To celebrate being halfway through 2026, I sent out a survey to see how you’re all doing in the Read Harder Challenge so far. I already shared some of the results about how many books you’ve all read on average, how many tasks you’ve finished, and which tasks you found the most difficult and the easiest. Now, I’m here to let you know about the new favorite books you’ve all read so far this year that check off tasks!
Almost all the titles you shared were unique, but there were five books mentioned by multiple people. Here are the most popular responses, organized by most mentioned to least. I also added a couple of honorable mentions for books that were only named once, but I think would be particularly useful for you to know about.
Interestingly, when I did this survey last year, True Biz by Sara Nović appeared on that list as well, for another task! It’s a Read Harder Challenger favorite. I also wanted to mention that Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is on this list because it was mentioned several times for task #9: Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character. Personally, I wouldn’t categorize it as romantasy: the romance is very much a subplot and not a focus of the story. I love that novel, but I want to set expectations if you’re expecting a romantasy novel!
Now, onto your favorite books you discovered through the 2026 Read Harder Challenge.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
#10: Read a book recently adapted for film, TV, or musical
#20: Read a book set in space
The story: Ryland Grace is a teacher-turned-astronaut on a last-chance mission to save Earth. When he wakes from cryostasis with no memory, he discovers he is the only survivor left on board. He must puzzle out who he is and what they were doing on this ship in order to save his home planet.
The latest: Hollywood sent Matt Damon to space in the adaptation of The Martian by Weir, and now Ryan Gosling has blast off for Project Hail Mary, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller directing. —Liberty Hardy
True Biz by Sara Nović
#11: Read a book by a d/Deaf author
Set in a boarding school for Deaf students, this novel’s characters include Charlie, a new student, and February, an alumna and headmistress trying to save the school. It also contains lots of background on Deaf culture and illustrations of American Sign Language. Some of the students, like Austin, come from Deaf, signing families, while Charlie comes from a hearing family. Growing up without access to sign language was socially isolating for Charlie. Her story also shows that many Deaf people don’t want cochlear implants. In Charlie’s case, her implants are dangerous. She crews for a school production of Peter Pan and joins a diverse, rebellious group of friends. —Grace Lapointe
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
#4: Read a novel with a main character who uses they/them pronouns
Possibly the coziest science fiction story in existence, this novella duology follows a nonbinary tea monk looking for meaning in life. When Dex decides to leave tea brewing behind for a while to venture deep into the woods, they discover a wandering robot. Robots haven’t been seen for generations, and this one has a question for Dex and all of humanity: “What do you need?” Dex doesn’t feel remotely qualified to answer that question, but as the two travel together and search for answers, it becomes clear that the journey is more important than the destination. —Rachel Brittain
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
#9: Read a romantasy book with a queer and/or BIPOC main character
“Cozy fantasy” is a well-known subgenre now, but its meteoric rise in popularity can be traced back to one book: Legends & Lattes. This story about an orc retiring from battle to open a coffee shop shows the appeal of a “high fantasy, low stakes” novel. While there are some dramatic moments when Viv’s past catches up with her, the majority of the plot follows the slow construction of the coffee shop and the relationships formed along the way—including a sapphic slowburn romance. It’s cozy, comforting, and satisfying to see it all come together. But this quiet story also has a lot to say about community and starting over. It’s a gem. —Danika Ellis
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
#8: Read a classic from the Zero to Well-Read Podcast
In Kazuo Ishiguro’s contemporary classic, Never Let Me Go, we follow three friends who attend the same school for children set in an alternative United Kingdom. As we learn more about the origins of the school, our perception of the story completely changes. I can’t say much without giving spoilers, but Never Let Me Go has a sci-fi-like twist. —Kendra Winchester
Honorable Mentions:
Micro Activism by Omkari L. Williams
#5: Read a nonfiction book about resistance
Getting involved in resistance movements can often seem overwhelming, especially for quieter people. Williams’s book offers advice on how to find your own way to contribute to the causes you care about, avoid burnout, and take actions that work both for you and for the wider movements you want to get involved with. —Alice Nuttall
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
#19: Read a book by an intersex author
Sorrowland tells the tale of Vern, an intersex woman alone in the woods who gives birth to two children, Howling and Feral. Now with her children, she’s on the run from the cult-like compound from which she escaped, and her own body is changing into something stronger, stranger, and more wild. —Chris M. Arnone
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