2026 Reading Challenge discussion

Current TBR Stack: January

Week 1 (Jan. 1-7):
Gardening Task: #17 - Read a book from your TBR to “thin” it out
✔ Booklist: #29 - Crazy premise Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Honor Raconteur 1-1-26
ATY: #39 - A book in some way connected to Agatha Christie
52 Bookclub: #50 - Set in a castle
Popsugar: #9 - A book with a Type C character
✔ Series Abandoned: Tied Over & Newly Tied
DBRL: Shipped & A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure
ku-tbr: Dark Horse & Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes

Week 2 (Jan. 8-14):
Gardening Task: #19 Read a book published in April or May
Booklist: #8 Five star read
ATY: #24 A book that is either frothy or gothy
52 Bookclub: #11 Requires suspension of disbelief
Popsugar: #10 A book about a horse or with a horse on the cover
Series Read: Broadway Butchery & Hudson River Homicides
DBRL: Two Wrongs Make a Right
ku:tbr: Love Me Whole

Week 3 (Jan. 15-21):
Gardening Task:
Booklist:
ATY:
52 Bookclub:
Popsugar:
Series Read:
DBRL:
ku:tbr:

Week 4 Jan. 22-28):
Gardening Task:
Booklist:
ATY:
52 Bookclub:
Popsugar:
Series Read:
DBRL:
ku:tbr:

Carryover

Monthly Buddy Reads

TPAM


Maybe...

Catch Up
pre-2025:


January:


May:


June:


July:


August:


September:


October:


November:


December:

Year Long Challenges

Personal Reading Challenges:
Garden Challenge
Booklist Queen 2026
ATY
52 Book Club
Popsugar

Self-Created Garden Reading Challenge

**To make up for the fact that popsugar wasn't "garden-y" enough**

Updated through: 1-4-26
7/52 complete

(view spoiler)[
General
1. Read a book where the author's initials can be found in the word GARDEN
2. Read a book with an MC who is a gardener, landscaper, or works in a plant nursery.
3. Read a book where a houseplant is important.
4. Read a book featuring nature

Planning:
5. Read a "highly anticipated" 2026 release
6. Read the latest book in a favorite series All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur 1-4-26
7. Read the oldest book on your TBR
8. Read the longest book on your TBR

Prepping:
9. Read a random book from your TBR (weed) Jingle Bats by Athena Steller 1-4-26
10. Read a funny book (loosen up)
11. Read a book that makes you feel smarter (nutrients)
12. Reread a book (compost) A Matter of Secrets and Spies by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26

Planting:
13. Read a book where an idea is "planted" in a character's head
14. Read a book that takes place within your planting zone
15. Read a book with water on the cover
16. Read a book with a garden tool on the cover OR in the text.

Germinating:
17. Read a book on your TBR to "thin" it out
18. Read a book where a character puts down roots in a new place
19. Read a book published in April or May
20. Read a book based on a recommendation

Growing:
21. Read a book featuring a topic about which you know very little
22. Read a new to you author
23. Read the first book in a new to you series
24. Read a book written for children OR with children as important characters

Flowering:
25. Read a book with a flower in the title or the author's name
26. Read a book with flowers as a main part of the cover design
27. Read a book where a character gives or is given flowers
28. Read a book where a character "blooms"

Pollinating:
29. Read a book with a yellow & black cover
30. Read a book with a bee, wasp, hummingbird, butterfly or other pollinator on the cover
31. Read a book featuring bees, honey, or nectar
32. Read a book by an author whose initials can be found in the word POLLINATION

Fruiting:
33. Read a book with an orange or peach cover
34. Read a book with the name of a fruit in the title
35. Read an author's debut book (fruit of their efforts)
36. Read a book where the MC is in the "pit" of despair at one point or another All In A Name by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26

Harvesting:
37. Read a book featuring a farmer, winemaker, or other harvester
38. Read a book where the MC accomplishes their goal This Potion Is da Bomb by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
39. Read a book set in the fall
40. Read a book with a vegetable on the cover or in the title

Grasses/Shrubs:
41. Read a book set in the midwest
42. Read a book featuring an overgrown lawn/unkempt garden

Trees:
43. Read a book where an MC lives in the forest
44. Read a book with trees on the cover

Herbs:
45. Read a book with the name of an herb in the title, author's name, or MCs name
46. Read a book where the MC enjoys cooking/baking Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Honor Raconteur 1-1-26

Vines:
47. Read a book set in the UK
48. Read a book with a green cover Death Over the Garden Wall by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
Bonus: Read a book where the MC gets entangled in something they shouldn't have.

