2025 Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge
Welcome to my ongoing list for the Beat the Backlist 2025 Reading Challenge, hosted by Austine Decker. This is my third year participating in this challenge. In the last two years, this challenge has helped me read more backlist titles than I thought I could, so I’m excited to see how this year goes. I found the prompts helped inspire me to read some of the books I wanted to and wasn’t successful getting to on my own.
I’ll list the books I’ve read and a bit about them here. You’ll also see the prompt the book satisfies posted with it. At the bottom of the post, you’ll find all 52 prompts, with the ones I’ve completed listed in bold. I hope you enjoy this journey through Beat the Backlist 2025 as much as I do.
So far, I’ve completed 33 out of 52 prompts.
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2025 Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge
1. A Bargain Poorly Made
Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2) by Kendare Blake
What you need to know: The conclusion to the Heromaker duology read to me more like a middle book than a conclusion, but it sounds like the author is leaving room for spinoff series’ to come. I’m glad I read it.
Published October 29, 2024 | My Review to Come
2. A Chapter by Any Other Name (Book with Chapter Titles)
3. A Title Written in the Stars
5. Academia-mania
7. Baker’s Dozen
The House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
What you need to know: Charmain Baker must care for her wizard uncle’s house while he’s away with the elves. She discovers a sinister plot against the king and seeks help from Sophie and Howl. I loved getting to visit the world of Howl’s Moving Castle again in this book.
Published May 22, 2009 | My Review to Come
9. Between 275 and 325 Pages
10. Beyond Your Perspective
Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley and Lu Bunker (formerly writing as Lisa Bunker)
What you need to know: A young transgender cheerleader speaks up after she is outed and forced to quit her school team. This is such an uplifting story even in the midst of the transphobic behavior Joy faces. I love that it centers her community and love for cheerleading.
Published May 9, 2023 | My Review to Come
11. Break the Rules
Loveboat, Taipei (Loveboat, Taipei #1) by Abigail Hing Wen
What you need to know: A book about a girl who always does what she’s expected whose family sends her to a summer program in Taiwan where she faces the opportunity to make her own choices and bear her own consequences for the first time. I really enjoyed this one.
Published January 7, 2020 | My Review to Come
12. Can’t Be Trusted
Bad Graces by Kyrie McCauley
What you need to know: A group of girls becomes castaways on a strange island. Their bodies begin to change. They wrestle with past trauma and deal with current horrors. This one is deep, and thought-provoking. Do not read if you are squeamish about mushrooms.
Published June 18, 2024 | My Review to Come
13. Celebrity Book Club Pick
Devotions by Mary Oliver
What you need to know: This volume of Oliver’s poetry (selected by the author) has been the soothing balm that I need at the end of the day. As a reading project, I’m reading a little poetry each day, and Oliver’s peaceful wisdom and celebration of the natural world make a brilliant way to end the evening.
Published October 10, 2017
14. Character is an Educator
Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid
What you need to know: A deeply nuanced story about a girl exploring her asexual identity and recovering from witnessing a traumatic event. Lizzie might be one of my favorite main characters in contemporary middle grade.
Published November 14, 2023 | My Review to Come
15. Childhood Favorite Reread
16. City Skyline on the Cover
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
What you need to know: This book almost broke me. I loved the sweet romance between Salama and Kenan. Some moments in the story are absolutely heartrending. I am so glad I read it, though.
Published September 13, 2022 | My Review to Come
17. Companion Novel
Loveboat Forever by Abigail Hing Wen
What you need to know: I went into this series expecting a fluffy romance, and it’s got romance, no doubt about it. But it explores so much more than that. I loved the descriptions of music and Pearl’s journey reconnecting to lost family and family history here.
Published November 7, 2023 | My Review
18. Cover Features a Weapon
The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer
What you need to know: A young warrior teams up with her idol to save a village’s children from a terrible threat. A few moments are darker than I expected, but it’s also super funny and celebrates unlikely friendships. I enjoyed this.
Published May 21, 2024 | My Review to Come
22. It’s Cozy Time
The Tea Dragon Society (The Tea Dragon Society #1) by K. O’Neill
What you need to know: Greta discovers a shop that cares for tiny tea dragons, harvesting tea that grows on their heads or antlers. This is such a sweet story with all the coziness O’Neill’s readers have come to expect from them.
Published October 18, 2017 | My Review to Come
23. Words Have Power
24. Less Than 100 Pages
Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith
What you need to know: Offers context and information about Black cowboys and specific contributions by people like Mary Fields, Bob Lemmons, and Bass Reeves. Engaging and informative.
Published September 15, 2020 | My Review
26. More Than 30 Chapters
The Wild Robot Escapes (The Wild Robot #2) by Peter Brown
What you need to know: My littlest and I read this one together after I read the first in the series to her. We had to know what would become of Roz and whether she’d ever make it back to Brightbill on the island. It’s such a sweet story about connections and found family.
Published March 13, 2018 | My Review to Come
28. Name of the Game
Amari and the Despicable Wonders (Supernatural Investigations #3) by B. B. Alston
What you need to know: Amari teams up with old and new friends in a race to defeat a group of magicians who would wipe out the Bureau and all magical creatures. This book continues the series nicely and gave me a chance to get to know more about Amari’s friends. I enjoyed reading it.
