2026 EBC Monthly Newsletters
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Welcome to the 2026 Extreme Book Challenge!
CATEGORY #1: A BOOK PUBLISHED IN 2025
What better way to kick off a new year than by celebrating the very best of the last one? Category #1 challenges you to read a book published in 2025, a perfect excuse to catch up on any buzzy titles you may have missed before the calendar flipped.
The 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards Readers’ Favorite Fiction winner, My Friends by Fredrik Backman, is a heartfelt exploration of connection, loneliness, and the quiet ways people save one another. If you’re looking for a moving read to start the year, this is a perfect place to begin.
CATEGORY #2: THE FINAL BOOK IN A SERIES
There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of finishing a series. Category #2 challenges you to read the final book in a series, whether you’ve been eagerly awaiting the conclusion or putting it off because you don’t want it to end.
Fantasy fans can dive into The Atlas Complex, the third and final installment of Olivie Blake’s wildly popular Atlas Trilogy. Secrets are revealed, loyalties are tested, and the high-stakes world of magical academia reaches its thrilling conclusion. If you’ve been meaning to finish this series, consider this your sign—it’s time to see how it all ends.
CATEGORY #3: A BOOK SET IN THE FUTURE
Looking ahead? Category #3 invites you to read a book set in the future. These stories imagine what the world might become, often revealing just as much about the present as they do about what lies ahead.
In her 2025 debut novel Local Heavens, K.M. Fajardo offers a futuristic reimagining of The Great Gatsby, blending classic themes of love, longing, and excess with a bold speculative twist. Familiar characters and motifs are transformed through a forward-looking lens, creating a story that feels both nostalgic and strikingly new.
CATEGORY #4: A DEBUT BOOK BY A BIPOC AUTHOR
Category #4 highlights new voices and fresh perspectives by challenging readers to pick up a debut novel by a BIPOC author. These first books often bring bold ideas, unique storytelling, and unforgettable introductions to authors we’ll be reading for years to come.
isten to Your Sister by Neena Viel is a chilling debut that blends speculative horror with sharp social commentary. As fear, family, and survival collide, Viel crafts a tense and unsettling story that lingers long after the final page. Fans of thought-provoking horror won’t want to miss this powerful first novel.
In February we celebrate Black History Month! Each title selected this month celebrates contributions made by some of my favorite contemporary and classic black authors.
CATEGORY #5: A FRIENDS TO LOVERS ROMANCE:
You know the drill, dear reader, it’s February. That means it’s Valentine’s Day. This is my obligatory romance recommendation as your resident romance hater.
Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi is a smart, heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance that explores the messy space between friendship and something more. With sharp humor and emotional depth, Obuobi captures the excitement—and terror—of realizing your best friend might also be your soulmate.
CATEGORY #6: A BOOK PUBLISHED IN THE YEAR OF THE FIRE HORSE
Happy Lunar New Year! 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, a sign associated with passion, intensity, and independence. Any book published between February 17th and the end of the year fits neatly into this category!
Roxane Gay’s Bad Feminist is a bold, thoughtful collection of essays that examines culture, identity, and feminism with honesty and nuance. Gay’s voice is sharp, personal, and deeply influential, making this a powerful pick to mark the start of a fiery new year.
CATEGORY #7: AN AUTHOR’S MAGNUM OPUS:
The term Magnum Opus is Latin for “great work,” and commonly celebrates an artist’s most significant creation. Though somewhat subjective, there are certainly titles that are undeniably an author’s masterpiece.
Passing by Nella Larsen is widely regarded as her masterpiece. This slim but devastating novel explores race, identity, and belonging during the Harlem Renaissance, following two women navigating the dangerous line between who they are and who the world believes them to be.
CATEGORY #8: A BOOK WITH A FEMALE PROTAGONIST THAT ISN’T A ROMANCE
Now that Valentine’s Day is in our rearview, we can start looking ahead to women’s history month, which is right around the corner!
One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon is a gripping psychological thriller centered on a woman who begins to question the unsettling perfection of her new community. With a sharp focus on race, class, and autonomy, this novel offers a compelling female-led story—no romance required.
Still stuck under that February snow? Check out these March reads to keep you company until we finally thaw out.
CATEGORY #9: A BOOK SET IN A SMALL TOWN:
Small towns may seem quiet on the surface, but beneath that calm exterior are often stories full of complexity, longing, and deeply human connection.
In The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong crafts a lyrical and emotionally rich story set in a small town where personal histories and present realities intertwine. Known for his poetic prose, Vuong explores themes of identity, family, and belonging with tenderness and precision, revealing how even the smallest places can hold the biggest emotions.
CATEGORY #10: A BOOK-TO-SCREEN ADAPTATION:
There’s something special about seeing a favorite book come to life on screen. With so many exciting adaptations in development, now is the perfect time to read the book before everyone starts talking about it.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe follows Margo, a young single mother navigating financial instability, internet fame, and the complicated reality of building a life on her own terms. Equal parts funny, heartfelt, and painfully honest, this novel captures the uncertainty of adulthood in a rapidly changing world.
CATEGORY #11: A FAMOUS AUTHOR’S MOST RECENT RELEASE :
It’s always exciting when a beloved author releases something new. Category #11 challenges you to pick up the latest work from an established literary voice.
George Saunders sends readers on an out-of-this-world (literally) journey in Vigil. Readers are launched into a story that begins on its stunning cover, falling onto planet earth and into humanity, landing at the end of someone else’s story. Discussing the complexities of life itself, Saunders presents a case and confronts decisions, religion, and the afterlife (and how to get there). Known for his inventive storytelling and deeply human characters, Saunders delivers a thought-provoking and memorable reading experience.
CATEGORY #12: A BOOK ABOUT A HEALTHCARE WORKER
Healthcare workers have some of the most demanding—and fascinating—jobs imaginable. These stories offer a glimpse into the emotional and psychological realities of life on the front lines of care.
Ward D by Freida McFadden is a gripping psychological thriller set during a night shift in a locked psychiatric ward. As tensions rise and secrets begin to surface, what starts as a routine shift quickly spirals into something far more unsettling. McFadden keeps readers guessing until the very end.