2026 Reading Challenge discussion

2026 Summary

I have been doing the challenge since 2017 and have met my goal only 3 times. I have no idea what happened in. 2019. lol Before starting the challenge, I wasn’t reading as much as in the past. I am grateful for this challenge as it has helped to increase my reading overall. I like that I'm able to track my progress and to look back at the books I've read over the years.

2017 -28
2018 - 18
2019 - 41
2020 - 28
2021 - 23
2022 - 11
2023 - 20
2024 - 22
2025 - 23

January / 2
1. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall January 5th 2026


February /4

March /6

April /8

May /10


June /12


July /14


August /16


September /18



October /20


November /22


December /24


Most popular books published in 2026
https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...

Top 10 Adult Fiction & Non-fiction chosen by Library Staff
http://www.libraryreads.org

Loan Stars - readers’ advisory tool
https://www.loanstars.ca/adult-top10-...

Goodreads Members' 63 Most Anticipated Books of 2024
https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...

Goodreads Members' 76 Most Popular Books of the Past Decade
https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...

https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...

2017 summary

I have challenged myself to read 12 books this year / 1 per month.
Read 28

January
1. Garden of Lies (576) 1 / 1 / 2017
2. The Book Thief (552) 22 / 1 / 2017
3. The Missing(192) 26 / 1 / 2017

February
4. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (346) 5 / 2 / 2017
5. The Husband's Secret (396) 17 / 2 / 2017
6. The Ice Twins (373) 20 / 2 / 2017

March
7. Orphan Girl (530) 3 / 3 / 2017

April
8. The Given Day (704) 29 / 4 /2017

May
9. The Will (454) 15 / 5 / 2017

June - :(

July -
10. American Gods (635) 16 / 7 / 2017
11. Here's to Us (410) 21 / 7 / 2017
12. The Nightingale (440) 30 / 7 /2017
13. It Ends with Us (367) 31 / 7 / 2017

Aug -
14. Big Little Lies (460) 4 / 8 / 2017
15. Wonder (316) 6 / 8 / 2017
16. The Light Between Oceans (343) 13 / 8 /2017
17. Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter (396) 19 / 8 / 2017

Sept -
18. Necessary Lies (368) 10 / 9 /2017

Oct -
19. The Art of Being Normal (353) 7 / 10 / 2017
20. Before We Were Yours (352) 28 / 10 / 2017

Nov -
21. The Mountain Between Us (326)2 /10 / 2017
22. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (391) 15 / 10 / 2017
23. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (327) 25 / 11 / 2017

Dec -
24. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (352) 1 / 12 / 2017
25. The Break by Katherena Vermette(350) (350) 12 / 12 / 2017
26. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (336) 16 / 12 /17
27. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (386) 25 / 12 / 2017
28. The Secret Wife by Gill Paul (416) 30 / 12 /2017


TOTAL: 11447

2018 Summary
I have challenged myself to read 24 books this year, 1 every 2 weeks.
Read 18

January 6/2
1. Beartown by Fredrik Backman (432) 03 / 01 / 2018
2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (464) 04 / 01 / 2018
3. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (369) 07 / 01 /2018
4. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (307) 09 / 01 / 2018
5. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (305) 21 / 1 /2018
6. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (490) 26 / 1 / 2018

February 6/4

March 9/6
7. The Maze Runner James Dashner (384) 12 / 3 / 2018
8. The Scorch Trials (368) James Dashner 16 / 3 / 2018
9. The Death Cure (325) James Dashner (338) 31 / 3 /2018

April 10/8
10. The Skin I'm In (176) Sharon G. Flake 22 / 4 /18

May 11/10
11. Indian Horse (221) Richard Wagamese 16 / 05 / 18

June /12

July 12 /14
12. Crazy Rich Asians (403) Kevin Kwan 30 / 07 /18

August /16

September /18

October 16 /20
13. The Last Mrs. Parrish (560) Liv Constantine 4 /10 / 18
14. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows (304) Balli Kaur Jaswal 14 / 10 / 18
15. The One (308) John Marrs 21 / 10 / 18
16. Where the Crawdads Sing (305) Delia Owens 30 / 10 /18

November /22
17. An American Marriage (321) Tayari Jones 16 / 11 /2018
18. Water from My Heart (368) Charles Martin 19 / 11 / 2018

December /24

5799

2019 Summary
I have challenged myself to read 24 books this year, 1 every 2 weeks.
Read 41

January 2 / 2 (0)
1. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Jan 10, 2019
2. Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay Jan 25, 2019

February 8 / 4 (+4)
3. Far From True by Linwood Barclay Feb 3, 2019
4. The Twenty-Three by Linwood Barclay Feb 10, 2019
5. Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay Feb 15, 2019
6. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline Feb 18, 2019
7. Before the Rain Falls by Camille Di Maio Feb 23, 2019
8. Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood Feb 28, 2019

March 13 / 6 (+7)
9. A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza Mar 16, 2019
10. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah Mar 24, 2019
11. The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips Mar 28, 2019
12. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn Mar 30, 2019
13. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Mar 31, 2019

April 16/8 (+8)
14. Educated by Tara Westover April 15, 2019
15. The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani April 18, 2019
16. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler April 22, 2019

