Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
2026 Read Harder Challenge
>
2026 Read Harder Challenge
date
newest »
newest »
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Welcome to the 12th year of the Read Harder Challenge. Our reading challenge is a tween!
If this is your first time participating, here is what you need to know: every year, Book Riot puts out a list of 24 tasks—that’s two per month—to expand your reading life. It’s an invitation to diversify your TBR and pick up books you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. As for the nitty-gritty of the rules, feel free to use one book for multiple tasks. And as always, graphic novels and audiobooks count!
This year’s tasks are a mix of fun topics to spice up your reading life, like Task #20: Read a book set in space, as well as timely topics relevant to navigating our world in 2026, like Task #18: Read a nonfiction book about AI or social media. We also have tasks to encourage you to check out buzzy subgenres of the moment, like romantasy and gothic novels. And yes, gothic novels are buzzy right now!
We’ll provide guidance on the Read Harder Challenge throughout the year. Sign up for the Read Harder newsletter to get recommendation lists for each task, plus more Read Harder-relevant content! Free subscribers get two book recommendations for each task, and paid (All Access) subscribers get access to more recommendations as well as community features.
Now, let’s get to the tasks!
1. Read a microhistory
2. Read a book featured on a “best book covers” list
3. Read a YA book by a Latine author
4. Read a novel with a main character who uses they/them pronouns
5. Read a nonfiction book about resistance
6. Read a gothic novel published in the last ten years
7. Read a sports book by a woman, trans, or nonbinary writer
8. Read a classic from the Zero to Well-Read Podcast
9. Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character
10. Read a book recently adapted for film, TV, or musical
11. Read a book by a d/Deaf author
12. Read/try a recipe from a cookbook about a culture whose food you’ve never eaten
13. Read a nonfiction comic
14. Read a work of magical realism or fabulism
15. Read a book by a librarian
16. Read a queer picture book
17. Read a book about a cult or cults
18. Read a nonfiction book about AI or social media
19. Read a book by an intersex author
20. Read a book set in space
21. Read a genre (SFF, horror, mystery, romance) book in translation
22. Read a nonviolent true crime book
23. Read a book by an African author
24. Pick a challenge from any of the previous years’ challenges to repeat!