The 52 Book Club: 2025 / 2026 Challenge discussion
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I’m new to the group and have been looking around at how the group is set up. Is there a thread for members to create their own individual planning threads? I’m a huge planner and like to update my progress on challenges as I go and keep track of it all in one place. It’s always fun to have the interaction with other members too. Just curious if this is something that is possible? How do most people keep track?
Mod
Welcome! People usually keep track by making a designated 52 Book Club shelf and linking that to our challenge (under challenges in the side bar), and usually with the paper trackers available on our website. Under the "Yearly Wrap Up" discussion you can also keep an ongoing list of what you have or plan to read for each prompt
Thank you, Lindsey. I am sorry for the questions. I appreciate your help. When will we be able to create and link a shelf for 2023?
Mod
The challenge has been created but it doesn't "open" until January 1st, so it can run for a full year
This sounds so fun! If I put my books for this challenge on a separate shelf, will they also count on my READ shelf for the general GoodReads challenge?
Kelly wrote: "This sounds so fun! If I put my books for this challenge on a separate shelf, will they also count on my READ shelf for the general GoodReads challenge?"Yes, they generally always default to "read" and you can select other tags to add for the challenge
Not unless you want to! Feel free to mix it up as you like.
– Can I use the same book for more than one prompt?
If you want to complete the challenge as it was ORIGINALLY designed, then the goal is to read 52 different books over the course of the year. This means NO doubling up on prompts.
BUT… using the same book for more than one prompt IS helpful for those who aren’t able to read 52 books in one year. (Example: Your goal is to read 20 books for the year, but you still want to check off all 52 categories. In this case, you could double them up to complete the list with fewer books.)
Remember — your challenge, your rules.
– I feel bad that I’m not reading as much as others.
This club is pressure-free! Some participants read five books a year. Others read two-hundred-and-five. Find what works for you while still trying to push yourself. Set reading goals that are fun and attainable, but that stretch your comfort zones!
– How do I find books for each prompt?
There are a few ways to go about finding books. First, I’d recommend joining our Facebook Group. Use the “search” function within the group to see what others are reading for each prompt or post a comment, asking for recommendations. I’d also recommend trying Google or our Listopia here on Goodreads. Get as creative as you need to!
– I’m joining late. Can I use books I’ve already read?
Definitely! Any book read within that specific calendar year, counts! (Example: Any book read in 2021 counts towards the 2021 Challenge.)
– Do I have to read books I don’t like?
Ugh, no! There’s nothing worse than forcing yourself through a “bad” book. Try a little research and find books that fit the prompt but still sound interesting for you. (See question below.) The point of this challenge is to have FUN while reading! That being said, one of the main goals of this challenge is to stretch our reading habits. Often times, we get stuck in “book ruts” and we need a little push to try something new. This is why the challenge is purposefully very diverse in its prompts.
– I’m really stuck on this prompt. What do I do?
You never have to take a prompt at face value. Feel free to interpret it as creatively as needed. Try to think outside the box. Remember, if you think a book fits the prompt, it does!
Example 1: Let’s say the prompt is “a book about sports.” You could interpret that as an autobiography of an athlete, an expose on Olympic doping, a fictional character who’s the quarterback on his high school team, a murder mystery that takes place on a golf course, or anything in between.
Example 2:The prompt is “a spy novel.” You absolutely hate espionage novels but you love fantasy. Try finding a book within that genre that has a character who acts as a spy.
Example 3: The prompt is “a senior.” You could choose a character who is a senior citizen, or a grandparent, a book about a senior in high school, or a character whose name is “John Sr.”
You can also check our Challenge Guide
– Can I read more than one book a week?
Of course! Some books may take a couple of days to finish, others may take a couple of weeks. Some participants finish the challenge in May, others in December. Read at your own pace!
(If you’re an avid reader and want to make the challenge MORE difficult, you could try One Of These.)
– I thought I saw this challenge on a different site?
These challenges were originally shared on the MommyMannegren website. As of 2020, we have rebranded as The 52 Book Club. All future challenges will be found here.
– Where do I find the Facebook Group?
You can find the Facebook group by clicking here!
– Where do I find the Instagram Group?
You can find the Instagram group by clicking here!
– Where do I find the Discord Group?
You can find the Discord group by clicking here!
– Do kid’s books count?
As we say here — your challenge, your rules! You’re more than welcome to complete the challenge using children’s books if you want.
– Do re-reads count?
Of course! I love re-reading good books. If you’ve read them this year and they fit a prompt, they count!
– Do audiobooks count?
Yes! This is YOUR challenge. If you want to use audiobooks — go for it!
– What is the minimum page count?
There isn't one! All books are books to us. You're welcome to read picture books, children's books, chapter books, comic books, graphic novels, short stories, poetry collections, novels, ebooks, audiobooks, anything you like!
– When is the new challenge released?
Challenges for the following year are released at the beginning of November. This allows time for participants to research and find books that fit each of the prompts.
– When does the challenge start?
The challenge begins on January 1st of each year. It runs until December 31st of that same year.