Welcome, Friends!

Welcome to the 16th year of the challenge! We get lots of new people each year, and we know it can be difficult to "catch up". This thread is just the place for you! The info below will help you get started and make your experience here a good one.

Please stop by our Introductions thread to meet folks.

First, where did we come from? Well, back in 2008, Cariola decided to start a group for folks who wanted to challenge themselves to read 75 books in a year. We were a small group, but loved our experience, so decided to do it again! Since then, I've made the yearly groups.

We're at bit of an amorphous organization. Members have jumped in to add features since. SqueakyChu runs the TIOLI challenge. Monthly themes are proposed by many of us - and some have carried over from year to year, like the Halloween read in October. If you've got an idea to try, propose it!

Some Important Things:

- The Threadbook is a directory of our threads. Looking for someone? Try here! (Coming Soon)
- The Group Wiki is another directory - this time for important thread like group reads and challenges or the Group Announcements. (Coming Soon)

The Group Announcements thread is just what the label says - where we announce things of general interest to the group. Star this one if you'd like to stay informed. (Coming Soon)

thx for the info :>

No worries! FYI, the LT wiki system is down, has been for the last couple of days. Once it’s back up, the Threadbook should work again.

The wiki's back up!

Hi all!!! I am new to Library Thing. Although I try to read as much as I can, I am going to try this challenge. I do not know i I could ever get to 75 books in a year but I sure as heck am going to try. After all, my TBR is neverending as I am sure others are too.

Happy New Year and thanks for letting me join!!!

Welcome!

>6 karns5306: you can only try! Any number of books is a good number around here.

>6 karns5306: Welcome! Last year was my first year, and I did not get close to 75. Read what you can and enjoy yourself. The TBR list is indeed neverending, and you'll add more to it thanks to everyone here.

Hello all. I discovered LibraryThing last year and will try the 75 book challenge in '24. I have never read that many books in a year before but I have more time to read now and can do it if I keep my current run rate up. I hope to pick up some encouragement and good book tips along the way. Best of luck everyone.

Welcome and best of luck! But no pressure on reaching the 75 -- have fun! And make some new friends. We are going to hit you with a lot of book recommendations, LOL. : )

>6 karns5306: I am new too! I wanted to find a better way to organize my books. I am also upping the goals for my reading this year from 50 to 75. Here is to more reading!

Welcome, Aulelia!

Hi, everyone. Late to the party but glad to be back. I just posted reviews of the two amazing books I have completed so far. My top post needs some construction, but I wanted to get those reviews up while the books were still fresh in my mind. Hope everyone has a happy 2024.

Hi! Just joined, as I got an email…which brought me here. I had already set a goal on my kindle App to read 75 books in 2024, so thus seemed like the right group for me. :)

Yeah, I think you've found your people. 😀 Welcome!

Hi all! My name is Julie. I’ve been reading librarything emails and really enjoying them. Decided to poke around and found this group. I’m 66 and live in New Hampshire. Recently retired. I love to read, knit and crochet, garden (not this time of year, 🥶), walk our dog Zuzu, play cards (just learned Canasta) and hang out with friends. I made a new years ‘promise’ not to buy or download any more books until I work through what I already have. I love literary and historical fiction, and am not averse to a bit of fantasy thrown in. I’ll have to figure out how you all post your books. Glad to be here!

Hello all! I have tried this challenge several times in the past without success.. I feel like this is my year!! determined to complete 75 books!! My daughter and i have started reading an hour a night before bed every night together so that will be my motivation =) Good luck to everyone to meet their goals!!

Hi Everyone!
I am new to this challenge. I love to read and I run a monthly book club. I read 24 books last year so my main goal is to beat that number... but I'm feeling hopeful I could actually get to 75!

Belinda in Ohio... OH-IO

Hello! I am new to this challenge - I happened to see it linked in the State of the Thing email and wanted to check it out. I have done Goodreads Reading Challenges since 2016, so I'd like to give this a go! I read 55 books last year but had some rough patches, so I may be able to swing 75 :)

>17 juliepal:, >18 kitten-a-gogo:, >19 SugarPunkin1:, >20 thrntnja: Welcome to you all!

>17 juliepal: You might like the ROOT group - Read Our Own Tomes - dedicated to reading what they already have. https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/24198/2024-ROOT-Challenge

Hey, everyone. I hope you guys are having a wonderful day. My name is Princess. I just learned about this website yesterday, and I joined because of the 75 Books Challenge for 2024. I thought it'd be so fun. I just started reading more two years ago. I don't really read much before. It's nice to be here. Nice to meet you all!

>1 drneutron: Awesome. thank you

Welcome, Princess!

Hey everyone, my name is Maymunah and I'm from Indonesia. I am very new here after searching a nice place to discuss books and reading reader's diverse review. I want to join this discussion although my reading target this year is only 20 :)

>26 awwarma: Twenty’s just fine! Welcome!

I don't have time to sit down and hold a book, so I read by audio. I'm plowing thru laurell k. Hamilton's Anita Blake series since I'm already caught up on dugoni's CrossWhite series, Robb's eve Dallas series, jr wards DB series, and others and started this one hoping for something similar. I'm on book 15 now. I'd love recommendations!

Audio's just fine! Welcome!

Hello! I am reading the warrior cats books by Erin Hunter. I also started WoF (Wings of Fire)

>30 Owltherian: I've got a couple of the Wings of Fire series in my TBR pile, haven't gotten to them yet. I enjoyed the first few Warriors books but dropped off after a bit. Have you tried the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane? Or Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones? They're both very good, complex and with fascinating settings and events. And a lot of fun.

(BTW - to link to a book, put square brackets around the title, like this [].
To link an author, put double square brackets around the name.
To link a series, put triple square brackets around the title of the series (for instance, around Young Wizards above).
In each case, they'll show up next to the right side of the post textbox; if LT gets them wrong (not unusual), you can click on (others) and see if you can find what you meant to link in the list that pops up.)

>31 jjmcgaffey: Ohhhhh okay thank you! I just found this site so I'm pretty new lol. I haven't read Young Wizards or Chrestomanci yet

I figured - there are several people (including you) in this thread who've just said they just found LT. There's a lot of tips and tricks...Touchstones (the bracket links) are extremely useful (they only work in Talk, though, not reviews etc).

Well, if you come across Diane Duane or Diana Wynne Jones books - particularly those series, but just about any of them - grab them and give them a try. I think you might like them.

>33 jjmcgaffey: Ooh okay, i'll try them out

Hii

>35 TheSwitieStory: Hello!

OMG I am getting rlly annoyed in this stupid class. I just wanna read my gosh dang book.

Hi!

So, I’m a bit late to the party, but am going to aim at reading 75 books 😊

I’m Kelly, from Australia!

I’m a PhD candidate that’s 4 weeks off submission (so I’m constantly reading, just not books! More like journal articles). So, I’m using this as a way to get back into my novels.

At the moment, I have almost finished: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk.

Good luck on the PhD! And we can give you lots of books suggestions when you're ready. ; )

Hi everyone!

I just found out that this website has a very active community after opening one of the LibraryThing emails, which was a pleasant surprise. 75 books seems like an interesting challenge, and I'll try to power through this.

To spice the challenge up a bit, I also have to finalize my MS thesis in the next 2-3 months, and I hope the books I read give me the much-needed respite from all the research articles I have and will read.

I have read 2 books so far in 2024, and I'm currently reading Women Talking by Miriam Toews.

Um- i have a question, how to stop a panic attack.

stop sit down; find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things that you can smell, 1 thing you can taste; its called grounding and its meant to make you aware of your surroundings and calming you, and of course, breath

>42 cindydavid4: thank you, i will use that the next time i have one.

New here just joined LT yesterday. Love mysteries , romance sf/fantasy. I'm also trying to expand my horizons; looked over a little and it looks like a fun group

Welcome!

Another question: How do you make studios?

Not sure what you mean - haven’t seen studios in LT.

>48 drneutron: Bleh, wrong term but groups do u know how to make 'em?

There's a button at the bottom of the Groups page (link in the brown menu bar). Why do you want to create a group? If it's an interest group, make sure it doesn't already exist (there are a _lot_, and a lot of duplicates).

Yeah, that’s it. Go to the groups page, and there’s a button to create a new group. Give it a name and a first message, and you’re done!

thanks!

Hello, I'm SpiNDzzy....no, i'm not dizzy but I read a lot...oy

Welcome SpiNDzzy!

>54 Owltherian: back atcha Owlie

>55 SpiNDzzy: I hope you have a good time in the 75ers

>56 Owltherian: that's debatable, i've been here before with no luck

>57 SpiNDzzy: Well i just started here in January and i will always visit ur thread :)

Welcome, SpiN!

>59 drneutron: Thank you, Jim

hullloooo, im new to the group lol

Welcome, Jynx! What do you like to read?

