The standard Goodreads challenge (read X books this year) works for some people but can reduce reading to numerical achievement. Better challenges expand taste, expose you to new perspectives, and make you a more adventurous reader.

Here are reading challenges worth trying in 2026.

The Geographic Challenges

Read a book from every continent. Seven books total (or six if you skip Antarctica, though there are books set there). Requires some planning but expands global perspective.

Suggestion: Use this as an excuse to explore translated literature from regions you’re unfamiliar with.

Read only Australian books. For readers in Australia or interested in Australian literature, commit to a year of local reading. Harder than it sounds when international bestsellers dominate shelves.

Read books from 50 different countries. Ambitious version of the continent challenge. Will require research and intention but massively expands worldview.

Read a book set in every Australian state/territory. Eight books total. Good for understanding Australia’s literary geography.

The Diversity Challenges

Read only books by women. If you’re a man who realizes his reading skews heavily male, flip it for a year. See what you’ve been missing.

Read only books by men. Less common need, but if your reading is accidentally gendered in the other direction, balance it out.

Read across the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Seek out books by and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and other LGBTQ+ experiences. Both fiction and memoir.

Read only authors of color. For white readers whose default is white authors, this actively counters the publishing industry’s historical and current bias.

Read disabled authors and disability narratives. Disability is underrepresented in publishing. Actively seek these voices.

Age diversity. Read debut authors under 25 and established authors over 70. See how perspective shifts with life stage.

The Genre Challenges

Read one book from every major genre. Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery/crime, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, historical fiction, memoir, biography, history, science, philosophy, poetry, graphic novel, short story collection.

That’s at least 16 books covering territory you might usually avoid.

Read only one genre. Deep dive into mystery, or romance, or sci-fi. Understand the genre’s conventions, evolution, and range.

Read genres in historical order. Start with ancient epics, move through medieval romance, 18th-century novels, 19th-century realism, modernism, postmodernism, contemporary. See how narrative forms evolved.

Read only debut novels. Support new voices and see what’s emerging in contemporary fiction.

Read only books that won major awards. Booker, Pulitzer, National Book Award, Miles Franklin, etc. This is somewhat elitist but exposes you to acclaimed work.

The Format Challenges

Read only ebooks. If you’re a physical book purist, see what digital offers.

Read only physical books. If you’re primarily digital, return to paper for a year.

Listen to 52 audiobooks. One per week. See if audiobooks work for you.

Read only graphic novels. Explore the form in depth. There’s more range than you think.

Read only short story collections. No novels, just short fiction. Discover how the form works.

Read only poetry. A poem a day, or a poetry book a month. Let poetry become daily practice.

The Time-Based Challenges

Read only books published in 2026. Stay completely current. Hard mode: only debut authors in 2026.

Read only classics (pre-1950). Catch up on canonical literature. See what holds up and what doesn’t.

Read chronologically backward. Start with 2025 books, then 2024, 2023, etc. See how recent history shaped writing.

Read a book from each decade of the 20th century. 10 books spanning 1900-2000, see how the century unfolded through literature.

Speed reading challenge. Read a book every day for a week/month. Only works if you choose shorter books and have time.

The Constraint Challenges

Read only books recommended by others. Zero self-selected books. Crowdsource your reading list.

Read only books you’ve never heard of. No bestsellers, no recommendations from friends, nothing with mainstream buzz. Pure discovery mode.

Alphabet challenge. Read books by authors whose last names span A-Z. Harder than it sounds (Q, X, Z are difficult).

Rainbow reading. Read books with different colored covers to create a rainbow. Superficial but visually satisfying.

Page count challenge. Read X pages total rather than X books. Rewards longer books.

Read your own bookshelf. Only books you already own. No new purchases until you’ve read what you have.

The Social Challenges

Book club commitment. Join or start a book club, read every selection, attend every meeting.

Buddy reading. Pick 12 books to read simultaneously with a friend, one per month, discuss as you go.

Read books your friends recommend. Ask 12 friends for their favorite book, read all of them.

Reading group challenge. Follow a reading group on Instagram/Goodreads, read their selections, engage with community.

Author follow. Pick an author, read their entire backlist, follow their social media, read interviews, understand their career arc.

The Thematic Challenges

Read only books about a specific topic. Climate change, or grief, or artificial intelligence, or whatever interests you. Deep dive for a year.

Read only funny books. Comedy is underrated in literary culture. Prioritize humor.

Read only sad books. Embrace difficulty and emotional weight. See what sustained melancholy does to your reading.

Read only hopeful books. Optimism and hope as selection criteria.

Read only short books. Nothing over 250 pages. Focus on concision.

Read only long books. Nothing under 500 pages. Embrace immersion.

The Meta Challenges

Read 100 first pages, finish 10 books. Practice starting books, see what hooks you, give yourself permission to quit.

Re-read only. No new books, only revisiting favorites. See what changes on re-reading.

Read one book 12 times. Pick a short book (or long if you’re ambitious), read it once per month, see how repeated reading changes understanding.

Read reviews before and after. For each book, read professional reviews before starting and after finishing. See how critical framing changes your reading.

Combining Challenges

Mix and match: “Read 30 books, all by women, from 15 different countries, including 5 genres I don’t usually read.”

Layering challenges makes them more interesting and prevents them from feeling arbitrary.

Tracking Your Challenge

Goodreads: Custom shelves for tracking specific challenges.

The StoryGraph: Built-in challenge tracking and statistics.

Spreadsheets: Maximum customization, visual satisfaction of filling cells.

Instagram: Document your challenge with photos and reviews, build community.

Journal: Analog tracking with space for reflections.

Why Challenges Work

They create intention. Instead of defaulting to familiar reading, you actively seek new things.

They build habits. Regular reading becomes routine when you’re working toward a goal.

They expand taste. Constraints force you outside comfort zones.

They provide satisfaction. Completing a challenging reading goal feels genuinely accomplishing.

Why Challenges Fail

Too ambitious. Setting unrealistic goals leads to guilt and abandonment.

Too rigid. Overly strict rules make reading feel like obligation rather than pleasure.

Too public. Some people perform reading challenges for social media rather than genuine engagement.

Missing the point. Completing the challenge becomes more important than enjoying the books.

The Right Challenge for You

Consider:

• Your available time. Be realistic about how much you can read.
• Your genuine interests. Don’t challenge yourself toward books you’ll hate.
• Your reading weaknesses. If you never read nonfiction, challenge yourself to read more. If you only read white authors, diversify.
• Your personality. Some people thrive with strict rules; others need flexibility.

Our Recommended Starter Challenge

Read 25 books in 2026, including:

• 5 books by authors from countries you’ve never read from
• 5 books in genres you don’t usually read
• 5 books by debut authors
• 5 books recommended by friends
• 5 books of your own choice

This hits 25 books (one every 2 weeks, achievable), forces some diversity, but maintains flexibility.

The Nuclear Option

Read absolutely everything that interests you with zero constraints or goals.

Sometimes the best challenge is refusing the challenge and reading purely for pleasure.

That’s valid too.

Starting January 1st

Pick one challenge. Write it down. Tell someone (or don’t, if public accountability stresses you).

Read the first book.

See where it takes you.

Adjust as needed. Abandon if it’s not working. Double down if it’s rewarding.

Reading challenges are tools, not mandates. Use them if they serve you.

The point is reading more widely, more deeply, more joyfully.

Everything else is implementation.

Pick your challenge and get started. 2026 awaits.