2026 Reading Challenge - Chapters & Chai Book Club
Welcome to the Chapters & Chai Reading Challenge 2026. This challenge aims to do a few things: Diversify your reading, build a daily reading habit, and to engage more intentionally.
I was inspired by challenges such as 75 Booked created by @emilypaigebooks and the Anti-Brain Rot Reading Challenge by @thisstoryaintover , and by my own 2026 reading goals, and hopes for 2026.
The challenge can be carried out in two ways: ‘Easy’ mode involves 12 prompts (equating to one prompt a month - and you can apply multiple books to one prompt) and ‘Challenge’ mode which involves 24 prompts (equating to two prompts a month - with only one book per prompt).
You can join the challenge by following us on Instagram @chaptersandchai_bookclub_ and tagging us in any challenge-related posts, and you can use the hashtag #chaptersandchaireadingchallenge too!
Read on for full challenge details!
Chapters & Chai 2026 Reading Challenge - Starting January 1st 2026
Daily Reading & Logging
Inspired by 75 booked, the Chapters & Chai 2026 Reading Challenge involves daily reading, and daily journaling/logging of your reading sessions. My daily reading rule will be a little bit more generous, aiming to read for any amount of time you have spare, but I would encourage you to replace your social media doomscrolling for reading, and read outside of your bed where you can!
Keep a physical record of your reading - log the book you read, how long you read for that day or how many pages you read, and some short notes/thoughts. This helps you to read more intentionally and recall the things you’ve read!
You can also pair your reading sessions with some hydration time - aim to drink a bottle (or at least a glass) of water as you read.
Diversify your Reading
It’s all-too easy to stick to your favourite or familiar genres and authors, but I think there is something really great about stepping outside of your comfort zone and picking up books you usually wouldn’t gravitate towards! This helps you find new authors, genres, and to read about people and subjects you wouldn’t usually come across.
Many of our reading prompts encourage you to read more diversely - whether it’s by Authors of colour, LGBTQIA+ authors, or books that have broader representation such as Queer Romance or Disability Rep. I would also encourage you to look at your bookshelves and see what kind of balance or imbalance you may have. Are there more men than women? Does one particular genre take up the most space? Do you have authors from a variety of backgrounds?
Engage More Intentionally
Intentionality is one of my “words for 2026” - essentially something I want more of in my life in 2026. What this means for me, is that I want to be much more intentional about the media I consume, and the time I spend - so less doomscrolling, more reading, or more time spent going a little deeper into the books I read, movies I watch, or interests I have, and more time connecting with people.
You can interpret this idea however you like, but as an example, you could do some of the following: journal about the books you read, read or watch author interviews, read some essays or watch some video-essays relevant to the topics you encounter in your books (for example, if I were to read ‘The Only Good Indians’ by Stephen Graham Jones, I would seek to learn more about the Blackfeet Tribe. Or if I were to read a book from a Palestinian author, I would look for their interviews or learn more about their experience in Palestine. You could even learn more about fantasy world-building, or find some creative writing prompts to try out some writing for yourself).
We can, of course, continue engaging together at book club, and even set up some additional buddy reads throughout the year! If you’re more quiet at book club, try engaging more in the discussions and sharing your perspective, and continue listening to other people’s thoughts too.
If you want to go a step further, try to be more intentional with the books you buy. 75 Booked encourages a 75-day book buying ban, but perhaps at the very least, maybe aim to read through your current physical TBR alongside the book club books (if your TBR is anything like mine, you’ll have plenty to read!)
Complete the Prompts
The ‘Easy’ version of the reading challenge involves 12 prompts which equates to one book a month, but you can apply more than one prompt to one book (For example, if you read a feminist non-fiction, you could tick off Feminist, and Non-Fiction).
The full challenge involves 24 prompts which equates to two books a month, and your aim will be to read something different for every single prompt.
See the prompts below!
Chapters & Chai Reading Prompts (Easy Mode - 1 prompt a month)
1. Read a non-fiction book
2. Read the book that has been on your shelf for the longest (or for more than a year)
3. Read a translated fiction novel
4. Read an author’s debut novel (bonus point if it was published in 2026)
5. Read a classic or modern classic novel
6. Read a book by a Black author
7. Read a book recommended to you by a bookseller
8. Read a book by an indigenous author
9. Read a Feminist Fiction or Non-Fiction book
10. Read a book written by an LGBTQIA+ author
11. Read a novella / a book under 200 pages
12. Read a book recommended to you by someone at book club
Chapters & Chai Reading Prompts (Challenge Mode - 2 prompts a month)
All of the above prompts plus…
13. Read a collection of short stories or essays (fiction or non-fiction)
14. Read an LGBTQIA+ Romance
15. Read a book with Disability Rep
16. Read a Sci-Fi or Fantasy
17. Read a book written by a Palestinian author
18. Read a Horror or Thriller
19. Read a banned book
20. Read a Gothic or Historical Fiction
21. Read a book written by a Latinx author
22. Read a dystopian book
23. Read a book written by a South or South East Asian author
24. Read a Poetry book or a Play
For more detailed explanations of the Reading Prompts, as well as some book suggestions, you can read the Chapters & Chai 2026 Reading Challenge - Prompts blog post.
I’m so excited to try this challenge with you all! Again, you can join the challenge by following us on Instagram @chaptersandchai_bookclub_ and tagging us in any challenge-related posts, and you can use the hashtag #chaptersandchaireadingchallenge too!
Happy Reading!
Keeley