*gasp* Jynx! Hiya girlie, and nooooo Spin got taken from usssss

Hi - I'm new to the group! excited about being here - - I accept the challenge. My goal is to read 100 books during 2024. So far, iam off to a good start.

Welcome Jynx and wfg55

Thank you lol

>66 Jynx_on_pawz: *huggo* best friend

>62 jjmcgaffey: um..romance, mystery, sometimes animals' pov, I think that's the majority

>67 Owltherian: *huggos* u mah best friend toooo

Hello, I'm KndL@GePwr......here for a spell
Call me Kind

Howdy y'all

If anyone is trans or has a trans child in their teens- if they wear binders what would be the best brand? Im trying to look for one but can't really find any.

>72 Owltherian: Don't know your location, but in the US there's a really good company out of Chicago that ships anywhere and has a lot of trans-affirming products. They're called FtM Essentials - website is the same ftmessentials.com. They have a few binder styles to choose from too. Hope that helps!

>73 WhiteRaven.17: Thank you! That helps a lot!

Hello bookies,
I am going to try for 55 books this year , which is hopefully 3 a month but pushing for 5.

Welcome to all new people. I've been a member since the challenge began. I've met so many wonderful people, and my reading has expanded, not only in number of books read, but in different genres.

Hi, I just joined the site and am looking forward to trying to read 75 books this year (approximately 75 more than last year!)

Welcome, Hannah!

>79 grannyjojo: Well what you can do is make a thread, and basically say who you are if you want, and tell people in that thread what books your reading!

Well thats really what this whole thing is for, but I'm sure you can eventually find a group that's for you!

>89 GrannyJoJo2: It says you were blocked for 'unusual activity'

Please dont spam ^^

PLEASE DONT SPAM ^^ Thank you

We aren't kicking her out! It says unusual activity, so that's how she gets removed!

Sorry about the spamming folks - it's what I get for going away for a day or two. 😀

There's not a lot we can do about this other than flag and ignore a spammer. Once three people flag them, the staff get pinged and can ban that account. If the spammer creates a new account and does it again, same thing. Enough times and the staff will block their IP address. It's unfortunate that it can take so long for the spammer to be blocked, but Tim and company (and I agree) think that it's important to be as open as reasonably possible. Which means we occasionally will have this happen.

So I haven't finished anything this year and this is the first time I've seen 75 book in a year. Not gonna try this year and the fastest I've read a book is 400 in a week

Welcome! Feel free to join n our conversations even if you're not tracking books this year.

Hi all,
I go by Scraps and just decided to get brave and start keeping track of the books I read in a year. Doubt it will be 75 but it seems like a lovely goal. I have too many hobbies to focus well but one of my goals this year was to get a handle on how many books we own and in what formats. Joined LT in Feb and am just getting comfortable with all the content.

>109 scraps: Welcome to the 75ers Scraps!

>104 drneutron: it will help not to feed the trolls. Once theye been flagged, scroll on pass. they feed of feedback

Hello! I've been on LT for some years now, but for a variety of reasons stopped participating in forums, or even talking to anyone here. But today I had the incredibly unusual thought that I *can* talk to other people and it isn't an automatic result that they will find me boring, stupid, and otherwise not worth noticing (nor is it automatic that they will NOT, but heck...). I've been struggling to read as I once did (for some of the same reasons I went silent) but this year I'm all about it. Of course, I'm reading a ton of manga and light novels, but they have words! Crunchy fluff reading is still reading! (I sound terribly defensive, don't I? You'll just have to imagine me with my tail fluffed out and the fierce kitten growl). So, anyway, here goes!

>112 Murphy-Jacobs: Welcome to the 75ers!

>112 Murphy-Jacobs: Welcome! Feel free to read whatever you like here. There are others who read manga and graphic novels, as well as light reading. Indeed, it all counts as reading. Everyone is supportive here, and no one is boring or stupid. Happy to have you join us!

>112 Murphy-Jacobs: Welcome, Sherri! French writer, Daniel Pennac, wrote the Rights of the Reader. Number 5 is the Right to read anything. You're in good company!
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ArchiveImages/HB/2017/05/pennac_poster.pdf

This year, and last, I've been doing a _lot_ of comfort reading - rereading, and fluff. Good fluff, hopefully, but if I haven't already read it I don't always know that...I also have a _lot_ of books I've started and just...stopped reading. And some I stopped because they didn't deserve my time, but some I do want to finish, I'm just not in the right mood. And off I go to some good fluff. I'm still reading, and reading a lot! It all counts.

