2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

Hi, friends! Thanks for joining me today; I’m so glad you’re here 💙. After 2020 and the thick layer of dust that settled on this blog, I decided I needed a fresh start. So, I’m back with my list of selections for the 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.

2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: A Foreword

I will list my selection for each prompt, and, where relevant, I also included other titles that work for said prompt. So, whether you’re looking for book suggestions to fill some stray prompts or your TBR just needs some inspiration, here are 50+ ideas for your own list!

I will update this post throughout the year with ratings and links to reviews and wrap-ups. You can also easily view this list (without my ramblings) on Bookshop.org or Goodreads. Links to both can be found at the bottom of this post.

Snack Alert! This post is kind of a long one, so you might want to grab something to eat before diving in!

Now, on to the list!


Jump to: 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40Advanced Prompts: 41-50


2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: Regular Prompts

1. A book that’s published in 2021.

Book Cover for Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Finished on May 23, 2021

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Read on Papberback, 480 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Son of the Storm on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Son of the Storm in my May 2021 Wrap-Up.

2. An Afrofuturist book.

Book Cover for Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Finished on June 5, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 281 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Brown Girl in the Ring on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Brown Girl in the Ring in my June 2021 Wrap-Up.

3. A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover.

Book Cover for Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

Finished on July 27, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 258 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Cards on the Table on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Cards on the Table in my July 2021 Wrap-Up.

4. A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign.

Book cover for The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Finished on November 1, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 377 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Lightning Thief on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Lightning Thief in my November 2021 Wrap-Up.

5. A dark academia book.

Book Cover for The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Finished on July 5, 2021

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 629 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Secret History on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Secret History in my July 2021 Wrap-Up.

6. A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title.

Book Cover for The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Finished on February 28, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 213 Pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Nickel Boys on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Nickel Boys in my February 2021 Wrap-Up.

7. A book where the main character works at your current or dream job.

Book Cover for Confessions by Kanae Minato

Confessions by Kanae Minato

Finished on July 30, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 240 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Confessions on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Confessions in my July 2021 Wrap-Up.

8. A book that has won the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Book Cover for The Song of AChilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Finished on June 20, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 389 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Song of Achilles on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on The Song of Achilles in my June 2021 Wrap-Up.

9. A book with a family tree.

Book Cover for Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Finished on April 18, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 559 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Wolf Hall on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Wolf Hall in my April 2021 Wrap-Up.

10. A bestseller from the 1990s.

Book Cover for Blindness by Jose Saramago

Blindness by José Saramago

Finished on June 11, 2021

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 349 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Blindness on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Blindness in my June 2021 Wrap-Up.

11. A book about forgetting.

Book Cover for The Binding by Bridget Collins

The Binding by Bridget Collins

Finished on August 22, 2021

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 448 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Binding on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on The Binding in my August 2021 Wrap-Up.

12. A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf.

Book Cover for The Beautiful Ones by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Finished on September 17, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 304 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Beautiful Ones on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Beautiful Ones in my September 2021 Wrap-Up.

13. A locked-room mystery.

Book Cover for And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Finished on July 19, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 247 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing And Then There Were None on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on And Then There Were None in my July 2021 Wrap-Up.

14. A book set in a restaurant.

Book Cover for Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

Finished on March 25, 2021

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 416 Pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Kitchen Confidential on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Kitchen Confidential in my March 2021 Wrap-Up.

15. A book with a black-and-white cover.

Book Cover for Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Finished on April 20, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 564 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Crime and Punishment on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Crime and Punishment in my April 2021 Wrap-Up.

16. A book by an Indigenous author.

Book Cover for The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Finished on May 28, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 320 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Only Good Indians on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on The Only Good Indians in my May 2021 Wrap-Up.

17. A book that has the same title as a song.

Book Cover for Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Finished on May 26, 2021

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 288 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Never Let Me Go on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Never Let me Go in my May 2021 Wrap-Up or read my full review here.

