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

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Historical Fiction

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Mystery

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Fantasy

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Science Fiction 

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Horror

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Romance

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Young Adult

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General Nonfiction

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

Comments Showing 251-298 of 298 (298 new)

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message 251: by Gerry (new)

Gerry Durisin I’ve read 35 of these, and have 5 more on my Want to Read shelf.


message 252: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer Varnadore Amanda Montell also has a couple other books and a podcast called Sounds Like a Cult. I really enjoy her work. Every book I'm read here was well worth the read, and worth the time and effort.


message 253: by chev ۫ ꣑ৎ (new)

chev ۫ ꣑ৎ divine rivals is the list !!!


message 254: by Jeannine (new)

Jeannine I've read 21 of them (not all this year) but added quite a few to my TBR...


message 255: by Maureen (new)

Maureen Vatalaro I’ve read 44 of these books and see a few more to add to my summer reading. I’m happy to see the Murder Mystery series made the list, they were different and enjoyable reads!!


message 256: by OhheyitsK (new)

OhheyitsK Read 31 and want to read 3 more of them. Fantasy/sci-fi/horror are my most populous categories, surprise, suprise haha.


message 257: by slauderdale (new)

slauderdale "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."

This actually makes for a pretty good list. I've read 8, want to read 11. The only one of those books I actually read this year was "Remarkably Bright Creatures," though, and while I enjoyed it and see its appeal (it makes an especially good rec for others), it's not among my favorite books.

Some of the books on this list that I haven't marked, look pretty good and I may get to them at some point, but I am awfully reluctant to add more to-reads just now. Am trying to get those back under 1400 again. ;)


message 258: by Matyáš (new)

Matyáš Matta Blake Crouch for the win! And All the Light We Cannot See, one of the best books I have read in my life, and to say it wasn't even my typical genre... I really wanna read Sea of Tranquility!


message 259: by Eloise (new)

Eloise Hedgecock loved do many of these books and hope to love even more


message 260: by Lucia (new)

Lucia Lisa wrote: "Read - 45
Dnfed -2
Want to Read - 10

Of those ten, I should get to at least five before the year is out. Of the newer books, The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is really good!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE..."


Seriously I would love for them to re-add that!


message 261: by Amanda (last edited Jul 13, 2024 04:34PM) (new)

Amanda Watson 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..."


Normally, I am very much with you on that! Marketing can really push mediocre books into the spotlight. I did, however, end up reading quite a few of these, although the ones I know have been published a long time and are perhaps finding an audience through friend recommendations (e.g. The Secret History or the Bell Jar).

Some of these I did not enjoy in the slightest but a couple were really swell.


message 262: by Lori (new)

Lori French I have read 39. 5 additional are on my TBR list. Interesting to see the categories I'm not interested in.


message 263: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Trotter Read 27 and have 28 marked to read.


message 264: by Demorie (new)

Demorie DeSpain I've read 12 of these and have so many on my tbr! I think the favorite one i've read on this list is Where The Crawdad's Sing!


message 265: by Andrea (new)

Andrea 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..."


I often dislike "trending" books (looking at you Kristin Hannah), but Heaven and Earth Grocery Store left me on the edge of my seat. Sure to be a future classic.


message 266: by Willow (new)

Willow (Taylor's version) 23 read, 31 on my tbr list


message 267: by dele (new)

dele how do i save this article so i can keep coming back to it on the app?


message 268: by Samantha (new)

Samantha Talbott I have read 17 and have 6 that I want to read. Could easily add more TBR


message 269: by Etta (new)

Etta Madden Only 6. But I sure have read a lot this year. I guess I am not trendy!


message 270: by Lauren (new)

Lauren How on earth is Carrie Soto Is Back historical fiction???


message 271: by Samantha (new)

Samantha Linsenbigler Plenty on my list to read but the only once’s I’ve actually read on the list are YA books I read a long time ago and one was a DNF 😅


message 272: by Michelle (new)

Michelle I’ve read 15.5 of these so far, and I own 7 more of them that I haven’t read yet.


message 273: by Christine (new)

Christine Reading #14 from this list. Quite a few are on my WTR list and added some more from this list.


message 274: by Laura (new)

Laura Diamond 47! I need to work on my nonfiction.


message 275: by Erin (new)

Erin I have read 26 and I have 6 that I want to read.


☾ ⋆*・゚Emily (e.clairepages) Read 16 books from this list, but I own a lot of them lol.


message 277: by Nadine (new)

Nadine Read 49 of these and have about 11 in my TBR.


message 278: by Marcy Reads on IG (new)

Marcy Reads on IG I've read 23 of these and DNF'd 2. A bunch I still want to read though. I definitely want to read the 4 I haven't read from the horror section. So many books to catch up on ;)


message 279: by Britni (new)

Britni Oh my goodness - with all that I've read this year, I haven't read any of these...!


message 280: by Dee (new)

Dee Turner I've read 42 but am disappointed there aren't more books written by non-Americans. 1793: The Wolf and the Watchman by Swedish author Niklas Nat och Dag brought us an enhanced Sherlock and Watson with more gore and politico-social commentary, that was the best I've read this year. The Bee Sting, by Irish author Paul Murray, delves into the tragic realities of a "good" marriage. Two books that should be at the top of the list.


message 281: by Pam (new)

Pam Crazy, I have read 33 and want to read 33.


message 282: by madeleine (new)

madeleine I’ve read 103 books this year🫣😬😅


message 283: by Pamela (new)

Pamela I’ve read 27 of these.


message 284: by Tara (new)

Tara Henley Read 39! Want to read = 11


message 285: by Sage (new)

Sage Buchanan I've read one of the books on this list. And the only book that I have read is Fahrenheit 451 as I read it back in High School.


message 286: by Lisa (new)

Lisa I have read 32 of the books on this list, and many more that I want to read.


message 287: by Samantha (new)

Samantha I’ve read 45! Most have been good.


message 288: by Guy (new)

Guy Austin Read 8, and 7 on TBR pile on shelf. But I rarely read Horror or Romance. 😬


message 289: by Eden (new)

Eden Paige 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..."

If you like Circe you should definitely read "The Silence of the Girls". I reckon you'd love it!


message 290: by Iris (new)

Iris I've read 10 and 5 are on my TBR


message 291: by Maria (new)

Maria I have read 22 of the books


message 292: by Diane (new)

Diane Gold Read 5


message 293: by Karissa (new)

Karissa Jackson So far I’ve read 29 of these with 7 on my want to read list. Love looking through these for ideas! ❤️


message 294: by Karen (new)

Karen Downes 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..."


Some absolute rippers on here though - Circe, Farenheit 451, Never Let Me Go, All The Light We Cannot See.


message 295: 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..."

Now, I've read even more. I've read ACOTAR, AGGGTM, Crown of Midnight, The Five-Star Weekend and Throne of Glass. I loved Dune. Babel was okay. Can you recommend me more books to read from this list?


message 296: by Eden (new)

Eden Gills Konnovitch Read 36 of these! Want to Read 31!


message 297: by Karen (new)

Karen Smillie I’ve read 6 and have more that I want to read! Never enough time !!


message 298: by desig, Goodreads employee (new)

desig Good


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