In spite of being a slacker host, I'm having fun hosting this challenge, so I'm bringing it back for 2026. The rules are the same as they've always been. I hope you'll join me for this no pressure, totally chill reading challenge. Spread the word to your bookish, bloggish friends. The more, the merrier. 

Toe in the Door: 1-10 books read

Picking and Perusing: 11-20 books read

Lost in the Stacks: 21-30 books read

Living in the Library: 30+ books read

I'm an overachiever, so I'm aiming for the Living in the Library level again this year. 

Reviews aren't required, but they're always nice. I, for one, am perpetually on the lookout for more bookish books and reviews help me to know which are worth the read. So, I'll put a monthly linky up so we can all see what we're reading for the challenge. 

You don't have to have a blog to participate, but it's helpful to keep a list of books read for the challenge somewhere. Mine will be listed under the "Reading Challenges" tab here at BBB.

If you need ideas for the challenge, I've started a Goodreads list to help. I'm sure there are others there with a similar theme. 

The challenge will run from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. You can sign up any time during the year, starting now, but only books finished after the starting date count for that year's challenge.

Challenges are more fun with friends, so please join me. Feel free to grab the challenge button, post about the challenge on your blog, and help me spread the word.

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026.

2. Since this isn't a competition and we're just playing for fun, not prizes or even acclaim, books of any length count (as long as they fit one of the prompts). All genres and formats are allowed. 

3. Don't overthink or stress out about the prompts. If a book fits-ish a prompt, that's totally fine, but a book should only be used once (unless you're going rogue and just doing things your own way). I'm all about being flexible and laidback!

4. 50 prompts can be overwhelming, so let's break it down:

Level One: 1-10 books

Level Two: 11-20 books

Level Three: 21-30 books

Level Four: 31-40 books

Level Five: 41-50 books

You can sign up at any level you'd like and even change levels mid-challenge if you need to.

5. Reviews aren't required, but I always like to get suggestions for prompts and for good reads. I will publish a challenge post at the beginning of each month with a form for review links. If you post one, I promise to come give it some love. On second thought, I'm not going to bother with a monthly review link. Too much work. Feel free to post links to your reviews in the comments on this post, though, and I will stop by and give them some love!

Easy peasy, right? 

Here are the prompts... 

Read a book with a cover that includes:

1.  a scene you would like to step into for a day

2.  the word "house" or "home" in the title

3. your favorite food or drink 

4. a subtitle

5. a chalkboard

6. an animal that is often ridden by humans (horse, mule, camel, etc.)

7. a mythical creature (unicorn, dragon, centaur, etc.)

8. someone holding food or a drink in their hand(s)

9. a compound word in the title or author's name (the compound word needs to be made up of two real words, but the resulting word does not have to be a real word, like buttermore, Shellman, etc.)

10. someone in a uniform of some kind

11. the author's picture on the front cover

12. something a chef might use (apron, toque, spatula, pots and pans, etc.)

13. the name of a flower in the title or author's name

14. an adverb in the title

15. a car's headlights shining in the darkness

16. ice in some form ("ice" in the title, ice cubes, frozen pond/rink, glaciers, etc.)

17. a timepiece

18. a palindrome in the title or author's name

19. the name of a bird in the title

20. a title that does not include the words "and" or "the"

21. a bridge

22. a title word or author's name you don't know how to pronounce correctly

23.  a mug or teacup

24. a bell of some kind (doorbell, jingle bells, cowbell, etc.)

25. something you might see in a house of worship (stained glass windows, scriptures, cross, menorah, priest, etc.)

26. something you associate with pirates (Jolly Roger, eyepatch, parrot, etc.)

27. someone with facial hair

28. an adjective that is often used to describe the weather (stormy, sunny, windy, cloudy, etc. in the title or author's name 

29. a watercraft

30. something you might use for a home improvement project (tools, paint, nails, etc.)

31. someone reading 

32. a word from the military alphabet in the title (https://militaryalphabet.net/)

33. at least one person using a medical or mobility device (wheelchair, cane, hearing aids, insulin pump, etc.)

34. an honorific in the title or author's name (Miss, Mrs., Doctor., Your Highness, etc.)

35. a telephone (rotary or cell) or a telephone booth

36. someone who is barefoot

37. an alliterative title (A Christmas Carol, Legacy of Lies, Forever Friends, etc.)

38. punctuation of some sort in the title

39. somewhere you could happily sit and read all day

40. an X, Y, or Z in the author's name

41. an umbrella

42. a computer

43. a title or cover art with the name of a road or street (Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah, The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark, etc.)

44. minimal cover art/design

45. someone with red hair

46. one of the weapons from the board game Clue (candlestick, dagger/knife, lead pipe, rope, revolver/pistol, wrench)

47. one or more balloons

48. a creepy old house or building

49. someone with painted fingernails or toenails

50. a noun in the author's name (Amanda Flower, Cherie Priest, Stephen King, etc.)

If you'd like a printable version of the prompts, here it is:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14l3U9PNB6HrzlKoT4SV6EQh5VnpjsAaVIb8VERYkdt8/edit?usp=sharing

So, what do you think? Want to join me for the 2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge? Use the form below to sign up: