We created the Great 2025 Refine Reading Challenge to send you on your way.
And the response has been overwhelming! But here’s the thing… you wanted book lists to go with it (who doesn’t?)!
We’ve obliged, and we hope you grow to love these books as much as we do!
~ Erika Ahern, Managing Editor
How it works
For each month in 2025, we’ve provided two theme challenges along with 2–3 suggestions for your reading adventure. You can choose books from one or both themes as time allows!
We’ve also included a downloadable version of the entire challenge so you can easily keep track of your literary progress!
The booklist
Book 1: A novel or story about a character starting over, reinventing him or herself, or embracing change. This could be a fresh start in life, a career change, or finding purpose.
Stephen - Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
Erika - The Dry Wood by Caryll Houselander
Rosie - The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Book 2: Read a book that motivates you to be your best this year. It could be a memoir, self-help, or personal development book that explores habit-building, self-discovery, growth, or mental well-being.
Stephen - The Intellectual Life by Father A.G. Sertillanges
Erika - Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
Rosie - Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave by Frederick Douglass
Sarah - 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
Book 1: Read a book that explores love in its many forms—romantic, familial, and platonic.
Jessica - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Erika - Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Stephen - Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sarah - Hideaway by Nora Roberts
Book 2: Not just a rom-com, read a book that explores the challenges that come with love and relationships, especially in marriage. Whether a cautionary tale or a wholesome romance.
Jessica - Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Erika - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
Stephen - “Lispeth” and “Three and – an Extra,” from Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling
Sarah - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Book 1: A book on being pushed to the limit to improve or grow in virtue and discipline. Look for themes of self-denial, discipline, and sacrifice to attain a greater goal.
Jessica - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by JRR Tolkien
Erika - Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett
Stephen - “Thomas Carlyle,” an essay by G.K. Chesterton
Sarah - Hillbilly Elegy: Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by JD Vance
Book 2: A story about an unlikely hero—someone ordinary who rises to do something extraordinary, defying expectations.
Jessica - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Erika - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Stephen - Diary of a Country Priest by George Bernanos
Sarah - George Washington's Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yeager
Book 1: A book set in the wilderness or outdoors, where nature plays a significant role. It could be a fictional or scientific journey into nature or a poetic exploration of the natural world.
Erika - Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Stephen - That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
Book 2: Dive into the deeper meanings of life through a spiritual work. This could be a book on faith, a conversion or religious journey, or something based on transcendence and searching for a higher good.
Stephen - Vita Nuova by Dante Alighieri
Erika - Transformation in Christ by Dietrich von Hildebrand
Sarah - Unbroken: A World War II Survival Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Rosie - Holding the Stirrup by Elizabeth von Guttenburg
Book 1: A book about adventure, exploration, or a quest—whether in a fantastical world, across a vast landscape, or in the pursuit of knowledge or treasure.
Stephen - Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
Erika - Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
Sarah - Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler
Book 2: A coming-of-age story that focuses on personal growth, the transition from adolescence to adulthood, and the challenges of finding one’s purpose.
Stephen - The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
Erika - Emma by Jane Austen
Rosie - The Story of a Soul by Therese of Lisieux
Sarah - Eternal by Lisa Scottoline
Book 1: A feel-good, lighthearted book—something funny, quirky, or joyful. This could be a romantic comedy, humorous fiction, or a story full of heart. It’s a great opportunity to read a Comic book or graphic novel.
Erika - Growingold with BC: A Celebration of Johnny Hart by Johnny Hart
Stephen - Thank you, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Sarah - A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
Book 2: A memoir or a novel that uses humor while exploring deeper themes of life, offering both laughter and insight into the human condition.
Erika - Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank and Ernestine Gilbreth
Stephen - Love in the Ruins by Walker Percy
Sarah - Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Book 1: Read a book that explores a pressing social issue from the past, present, or future. It can be fictional or a commentary on our present day.
Jessica- Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics by Mary Eberstadt
Stephen - Psychological Seduction by William Kilpatrick
Erika - Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speak by Leila Miller
Sarah - Code Girls by Liza Mundy
Book 2: A suspenseful story with tension-building, whether it’s a classic whodunit or a book that keeps you guessing until the last page.
Stephen - Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Erika - Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers
Sarah - The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Book 1: A fantasy novel set in an entirely new world—think magic, mythical creatures, or epic adventures. Let your imagination soar.
Stephen - The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Erika - Charis in the World of Wonders: A Novel Set in Puritan New England by Marly Youmans
Rosie - My Father’s Dragon Trilogy by Ruth Stiles Gannett (a children’s series)
Sarah - Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Book 2: A book about exploration into unknown territories, from world travel to scientific discovery, or exploring a different culture. Perhaps dive into works related to your own cultural heritage, or explore the world of great art and architecture.
Stephen - Making Peace by Adam Lane Smith
Erika- In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides
Sarah - Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Book 1: Discover how the past shapes the present through reading about a historical event. This could be either a standard history book or a dramatic novel based on a true story.
Stephen - Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin by Joseph Plumb Martin
Erika - Mayflower: Voyage, Community, War by Nathaniel Philbrick
Rosie- Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Book 2: Keep forming your worldview of the past from a personal level by learning about a historical icon or hidden figure. This could be a biography of a great thinker or icon, an eyewitness account of a historical event, or a novel from a real-life experience.
Stephen - Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain
Jessica - A Song for Nagasaki by Paul Glynn
Erika - Exiles: A Novel by Ron Hansen
Book 1: Read a mystery book, which could be a novel or from real life. A psychological thriller, crime, or mystery novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat with complex characters and endless plot twists.
Jessica - A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor
Stephen - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Erika - The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
Book 2: As the seasons change, read a book on the concept “Memento Mori” to “remember your death” and how all things eventually fade in this life but are made for an eternal purpose.
Stephen - Viper’s Tangle by Francois Mauriac
Erika - The Glories of Heaven by St. Anselm of Canterbury
Rosie - Meditations on Death by Thomas á Kempis
Book 1: A story that revolves around community, relationships, and the interconnectedness of the human experience. This could involve family, friendships, or social bonds.
Stephen - The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Erika - Jayber Crowe by Wendell Berry
Book 2: Pick a book that plays on themes of gratitude, reflection, or thankfulness—whether it’s a novel about learning to appreciate the small things or a nonfiction piece on the benefits of cultivating gratitude.
Stephen - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Erika - Middlemarch by George Eliot
Book 1: Read a book about endings whether it’s a story about a chapter in someone’s life coming to a close, or a novel about facing closure, loss, or finality.
Stephen - The Last Gentleant by Walker Percy
Erika - “Michael,” a pastoral poem by William Wordsworth
Book 2: Finally read a story about new beginnings, embracing change, stepping into the future, or discovering new opportunities. End the year with a sense of hope and renewal.
Stephen - Mercury Falls by Robert Kroese
Erika - Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller
