The bookshelf tracker in the shop is slowly filling up, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed every conversation sparked by it. Whether you’ve inquired about the challenge or listed your latest reads, thank you. We absolutely love hearing about the books you’re enjoying, the path that led you to a love of reading, and even your all-time favorites—or least favorites! It’s truly been a joy.

Inspired by these rich conversations—and our shared goals with the Worldwide Reading Challenge and reading inspiration in general—I recently took some time to dive into the entries submitted so far. I was curious: are there any patterns, standout titles, or fun insights to uncover? This time, I wanted to go beyond just counting pages or converting listening hours into page counts. It turned into quite the journey… and an incredibly fun one.

As the main person reviewing the submissions, I’ve started noticing a few fan favorites that are popping up again and again. Here are some standout authors and titles that have earned high praise:
Sarah J. Maas

• House of Flame and Shadow, Crown of Midnight, Assassin’s Blade, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows
• Average Rating: Mostly 5 cups

T. Kingfisher

• Paladin’s Grace, Strength, Hope, Faith, Clockwork Boys, A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, Thornhedge, The Wonder Engine
• Average Rating: 4 to 5 cups

J.K. Rowling

• Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban
• Average Rating: Enthusiastic 5-cup ratings

As the tracker fills, some strong literary trends have begun to emerge:

• Fantasy & YA Fantasy: A vibrant mix of epic adventures (Sarah J. Maas), whimsical tales (T. Kingfisher), and beloved classics (Harry Potter).
• Mystery & Crime :Think page-turners like I Will Find You (Harlan Coben), Wrong Place Wrong Time, Local Woman Missing, The Guest List, Blood on the Snow, and A Very English Murder—all pointing to a strong love of suspense and thrillers.
• Historical & Literary Fiction: Standouts like The Nightingale, The Postcard, Life After Life, and House of Flame and Shadow offer emotional depth and historical perspective.
• Non-Fiction & Memoir: A wide variety: from self-help (Creativity by John Cleese), to business and leadership (On Tyranny, Fix This Next), to compelling memoirs like Birdman and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.

As a bit of a stats nerd, I’m loving the variety we’re seeing across genres—and the broader picture it paints of a community hungry for stories, discovery, and ideas. It’s a beautiful snapshot of collective curiosity.

Here’s where things stand in the Worldwide Reading Challenge:

• Number of Books Read: 400 
• Total Pages Read: 134,400
• Average Book Length: 336
• Books Left to Reach 2,025: 1625
• That means we need to read approximately325 books a month to hit our goal!

This Month’s Winners

• Nebraska Winner: Courtney Richardson with her entry "The Night Circus" 
• Worldwide Winner: Ben Grisel with his entry "Awakened Imagination & The Search"

This month’s winners will receive gift cards to independent bookstores near then! Courtney's is to Francie & Finch Bookstore in Lincoln!  Ben's is from Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia. Congrats, and thank you for being part of this growing community of readers.

I can’t wait to see how the stats evolve over the coming months and to see the book shelf tracker fill up. And if you happen to stop by the shop—please share what you're reading. We’d love to hear all about it.

Happy reading,
Maile Ilac Boeder, IOM

PS: My current listen is "The Daring Girls of Guernsey" by Gayle Callen. My current read is "Proust and the Squid" by Maryanne Wolf and my e-read is "The Flower Sisters" by Michlle Collins Anderson.