May 17/10 (+7)
17. Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler May 31, 2019

June 19/12 (+7)
18. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum June 8, 2019
19. The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir June 29, 2019

July 24/14 (+10)
20. The Wife by Alafair Burke July 7, 2019
21. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid July 10, 2019
22. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing July 15, 2019
23. Normal People by Sally Rooney July 21, 2019
24. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim July 31, 2019

August 30 /16 (+14)
25. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks Aug 4, 2019
26. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton Aug 7, 2019
27. When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton Aug 11, 2019
28. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Aug 19, 2019
The Lost Sisters by Holly Black Aug 19, 2019
29. The Wicked King by Holly Black Aug 21, 2019
30. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane Aug 25, 2019


September 32 / 18 +14
31. Whisper Network by Chandler Baker Sept 8, 2019
32. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas Sept 18, 2019

October 35 /20 (+15)
33. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert Oct 14, 2019
34. The Nickel Boys by The Nickel Boys Oct 19, 2019
35. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware Oct 27, 2019

November 37 /22 (+15)
36. The Handmaid's Tale b Margaret Atwood Nov 6, 2019
37. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood Nov 16, 2019

December 41 /24 (+17)
38. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger Dec 1, 2019
39. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield Dec 11, 2019
40. The Huntress by Kate Quinn Dec 28, 2019
41. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager Dec 31, 2019

2020 Summary
I have challenged myself to read 36 books this year, 3 books / month
Read 28

January 4/3 +1
1. The Lost Man by Jane Harper Jan 5, 2020
2. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell Jan 11, 2020
3. Run Away by Harlan Coben Jan 18, 2020
4. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth Jan 31, 20

February 5 / 6 -1

March 5 / 9 -4
5. A Better Man by Louise Penny Mar 31, 20

April 9 / 12 -3
6. The Wives by Tarryn Fisher April 6, 2020
7. The Mask That Sang by Susan Currie April 11, 2020
8. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson April 18, 2020
9. From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle April 23, 2020

May 11/15 -4
10. Long Bright River by Liz Moore May 6, 2020
11. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith May 24, 2020

June 12/18 -6
12. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith June 6, 2020

July 17/21 -4
13. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins July 2, 2020
14. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell July 10 , 2020
15. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle July 11, 2020
16. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner July 23, 2020
17. The Holdout by Graham Moore July 27, 2020

August 22 /24 -2
18. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood Aug 8, 2020
19. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood Aug 14, 2020
20. MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood Aug 23, 2020
21. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Aug 26, 2020
22. Beach Read by Emily Henry Aug 31, 2020

September 24 /27 -3
23. The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel Aug 8, 2020
24. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano Aug 26, 2020

October /30 -3
25. The Guest List by Lucy Foley Oct 6, 2020
26. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Oct 16, 2020
27. Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain Oct 24, 2020

November 28 /33
28. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab Nov 5, 2020

December 28 /36

Wishing you all the best with your reading in 2021

I really like your organization and links to past years, Audrey!
Good luck with your challenge in 2021 :)

Best of luck! :)

2021 Summary
I have challenged myself to read 24 books this year, 2 books / month
Read 23

0/2 -2
January

1/4 -3
February
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman Feb 22

1/6 -5
March

4/8 -4
April
2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig April 19, 2021
3. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn April 29, 2021
4. No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis April 29, 2021

The Duke and I: The 2nd Epilogue

7 /10 -3
May
5. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn May 13, 2021
6. An Offer From a Gentleman by |861326] by Julia Quinn May 18, 2021
7. Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn May 23, 2021

10/12 -2
June
8. The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis June 8, 2021
9. With Love from the Inside by Angela Pisel June 11, 2021
10. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave June 19, 2021

14/14
July
11. The Hungry Road by Marita Conlon-McKenna July 4, 2021
12. Five Little Indians by Michelle Good July 10, 2021
13. To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn July 18, 2021
14. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn July 22, 2021

18/16
August
15. It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn August 1, 2021
16. On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn August 6, 2021
17. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury August 15, 2021
18. Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian August 17, 2021

19 /18
September
19. People We Meet on Vacation by People We Meet on Vacation September 28, 2021


21/20
October
20. 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand October 10, 2021
21. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid October 26, 2021

23/22
November
22. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah November 11, 2021
23. The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke November 20, 2021

/24
December


page total

Good luck with your reading challenge! :)

I know how sometimes certain books can feel like a chore, happened with me too quite a few times last year. Here's to wishing that we have a better time this year!

2022 Summary

I have challenged myself to read 24 books this year, 2 books / month. This is my same challenge as last year and I thought this was low but I only reached 23 as some books became a chore and held me back.

2/2
January
1. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles Jan 3, 2022
2. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Jan 3, 2022 audio

4/4
February
3. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty Feb 1, 2022
4. The Maid byNita Prose Feb 13, 2022

/6
March

5/8
April
5. Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher April 21, 2022

/10
May

/12
June


/14
July

7 /16
August
6. The Last Kingdom byBernard Cornwell August 6, 2022
7. The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell August 20, 2022

/18
September
8. Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell September 2, 2022

/20
October

/22
November

11/24
December
9. Come with Me by Ronald Malfi December 4, 2022
10. Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier December 15, 2022
11. Wish You Were Here by Wish You Were Here December 29, 2022


page total

Seems like you're right on track so far, Audrey! :)
I'm curious, what did you think of "To Paradise"?