18. A book about a subject you are passionate about.

Book Cover for Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Finished on January 19, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 163 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Between the World and Me on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Between the World and Me in my January 2021 Wrap-Up or read my full review here.

19. A book that discusses body positivity.

The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor

Finished on February 27, 2021

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 183 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Body is Not an Apology on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Body is Not An Apology in my February 2021 Wrap-Up.

20. A book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list.

Book Cover for Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Finished onJanuary 28, 2021

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 288 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race in my January Wrap-Up, or read my full review here.

21. A genre hybrid.

Book Cover for The Devil and the Dark Water

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

Finished on March 14, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 463 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Devil and the Dark Water on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Devil and the Dark Water in my March Wrap-Up.

22. A book set mostly or entirely outdoors.

Book Cover for Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

Finished on February 26, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 640 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Black Leopard, Red Wolf on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Black Leopard, Red Wolf in my February Wrap-Up.

23. A book with something broken on the cover.

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel

Finished on July 27, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 112 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Test on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Test in my July 2021 Wrap-Up.

24. A book by a Muslim author.

Book Cover for Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Finished on August 8, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 226 pages

Support a local bookstore by purcahsing Exit West on Bookshop.org.

Check out more of my thoughts on Exit West in my August 2021 Wrap-Up.

25. A book that was published anonymously.

Book Cover for Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Finished on October 7, 2021

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 288 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Frankenstein on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Frankenstein in my October 2021 Wrap-Up.

26. A book with an oxymoron in the title.

Book Cover for The Future is History by Masha Gessen

The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia by Masha Gessen

Finished on April 29, 2021

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 544 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Future is History on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on The Future is History in my April 2021 Wrap-Up.

27. A book about do-overs or fresh starts.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Finished on November 18, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 423 pages

Support a local bookstore by purcahsing The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet on Bookshop.org.

Check out more of my thoughts on The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in my November 2021 Wrap-Up.

28. A magical realism book.

Book Cover for The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Finished on August 6, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 289 pages

Support a local bookstore by purcahsing The Midnight Library on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on The Midnight Library in my August 2021 Wrap-Up.

29. A book set in multiple countries.

Book Cover for Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Finished on October 12, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on a very vintage Mass Market Paperback, 342 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Interview with the Vampire on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Interview With the Vampire in my October 2021 Wrap-Up.

30. A book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021.

Book Cover for Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

Finished on April 25, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 464 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Say Nothing on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Say Nothing in my April 2021 Wrap-Up.

31. A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality.

Book Cover for Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis

Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis

Finished on January 15, 2021

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 384 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Axiom’s End on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Axiom’s End in my January 2021 Wrap-Up or read my full review here.

32. A book whose title starts with “Q,” “X,” or “Z.”

Book Cover for The Quiet Americans by Scott Anderson

The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War—A Tragedy in Three Acts by Scott Anderson

Finished on October 31, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 536 pages

Purchase The Quiet Americans from the publisher: Penguin Random House.

Read my thoughts on The Quiet Americans in my October 2021 Wrap-Up.

33. A book featuring three generations.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Finished on September 12, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 350 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Vanishing Half on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Vanishing Half in my September 2021 Wrap-Up.

34. A book about a social justice issue.

Book Cover for Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Finished on March 2, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 267 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Hood Feminism Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Hood Feminism in my March 2021 Wrap-Up.

35. A book in a different format than what you normally read.

The Iliad by Homer

Finished on May 17, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 588 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Iliad on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on The Iliad in my May 2021 Wrap-Up.

36. A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Goodreads.

Book Cover for Monster She Wrote by Lisa Kroger and Melanie Anderson

Monster She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson

Finished on June 29, 2021

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 320 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Monster, She Wrote on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Monster, She Wrote in my June 2021 Wrap-Up.

37. A book you think your best friend would like.

Book Cover for Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Finished on June 29, 2021

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 320 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Death on the Nile on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Death on the Nile in my August 2021 Wrap-Up.

38. A book about art or an artist.

Book Cover for The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Finished on January 23, 2021

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 325 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Silent Patient on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Silent Patient in my January Wrap-Up, or read the full-length review here.

39. A book everyone seems to have read but you.

Book Cover forThe Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished on June 22, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 432 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing the Fellowship of the Ring on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on the Fellowship of the Ring in my June 2021 Wrap-Up.

40. Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.

Book Cover for Dawn by Octavia Butler

Dawn by Octavia Butler

Finished on December 7, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 320 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Dawn on Bookshop.org.

I didn’t include this in a wrap-up, but you can read my thougths in my Goodreads Review.


2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: Advanced Prompts

Or, as I like to call it: The Bingo Free Space section of the 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge!

41. The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list.

Book Cover for War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Finished on February 28, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 1273 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing War and Peace on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on War and Peace in my February 2021 Wrap-Up.

42. The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list.

Book Cover for Dearly by Margaret Atwood

Dearly by Margaret Atwood

Finished on November 29, 2021

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 124 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Dearly on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on Dearly in my November 2021 Wrap-Up.

43. The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Finished on May 2, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 454 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Black Sun on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Black Sun in my May 2021 Wrap-Up.

44. The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover.

Book Cover for The CAves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

Finished on September 8, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 271 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Caves of Steel on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Caves of Steel in my September 2021 Wrap-Up.

45. The book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time.

The Odyssey by Homer

Finished on May 31, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Paperback, 515 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Odyssey on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Odyssey in my May 2021 Wrap-Up.

46. A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t.

Book Cover for Exhalation by Ted Chiang

Exhalation by Ted Chiang

Finished on August 23, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 350 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Exhalation on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Exhalation in my August 2021 Wrap-Up.

47. A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing.

Book Cover for The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Finished on January 17, 2021

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Read on Audio, 11 hours 05 minutes

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Hobbit on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Hobbit in my January 2021 Wrap-Up.

48. A book from your TBR list chosen at random.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Finished on October 19, 2021

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 390 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Library at Mount Char on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on the Library at Mount Char in my October 2021 Wrap-Up.

49. A DNF book from your TBR list.

Book Cover for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Finished on August 29, 2021

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Read on Hardcover, 455 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing Gone Girl on Bookshop.org.

Check out my thoughts on Gone Girl in my August 2021 Wrap-Up.

50. A free book from your TBR list.

Book Cover for The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Finished on October 1, 2021

Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Read on Kindle, 363 pages

Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Year of the Witching on Bookshop.org.

Read my thoughts on The Year of the Witching in my October 2021 Wrap-Up.

2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: An Afterword

Thanks for checking out my list for the 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge! You can find a printable list of the prompts in POPSUGAR’s original post here. Are you participating in any reading challenges this year? What are you most excited to read in 2021?

I’ll be back soon with teaser for next blog post, so keep your eyes peeled for that! In the meantime, you can keep up with my reading on Goodreads, where you can find me at @tassara_txt, or follow my other social media: I’m on Instagram as @thepaladinpages, Twitter as @tassara_exe, and Pinterest as @tassara_jpg.

As always: thanks for reading, and I’ll see you soon. 💙


The Bookshop.org links in this post are affiliate links. Bookshop.org allows you to buy books online while supporting an independent bookstore of your choosing. You are not obligated to purchase through these links. However, doing so helps support this blog at no additional cost to you. Sharing and following are great free ways to show your support and are equally appreciated!



The Bookshop.org links in this post are affiliate links. Bookshop.org allows you to buy books online while supporting an independent bookstore of your choosing. You are not obligated to purchase through these links. However, doing so helps support this blog at no additional cost to you. Sharing and following are great free ways to show your support and are equally appreciated!


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