2026 Reading Challenges hosted by
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
It’s that time of year again. Time to wrap up your 2025 Reading Challenges and to start planning your reading challenges for 2026.
Below you will find that I am hosting the 4 Challenges I do every year.
As I join challenges hosted by others, I will share those with you, as well. I have my favorites, as I imagine you do too.
2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge
JUST FOR FUN!
This is my favorite Challenge!
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.
For example:
A –Anatomy of an Alibi: A Novel by Ashley Elston
B – A Bitter Cut (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber
C – The Crossroads by C. J. Box
Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – and audio – are acceptable for this challenge!
Bloggers grab the image below and make a post about the challenge to encourage others to join!
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!
FILL OUT THIS FORM WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE
2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge – Author Edition
Just for Fun!
It’s An Alphabet Challenge!
Start keeping track of your authors, and by December 31, 2026
your bowls must be filled by one author for each letter of the Alphabet.
Be sure to include the book title, too.
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.
You do not need to link up each spoonful.
Make a page or a post or a GoodReads shelf where you will keep track of your spoonfuls. I keep track of mine on my Challenge Page.
Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged!
It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book that has an author whose first name, middle, or last name starts with every letter of the alphabet.
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 on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the authors with the book you read to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find authors/books to fit.
OR
B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet.
For example:
A – Annie McEwen – Yule Regret It (Northwoods Mysteries)
C – Carlene O’Connor – Murder at an Irish Session
Z- Zara Evans – Hunting Darkness
Ready to join??
Bloggers grab the image below and make a post about the challenge to encourage others to join!
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 Author Edition Challenge, and you are all set.
As requested, this challenge has been added to Storygraph. https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/84d0f727-fbe2-4b96-891c-cf96b30bfef1
Follow Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book, as there may be special announcements made about the challenge.
If you post about your books on Social Media, please use the hashtag #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge
There is a very active group on Facebook for this challenge where you can share your books read and converse with others taking part in the challenge. Alphabet Soup – Author Edition – Challenge – You can share your accomplishments throughout the year there.
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.
FILL OUT THIS FORM WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE
2026 LITERARY ESCAPES CHALLENGE
JUST FOR FUN!
Challenge Runs from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
Challenge – Try to read 1 book set in each of the 50 states + the District of Columbia. (51 Points). If you complete the challenge, you earn 50 Bonus Points. You can also earn Bonus Points for books set in Countries around the world. 1 Bonus Point for each country. (No repeats – only 1 point can be earned for each country.)
Your books can be fiction or non-fiction and can be in any format, print, digital, or audio.
So, how do you decide what state a book is categorized under?
1. In a fiction read, it would be the State or Country that the book spends the most time in. (Ie. If your main character is from Wisconsin but the book is all about his/her time in college in California, the book should be categorized under California….)
2. Nonfiction reads are categorized in whatever State or Country it is about, or the topic takes place; for a book about fly fishing in Colorado is a Colorado point, and a book about women in Afghanistan is an Afghanistan point.
3. If the book goes from one state to another… go with the state where most of the time is spent.
The way you keep track is up to you. I like making the map to visualize where I have been and where I need to go, but I also keep a list on Reading Challenges Page. Here are directions on how to create a map. – http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Google-Map. You do not have to just use Google Maps, you can use a map program you choose.
Or just use this list:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
On my list, I link to the review posted on my blog, but this is not a requirement. In fact, you do not need to be a blogger to participate. You can keep your list anywhere.
As requested, this challenge will be added to Storygraph. https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/2a5e9deb-0a79-4594-b68a-586179852032
Bloggers, please grab the graphic above and
post about this challenge on your blog.
If you post about your books on Social Media, please use the hashtag #LiteraryEscapes
To sign up just fill out this form.
I have found people like to share and communicate about the challenge and their progress, so I have set up a Facebook Group for that purpose.
Please join the group to share your reads
and see what others are reading.
Literary Escapes Facebook Group
FILL OUT THIS FORM WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE OR WHEN WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE YEAR.
2026 Craving For Cozies Reading Challenge
with Library Card Mini- Challenge
JUST FOR FUN!
Cozy mysteries, also referred to simply as “cozies”, are a sub-genre of crime fiction mysteries in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. The crime-solver is an amateur sleuth, usually but not always a woman, who is thrust into the aftermath of the murder. The protagonist frequently has an occupation or hobby that brings appealing information to the reader.
Challenge – Read as many cozy mysteries as you can in 2026!
The challenge runs from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.
Rules
1. Choose the level at which you would like to participate:
Levels
- Peckish – 1 – 25 Cozy Mysteries
- Famished – 26 – 51 Cozy Mysteries
- Yearning – 51 – 75 Cozy Mysteries
- Starving – 76 – 100 Cozy Mysteries
- Ravenous – 101 – 125 Cozy Mysteries
- Voracious – 126 – 150 Cozy Mysteries
- Overindulged – 151 – 200 Cozy Mysteries
- Pigged Out – 201 or more Cozy Mysteries
You can always go up a level, but you can’t go down.
2. You can Feed Your Need To Read with print, digital, or audiobooks.
3. You do not have to post a review, but the authors would appreciate it if you did. If you need help, just let me know.
4. You do not need to have a blog to participate. If you do have a blog, use the button below, add it to your blog, and post about the challenge.
5. Join the Craving for Cozies Facebook Group here and share your progress with everyone.
6. Follow Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book (right sidebar) for cozy giveaways and reviews.
7. You can 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 Craving for Cozies Challenge, and you are all set.
8. SIGN UP HERE!
The form has a spot to request a copy of your responses so you can save it and be able to refresh your memory as to which level you signed up for.
If you post about your books on Social Media, please use the hashtag #CravingCozies
FILL OUT THIS FORM WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE OR WHEN WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE YEAR.
An Optional Mini Challenge
Please List the Title and the Author
A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR WHO HAS PASSED AWAY
A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR WITH AN ALLITERATIVE NAME (Cleo Coyle, Cate Conte, etc.)
A BOOK SET OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES
A BOOK SET IN ALASKA OR ARKANSAS
A BOOK BY A NEW TO YOU AUTHOR
A BOOK SHORTER THAN 200 PAGES
A BOOK THAT IS MORE THAN THE 7TH BOOK IN A SERIES
A BOOK THAT TAKES PLACE OVER A HOLIDAY
A BOOK CLASSIFIED AS A HISTORICAL COZY MYSTERY
A BOOK THAT HAS BEEN ON YOUR TO-BE-READ STACK FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS
A BOOK WITH PARANORMAL ELEMENTS
A BOOK WHERE A PET PLAYS A PROMINENT ROLE
This mini-challenge is completely optional; instead of a different one each month, this will be a year-long one.
You can set your own schedule just as long as you complete it by December 31, 2026.
This is the Craving for Cozies Library Card Challenge. You must “check out” a book that fits each prompt on your Library Card.
You can print out the picture above to keep track of books for the challenge or use the simple list above.
As I said, this is completely optional.
When you complete the Library Card Mini Challenge – FILL OUT THIS FORM
I will choose at least 1 winner in January 2027 from all who complete the challenge.
As requested, the Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge, including the bonus Craving for Cozies Library Card, has been added to Storygraph. https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/17114856-b09f-4802-8b9b-2dcddc8d594a
If you have joined my reading challenges before, I hope you will join again and tell your friends!
If you haven’t done a reading challenge in the past, I hope you will give one or more of these a try.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Happy Reading!
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