1. A book from a genre that starts with A, T, or Y - A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough (autobiography)
2. A book with a primarily red, green or blue cover - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
3. A book that fits a prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list - A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (A book whose title does not contain the first letter of your name)
4. A book by a new-to-you author - All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles
5. A book you want to read because of something you read in 2025 - Everything We Do Is Music by Elizabeth Alkea (because I read Music Is History by Questlove)
FEBRUARY
6. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears - Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes
7. A book with a character who appears in more than one book - The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Katherine Solomon, who also appears in The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown)
8. A book set in Africa, Asia, or Australia - I Am a Cat by Natsume Soseki
9. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title - The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis
MARCH
10. An award winning book - The Known World by Edward P Jones (Pulitzer Prize)
11. A history or historical fiction book - The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
12. A book with cover text that is NOT black or white - Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
13. An author's second/sophomore book - The Man In the Queue by Josephine Tey
14. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh - Mailman by Stephen Starring Grant (Portrait of Postman Joseph Roulin)
APRIL
15. A book you've wanted to read for a long time - Ulysses by James Joyce
16. A book featuring a character with a similar occupation to one of the Clue/Cluedo characters - The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
17. A book set in the wellness or beauty industries - The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste
18. A book with a location in the title - A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
MAY
19. A book related to yesterday - 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
20. A book related to today - Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of 21st Century Parenthood by Drew Magary
21. A book related to tomorrow - Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd Century America by Robert Charles Wilson
22. A book by a Korean or Korean-diaspora author - Exhibit by R.O. Kwon
JUNE
23. A book with a road trip or long journey - Turbulence by David Szalay
24. A book that is either frothy or gothy - The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (gothic novel)
25. A book from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list - V. by Thomas Pynchon
26. A book with a Z in the title and/or author name - Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
27. A nonfiction book - The Patient Assassin by Anita Anand
JULY
28. A book related to a resistance, rebellion, or revolution - Caesar: Life of a Colossus by Adrian Goldsworthy
29. A vacation book - The Island of Last Things by Emma Sloley
30. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Frontlist Book - The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
31. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Backlist Book - The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
AUGUST
32. A novella of 100-250 pages - Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz (163 pages)
33. A book with an Indigenous character or author - Ruthless River by Holly Fitzgerald
34. A book with a window on the cover - Mandibula by Monica Ojeda
35. A book where all or part of the action takes place in a library, a museum, a school, or another public building - Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
36. A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40 - Audition by Katie Kitamura
SEPTEMBER
37. A book that includes a science topic - The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist by Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington
38. A book that's part of a series - The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
39. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie - V is for Venom by Kathryn Harkup
40. A book that has a punctuation mark in the title - That's a Great Question, I'd Love to Tell You by Elyse Myers
OCTOBER
41. A mystery or true crime book - The Bundy Murders by Kevin M Sullivan
42. A book set in an isolated location - The Magus by John Fowles
43. A book involving survival - Saving Emma by Allen Eskens
44. A book with a symbol of death on the cover - Slither by Stephen S Hall
NOVEMBER
45. A book connected to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen - Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
46. A book that is not a novel - The Ocean of Churn by Sanjeev Sanyal
47. A book with "this", "that", "these", or "those" in the title - The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen
48. A book with something edible in the title - Banana Ball by Jesse Cole
49. A second book for your favorite prompt - A Rip in Heaven by Jeanine Cummins (true crime)
DECEMBER
50. A book with a bird on its cover - Transcription by Kate Atkinson
51. A book published in 2026 - The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
52. A book related to the name of one of Santa's reindeer - Red Comet by Heather Clark
JANUARY
1. A book from a genre that starts with A, T, or Y
- A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough (autobiography)
2. A book with a primarily red, green or blue cover
- An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
3. A book that fits a prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list
- A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (A book whose title does not contain the first letter of your name)
4. A book by a new-to-you author
- All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles
5. A book you want to read because of something you read in 2025
- Everything We Do Is Music by Elizabeth Alkea (because I read Music Is History by Questlove)
FEBRUARY
6. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears
- Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes
7. A book with a character who appears in more than one book
- The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Katherine Solomon, who also appears in The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown)
8. A book set in Africa, Asia, or Australia
- I Am a Cat by Natsume Soseki
9. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title
- The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis
MARCH
10. An award winning book
- The Known World by Edward P Jones (Pulitzer Prize)
11. A history or historical fiction book
- The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
12. A book with cover text that is NOT black or white
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
13. An author's second/sophomore book
- The Man In the Queue by Josephine Tey
14. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh
- Mailman by Stephen Starring Grant (Portrait of Postman Joseph Roulin)
APRIL
15. A book you've wanted to read for a long time
- Ulysses by James Joyce
16. A book featuring a character with a similar occupation to one of the Clue/Cluedo characters
- The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
17. A book set in the wellness or beauty industries
- The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste
18. A book with a location in the title
- A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
MAY
19. A book related to yesterday
- 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
20. A book related to today
- Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of 21st Century Parenthood by Drew Magary
21. A book related to tomorrow
- Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd Century America by Robert Charles Wilson
22. A book by a Korean or Korean-diaspora author
- Exhibit by R.O. Kwon
JUNE
23. A book with a road trip or long journey
- Turbulence by David Szalay
24. A book that is either frothy or gothy
- The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (gothic novel)
25. A book from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list
- V. by Thomas Pynchon
26. A book with a Z in the title and/or author name
- Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
27. A nonfiction book
- The Patient Assassin by Anita Anand
JULY
28. A book related to a resistance, rebellion, or revolution
- Caesar: Life of a Colossus by Adrian Goldsworthy
29. A vacation book
- The Island of Last Things by Emma Sloley
30. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Frontlist Book
- The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
31. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Backlist Book
- The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
AUGUST
32. A novella of 100-250 pages
- Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz (163 pages)
33. A book with an Indigenous character or author
- Ruthless River by Holly Fitzgerald
34. A book with a window on the cover
- Mandibula by Monica Ojeda
35. A book where all or part of the action takes place in a library, a museum, a school, or another public building
- Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
36. A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40
- Audition by Katie Kitamura
SEPTEMBER
37. A book that includes a science topic
- The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist by Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington
38. A book that's part of a series
- The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
39. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie
- V is for Venom by Kathryn Harkup
40. A book that has a punctuation mark in the title
- That's a Great Question, I'd Love to Tell You by Elyse Myers
OCTOBER
41. A mystery or true crime book
- The Bundy Murders by Kevin M Sullivan
42. A book set in an isolated location
- The Magus by John Fowles
43. A book involving survival
- Saving Emma by Allen Eskens
44. A book with a symbol of death on the cover
- Slither by Stephen S Hall
NOVEMBER
45. A book connected to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
- Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
46. A book that is not a novel
- The Ocean of Churn by Sanjeev Sanyal
47. A book with "this", "that", "these", or "those" in the title
- The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen
48. A book with something edible in the title
- Banana Ball by Jesse Cole
49. A second book for your favorite prompt
- A Rip in Heaven by Jeanine Cummins (true crime)
DECEMBER
50. A book with a bird on its cover
- Transcription by Kate Atkinson
51. A book published in 2026
- The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
52. A book related to the name of one of Santa's reindeer
- Red Comet by Heather Clark