As a new year starts, most of us think about what we’d like to be different in our lives. One improvement I make each year is in my reading life. Rather than just picking up whatever book looks good to me at the moment, I am attempting to split my time between planned reading and spontaneous reading.
Planned reading requires preparation. Otherwise, you end up grabbing whatever is at hand. January is the perfect time to start, with dozens of reading challenges, opens a new window popping up all over the internet, many of which have been compiled by The StoryGraph, opens a new window and Chapter Adventure, opens a new window. I’m going to discuss a few that should appeal to most people, but you may want to scroll through all of the options to find the challenge that fits your reading life.
The StoryGraph, a book tracking and cataloging site that helps readers list the books they have read, contains several interesting reading challenges this year, including The StoryGraph Reads the World 2026, opens a new window. While you can track this challenge with a free StoryGraph account, they do list the categories, so you can record your reading elsewhere, if you don’t have an account or prefer to keep your reading private.
StoryGraph Reads the World 2026, opens a new window lists ten countries, and you can choose either fiction or nonfiction. Find a book set in that country and by an author originally from that country, even if they are now living somewhere else. Here are a few of the countries they chose, along with a couple of titles that will fulfill the challenge rules:
Afghanistan: Try either The Kite Runner,, opens a new window by Khaled Hosseini, or Dancing in the Mosque: An Afghan Mother's Letter to Her Son,, opens a new window by Ḥumayrā Qādirī.
Bulgaria: You could choose Street Without a Name: Childhood and Other Misadventures in Bulgaria,, opens a new window by Kapka Kassabova, or Death and the Gardener,, opens a new window by Georgi Gospodinov, and available on eAudio through hoopla streaming., opens a new window
Morocco: Two books that qualify are The Last Friend,, opens a new window by Tahar Ben Jelloun, and Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail,, opens a new window by Malika Oufkir.
Sweden: You could read The Living and the Dead: A Novel About a Crime,, opens a new window by Christoffer Carlsson, or Autumn,, opens a new window by Karl Ove Knausgård (the first in a four-volume memoir series).
Perhaps you would like a bigger challenge. The Shelf Reflection 2026 Reading Challenge, opens a new window may be the perfect one for you, with 45 prompts from which to choose. The author of the challenge includes the titles they will be reading for most of the categories, or you can choose your own. Books that fulfill three of the included categories are:
A book with a city on the cover - The City We Became,, opens a new window by N.K. Jemisin, or Alexandria: The City That Changed the World,, opens a new window by Islam Issa
A book about resilience - Faith Over Fear: Harnessing Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty,, opens a new window by Michael Leach, or Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Share Stories of Resilience and Recipes from Home, opens a new window
A book about a historical event that’s not from WWII - Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania,, opens a new window by Erik Larson, or The Lady and the Unicorn,, opens a new window by Tracy Chevalier
If you like to play bingo, the 2026 Book Bingo Reading Challenge, opens a new window may be a fun one to try. You can see the rules, get tips on tracking your books digitally, and download a copy of the bingo card, opens a new window, if you like. You can either plan to read books suggested on all of the categories or try to read one or more rows or columns. Here are ideas for a few of the squares:
A book by an Asian author: Try Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee, or The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,, opens a new window by Kiran Desai.
A book with Gothic vibes: Either Isabel Cañas’ The Hacienda,, opens a new window or Daphne du Maurier’s classic Gothic novel Rebecca, opens a new window would be a great choice.
A book with magical realism: The Phoenix Pencil Company,, opens a new window by Allison King, or Family Lore,, opens a new window by Elizabeth Acevedo, would work.
Some Other Challenges
2026 NoveList Reading Challenge, opens a new window is perfect for readers looking for a new genre to try. Their theme this year is Find What You Like, and each month they will share curated lists on that month’s genre to help you find a great title to read.
2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge, opens a new window. Make your reading year cozy and whimsical with these 40 ideas, including ideas like reading a book with coffee or tea in the title, a childhood favorite, a book with a happy word in the title, and a cozy science fiction book.
Popsugar’s 2026 Reading Challenge, opens a new window is garden-themed, has some great prompts, and includes a printable tracking sheet and printable prompts that become your “bouquet” of books.
As always, Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge, opens a new window will stretch your reading into new genres and experiences, while the 2026 Key Word Reading Challenge, opens a new window will allow you to choose from eight keywords each month for a more serendipitous book adventure.
If you choose to participate in one of these reading challenges, feel free to contact a librarian, opens a new window for ideas to fill your categories. Also, if you combine your challenge with CRRL's Adult Winter Reading Challenge, you can count your reading for both challenges and earn a zippered pouch.
Have fun, and may your 2026 reading year be a satisfying one!
