2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

I love the historical fiction challenge.  Sign-ups are now open for the 2026 challenge and I signed up immediately.  It is once again being hosted by the Intrepid Reader blog.  The host does a great job of posting monthly links for reviews as well as posting an end of month summary of the challenge. While I failed miserably with the challenge in 2025, I am going to sign up again at the Ancient History level which requires me to read 25 books. 

Challenge Rules

 

1. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2026.

2. Any sub-genre of historical fiction is accepted (Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Young Adult, History/Non-Fiction, etc.). 

3. You need to choose a participation level:

Participation Levels

20th Century Reader - 2 books

Victorian Reader - 5 books

Renaissance Reader - 10 books

Medieval - 15 books

Ancient History - 25 books.  (my level of participation)

Prehistoric - 50+ books

4. 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.

5. To join the challenge you only need to make a post about it, add your link in Mr. Linky in the challenge post. 

2025 Key Word Reading Challenge Wrap Up

I was unable to complete the challenge. It's the first time that I have ever not finished it. Life got in the way, unfortunately. However, I did read a few wonderful books for the challenge. If you are interested, you can click on the links below to read my reviews.

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Glass

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

The Guests by Adrienne Leigh

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden 

The Lost Girls by JM Cannon

Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

All the Words We Know by Bruce Nash 

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward 

Favorite Book: The Vanishing Hour

Second Favorite Book:  The Last House on Needless Street

Least Favorite Book:  All the Words We Know

Wrap Up of 2025 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge

I have been participating in the Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge for years. This challenge, as well as the historical fiction challenge, are my favorite challenges. I joined the challenge at the Inspector level of participation which required me to read 26 to 35 books. By the end of the year I managed to read 51 mysteries so this was a successful challenge. Please see below a list of the books I  read along with links to their respective reviews.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly 

Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley

The Verifiers by Jan Pek

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Glass 

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

Fake by Erica Katz

The Pot Thief Who Studied Calvin by J Michael Orenduff

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer 

An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly 

The Art Collector by Susan Bacon

The Petrus Prophecy by Gary McAvoy 

The Medici Return by Steve Berry 

Shadows of Marrakech by Phillip Brebner 

The Bard's Trail by Andy Regan 

High Crimes and Misdemeanors by Laura Childs 

Lava Cakes and Lies by Nova Walsh

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown 

The Guests by Adrienne Leigh

Everything Bundt the Truth by Karen Whalen

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle 

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden 

This Family Lies by JM Cannon 

The Confessions of Pope Joan by Gary McAvoy 

This Blood Runs by JM Cannon 

The List by Steve Berry 

Deeds Left Undone by Ellen Crosby 

The Apostle Conspiracy by Gary McAvoy 

Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier

The Celestial Guardian by Gary McAvoy 

Knife Skills for the Beginner by Orlando Murrin 

The Lost Girls by JM Cannon 

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli 

Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold 

The Doctor's Secret by Cole Baxter 

The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagorus by J Michael Orenduff

The Intruder by Freida 

The Crash by Freida McFadden 

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiroo

Into the Leopard's Den by Harini Nagendra 

Part of the Solution by Elana Michelson 

Edge of Honor by Brad Thor 

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry 

The Last Patient by Tudor Alexander 

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson 

Bad Lands by Preston and Child 

An Inside Job by Dan Silva 

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward 

All the Words We Know by Bruce Nash

The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy by J Michael Orenduff

Favorite Book: The Last House on Needless Street 

Second Favorite Book:  The Retirement Plan 

Least Favorite Book:  The Fury 

2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

I normally read 100+ historical fiction novels every year. 2025 was an anomaly. With only nineteen books read, I am sorely behind in my reading of this genre. There were several top notch books though. You can read my reviews by clicking on the link for each book.

The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli

Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi

The Last Patient by Tudor Alexander

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro

The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Wachtel

Into the Leopard's Den by Harini Nagendra

The Master Jeweller by Reina Dai Randel

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

Lincoln's Lady Spymaster by Gerri Willis

The Way of the Wicked by Mel Starr

The Secret Keeper by Renita D'Silva

Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau

Rising Sun Falling Rain by Trish Devine 

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

The St. Laurent Muse by C.W. Gortner

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Fifer

The Lindens by Barney Jeffries

Favorite Book: The Master Jeweller 

Second Favorite Book: The Keeper of Lost Art 

Honorable Mentions:  The Lindens, Six Days in Bombay, and The Vanishing Bookstore 

Least Favorite Book:  The Sirens 

2026 Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge

The Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge is my favorite reading challenge. In 2025 I read over 50 mysteries which might be an all time high for me. Sign ups are open now for the challenge. It is hosted by Carol at the Carol's Notebook blog. I am signing up at the Special Agent level which requires me to read between 36 and 55 books. 