Fungus:
49. Read a "sporror" book
50. Read a book with a mushroom on the cover
(Bonus: Read a book featuring a "fun guy")

Black Thumb:
51. Read a book with a black cover
52. Read a book set in a place with few plants (Arctic, Antarctic, Desert, Space) (hide spoiler)]

Booklist Queen 2026:

Updated through: 1-4-26
6/52 Complete

(view spoiler)[
1. You Meant to Read Last Year Jingle Bats by Athena Steller 1-4-26
2. Goodreads Winner in 2025
3. Book Becoming Movie/Show in 2026
4. Odd Cover
5. Longer Than 400 Pages All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur 1-4-26
6. Historical Romance
7. Audiobook Read by the Author
8. Five-Star Read
9. About Injustice
10. Book Everyone Is Talking About
11. Set in the Spring
12. Animal Narrator or Protagonist
13. Time in the Title
14. About a Musician
15. Alternate History
16. About Female Friendship
17. Yellow Cover
18. About Artificial Intelligence
19. Book That Makes You Happy A Matter of Secrets and Spies by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
20. 2025 Bestseller
21. Set in a Major City
22. First Person POV
23. Popular Book You’ve Never Read
24. Two Authors
25. About Dragons
26. Set in the 1970s
27. Title Starts with “D” Death Over the Garden Wall by Honor Raconteur
28. 2026 New Release
29. Crazy Premise Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Honor Raconteur 1-1-26
30. Classic You’ve Meant to Read
31. Fiction Written by a Celebrity
32. Set in India
33. Debut Novel
34. Bottom of Your To-Read List
35. Set at a School
36. Next Book in a Series
37. Underdog Story
38. Biography
39. Children’s Book
40. Author You Love This Potion Is da Bomb by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
41. Locked Room Mystery
42. Two Books with Similar Titles (1)
43. Two Books with Similar Titles (2)
44. Published in 2016
45. Nonfiction Bestseller
46. European Author
47. Out of Your Comfort Zone
48. Discussion-Worthy Read
49. Map on the Inside Cover All In A Name by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
50. Alliterative Title
51. You Own But Haven’t Read
52. Reread a Favorite (hide spoiler)]

Around the Year in 52 Books:

Updated through: 1-4-26
7/52 Complete

(view spoiler)[
1. A book from a genre that starts with A, T, or Y
2. A book with a primarily red, green or blue cover
3. A book that fits a prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list
4. A book by a new-to-you author
5. A book you want to read because of something you read in 2025

6. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur 1-4-26
7. A book with a character who appears in more than one book
8. A book set in Africa, Asia, or Australia
9. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title

10. An award winning book
11. A history or historical fiction book
12. A book with cover text that is NOT black or white Death Over the Garden Wall by Honor Raconteur
13. An author's second/sophomore book
14. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh

15. A book you've wanted to read for a long time
16. A book featuring a character with a similar occupation to one of the Clue/Cluedo characters
17. A book set in the wellness or beauty industries
18. A book with a location in the title

19. A book related to yesterday
20. A book related to today
21. A book related to tomorrow
22. A book by a Korean or Korean-diaspora author

23. A book with a road trip or long journey
24. A book that is either frothy or gothy
25. A book from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list
26. A book with a Z in the title and/or author name
27. A nonfiction book

28. A book related to a resistance, rebellion, or revolution
29. A vacation book
30. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Frontlist Book
31. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Backlist Book

32. A novella of 100-250 pages A Matter of Secrets and Spies by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
33. A book with an Indigenous character or author
34. A book with a window on the cover
35. A book where all or part of the action takes place in a library, a museum, a school, or another public building
36. A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40

37. A book that includes a science topic
38. A book that's part of a series Jingle Bats by Athena Steller 1-4-26
39. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie
40. A book that has a punctuation mark in the title

41. A mystery or true crime book Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Honor Raconteur 1-1-26
42. A book set in an isolated location
43. A book involving survival All In A Name by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
44. A book with a symbol of death on the cover

45. A book connected to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
46. A book that is not a novel
47. A book with "this", "that", "these", or "those" in the title This Potion Is da Bomb by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
48. A book with something edible in the title
49. A second book for your favorite prompt

50. A book with a bird on its cover
51. A book published in 2026
52. A book related to the name of one of Santa's reindeer (hide spoiler)]

52 Book Club:

Updated through: 1-4-26
6/52 Complete:

