2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

 This will be my second year with this challenge. In 2025, I chose Medieval (15 books) and ended up with 29 books, though I forgot to share my links. I will do better this year with that. Join me by following this link: http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2025/12/historical-fiction-reading-challenge_053247682.html.

You are welcome to join if you are have participated before or if it is your first time!

Reading Challenge details

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created where you can add the links for the books you have read. To participate, you only have to share your review links!

Everyone can participate! If you don't have a blog you can post a link to your review if it's posted on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram or Amazon, or you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish.

Add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to the monthly post (please use the direct URL that will guide us directly to your review)
Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, History/Non-Fiction, etc.). The link to the monthly post will always be in my sidebar.

During the following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

20th Century Reader - 2 books
Victorian Reader - 5 books
Renaissance Reader - 10 books
Medieval - 15 books
Ancient History - 25 books
Prehistoric - 50+ books

To join the challenge you only need to make a post about it, add your link in Mr. Linky below or just leave a link to your blog if you are not yet ready to post about it yet. If you don't have a blog you can just leave a comment for this post saying that you are joining, and link to your Facebook, Goodreads or other social media page where you will be sharing your reviews.

2026 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge

 

This will be my second year with the challenge. In 2025, I chose Amateur which was 5-15 books and managed to read 19, so I am aiming for Detective (16-25 books). Join me by following this link to sign up: https://carolsnotebook.com/2025/12/01/2026-cloak-and-dagger-reading-challenge-sign-up/

Challenge Rules:

• You can read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime/true crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres.
• You don’t need a blog to participate but you do need a place to post your reviews to link up. (blog, Goodreads, Instagram, etc.)
• Make a goal post and link it back here with your goal for this challenge.
• Books need to be at least 100 pages long. Please no short stories.
• Crossovers with other challenges are fine.
• The Challenge will run from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st. (Sign up ends March 15.)

We still have our facebook group so if you haven’t joined we would love for you to! Here’s the group’s link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/350512171977943/. It’s a closed group so just ask to join and we’ll let you in.

There will be a monthly link-up so we can see what everyone’s reading – and probably add some to our own tbr lists. At the halfway mark and at the end we will have a giveaway for those participating.

We’ll continue to use the hashtag #CloakDaggerChal.

Levels:

5-15 books – Amateur sleuth

16-25 books – Detective

26-35 books – Inspector

36 – 55 books – Special agent

56+ books – Sherlock Holmes – This is my goal for the year.

I also added the challenge on The StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/5b26b77d-0129-4022-93b5-baae5815a06f

Add a link to your sign-up post or Goodreads shelf below or in the comments.

2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge - Title Version

I am going to do this challenge again this year. Join me by following this link: https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/2025/11/29/2026-reading-challenges-hosted-by-escape-with-dollycas-into-a-good-book/

The Alphabet Soup Challenge means that by December 31, 2026

Your bowls must be filled with one book for each letter of the Alphabet.

Each Letter Counts As 1 Spoonful

Details

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2026, until December 31st, 2026.

You can join anytime. You do not have to post a review of the book. Books can come from any genre.

Children’s Books and Novellas are acceptable, but they need to be over 50 Pages. 

You do not need to link up each spoonful.

Grab a notebook, make a page, a post, or a GoodReads shelf to keep track of your spoonfuls. I keep track of mine on my Reading Challenges Page.

Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged!

It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book with a title that starts with every letter of the alphabet.

You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles as shown below.

The First Main Word Needs To Be
The Letter You Are Counting 

Except for that pesky Q, X, AND Z titles, then the word that starts with the challenge letter can be the first letter of any word in the title. This year, I will continue to allow book titles starting with EX for the X prompt.

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.

A – How I plan to do it: Make a list from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

OR

B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet, and check them off as you read them.

As requested, the 2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge has been added to Storygraph as another way to keep track of your reads.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/6cf5d67b-ad85-4139-ba04-801b20bd648c

 

Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – and audio – are acceptable for this challenge!

Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads.com to help you keep track!  It is super easy. Just click the MY BOOKS tab at the top of the page. When that page opens, just click – ADD A SHELF in the left-hand sidebar. Title it Alphabet Soup Challenge, and you are all set. 

If you post about your books on Social Media, please use this hashtag #AlphabetSoupChallenge

Follow Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book, as there may be special announcements made about the challenge.

There is also a very active group on Facebook where you can share your books read and converse with others taking part in the challenge. Alphabet Soup Challenge 

You can share your accomplishments throughout the year there. Right now, they are finishing this year’s challenge, but it will switch over to the new year on January 1. 

