Welcome to the Best of the Best Books Reading Challenge! We picked the best of the best books to help you reach your summer reading goal, win prizes, and look cute doing it. Spend your summer reading with Lit Hub!

THE RULES:

1. Every two(ish) weeks we’ll pick from a new list. You pick a book from that list and read it in the allotted time period. (You don’t need to read every book on the list, just one will do!).

2. When the challenge is over, we’ll send you a form you can fill out to let us know which books you read—so make sure you sign up to receive emails. You must fill out the form to be entered into the prize raffle!

3. Everyone who reads a book from each list will be entered into the raffle. If you also read a book from the bonus list, you’ll earn two raffle entries!

4. 25 winners will be chosen at random to receive prizes.

THE PRIZES:

• Everyone gets free, printable bookmarks! Print your exclusive 2026 Best of the Best Books Reading Challenge bookmarks here!

• 10 winners will receive a free Lit Hub hat

• 10 winners will receive a free Lit Hub Joan Didion tote bag

• 5 winners will receive a $50 Bookshop.org gift card

THE SCHEDULE:

5/28: Great Classic Novels Under 200 Pages

6/11: The Greatest Summer Novels of All Time

6/25: What the New York Times Missed

7/9: The Best Contemporary Novels Under 200 Pages

8/13: The Greatest Coming-of-Age Novels

9/3: The Best Campus Novels from the Last 100 Years

BONUS: The Best Contemporary Novels Over 500 Pages

Read a book from the bonus list to earn an extra entry into the prize raffle!

Ribbon, bookmark and header designs by Melanie Zhgenti

*By entering this reading challenge, I agree to receive promotional emails from Lit Hub. Prizes are available to to U.S. entrants only.