Challenge Corner discussion

If you're wanting to broaden your reading with new authors, track them here. Set a goal of how many new authors you want to read and see how far you get over the year. These don't have to be authors with debut books, just ones you haven't read before.

New Author Challenge 2026
Goal: 14/50

1. Alix Harrow, Starling House, 1/5
2. Kelly Bishop, The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir, 1/7
3. Harlan Coben, Gone Before Goodbye, 1/14
4. Thea Guanzon, The Hurricane Wars, 1/19
5. Zora Black, Till Orc Do Us Part, 1/25
6. Ben Evans, Darkness Calls: CLAIMED, 1/27
7. Jennifer Chipman, A Not So Prince Charming, 1/28
8. Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, 2/11
9. Julie Soto, Second Act Romance, 2/18
10. Hannah Bonam-Young, Time Will Tell, 2/19
11. Trilina Pucci, A Play for Love, 2/21
12. Catherine Cowles, Death to Valentine's Day, 2/21
13. Kiera Azar, Thorn Season, 3/5
14. Amber Hamilton, Seven Deadly Thorns, 3/31

Ooo I always forget about this one. Okay, starting off with 25 new authors. Will update number throughout the year if I reach the goal.

New Author Challenge 2026
Goal: 50/25

1. Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell, 1/2
2. Storm and Flame by Mallory Wanless, 1/8
3. Strange Folk by Alli Dyer, 1/16
4. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku, 1/23
5. The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon, 1/25
6. The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce, 2/5
7. The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia, 2/6
8. Atlas of Unknowable Things by McCormick Templeman, 2/9
9. Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson, 2/18
10. The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell, 2/24
11. I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin, 2/25
12. Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie, 2/26
13. Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by M.J. Wassmer, 2/27
14. The Last Encore by Elodie Colliard, 3/2
15. The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith, 3/5
16. Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen, 3/6
17. Savor It by Tarah DeWitt, 3/7
18. It's Different This Time by Joss Richard, 3/11
19. Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven, 3/11
20. Charlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny Nimmo, 3/13
21. The Rom-Com Agenda by Jayne Denker, 3/13
22. Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling by Elise Bryant, 3/16
23. Spirits in the Stars by Erin Hunter, 3/16
24. The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison, 3/16
25. Out of Character by Jenna Miller, 3/17

26. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, 3/18
27. Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin, 3/18
28. 32 Days in May by Betty Corrello, 3/20
29. The Prada Plan 5 by Ashley Antoinette, 3/20
30. Discontent by Beatriz Serrano, 3/21
31. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, 3/21
32. All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women’s Bodies and Why It Matters Today by Elizabeth Comen, 3/25
33. The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill, 3/26
34. Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport, 3/27
35. Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, 3/27
36. Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll, 3/30
37. Trick Shot by Kayla Grosse, 4/2
38. Longbourn by Jo Baker, 4/2
39. Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe, 4/3
40. Confessions of a Wild Child: Lucky: The Early Years by Jackie Collins, 4/3
41. Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox, 4/7
42. Lift Me Up by Milly Johnson, 4/7
43. The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan, 4/9
44. These Wicked Stars by Catelyn Wilson, 4/16
45. Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris, 4/18
46. The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison, 4/20
47. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, 4/23
48. Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan, 4/24
49. Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter, 4/25
50. Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady, 4/25
51.

I'll join this one, but no clue how many I'll read. If I can, I'm just going to track how many new ones I read vs. a goal :)

New Author Challenge 2026

1. Plier by Jane Washington|1/8/26

New Author Challenge 2026

New Author Challenge 2026 Goal (25)
1. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

New Author Challenge 2026
Goal: 100 [78/100]

1. Red Flag Warning by Allison Bettes 1/7
2. Never Not Yours by K.V. Thorn 1/11
3. Royally Rugged by J.P. Sterling 1/14
4. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 1/20
5. Cloud Nine by Amanda Sinatra 1/23
6. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1/26
7. Ten Things I Love About Her: An AgeGap Sapphic Romance by Tara Pammi 1/27
8. Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne 1/29
9. Falling for the Fake Lumberjack by Sara Ney 1/29
10. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks 1/30
11. You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Sophie Sullivan 1/31
12. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson 1/31
13. The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park by Michiko Aoyama 1/31
14. Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose 2/4
15. Falling for Trouble by Carly Phillips 2/6
16. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 2/7
17. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 2/8
18. Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens 2/10
19. Sweet Beginnings by Della Monroe 2/11
20. Lie Lie Truth by James Caine 2/12
21. Writing Mr. Right by Jillian Dodd 2/13
22. Game Changer by Rachel Reid 2/15
23. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 2/17
24. The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman 2/18
25. Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie 2/19
26. Overtake by S.J. Sylvis 2/21
27. Stupid Cupid by Ellie Hall 2/21
28. High Five by Janet Evanovich 2/22
29. Sweet Tomorrows by Debbie Macomber 2/23
30. Welcome to Seabury by Beth Rain 2/24
31. You Don't Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark 2/24
32. Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors 2/25
33. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears 2/26
34. The Hotshot by Piper Rayne 2/27
35. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce 3/1
36. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict 3/3
37. If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia 3/4
38. The Score by Leonor Soliz 3/6
39. Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli 3/7
40. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher 3/8
41. Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy 3/9
42. Saving Face by Mansi Shah 3/10
43. Making Up by Lucy Parker 3/11
44. Amity by Nathan Harris 3/12
45. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan 3/13
46. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey 3/14
47. Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars by Nathalia Holt 3/15
48. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 3/19
49. Local Heavens by K.M. Fajardo 3/20
50. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff 3/21
51. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender 3/22
52. The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück by Lynne Olson 3/23
53. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 3/23
54. Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom 3/24
55. The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose by Robyn Green 3/25
56. We Who Have No Gods by Liza Anderson 3/26
57. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo 3/27
58. Once Upon a Winter Beast : A Sweet Beauty and the Beast Rom-Com Retelling by Monique Brasher 3/31
59. Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi 3/31
60. First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison 4/1
61. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle 4/2
62. The Road of Bones by Demi Winters 4/4
63. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center 4/5
64. The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn 4/7
65. The Anniversary by Alex Finlay 4/8
66. A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez 4/9
67. The Oks Are Not OK by Grace K. Shim 4/10
68. Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins 4/12
69. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen 4/12
70. Kin by Tayari Jones 4/14
71. What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane 4/15
72. The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard 4/16
73. Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay 4/18
74. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan 4/19
75. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers 4/21
76. A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham 4/22
77. Sourdough by Robin Sloan 4/23
78. Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu 4/25