>112 Murphy-Jacobs: Welcome! Read what you want and be merry!

>112 Murphy-Jacobs: What is important to most of us here is that you are reading, no matter what it is!

>116 jjmcgaffey: Hi Jennifer!
Has it been a while? I think so!
My own reading has gone way down, mostly because I keep re-reading sections of Victoria Goddard's books due to involvement with her Discord server and fanfic there. It's fun and frustrating, so so interesting to enter a whirlwind of observant and talented fans.

Hi! I'm Agafya (weird name, I know). I'm a high school student, and I just joined LT, so I pretty much don't know what's going on. I partake in Battle of Books, and read a lot on my time off as well. I may not get to 75 books, but I'll try.

>120 CileStuph: We are a group passionate about reading. While 75 as a milestone is celebrated, it's not that important. Welcome!

>119 quondame: I've been reading LT quite a bit too - but not posting a lot (on my own thread or elsewhere).

And yes, Victoria Goddard is _so_ addictive! I don't need the Discord to trigger me (though it's fun to read - and keeps sending me off to AO3), I have read and reread everything she writes so many times... I do love Kip.

>122 jjmcgaffey: Could you direct me to your page? Found it! I mean I could take up bandwidth here and let everyone know the glories of Goddard, but ...

>116 jjmcgaffey: I'm so glad to find another comfort reader. I have a lot of books to read but I really need the comfort of a favorite book occasionally.

>115 Cecilturtle: I love that cartoon

>1 drneutron: Hello I'm not new to library thing but new to the challenge. I'm hoping I can reach 75 books this year.

i just finished out of my mind by i forgot who and the night country by mellisa alberts :)

almost done with the hunger games book one

i read more than those this year but those are most recent

>126 markatsier: Welcome!

>129 Jynx_on_pawz: Hello Jynx_on_pawz, welcome! I liked the Hunger Games books when I read them. I haven't gone back and read the prequel yet.

If you go to the main page for this group and click Post a new topic you can start your own thread to track your reading for the year as you remember them.

Happy reading!

Hi all,
I have a question for general interest. My husband listens to a lot of audio books and many times I hear 3-5 hours of a book. Unfortunately, I rarely hear the beginning or end. I often am not sure which book in the series we are listening to.
I have not been including them in my book count but feel like I ought to keep some track of those as well. How do the rest of you count/not count these?

Generally, I only count something if I've read/listened to a substantial part of the book. But it's your thread, so if you want to track them, go for it!

Yeah what Jim said. Your account, your rules. :) Another idea could be, if you catalog those books, maybe use a tag like "PARTIAL", or "HUSBAND read", or something that you could then go back later to see if you only read part of it.

Also, if you go to the book's info page, it should tell you if its part of a series (right under the author's name). You can then click on the series link and it will show you where your book is.

>139 catlover73: I'm pretty sure that person is the same one that's been spamming various other threads lately. Don't pay them any attention.

>144 catlover73: (Re >142 PawsforThought:) Which is to say, don't bother to respond to them - it only prolongs the nonsense in the thread. As you can see now, they'll go away as soon as the PTB notice them being idiots.

Hello fellow readers. 75 books will be a challenge for me but I'm good to try.

>146 VioletCrown: Hi VioletCrown! Welcome. It's not about the number so much as being among others who love to read, too. I look forward to seeing what you're reading.

Hi everyone! I am new. I love reading but I always forget the number of books I have read.

Welcome! This is a great place to help you keep track.

Hello everyone!
I think I'm a little late to the game, starting in July... but we'll see how we go, eh!

I was wondering, do audiobooks also count?

>151 KimPossible0112: Welcome Kim. Any sort of book is fine! Whatever makes sense for you.

>151 KimPossible0112: I count my audiobooks as do any number of other people in the group. However, it is your book count and you can do it as you choose!

Hello, I come from Middletown CT I have lived here for about three years now I am originally from the shoreline. I love to read and I just started a book club recently this year of 2024 and it’s going pretty well so far so good but I would love to add more people to the club. I am 34 years old and my husband is 36. We are outgoing and love to talk about the books that we’ve read and we love to hear other peoples opinions about the books that they have read. I am a certified nursing assistant, and my husband is a driving instructor for the next street company. I look forward to speaking with amazing folks like yourself. Happy reading everybody.