(view spoiler)[
1. Set In An Ancient Civilization
2. Kangaroo Word On The Cover
3. Written Without Quotation Marks
4. Has A Dust Jacket
5. Featuring A Conspiracy
6. Title Starts With The Letter "O"
7. Title Starts With The Letter "P"
8. A Three-Syllable Word In The Title
9. Featuring A Natural Disaster A Matter of Secrets and Spies by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
10. Spans A Decade Or More
11. Requires Suspension Of Disbelief
12. A Genre-Defining Read
13. Bookface
14. Includes A Character List
15. Subtitle With A Comma
16. Deus Ex Machina
17. Author's Bio Mentions Their Dog
18. Provokes Strong Emotions
19. A Nosy Neighbor Character
20. Day Of The Week In The Title
21. Written In The 1800's
22. Spotted In A TV Series Or Movie
23. Grumpy Sunshine Trope
24. Uneven Number Of Characters
25. Includes A Red Herring
26. Title In A Serif Font
27. Two Or More Authors, One Pseudonym
28. From A Series At Least Eight Books Long This Potion Is da Bomb by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
29. Set In The Arctic Or Antarctic
30. Author Related To Another Author
31. Author Related To Author In Prompt #30
32. Publisher Starting With The Letter "B"
33. A Standalone Fantasy Novel
34. Inspired By The Top-Grossing Movie The Year You Were Born
35. Character With A Secret Identity Jingle Bats by Athena Steller 1-4-26
36. Award-Winning Book From Last Year
37. Started On The 26th Of The Month
38. Domestic Fiction
39. A Book That Cost You Nothing
40. Authors First And Last Name Start With The Same Letter
41. A Guide To...
42. Includes A Handwritten Interior Font All Fun and Games by Honor Raconteur 1-4-26
43. A Goodreads Recommendation For You
44. Literary Device: Personification Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Honor Raconteur 1-1-26
45. Biographical Fiction
46. Non-Fiction About Character In Prompt #45
47. A Diacritical Mark On The Cover
48. Related To The Word "Nemesis" All In A Name by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
49. In The 800's Of The Dewey Decimal System
50. Set In A Castle
51. Includes A Map Death Over the Garden Wall by Honor Raconteur 1-2-26
52. Published in 2026 (hide spoiler)]

Ultimate Popsugar Challenge:

Updated through: 1-4-26
4/50 Complete:

(view spoiler)[
Regular
1 A book where gardening or a garden is central to the plot
2 A book that features a platonic friendship between a man and woman
3 A book you meant to read in 2025
4 A book that starts with the letter "Z"
5 A book about women astronauts
6 A book with an overweight main character whose story isn't about losing weight
7 A book about a granny hobby
8 A book about a sexless marriage
9 A book with a "type C" character
10 A book about a horse or with a horse on the cover
11 A book with a dad as the primary caregiver
12 A book with "pop" or "sugar" in the title
13 A book featuring a character with a hidden past
14 A book set in Michigan or written by an author from Michigan
15 A book about new beginnings
16 A book less than 260 pages All In A Name by Honor Raconteur 1-3-26
17 A book about your favorite event in the Winter Olympics
18 A love story that defies social boundaries
19 A book about teen angst
20 A book with a character who does Pilates or Lagree
21 A book about a bachelorette trip
22 A book about a book club
23 A book you were hoping would fit into a prompt but doesn't Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Honor Raconteur 1-1-26
24 A book about postpartum
25 A book that explores influencer culture
26 A book with a character who navigates infertility
27 A book with a character who has curly hair Death Over the Garden Wall by Honor Raconteur 1-2-26
28 A book about debt
29 A book that takes place during harvesting season
30 A travel ghost story
31 A book that makes you feel FOMO
32 A book with an underwater civilization
33 A book about college
34 A book with a trans or nonbinary protagonist
35 A book that makes you want to travel to Italy
36 A book about a mob (fiction or nonfiction)
37 A book about a pop star
38 A book with any type of fruit on the cover or in the title
39 A book with a character who runs a marathon
40 A book outside your comfort zone

Advanced
41 A book in a different format than your usual: physical, audio, eBook
42 A book inspired by a real song, album, band, or artist
43 Two books written by real-life partners or spouses (1)
44 Two books written by real-life partners or spouses (2)
45 A book that features birding
46 A sapphic comic
47 A book told entirely through letters
48 A book with a shadow daddy
49 A book with a mention of your zodiac sign Jingle Bats by Athena Steller 1-4-26
50 A book about Afrofuturism (hide spoiler)]

By the Numbers:

January:
DBRL For-Later list: 1175
ku-TBR: 334