Best of luck with the remainder of 2023! Can you believe we're halfway through the year? Where does the time go!

Congratulations on reaching the halfway mark of the year! May the remaining months be filled with captivating stories, enlightening knowledge, and unforgettable literary adventures. Good luck.

2023 Summary

I have challenged myself to read 24 books this year, 2 books / month. This is my same challenge as last year although I only reached 11 last year.

January 2 / 2
1. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt January 6, 2023
2. Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic by Ben Westhoff January 19, 2023

February 4 /4
3. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Feb 19, 2023
4. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Feb 26, 2023

March 6 /6
5. Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid March 11, 2023
6. The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand March 18, 2023

April 7 /8
7. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo April 8, 2023

May 8 / 10
8. To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara May 22, 2023

June 10 / 12
9. The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf June 1, 2023
10. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks June 14, 2023

July 11 / 14
11. A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham July 3, 2023

August 11 / 16

September 14 / 18
12. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman September 16, 2023
13. What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall September 21, 2023
14. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann S September 30, 2023

October /20

November 17/22
15. Circe by Madeline Miller November 5, 2023
16. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden November 11, 2023
17. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire November 22, 2023

December 20 / 24

18. The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden December 11, 2023
19. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters December 14, 2023
20. Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See December 21, 2023

Just stopping by to check how you're faring so far in 2024 :) From your list up top, it looks as though you're on track for your 2 books a month goal :)
Do you have any favorites so far?

I hope you're having a great year, and that you continue to find amazing books along the way!
Have fun and happy reading!

Happy New Year, Audrey! 🎆
Good luck with your reading challenge in 2025! 😊

2024 Summary

Every year I challenge myself to read 24 books 2 books / month. I would like to read more since my want to read shelf grows exponentially every year.

5/2
January
1. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano January 2, 2024
2. Winterkill by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch January 5, 2024
3. Signs of Survival: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Renee Hartman January 6, 2024
4. Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz January 8, 2024
5. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell January 15, 2023

7 /4
February
6. The Only One Left by Riley Sager February 10, 2024
7. All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham Feb 15, 2024

8/6
March
8. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros March 15, 2024

9/8
April
9. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros April 30, 2024

11 / 10
May
10. The Women byKristin Hannah May 11, 2024
11. The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon May 26, 2024

14 /12
June
12. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes June 1, 2024
13. The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes June 15, 2024
14. The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes June 22, 2024

16/14
July
15. The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes July 8, 2024
16. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus July 21, 2024

18 /16
August
17. A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand August 1, 2024
18. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand August 21, 2024

19/18
September
19. The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand September 13, 2024

21/20
October
20. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls October 13, 2024
21. 1984 by George Orwell October 31, 2024 (audiobook)

/22
November

22/24
December
22. Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter December 17, 2024

Hi Audrey! I'm rooting for you to meet your goal! I hope as a new retiree, you get to have time to enjoy all the things, including reading.

I love seeing all the books on your reading journey through the years! I spot quite a few that I have really enjoyed - Outlander, Parable of the Sower, Oryx and Crake, The Secret Garden, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Every Heart a Doorway to name a few... Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow also stands out because while I already liked it for the nostalgia, I inadvertently visited the Glass Flowers Gallery while on vacation. It was absolutely gorgeous. Then I was confused as to why the gift shop was selling Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. 😊

I hope you're enjoying retirement and many fantastic books! Happy reading!

Audrey, hope you’re getting closer to your goal and enjoying your 2025 reads!

2025 Summary

Once again I've challenged myself to read 24 books 2 books / month. I haven't met my challenge in a few years but as a new retiree, I'm optimistic.

23/24 completed

January / 2
1. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Jan 14, 2025

February /4

March /6

April 3/8
3. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston April 25, 2025

May 4/10
4, Brother by Ania Ahlborn May 28, 2025

June 6 /12
5. The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange June 23, 2025
6. The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers June 30, 2025

July 7 /14
7. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy July 16, 2025

August 11/16
8. Look Closer byDavid Ellis August 1, 2025
9. For the Love of a Son: A Memoir of Addiction, Loss, and Hope by Scott Oake August 9, 2025
10. James by Percival Everett August 15, 2025
11. Funny Story by Emily Henry August 27, 2025

September 15 /18
12. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros September 11, 2025
13. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins Sept 16, 2025
14. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth Sept 22, 2025
15. The Wedding People by Alison Espach Sept 30, 2025

October 17 /20
16. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden October 8, 2025
17. We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes October 27, 2025

November 20 /22
18. The Fix by Mia Sheridan November 3, 2025
19. The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb November 16, 2025
20 The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff November 24, 2025

December 23/24
21. Not Quite Dead Yet byHolly Jackson December 13, 2025
22. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose December 28, 2025
23. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter December 31, 2025