Hello everyone
Just wanted to let you know that michigantrumpet's FB account (Marianne Swenson) has been hacked. She now has a new account.
Best regards
Barbara

Oh! Thanks for letting us know!

Hi all, I am new to the website after a LOT of years on Goodreads only.

I am Italian and live in Galway, Ireland with my partner. I organise, catalogue and read books as a hobby after a long day in the office, because I am a bit of a weirdo :)
Always trying to push myself to read more and better, and I love a reading challenge (I actually mostly love making the to-read list...)

Welcome!

>157 Fiordiluna: Welcome to a zone where your kind of weirdo is normal, and non-readers are weird.

Hi! I am brand new to the challenge and Librarythings. Saw this challenge and said "Why not!". Hopefully, I can read a lot of new books.

Also looking for fantasy book recomondations!

Welcome!

>160 RBrar: Welcome! What kind of fantasy? I'm a Discworld fan, but also enjoy L.E. Modesitt Jr. and other fantasy.

>162 elorin: I have recently read Red Queen, a dystopian fantasy.

>160 RBrar: we are reading/listening to the Calm Act series. There are 4 prequels and 4 novels so far. They are dystopian post-apocalyptic set in the US.
I primarily read sci fi/fantasy. My favorite authors are Terry Prachet, L.E. Modesitt Jr, and Mercedes Lackey. Like Elorin, depends on what flavor of fantasy you prefer.

>157 Fiordiluna: You are going to have to explain what part of that makes you a weirdo. Sounds like most of us...

Hello, have been a member of LibraryThing but have not joined any clubs or discussions. Since I have more time to read and post in the upcoming years via retirement, I would like a place or people to discuss what I read, gather suggestions, and generally mind-meld with other book lovers.

I have been keeping track of my reads on Goodreads this year, and I am almost at my goal of 100 books a year. (I don't usually count the numerous quickie romances I can put down in hours.)

I am currently reading the Great Book of Amber, the 10 novels of the Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny. I'm on Book Five, The Courts of Chaos. The author has earned his place as a highly rated classic fantasy writer. The magical world of Amber and its 9 princes are crazy inventive.

I also read a Jason Pintar thriller today, Hideaway, about a single-mom vigilante which I think is a series starter. It was on my phone and the Zelazny book is as big as a small chair and I needed to pack lightly today. I might continue that series.

My fave genres are detective, fantasy, science-fiction, thriller/suspense, and you know . . . pretty much anything can garner my attention.

>166 coachsully: Welcome! You sound very much like me. I had joined LT years ago, but did not get involved in any of the discussion groups until I retired a couple of years ago. The 75 Books Challenge group is very welcoming, and has lots of great discussions. Please make yourself at home here.

>166 coachsully: Yes, welcome!

Hello friends! I have been a fan of LT for probably ages but this is the first group I've joined. I tend to read more fantasy and romance than any other genre, but I work in two libraries and my interests are wide-ranging, so I'm always picking up books/movies/other media that look interesting (doing bookdrop is a minefield). I also write reviews for one of the library blogs.

I started keeping track of my reading on StoryGraph, and I'm at about 86 books read for this year. I just finished "Empire of the Damned" by Jay Kristoff, and have been reading graphic novels while my psyche does the equivalent of staring at a wall like Murderbot until it feels ready to move forward. My favorite recent reads have been the Hana Westerman thrillers by Michael Bennett, which are very strongly rooted in Maori culture and conflict in modern day Auckland. The audiobooks are awesome.

Anyway, happy to be here!

Welcome!

>169 Cassie.Phoenix: Welcome!
The Michael Bennett books seem likely to be ones I would enjoy reading.
I read mostly F&SF with the emphasis on F. Mysteries, historical novels, and whatever looks appealing or intersects with my current obsession fills out the selection.

>166 coachsully: Welcome to retirement! It's been good for me.

>169 Cassie.Phoenix: Welcome aboard!

hi, I joined a few weeks back, my target for the year is 72 books, I've read 61 so far. I read a mix of fiction and nonfiction.

Welcome!

Hey everyone. Looking for a new challenge to end the year with. I recently finished the Book Riot Read Harder challenge
and realized I need a final year end challenge. I initially set my goal at 50 books but found myself at 58 currently with 4 more close to completion. I also read more during December since work slows down. I read many genre's but my favorite is science fiction & fantasy. Also read a lot of non fiction and sales and marketing books.

Currently Reading
James
The Anarchy Book Club Read
Ring of Fire I
Time Spike

Welcome Shawn!

Welcome!

Howdy!