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The flagship fiction challenge

Read, Remember, Recommend: a Fiction Reading Challenge

Most of us read a book, love it, and forget almost everything six months later. This challenge fixes that. Across a year of twelve prompts you read widely, remember each book with a single line, and recommend your favourites to someone else — three small habits that turn the books you finish into books you actually keep.

How the challenge works

There are twelve prompts, one a month. A prompt is just an open brief — "a debut novel," "a book in translation" — and you choose the title that fills it. Work through them in any order and at any pace that suits your year. The only thing that makes this challenge different from any other is what you do after each book:

  • Read — fill the prompt with a book you are genuinely curious about.
  • Remember — write one line you want to hold onto. A character, an idea, a sentence. Thirty seconds, no review required.
  • Recommend — pass your favourites to one other reader and say why. This is the step most people skip, and the one that makes the others stick.

The 12 prompts

Here is the full year. The months are a suggested rhythm, not a rule — reorder them freely.

January A book that has waited too long on your shelf Start the year by clearing a long-overdue title.
February A love story — any kind of love Romance, friendship, family — your choice.
March A book in translation A story first written in another language.
April A debut novel A first book by a new voice.
May A book set somewhere you have never been Travel the page instead.
June A book everyone was talking about a few years ago Catch up on a backlist favourite.
July A breezy summer read Something light you can finish in a weekend.
August A book outside your usual genre Stretch your shelf on purpose.
September A book recommended by a friend Trade picks with someone you trust.
October A book that unsettles you Mystery, gothic, horror — a little darkness.
November A long book you have been avoiding The chunkster gets its month.
December A re-read of an old favourite End the year with comfort.

The free printable tracker

The tracker is the heart of the challenge. Each month gets a box for the prompt, the title you filled it with, and a line for the thing you want to remember. Pin it to the fridge, tuck it into your reading journal, or keep it in the back of the book you are reading. Watching the boxes fill in is what keeps the habit alive on the weeks you would rather scroll.

Tips for getting the most from it

  • Raid your own shelves first. Many prompts can be filled with books you already own — start there.
  • Write the "remember" line immediately. The moment you close the book, before the next one crowds it out.
  • Recommend out loud. Telling a friend beats writing it down; do both if you can.
  • Pair it with a book club. Our book-club questions give you a ready-made way to talk through each pick.
  • Be kind to a slump. If reading stalls, the resets in our reading-slump guide get you moving again.

Take on all twelve, or pick the prompts that excite you and leave the rest. Either way, you will end the year with a stack of books you remember — and a handful you have happily pressed into someone else's hands. Looking for titles to fill the prompts? Start with the best books to read this year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Read, Remember, Recommend challenge?

It is a year-long fiction reading challenge built on three habits: read widely through twelve monthly prompts, remember each book by writing one line about it, and recommend your favourites to another reader. The three steps turn books you finish into books you actually retain and share.

How many books is the challenge?

Twelve — one prompt a month across the year. That pace is realistic for most busy readers. If you read faster, treat the prompts as a minimum and add as many extra books as you like.

Do I have to follow the months in order?

No. The months are a suggested rhythm, not a rule. Read the prompts in whatever order suits your stack and your mood. Many readers save the long-book prompt for a quiet stretch and let the easy ones build momentum.

What does the "remember" step involve?

After each book, write a single line you want to hold onto — a character, an idea, or one sentence that stayed with you. It takes thirty seconds and is the difference between a book you vaguely recall and one you can still talk about a year later.

How do I do the "recommend" step?

Pass your favourites on to one other reader and say why the book worked for you. Tell a friend, hand over your copy, or post a short review. Explaining a book is the fastest way to cement it in your own memory.

Can I use audiobooks for this challenge?

Yes. An audiobook is a full read — the story is the same. Listen, read in print, or switch between both; whatever gets you through the prompt counts.

Is this challenge only for fiction?

It is designed for fiction, but memoir and narrative non-fiction fit the prompts just as well. The read-remember-recommend rhythm works for any book with a story worth keeping.

What if I miss a month?

Nothing breaks. Carry the prompt forward, double up later, or simply skip it. Finishing ten of the twelve prompts is a genuinely good reading year — the challenge is a nudge, not a deadline.

How do I track my progress?

Use the free printable tracker below, a notes app or a spreadsheet. The tracker gives each month a box for the prompt, the title you filled it with, and the one line you want to remember.