The Most Read Books of the 2024 Reading Challenge (So Far)

Posted by Cybil on June 3, 2024



It's time once again, gentle readers, for our midyear status check on the annual Goodreads Reading Challenge, in which members pledge to read a designated number of books before the calendar year is out. It’s a relatively straightforward process: Click on over to the 2024 Reading Challenge page, enter in the number of books you plan to devour, then get busy with page-turning. 
 
The numbers are pretty astounding: As of this writing, more than 7 million Goodreads members have signed up for the Challenge, worldwide. Total books pledged: more than 295 million.
 
Below you will find the most popular books being read by Goodreads regulars who have signed up for this year’s Challenge. We’ve sorted the titles by genre, then ranked the titles by overall popularity within the genre. So, for instance, Bonnie GarmusLessons in Chemistry is the most read Historical Fiction book among those taking the 2024 Reading Challenge.
 
Several of the books making the list are relatively recent releases that have crossed over into the general cultural conversation: James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, say, or Barbara Kingsolver’s Pulitzer Prize winner, Demon Copperhead. You’ll also find a good cross section of Goodreads Choice Award winners, such as Emily Henry’s Happy Place, Nita Prose’s The Maid, and Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.  
 
Scroll around below to get a sense of it all, and click on the book cover images for more information about each title. You can also click the link below to check in on your own Reading Challenge progress, or to sign up if you haven’t already. It’s never too late, and the six-month Challenge is a perfectly honorable tradition.

 
 
 

Fiction

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Historical Fiction

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Mystery

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Fantasy

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Science Fiction 

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Horror

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Romance

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Young Adult

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

General Nonfiction

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

How many of these books have you read? Let us know in the comments below!
 

Comments Showing 51-100 of 298 (298 new)


message 51: by Will (new)

Will I’m glad people are picking up “Ninth House”, “Circe”, “Yellowface”, “Babel”, “The Last Thing He Told Me” and “Where the Crawdads Sing” 😊


message 52: by Will (new)

Will And “Hidden Pictures”!


message 53: by Grace (new)

Grace I’ve read 16 on this list. One of my students loaned me a copy of Twisted Love…. It was terrible—- a horrible book for young women to read.


message 54: by Tina (new)

Tina M Read 21, really enjoyed about 7 and glad I read the few before the accompanying tv series/movies were released; enjoyed both but love the comparisons. 4 on my Want To


message 55: by Evelyn (new)

Evelyn McMath I’ve read several of these, but not all of them…I want to read all of them!


message 56: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth I basically have most of these on want to read. I just don't know where to start!


message 57: by book lover (new)

book lover I love this!!! I was looking through the genres and saw that I didn’t have a lot of the books saved As read or want to read. But then I got to the young adults section, and almost all of the books were want to read categories bahahhahah


message 58: by Mel (new)

Mel 5 read, 7 want to read


message 59: by kappa_79 (new)

kappa_79 17 books read so far…very curious about many of these. Just reconciled with reading this year…🤓


message 60: by Sarah (new)

Sarah 18. Good list!


message 61: by Law (new)

Law Law wrote: "I've read 11 from this list. Hello Beautiful, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, The Measure and Lessons in Chemistry are up next. I'm surprised The Women by Kristin Hannah isn't on this list. Whe..."

Update: I've read The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. It was disappointing. Can you recommend me another book?


message 62: by Yilianis (new)

Yilianis I’ve read 21 of these !!!


message 63: by Sophie (new)

Sophie Mitchell Jane wrote: "I am very happy to note that I haven't read a single one of the books which are 'trending'.

Up to this point in time I have read 52 books this year. (My target was 50). Some have been outstanding..."



Same. Haven't read a single one from here haha
Otherwise I have read 61 books so far


message 64: by Ruhun (new)

Ruhun Wasata Read 18 of these. This makes my mind happy to see I have quite a few from this list. Want to read all of them 🤷🏻‍♀️


message 65: by Andrew (new)

Andrew Heitland Haven’t read a single one on the list. But I wrote a list to get at the library and so I’ll get those ones at the library


message 66: by Laura (new)

Laura Read - 18
Want to read - 9


message 67: by Xine (new)

Xine Segalas I've read 23 of these and want to read 51!
Favorites include:
Fiction:
#2 -Tomorrow x 3;
#3 Remarkably Bright Creature
#5 Hello Beautiful
#6 Demon Copperhead
#8 A Little Life

Historical Fiction
#1 Lessons in Chem
#2 Daisy Jones + 6
#7 Carrie Soto
#11 Covenant of Water

Looking forward to more reading!


message 68: by Veronica (new)

Veronica Adderley Read 9 of these


message 69: by Idamus (new)

Idamus Hmm, I am so not a mainstream reader, I have 3 DNF books in that entire list. And 2 I might one day try, but they are low on the list.


message 70: by Tigey (new)

Tigey Daisy wrote: "ooo i love that circe is trending! coupled with hera's story in blood of zeus and medusa's portrayal in the percy jackson tv series, i'm so excited that the woman wronged in greek mythology are fin..."

