2025 End of the Year Wrap Up +New Challenges for 2026

 

How did I do in 2025?

This year I challenged myself to be a Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30. If you want to check out my original post from January, please click here. I'm happy to report that I have successfully met my goal! I listened to 27 audiobooks this year and almost made it all the way to 30.

Here's the list in no particular order:  

1. His Face Is the Sun by Michelle Jabès Corpora
2. Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
3. The Sirens by Emilia Hart
4. Your Knife, My Heart by K.M. Moronova
5. The Finish Line by Kate Stewart
6. Firebird by Juliette Cross
7. Wolf.e by Paisley Hope
8. Anathema by Keri Lake
9. Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell
10. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
11. Onyx Storm (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros
12. The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor
13. House of Flame and Shadow (Part 2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Sarah J. Maas
14. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer 
15. Fan Service by Rosie Danan
16. Exes & Foes by A.M. Woody
17. Exodus by Kate Stewart
18. Flock by Kate Stewart 
19. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
20. Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong
21. Attached at the Hip by Christine Riccio
22. Lightlark by Alex Aster
23. Lights Out by Navessa Allen
24. House of Flame and Shadow (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Sarah J. Maas
25. Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
26. Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
27. When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain

I also participated in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I ambitiously set my goal at 100 and only managed to read 39 books this year. I'm still happy with the progress! I achieved something. 

It's the same list as above with a few additions:

1. I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew
2. The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
3. Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon
4. Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods
5. This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
6. I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
7. The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
8. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
9. Understanding the Mass: 100 Questions, 100 Answers by Mike Aquilina
10. She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke
11. The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon by S.S. Taylor
12. A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

I challenged myself to read 50 books from my physical TBR and only managed 5. I also wanted to challenge myself to read more of my NetGalley books and review them (I'm trying to get the 80% ratio badge) and set my goal for 50. I got about halfway and ended with 23.

New Challenges for 2026

I'm going to do these same four challenges for 2026! I know I can meet these goals and want to push myself this year to make reading more of a focus. I'm always happier when I have time to read and reset during the week. 

Challenge Details

• Runs January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026. You can join at any time.
• The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2026 than you did in 2025.
• Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
• All genres count.
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, etc. I recommend creating a shelf on Goodreads titled 2026 Audiobook Challenge. You can keep track and link the shelf.
• Grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. You can post on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, your blog etc. about the challenge.
• Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be July 4, 2026, and the last update will take place on December 26, 2026. You’ll have one week to link up and share your progress and enter the giveaway

Achievement Levels

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
• Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
• Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
• Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+
• The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+
• I Can’t Hear You (earbuds always in) 125-150
• Audibly Addicted (listening to all the books 24/7) 150+

If you would like to sign up for your very own 2026 Audiobook Challenge, please visit Caffeinated Reviewer or That’s What I’m Talking About. All of the information I used came from Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer.

I'm going to keep my Goodreads reading challenge set at 100. If I replace doom scrolling with reading, I should have no trouble making this one! However, because I got rid of so many of my physical books this year, I'm going to drop my Physical TBR goal down to 25. My NetGalley goal of 50 will remain the same, but hopefully I'm able to do significantly more than that. We'll see how it goes. 😅 Wish me luck!