Challenge Rules:

1. 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.

2. 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.)

3. Make a goal post and link it back to the challenge post with your goal for this challenge.

4. Books need to be at least 100 pages long. Please no short stories.

5. Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

6. The Challenge will run from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st. (Sign up ends March 15.)

7. 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.

8. 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 there will be a giveaway for those participating.

9. 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 (my level of participation)

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

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

2026 Reading By The Numbers Challenge

2026 is the 5th year that the Reading by the Numbers Challenge will be hosted on the My Reader's Block blog. It's easy peasy because any book genre fits the challenge. You are basically linking every book review that you post on your blog. 

Rules: 

1. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2026.

2. There are no pre-set challenge levels. You decide on your personal goal.

3. Books read may be used concurrently with other "number" reading challenges (such as the Goodreads Challenge) or with any other challenge.

4. A blog and reviews of the books are not required to participate, but if you have a blog, please post your sign-up for the challenge and link the post in the form in the challenge post. You are also welcome to link up other media sites where you log process (Instagram; Goodreads; etc.). 

5. Monthly links will be published to link up your reviews.

6. If you post on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to log a book, please use #ReadingByNumbers2026.

2026 Color Coded Reading Challenge

I have participated in this challenge for several years and have enjoyed most of the books that I read. Some were not as enjoyable so I need to be more careful how I choose books. Next year it will be easier to pick them because the rules will allow the color to be be named in the title, in the author's name, or it may appear as the dominant color for the cover of the book. The color category for "implies color" means  the image implying color should dominate the cover--for instance a large rainbow, a field of flowers, or the image of a painter. Once again  the challenge host is the My Reader's Block blog.

General Rules:

1. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2026 and any book read after January 1 may count regardless of when you sign up. You may sign-up any time.

2. Participants must read nine books from the following categories:

A. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue in the title/author name/on the cover.

B. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red in the title/author name/on the cover.

C. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow in the title/author name/on the cover.

D. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green in the title/author name/on the cover.

E. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown in the title/author name/on the cover.

F. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black in the title/author name/on the cover.

G. A book with "White" or any shade of White in the title/author name/on the cover.

H. A book with any other color in the title/author name/on the cover.title/on the cover (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, etc).

I. A book with a word/image that implies color in the title/author name/on the cover. (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Shadow, Paint, Ink, etc).

3. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.

4. To Sign Up please fill in the form in the challenge post. If you have a blog, please post about the challenge on your site and enter the url link. You may also enter a link to a Goodreads or Library Thing list, Instagram, etc. 

5. If you post on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to log a book, please use the hashtag #ColorCoded2026.

2026 Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge

Sign-ups are open for the 2026 Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge. The challenge will be hosted once again by the My Reader's Block blog. This is one of my favorite challenges as I have found new authors (to me) that I enjoy. 

 

The Rules

1. The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2026. All books should be read during this time period. You can sign up at any time. If you have a blog, please post about the challenge. Then sign up via the challenge post form and please make the url link to your challenge post and not your home page. If you don't have a blog, links to an online list (Goodreads, Library Thing, etc.) devoted to this challenge are acceptable OR you may skip that question.

2. All books must be mysteries. Humor, romance, supernatural elements (etc.) are all welcome, but the books must be mysteries/crime/detective novels first.

3. Twelve books, one representing each month, are required for a complete challenge. 

4. To claim a book, it must fit one of the categories for the month you wish to fulfill. Unless otherwise specified, the category is fulfilled within the actual story. for instance, if you are claiming the book for December and want to use "Christmas" as the category, then Christmas figure in some in the plot. 

5. Books may only count for one month and one category, but they may count for other challenges. If it could fulfill more than one category or month, then you are welcome to change it at any time prior to the final wrap-up.

6. Books do not have to be read during the month for which they qualify. So--if you're feeling like a little "Christmas in July" (or May or...), then feel free to read your book for December whenever the mood strikes.  Whew!  This is freeing.

7. A wrap-up post/comment/email will be requested that should include a list of books read and what category they fulfilled. [Example: January: The House of Sudden Sleep by John Hawk (original pub date January 1930)]

8. The headquarters link in the left-hand sidebar of the challenge post will be updated in January for 2026 for easy access to this original challenge post, monthly review link-ups, and the final wrap-up. 

9. If you post on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to log a book, please use this hashtag: #CalendarOfCrime2026.

2026 Nonfiction Reader Challenge

Sign-ups are now open for the 2026 Nonfiction Reader Challenge. The Book'd Out blog is hosting the challenge again. The aim of the Nonfiction Reader Challenge is to encourage you to make nonfiction part of your reading experience during the year. As for myself, I am going to downgrade my participation level to Nonfiction Nibbler which requires me to read just six books. When I signed up for this year’s challenge I had no idea how difficult 2025 would be for me personally. I probably only read half of the books that I planned to read.

You can select, read and review a book from the categories listed below during the year for a total of up to 12 books; OR select, read and review any nonfiction book. A book may be in print, electronic or audio format.

Choose a goal:

Nonfiction Nipper: Read & review 3 books, from any 3 listed categories

Nonfiction Nibbler: Read & review 6 books, from any 6 listed categories

Nonfiction Nosher: Read & review 12 books, one for each category

Nonfiction Grazer: Read & review any nonfiction book. Set your own goal, or none at all, just share the nonfiction you read through the year.

Categories:

History

Memoir/Biography

True Crime

Science

Health

Food

South East Asia

Humour (Humor)

Lost or found

Television

Subculture

Published in 2026

 You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advance. You may combine this challenge with others if you wish. Use your best good faith judgement as to whether a book fits the category or not.

Where a book is identified by more than one category, it may only count for one, not both.

You can read your chosen titles in any order, at any pace, just aim to complete the challenge by December 31st 2026

HOW TO JOIN

Create a blog post committing to your participation in this challenge. If you don’t have a blog you are still welcome to sign up. You can create a shelf for the challenge at Goodreads, LibraryThing or Storygraph, or post via Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky etc. Just add your name and a link to your shelf/account in the sign-up.

The challenge will run from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. Participants may join at any time up until December 1, 2026.

Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, please identify the post by adding either a direct statement and/or the challenge image badge to the post. It’s also helpful if you indicate the category the book fulfills.

Use the hashtag #ReadNonFicChal on social media. You can tag the challenge host on Twitter: @bookdout or Bluesky @shelleyrae.bsky.social or Instagram/Threads: @shelleyrae _bookdout or any of my other social media linked in her sidebar.

Share your review with other challenge participants by including your name or blog name and the category with a direct link to your review in the monthly link.

Bloggers can grab the above badge to use in the challenge posts.

I hope you can join me in this special challenge.

2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition

It's time once again to sign up for the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition. The Escape With Dollycas blog is hosting the challenge in 2026. The rules are easy to follow:

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

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

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

4. You do not need to link up each spoonful.

5. Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged! 

6. The challenge is to read one book with an author surname that starts with every letter of the alphabet. 

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

A - Make a list from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the authors 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 authors, picking one for each letter of the alphabet, and check them off as you read them. 

8. As requested, the 2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge has been added to Storygraph as another way to keep track of your books:  https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/2aa6b63b-7c2d-4f14-b5de-9f507cfbd490. 

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

10. Bloggers can grab the image above and make a post about the challenge to encourage others to join!

11. Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads to help you keep track! 

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

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

14. 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. 

15. To sign up, use Google Forms. Sign Up Here. 

2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

It's time once again to sign up for the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge. The Escape With Dollycas blog is hosting the challenge. The rules are easy to follow:

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

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

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

4. You do not need to link up each spoonful.

5. Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged! 

6. 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 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. Book titles starting with EX can be used for the X prompt.

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

A - 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. 

For example:

 A -Anatomy of an Alibi: A Novel by Ashley Elston

8. 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

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

10. Bloggers can grab the image above and make a post about the challenge to encourage others to join!

11. Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads to help you keep track! 

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

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

14. 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. 

15. To sign up, use Google Forms. Sign Up Here. 

2026 Net Galley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

The Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge returns in 2026!  It is hosted by the Socrates Book Reviews blog. While I only read 5 books for the challenge this year, I hope to increase that count next year by committing to read at least 25 books. 

The Challenge Rules:

1. The challenge runs from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. There is no deadline to sign up.

2. You do not need to have a blog in order to participate.

3. Any genre, release date, length, etc. counts. It just needs to be a book from NetGalley or Edelweiss.

4. Books can count for more than one challenge that you are participating in.

5. Link your reviews every month on the Socrates Book Reviews blog.

6. To sign up make a blog post stating the level you intend to read in 2026 and link that blog post to the challenge post. 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.

Level of Participation

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books  (my level of participation)

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum – 75 Books

Diamond – 100  Books

2026 Key Word Reading Challenge

I love the Key Word challenge and have been participating for years. I am rejoining again in 2026.  The challenge is once again being hosted by the ladies at the Chapter Adventure blog. The requirements are easy. Read one book each month where the title of the book contains one of the key words for that month. You can track your progress through the Goodreads challenge group or on Storygraph! In addition, you can post your book review each month on social media using the hashtag #motifreadingchallenge⁠ and tag @chapter_adventure on Instagram.