link above then Look for the blueish info bar, just under it you will find a list of decades from 1890-2020. Click the decade needed and search individual years.

Example:
1899 - David Harum: A Story of American Life
1938 - The Yearling
1956 - Don't Go Near the Water
1975 - Ragtime
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The Bestseller Challenge from your list of 10 books pick two. One from a genre outside your comfort zone. You may surprise yourself and like it. If it ends as DNF no problem at least you tried. Book two should be a book you think has a chance at 4 or 5 stars.

Books Chosen
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Challenge #15 - Award Winners
From the below book prize lists, or a prize from your country or local region, seek out and read two award winning books. Please let the group know what prize list or lists you use, as well as the book information.

Nobel Prize in Literature - since 1901

Booker Prize - since 1969

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - since 1918

Hugo Award - since 1953

Newberry Medal - since 1922

European Union Prize for Literature - since 2009


Books Chosen
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NOTE: I won't promise that these links will work for everyone. Given the prize names listed, plus you can select and use any other book award of interest, I don't think there is a serious problem for members to search out web sites if the links fail.

Challenge #16 - A-Z Title Challenge
I find this to be a very difficult challenge, many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

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B
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K
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N
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*Q
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T
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W
*X
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*Z

Challenge #17 - A-Z Author Challenge
I find this to be a very difficult challenge, many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

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B
C
D
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F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
*Q
R
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T
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V
W
*X
*Y
*Z

Well, I'll be the first to say you've outdone yourself, yet again Bob! Great new ideas and old favorites--thank you!

I have a quick question. Would it be okay if I add a small personal challenge to my Buffet thread? It's just to do impulse/unplanned reads, so it doesn't seem worthy of a personal challenge thread, and being here would help me remember. Thanks!

Kathleen, I thought about this very idea earlier this month when I started planning this year's buffet. Please add it to your personal buffet, I think it is an excellent idea and wish I had made note of it earlier before it slipped my mind. My only excuse is that my mind has aged to the point that it leaks more than it now holds.

Bob wrote: "Kathleen, I thought about this very idea earlier this month when I started planning this year's buffet. Please add it to your personal buffet, I think it is an excellent idea and wish I had made no..."

That leaks more than it holds is certainly true of my mind. Thanks, Bob!

Thanks, Bob! I'm already thinking about what to put on my plate while chowing down the rest of this year's servings. I am really trying hard not to add to my Takeout Box of Leftovers that I started in 2022. Excited!!!

As always, a huge thank you for doing this for us all. I can certainly relate to the leaky mind!

Kathleen, I added to my buffet last year and will do the same this year. Just helps to have it all in one place.

I love the new categories Bob! Thank you for the work you put into this.

Kathleen - I love your impulse/unplanned challenge. I'm going to at that also.

Love it, Bob! Love the old familiar categories and the new changes! I especially liked the Series Challenge you added last year -- that one helped me a lot! Can't wait to start planning! :)

Thanks Bob. I am so glad that everyone is excited. I love to see all the planning.

Yay, it's challenge planning time of year!!

Thanks so much for putting these together, Bob. My volume of reading has picked up a lot since I started participating in this group's Buffet challenges. I really like all the changes you've made this year too.

Thanks Bob! I really like the smaller serving sizes :)

Thank you, Bob! I love this leaner Buffet. It's like something old something new but with old favourites and exciting new challenges.

Lovely buffet, Bob. I was going to cut back so I could concentrate on other things - like reading prize winners and starting a 100 Years Before Me challenge, but we must have mind-melded, as you've covered all my new ideas!

The work you put into this is much appreciated, and I'm looking forward to another rewarding year. Thanks!

A great challenge.
I am new and have a a question. Do all of the books have to be published before 2006? New has 1915-2005.
Thank you.

Leona, I hope this helps.

Only six of the 12 books selected are required be Books based on the Groups date requirements; they do not have to come from the group's bookshelf. At least 3 old books (published before 1915) and 3 newer books (published from 1915-2005). The other six and your three alternates can be any genre or age you wish to read. Yes, even non-fiction and post 2005.

Leona wrote: "A great challenge. I am new and have a a question. Do all of the books have to be published before 2006? New has 1915-2005. Thank you."

Leona, Bob's answer is for "Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR". My understanding is that for the other challenges, you're only restricted to books of a certain age if that's specified in the challenge instructions.

