The 52 Book Club: 2026 Challenge discussion

19. A Buddy Read

What is a buddy read? A buddy read is when you agree to read the same book at the same time as someone else, so that you can discuss it together.

Buddy reads are a great way to discuss a book in depth with a friend or group of friends. You may complete your buddy read prompt virtually or in person. Buddy reads can have a set schedule to follow or can be open ended. (For example: You may assign certain chapters to be read on or by certain dates, and discuss as you go along. Or you may keep it more open ended and say, “Let’s aim to finish the book by the end of the month and discuss when we finish!”) It’s up to you what you want your buddy read to look like.

Any book, genre, or author will work with a buddy read. You may count a book that you read with a book club, a book that you read aloud to a family member, participate in a 52 Book Club readalong, etc.

Note: Over the course of 2024, we have four different 52 Book Club readalongs planned. The readalongs will take place in January, April, July, and October of 2024. Participating in any one of these readalongs will count toward this prompt. If you haven’t yet signed up for e-mails on our website, be sure to do so, so that you don’t miss any readalong announcements!

Hint: Have a book but no buddy? Reach out on the Facebook group or Instagram and ask if anyone wants to buddy read it with you. This is a great opportunity to make some new bookworm friends! Then, set up a spot to chat (example: Facebook messenger) and work through the details of your buddy read. When will you start? When will you aim to finish? Will you chat as you go along or after? Set up the buddy read however works best for you and your friend!


There is no Goodreads list for this prompt, you and your buddy can read any book you want!

Kimberly Jones – I’m Not Dying with You Tonight

Planning on Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

I plan on reading whatever my book club picks during that week of the challenge.

Pretty Boys are Poisonous by Megan Fox.

I’m going to read whatever my neighborhood book club chooses. The name of the book club is Read Between the Wines, so sometimes there’s not a lot of the actual book discussion.

I'm in a few different book clubs, so I'll pick whichever one I read mostly in the New Year. I've got Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and Sundial by Catriona Ward to pick from so far.

I will read Bloomsbury Girls with my book club in January

Will wait on a book club meeting book for this one, so no pre-planning

reading the violin conspiracy on discord (NESKA)

Planning to read Dear Mrs. Bird as Miranda Mills Comfort Book Club January read. If anyone else would like to buddy read with me - please message me. This is my first year with this challenge, so very much a newbie.

Book Buddies is the name of one of my book clubs and we take turns bringing 3-4 titles to each meeting and voting on which of the suggested options to read for the next 2-3 weeks. Love it!! More to come….

The Violin Conspiracy as part of the January 2024 readalong.

Lindsey wrote: "I'm planning on reading The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern with my buddy/mom"

This is my all time favorite book, sooo good!

The Winter Spirits - me and my friend both got each other a copy for Christmas!

My daughter and I are going to reading Twilight together!

Buddy reading Manga with few friends - "I Had That Same Dream Again"

My son and I are reading ‘The Christmas Pig’ by J.K. Rowling together.

The dictionary of lost words - Pip Williams

So far, I know I'm re-reading Resilient as part of a group study. My sister and I will read a few books together, as well, but we haven't started our first book this year yet.

I’m reading “Butcher & Blackbird” by Brynne Weaver with my bookclub.

A friend and me read "Rhetorik - Die Macht der Worte" by Annika Durand.

What Waits in the Woods by Terri Parlato

Just finished Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery for the buddy read, both myself and my friend of 30 plus years decided to read this lovely childhood classic as we were fans as kids. It did not disappoint and I’m not ashamed to admit I ugly cried at the end🥰 This was my first for the 2024 52 book challenge.

Finished this prompt with The Kitchen Front, which is my local library's book choice this month.

Treasure Island finished 01/08

The Jinn Daughter

we are reading Live in Grace, Walk in Love which is a 365-day devotional. We take turns reading each day and discussing, a great way to utilize this “buddy read”!

Finished Bloomsbury Girls with my book club. Most of us agreed it was not a very good book, but we still had a good discussion

That is so sweet reading the daily devotional. <3

An Amish Cinderella by Shelley Shepard Gray
2/5
I read this along with my mom. She loves Amish novels and has been wanting me to read one for awhile. I told her if I did it's be this one as I like retellings of fairytales. My mom wishes this hadn't been my first Amish read as when I told her I wasn't getting an Amish feel, she explained other books do a better job of explaining the Amish culture and what makes them Amish through what they own and the how and what they do things.

While the beginning was slow, there are funny moments and puppy shenanigan's, so I have it a 2/5 instead of a 1/5.

I took part in a virtual book club for the first time which was fun. The author of the book I chose was being interviewed on Ben's Book Club, discussing Kill Your Husbands. (Ben Heath is the author). The book club interviews authors monthly and can be found online and on Facebook. I thought it was a good way to do a buddy read

I plan this with my 11 yo son - we will read The Lightning Thief together. I recently read The Red Pyramid and really liked it so I hope that Riordan won't let me down with this one;-)

I read The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey with my friend N. We used the 'buddy read' feature on That Other Book Site Beginning with Story, which worked really well to help us avoid spoilers -- it was great fun writing notes to each other about our theories as to whodunnit (most of which were wrong!)

I'm reading Daisy Darker as a Buddy Read in another Goodreads group.

I’m about to read house of flame and shadow by Sarah j Maas, anyone wanna buddy read this??

My choice: LIKE HAPPINESS by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

I decided to include the book Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall. It was a book club read for February that I had recommended.

I've just finished "Una Fea Encantadora (A Lovely Ugly Lady)" by Eva Benavídez.
My mother came to visit and we both listened to the audiobook.
It was not the best book ever but it was a nice bonding experience.

My friend, who did the challenge with me last year, has been reading the ACOTAR books for the first time. So I've just read A Court of Silver Flames as my buddy read with her, as I hadn't gotten around to it yet.

All That is Mine I Carry with Me by William Landay

I read Prophet Song by Paul Lynch at the same time with my daughter. Read 29th Feb; I gave it 4stars & she gave it a thumbs down :)

I read Elektra by Jennifer Saint for the after school mythology book club I supervise, and talked a friend into reading it with me so I could discuss it with someone other than teenagers.

I read the Fourteenth Goldfish with my niece

I am reading My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabelle Pitcher as part of a group read.

My wife and I are solving Cain's Jawbone.

“Never Lie” by Freida McFadden is a great thriller with many plot twists. My book club read it.

We Should All Be Feminists was my book club pick this month. Loved it!

For this prompt, my buddy Carla and I read Where the Wind Leads: A Refugee Family's Miraculous Story of Loss, Rescue, and Redemption by Dr. Vinh Chung Vinh Chung .

An amazing story of the boat people experience, and how that courageous family has settled into their new home - inspiring!

Thanks to my buddy, Carla!

I've got a local book club with some friends and we all read A Ruin of Roses by K.F. Breene together in January.