Published August 27, 2024 | My Review to Come
29. Not First Nor Last
Witchwood (Ravenfall #3) by Kalyn Josephson
What you need to know: I am still working on getting current with this series! Still a huge fan of Max (the cat-who-is-not-a-cat) and Anna. I love that we’re seeing more of her coming into her own.
Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come
31. Oldie But a Goodie
Nothing But the Truth by Avi
What you need to know: Take a big breath before going into this one. Though it was written more than 30 years ago, it’s impossible to read this and not feel the echoes of today’s fervor for nationalism. It’s not a super long read, but it’s razor-sharp.
Published January 1, 2010 (Orig. 1991) | My Review to Come
32. On My TBR for More Than a Year
Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
What you need to know: Though at first she’s scared to learn to swim, it’s not long before swimming becomes a big part of Bree’s life and a vehicle for her and her dad to build community. Brilliantly done.
Published May 17, 2022 | My Review to Come
33. Opening Line Includes an Animal
The Wild Robot Protects (The Wild Robot #3) by Peter Green
What you need to know: My daughter and I loved every book in this series, and we’re both only sorry this is the last book. Roz continues her journey to protect the animal friends and family on her island from an environmental threat. And she becomes a grandma! So sweet.
Published September 26, 2023 | My Review to Come
34. Originally Written in Another Language
Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu
What you need to know: An absolutely brilliant, entertaining collection of short biographies of women who changed the world in graphic novel format. I can’t stop recommending this.
Published March 6, 2018 | My Review to Come
35. Prequel/Sequel
Heist Royale (Thieves’ Gambit #2) by Kayvion Lewis
What you need to know: I listened to an audiobook version of Thieves’ Gambit last year, and I had to find out how Ros’s story ends. Overall, I thought this conclusion was satisfying, and I loved seeing how Ros’s relationships from the first book continued to grow in this one.
Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come
36. Shared Zodiac Sign
Odder by Katherine Applegate
What you need to know: This clever novel in verse is inspired by the real otter rescue program and its development at the aquarium in Monterey Bay. Such a sweet story. Perfect for animal lovers.
Published September 20, 2022 | My Review to Come
37. Silhouette on the Cover
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
What you need to know: A boy accused of shoplifting and beaten by police, and the boy who saw it happen. I am not sure I put down this book at all once I started reading. The story is completely engrossing. Definitely a book worth reading.
Published September 29, 2015 | My Review to Come
38. Sky-high
Flyboy by Kasey LeBlanc
What you need to know: Mostly closeted, transgender Ash wakes up at night to live a circus life in a body that matches his identity. I love the powerful way Ash’s night/day lives converge and how this speaks to identity and being seen.
Published May 14, 2024 | My Review
41. Standalone Debut
Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid
What you need to know: Another great book! Here, we have another author who never talks down to her audience and yet writes about complex ideas: recovery from witnessing a loved one experience trauma; the empowerment of learning self-defense; the ways in which adults surprise us (for better or worse); and the validation that comes from understanding who we are.
Published November 14, 2023 | My Review to Come
43. That’s Not Supposed to Talk
45. Tiniest on TBR
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
What you need to know: Some of the scenes are dated, but the soul of the book remains so relevant. Margaret’s anxiety about her body and her desire to make choices about her faith and her life will definitely still resonate today.
Published February 28, 2023 (Orig. 1970) | My Review to Come
49. Way Back in 2020
Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni, and Thibault Balahy
What you need to know: An enthusiastic recounting of a Native American rock band and Native American civil rights movement in America. This is a perfect blend of music history and Indigenous history. Really nicely done.
Published October 28, 2020 | My Review to Come
2025 Beat the Backlist Prompts
I’ve completed the prompts in bold.
- A bargain poorly made.
- A chapter by any other name.
- A title written in the stars.
- A wild exploration.
- Academia-mania.
- As seen on social media.
- Baker’s dozen.
- Based on or inspired by a true story.
- Between 275-325 pages.
- Beyond your perspective.
- Break the rules.
- Can’t be trusted.
- Celebrity book club pick.
- Character is an educator.
- Childhood favorite re-read.
- City skyline on the cover.
- Companion novel.
- Cover features a weapon.
- Extra, extra!
- Family business.
- Historically horrific.
- It’s cozy time.
- Language has power.
- Less than 100 pages.
- Librarian rec.
- More than 30 chapters.
- More than 600 pages.
- Name of the game.
- Not first, nor last.
- Not your typical genre.
- Oldie but a goodie.
- On your TBR for over a year.
- Opening line includes an animal.
- Originally written in another language.
- Prequel/sequel.
- Shared (zodiac) sign.
- Silhouette on the cover.
- Sky-high.
- Someone’s morally gray…
- Something upside down on the cover.
- Standalone debut.
- Sweet treats.
- That’s not supposed to talk.
- This book is a hoot!
- Tiniest on the TBR.
- Title includes a type of flower.
- Title starts with “v”.
- Unusual transportation.
- Way back in 2020.
- Weather the storm.
- Weird is the word.
- Year of the snake.