2026 Reading Challenges

I’m tracking my 2026 reading challenges here. In past years, I’ve tried to read books that pushed me outside of my usual choices or helped me accomplish some goals I vaguely held. This year, I think I want to make my reading more fun. I still want some of those serious books but current events are so stressful, I want more of my reading to be an escape to genres I love.

This looks like a lot, and it kind of is, but I can complete several of these by reading just one book. I’m also scaling back my goals on some of these challenges so I can tackle more of them.

The challenge buttons and names link to to the signup/information posts at the challenge host’s website if you’d like to join me!

Reading Challenges I’m Hosting

Books in Translation Reading Challenge

Hosted here at Introverted Reader. I’m signing up at the beginner level, 1-3 books. #2026booksintranslation

Southern Literature Reading Challenge

Hosted here at Introverted Reader. I’m signing up at level two, 3-4 books. #2026southernlit

1. Ink and Shadows (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #4) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart
2. Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry

Immigration Reading Challenge

Hosted here at Introverted Reader. I’m signing up at level one, 1-3 books. #2026immigrationreading

1. Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelten
2. American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures, edited by America Ferrera

Challenges I’m Participating In

Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

Hosted by Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book. Read cozy mysteries. I’m signing up for the peckish level, which is 1-25 cozy mysteries. #CravingCozies

1. Ink and Shadows (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #4) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart

Mount TBR

Hosted by My Reader’s Block. My husband and I stay in our RV while we travel with his job. I need to start reading the books I’ve picked up from local independent bookstores during our travels because this is a very small space. I’m signing up at the Pike’s Peak level–read 12 books that you own. #MountTBR2026

1. A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe #1) by P. Djèlí Clark
2. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
3. The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman #1) by Paullina Simons
4. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
5. Persuasion by Jane Austen, curated by Barbara Heller
6. She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor #1) by Shelley Parker-Chan
7. Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandava #2) by Roshani Chokshi

2026 Fairytale Reading Challenge

Hosted by Charity Rau. Read original or retold fairy tales. My goal is to read from 6 of these categories throughout the year.

• January–Snow White–Fairest of All (Villains #1) by Serena Valentino
• February–The Wild Swans–Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes #1) by Elizabeth Lim, read by Emily Woo Zeller
• March–Bluebeard–The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer, read by Rebecca Soler
• April–1001 Nights
• May–Villain Retelling
• June–Cinderella
• July–Peter Pan
• August–Rumpelstiltskin
• September–The Little Mermaid
• October–Mythology Retelling
• November–Rapunzel
• December–The Nutcracker

2026 Nonfiction Reader Challenge

Hosted by Shelleyrae at Book’d Out. I’m joining at the Nonfiction Nibbler level to read 6 books, one each from any 6 categories. #ReadNonFicChal | Instagram: @shelleyrae _bookdout | BlueSky: @shelleyrae.bsky.social

• History
• Memoir/Biography—On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer, written and read by Rick Steves
• True Crime
• Science—An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
• Health
• Food
• South East Asia
• Humor—Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry
• Lost or found
• Television
• Subculture
• Published in 2026

2026 Key Word Reading Challenge

Hosted by Chapter Adventure. Read a book each month that has one or more of the monthly key words. Participating in this challenge helps me dig up some titles that have been languishing too long on my TBR. I don’t want to read books that aren’t already on my TBR so I’m aiming to read 6 of these in the year. #keywordreadingchallenge⁠

• January–Weekend, Keep, Ground, Door, Among, Midnight, Glitter, Highway–Firekeeper’s Daughter (Firekeeper’s Daughter #1) by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc
• February–Lying, Ruin, Alchemy, Hoax, Blind, Chance, Flower, Sound 
• March–Favorite, Orange, Picture, Broken, Sister, Look, Forget, Fortune 
• April–Mirror, Mist, Party, Stray, Light, People, Everlasting, Spell
• May–Bright, Creek, Letter, Empire, Forever, Emerald, Wreck, Eye 
• June–Box, Apple, Castle, Fool, Middle, Cold, Flight, Become 
• July–Fall, Sun, Boyfriend, Thousand, Shores, Country, Confession, Society 
• August–Matter, Spy, Roof, Missed, Zero, Enchant, Water, Point 
• September–Orbit, Hot, Daydream, Endure, Curse, Ice, Decay, Smile
• October–Prey, Crypt, Hollow, Dreadful, Killer, Hex, Wolf, Lore 
• November–Whistle, Quiet, Bitter, Rising, Strings, Lands, Seven, Song
• December–Lemon, Welcome, Bake, Crush, Cafe, Taste, Cat, Kind

2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

Hosted by Emily at Build Your Library. The theme is “A Year of Cozy and Whimsy.” That is 200% what has been appealing to me recently so I’m excited to join! Emily didn’t specify levels to the challenge but I’m setting my sights on completing 20 of these prompts.

• With coffee or tea in the title
• That is your favorite Persuasion by Jane Austen, curated by Barbara Heller
• With a cover that includes your favorite color Chef’s Kiss (Chef’s Kiss #1) by T.J. Alexander, read by Em Grosland
• Set during a holiday
• You are excited to read The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
• About friendship
• By a favorite author The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer, read by Rebecca Soler
• A childhood favorite
• That is cozy fantasy
• That you choose based on the smell
• About a person who inspires you
• That is middle grade Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandava #2) by Roshani Chokshi
• With a happy word in the title
• About a game
• That is a romantic comedy
• Where the dog does NOT die The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• That is published in 2026
• Set in a library or bookstore Ink and Shadows (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #4) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart
• That is illustrated
• With a cover so pretty, you want to hang it on the wall as art Firekeeper’s Daughter (Firekeeper’s Daughter #1) by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc
• About Jewish joy
• With a pet on the cover
• With an animal protagonist
• Involving travel The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
• Recommended by a friend
• Involving one of your hobbies
• About mothers or fathers
• Set in your state or province
• With food or drink on the cover
• About a topic that interests you An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
• With a Hero’s Journey Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes #1) by Elizabeth Lim, read by Emily Woo Zeller
• With a POC protagonist
• That is a retelling
• That is cozy science fiction
• That makes you laugh Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry
• With something cozy on the cover
• In the sunshine
• About queer joy
• About a road trip On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer, written and read by Rick Steves
• Set in a country you would love to visit 500 Miles from You (Kirrinfief #3) by Jenny Colgan, read by Eilidh Beaton

Reading by the Numbers Challenge

Hosted by My Reader’s Block. This is similar to the GoodReads Challenge: choose how many books you want to read for the years and track them. I decided I’d like to have this list on my blog and not just on GoodReads so I’m signing up. My goal is 100 books. #ReadingByNumbers2026

1. Vicious (Villains #1) by V.E. Schwab, read by Jeremy Arthur
2. A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe #1) by P. Djèlí Clark
3. Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelten
4. Ink and Shadows (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #4) by Ellery Adams, read by Cris Dukehart
5. Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry
6. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
7. Firekeeper’s Daughter (Firekeeper’s Daughter #1) by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc
8. Fairest of All (Villains #1) by Serena Valentino
9. Above Ground by Clint Smith
10. The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (Dead Djinn Universe #0.3) by P. Djèlí Clark
11. The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman #1) by Paullina Simons
12. Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk, read by January LaVoy
13. The Angel of Khan el-Khalili (Dead Djinn Universe #0.2) by P. Djèlí Clark, read by LeVar Burton
14. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
15. Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes #1) by Elizabeth Lim, read by Emily Woo Zeller
16. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
17. Persuasion by Jane Austen, curated by Barbara Heller
18. Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt by Arthur C. Brooks
19. On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer, written and read by Rick Steves
20. American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures, edited by America Ferrera
21. Chef’s Kiss (Chef’s Kiss #1) by T.J. Alexander, read by Em Grosland
22. 500 Miles from You (Kirrinfief #3) by Jenny Colgan, read by Eilidh Beaton
23. Dark, Salt, Clear: Life in a Fishing Village by Lamorna Ash
24. She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor #1) by Shelley Parker-Chan
25. Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandava #2) by Roshani Chokshi
26. The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer, read by Rebecca Soler
27. You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson

Bookish Resolutions

Because Reading used to host this challenge, but like me, they seem to have less time for blogging recently and I don’t see that they are continuing with it. I’ve decided to carry on anyway because I like posting my list here so that I can hold myself accountable. I’ve been too ambitious in years past so I’m keeping these resolutions modest in scope.

• Review one book weekly, even if it’s only on GoodReads–I have really lost my reviewing mojo and need to take baby steps to get it back.
• Make progress on five book series I’ve already started. I am terrible about finishing book series and I would like to work on that this year. I’ll choose the series as the mood strikes.
• Read six classics from my Classics Club list. I’ve fallen way behind on this challenge.
• Write two non-bookish posts. I hate to admit it, but I get bored writing about books all the time. I mix it up a little by posting about my travels a bit in Weekly Update posts but I’d like to do more. I enjoy reading other bloggers’ more chatty, personal posts so I’ll dip my toes into those waters those year. I’m aiming for a low number so it doesn’t feel like a chore I have to do.
• Take a knitting class. Non-bookish but here it is. I have busy hands. I would like to put that to good use. I admire those people who can sit around and chit-chat or watch TV while knitting and I’d like to try out a class to see if it’s something I’d be interested in continuing. I crocheted as a child but I haven’t done that in about 35 years. I still have the blanket I made back then though.

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