Did you like it?? It's on my to-read list right now and I haven't spoken to anyone that has read it yet!


message 71: by Sanaa (new)

Sanaa Can you suggest books that contains simple English?
"Romantasy"


message 72: by Arjîn (new)

Arjîn Acar I don't see why Prophet Song would be in the category "Science Fiction"


message 73: by Stacey (new)

Stacey  Read 8 - 22 on my TBR...


message 74: by Michael (last edited Jun 17, 2024 06:28AM) (new)

Michael B. I find it curious that so many who comment on this list find it necesssary to count. I think it may be significant that we replicate the publisher's desire to follow what is popular, but I still find it way more satisfying to read than to count. I am a reader, not a mathmatician. Read on my friends. It is not a competition.


ᖰhiᖱeɭia | ia woah, I've read almost all on the YA list-


maudireads ⋆。°✩. Read 13 want to read 18


message 77: by Jessica (new)

Jessica Jane wrote: "I am very happy to note that I haven't read a single one of the books which are 'trending'.

Up to this point in time I have read 52 books this year. (My target was 50). Some have been outstanding..."


Ditto!


message 78: by Beth (new)

Beth Can't believe more people aren't reading Kristin Hannah's The Women. I was sure it would be on this list!


message 79: by Donald (new)

Donald Grace I have only read three books on this list. Lol Guess my interests are quite a bit than most.


message 80: by Holly (new)

Holly Taggart I’ve read a lot list year but only read about 4 on this list and most were not this year!


message 81: by Jd (new)

Jd I am surprised at some of the big names in romance that are missing.


message 82: by Deb (new)

Deb I have read 8 of these and there is more I want to read!


message 83: by It's Me - Yvette (new)

It's Me - Yvette I’ve read 41 but admit that some are DNF’s. I don’t always love what everyone else seems to. And I’m ok with that!


message 84: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Gartland 17 on this list so far, I'm sure I'll get to more as I own a couple and a few more on my lists


message 85: by Angela (new)

Angela Henderson 18


message 86: by Noilla (new)

Noilla I've read the first two books on the list Mystery, one by one. The Maid series.


message 87: by Noilla (new)

Noilla Sanaa wrote: "Can you suggest books that contains simple English?
"Romantasy""


These aren't "Romantasy" but "Romance". Despite the genre books were written in simple English:
- The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren - romance/comedy,
- Icebreaker by Hannah Grace - erotic romance (very erotic 18+)
- The Hunger games series - fantasy with elements of romance,
- To all the boys I've loved before series - the easiest one.


message 88: by Lee (new)

Lee Hill I've read 36 of these and have some on my tbr :)


message 89: by Jessica (new)

Jessica Kristen wrote: "HUGE fan of Before the Coffee Gets Cold series! So happy to see it made the list!"

I like that one too! I want to read the others in the series but I'm pacing myself, lol.


message 90: by Thelma (new)

Thelma Read 7, WTR 10, DNF 4


message 91: by Natalie (new)

Natalie Jane wrote: "I am very happy to note that I haven't read a single one of the books which are 'trending'.

Up to this point in time I have read 52 books this year. (My target was 50). Some have been outstanding..."


What are some books that you have read that you have enjoyed this year? I'm impressed you have read 52 books so far. I'm very behind in my goal, but hopefully summer is a time to binge read!


message 92: by Uzoamaka (new)

Uzoamaka I've read 7 out of these but there wasn't any that I've shelved to read later on.


message 93: by Lexi T. (new)

Lexi T. Walker I’ve read one of these and want to read 2 more . . . how come the nonfiction section isn’t larger??


message 94: by Heather (last edited Jun 18, 2024 05:13PM) (new)

Heather I've read 44. Several others are on my TBR. Good list.


message 95: by Lee Lee (new)

Lee Lee 13 are on my want to read list but none of them really stand out enough for me right now.


message 96: by Ivan (new)

Ivan Monckton I’ve read only 4 of these books, 2 of which were pretty poor and 2 excellent.


message 97: by Whitteney (new)

Whitteney Shakespier I can't believe you said that!


message 98: by Erica (new)

Erica Read 32, want to read almost all of the rest


message 99: by isuhefu (new)

isuhefu 0 read, 0 want to read


message 100: by Diane (new)

Diane Read 5, plenty of scope :)


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