Time is the weirdest concept because it feels like this year was incredibly and horribly long - the amount of books I read surprised even me, but then life with a toddler is so weird because it feels like she was just born yesterday and now she's two. Regardless of how long or short the year was, 2025 has ended and we're moving into a new year, which means new reading challenges (see here was what to expect in 2026 for the Popsugar Reading Challenge, plus a new local challenge I'll be working on this year).

I surpassed my Goodreads challenge of 52 books, with a whomping 96 books, but let's see how I fared on the 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge.

2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompts

01. A book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma 
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

02. A book you want to read based on the last sentence 
Hum by Helen Phillips

03. A book about space tourism

04. A book with two or more books on the cover or "book" in the title 
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

05. A book with a snake on the cover or in the title 
Consensual Hex by Amanda Harlowe

06. A book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge
The Babysitter's Coven by Kate Williams (prompt: author with your same initials)

07. A book about a cult 
Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

08.A book under 250 pages
Carefree Black Girls by Zeba Blay

09. A book that features a character going through menopause 
Want edited by Gillian Anderson

10. A book you got for free 
Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka

11. A book mentioned in another book 
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory (mentioned in: Prince of the Palisades)

12. A book about a road trip 
Off the Map by Trish Doller

13. A book rated less than three stars on Goodreads 
If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

14. A book about a nontraditional education 
A Neon Darkness by Lauren Shippen

15. A book that an AI chatbot recommends based on your favorite book 

16. A book set in or around a body of water 
Black Tide by KC Jones

17. A book about a run club 
We Loved to Run by Stephanie Reents

18. A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons 
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

19. A highly anticipated read of 2025 
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

20. A book that fills a 2024 prompt you'd like to do over (or try out) 
Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace (prompt: set in the future)

21. A book where the main character is a politician 
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory

22. A book about soccer 

23. A book that is considered healing fiction 
You've Found Oliver by Dustin Thao

24. A book with a happily single woman protagonist 
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

25. A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee 
Breakup from Hell by Ann Dávila Cardinal

26. A book where an adult character changes careers 
Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle

27. A book set at a luxury resort 
Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

28. A book that features an unlikely friendship 
The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman

29. A book about a food truck 
Get Lost with You by Sophie Sullivan

30. A book that reminds you of your childhood 
Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino

31. A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline 
Full Flight byAshley Schumacher

32. A book about an overlooked woman in history 

33. A book featuring an activity on your bucket list 
My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner

34. A book written by an author who is neurodivergent 
A Room Called Earth by Madeleine Ryan

35. A book centering LGBTQ+ characters that isn't about coming out 
What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

36. A book with silver on the cover or in the title 
The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim

37. Two books with the same title (1) 

38. Two books with the same title (2) 

39. A classic you've never read 
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

40. A book about chosen family 
P.S. I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

Advanced Prompts 

Easy 

41. A book by the oldest author in your TBR pile 

42. A book with a title that starts with the letter Y 
You Belong to Me by Hayley Krischer

43. A book that includes a nonverbal character 
Penitence by Kristin Koval

44. A book you have always avoided reading 
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Medium 

45. A book with a left-handed character 
Penitence by Kristin Koval

46. A book where nature is the antagonist 
Palm Meridian by Grace Flahive

47. A book of interconnected short stories 
Something to Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg

Hard 

48. A book that features a married couple who don't live together 
For Better or Cursed by Kate Williams

49. A dystopian book with a happy ending 
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall

50. A book that features a character with chronic pain
Misery by Stephen King

Ultimately, I met 43 of the 50 prompts, including all but one of the 10 advanced prompts. So I'd say I did well overall. You can find my star ratings for all these books, as well as some more detailed reviews on my Goodreads page. 

My Instagram highlights feature mini reviews for all of these books.

Do you follow the Popsugar reading challenges each year? I don't know what it is but I just adore them. I feel like this was a good year for me! How did you fare?