So for example, in "Challenge #2 - Members Choice", the category "20th Century" will need to be a book from 1900-1999, but the category "Nonfiction" could be a book from any era, including modern books. Or, for the "Century Challenge", you're welcome to pick 1930s-2020s as your "10 consecutive decades", which would include some post-2005 books.

You'll find that most people's challenges have a lot of older books in them even when it's not required, simply because we really enjoy reading classics. But for most of the Buffet options you're welcome to add newer books if you like (except where otherwise specified). At least that's been my understanding.

I hope that helps. And welcome to the group! This group's challenges are a lot of fun, so enjoy yourself! Honestly, everyone here is super nice, and they just want you to enjoy your reading, so make the challenges work for you. :)

Thanks to both of you.

Leona wrote: "Thanks to both of you."

The other thing I would add is that this is not a group that polices your challenges and tells you you're doing them wrong. Everyone here wants you to enjoy the process and the books you read, so feel free to make the challenges work for you, as Wobbley said. For instance, I'm doing half a serving of the Group Reads challenge - aiming for six instead of twelve.

So welcome to the group and have fun!

Leona, I have been under the weather and misread your question. But you got excellent correcting info, thanks everyone for your help. This is about enjoying our reading.

Leona, I will only second that we are a group focused on having fun and encouraging reading. Any books you read are a win, IMHO, and we will not, as Teri-K has said, police your challenges.

Well, Bob, I'm kind of late getting started, but I just got through poring over your new and revised buffet this year, along with your examples. I am loving everything you've done to switch things up once again. I plan to "plug and play" more this year, and I love that some of the entrees on your menu will allow me to do just that.

I can't wait to see what everyone is plugging in - the members provide such a valuable resource of possible books to read! And although I may not read but a handful of the books I initially put down, I can't wait to see how the books on my "extensive TBR list" will find a home in these challenges.

Thank you for another great Challenge Buffet, Bob! I certainly appreciate all the thinking and hard work you put into creating these exciting buffets every year.

Bob wrote: "Challenge #10 �� Most Popular ŷ������ Books Listed by Year
Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read 3 books from that list.

..."

Most popular books by year. Is the link working for others? I will try again. Otherwise, how would i search for these?

April wrote: "...Is the link working for others? .."

The link above works for me. Here it is again.

/book/popula...

These are all great ideas for challenges. I usually don't do challenges but these have my interest piqued. I think Challenge #3 look pretty doable while still reading anything else in 2025. I might try that one.

Katy wrote: "April wrote: "...Is the link working for others? .."

The link above works for me. Here it is again.

/book/popula..."

Thanks! It was actually working. Maybe i just needed to refresh the page. I got kicked offline and forgot to edit my post. Oops!

Bob wrote: "Challenge #14 - Publishers Weekly lists of Bestselling Novels in the United States

The below link provides a list of bestsellers from 1895-2023. Pick 10 years of interest. List the bestseller for ..."

This link does not lead to any list. It says This is the list ... but there is no list.
I've tried to google myself and found other Wikipedia pages with lists from 1970's and one other decade. That's it. There is no blueish info bar.

I love the work you've done and the challenges. You are great Bob!

Edit: I've spent a lot of time googling and googling to find the actual list and finally!

Another marvelous list of challenges Bob. Although I have participated in multiple challenges in previous years, I have decided to forgo challenges this year and go with “free range�� reading as I have for the last six months.

Best of luck to all who take up Bob’s challenges.

Does the deadline (the end of this year) for selecting books only apply to the first challenge?

By the way, amazing challenges. I would love to participate but I am sure I am not going to achieve many (there is a Bingo Challenge, and books in other groups).

Only the Old and New Challenge cannot be changed, Mela. All the others can be selected throughout the year and changed at will. Have fun!

What a great buffet! I really appreciate all the time and effort that goes into crafting a fun experience for everyone. Thank you so much for this.

Sara wrote: "Only the Old and New Challenge cannot be changed, Mela. All the others can be selected throughout the year and changed at will. Have fun!"

Thank you for the explanation, Sara.

Mela wrote: "Does the deadline (the end of this year) for selecting books only apply to the first challenge?

By the way, amazing challenges. I would love to participate but I am sure I am not going to achieve..."

Most of us will use the same books for the BINGO and Buffet, and you'll probably find that group and Buddy Reads fit as well. Plus, no one cares if you don't get them all finished - there's nobody checking up on you. So it just depends on how feel about maybe biting off more than you can chew. :)

Do we need to pre-select short stories before Dec 31st? Or just add to the list as we read during 2025?