I am asking everyone to sign up using Google Forms. Sign Up Here. This way, I have your emails in case I need to contact you about any changes to the challenge or about special events. 

In 2021, we added Monthly Mini-Challenges that have been a lot of fun!

If you would like to take part in these mini-challenges, be sure to join the Facebook Group!

IMPORTANT – You must fill out a form to join the challenge before joining the Facebook Group and be sure to answer the group membership questions completely or your request for membership to the group will be declined.

2026 What an Animal Reading Challenge

I have decided to take on this challenge again. In 2025, I selected Level 3 which is 13-20 books. As I almost made it to 20, I am upping my goal to Level 4 (20+). Join me by following this link: https://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/11/what-animal-reading-challenge-2026-sign.html.

The challenge will begin on January 1, 2026 and end on December 31, 2026.

The rules are really simple. 

1. Any book read for this challenge has to have an animal that plays a major role in the book (which could be fiction or non-fiction.) It also counts if a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like). In the past, books would qualify if an animal is in the title or on the cover, but that alone no longer qualifies. This challenge is for books related to animals and just because they are in the title or on the cover, doesn't mean it's about an animal. 

These are the levels.

Level 1 - Read 6 books

Level 2 - Read 7-12

Level 3 - Read 13-20 

Level 4 - Read 21 or more

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...

3. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.

4. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.

5. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).

6. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.

7. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to. If you don't have a blog, just post in the comment section that you'd like to join. You can post your books in there. Or you can sign up by joining my group on Goodreads for this challenge by clicking here.

8. Books can be in any format of your choice (print, audio, ebooks)

9. To sign up, use the Mister Linky below. There will be links for reviews and wrap posts later.

2026 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

 

I did not do so well in 2025, but I hope to meet my goal in 2026. My level will be Silver (25 books). Join my at this link: https://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/11/2026-netgalley-and-edelweiss-reading.html

Welcome to the 
NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge!

What the challenge is all about…

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the number of NetGalley/Edelweiss books sitting on your shelf to be read?
Have you lost your 80% rating and would love to get it back?
Do you want to challenge yourself to read more NetGalley/Edelweiss books?
Do you need extra inspiration to achieve that next badge?

If the answer is “YES” to any of these questions then this is the challenge for you!

Challenge guidelines… 

• The challenge runs from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026. There is no deadline to sign up.
• Everyone is welcome to participate – you do not need to have a blog.
• Any genre, release date, length, etc. counts – it just needs to be a book from NetGalley or Edelweiss.
• Books can count for more than one challenge that you are participating in.
• The first day of each month I will post a monthly “link-up” for you to link your reviews. If you forget one month, no worries, just catch up the next month.
• Questions: Feel free to leave a comment below.

The Levels…

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum – 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books

To sign-up…

• Make a blog post stating the level you intend to read in 2026 and link that blog post to Mr. Linky below.  The first Link should be your name, the url should be the direct link to that blog post, not your main blog page.
• If you do not have a blog then state your reading level in the comments below and how you will be sharing your book reviews.
• Last but not least, be sure to come back every month and link in those reviews. This is really the hardest part – remember to do the monthly “link-ups”! 

I'm looking forward to another fun year of reading!

2026 Audiobook Challenge sign up

 

I am taking this challenge again this year and will stick with level My Precious (30+ audiobooks).

The 2026 Audiobook Challenge, hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer and That’s What I’m Talking About. Choose your level and get those audiobooks ready. JIAM is back for June, and we’ll be hosting a special month long challenge. Grab your earbuds, decide on your goals, and sign up below!

Use hashtag #2026AudiobookChallenge on social media to alert others to your listens and progress! 

Challenge Details

• Runs January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026. You can join at any time.
• The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2026 than you did in 2025.
• Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
• All genres count.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, etc. I recommend creating a shelf on Goodreads titled 2026 Audiobook Challenge. You can keep track and link the shelf.
• Grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. You can post on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, your blog etc. about the challenge.
• Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be July 4, 2026, and the last update will take place on December 26, 2026. You’ll have one week to link up and share your progress and enter giveaway

Achievement Levels

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
• Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
• Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+
• The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+
• I Can’t Hear You (earbuds always in) 125-150
• Audibly Addicted ( listening to all the books 24/7) 150+

Mini-Audiobook Challenge News!!

June is Audiobook Month, and we’ll have a special mini-challenge just for the month. Anyone can sign up. You’ll have chances to win audiobooks for finishing an audio series (3 audiobooks), tackling audiobooks from your TBR pile or listening to 3 audiobooks from your library. Sign-up will post April 25, 2026!

Link up and Join the 2026 Audiobook Challenge!