Reader’s Choice Week Giveaway – Winter 2026 – Goals in Review

Happy New Year, reading friends! 

Time for a bit of quiet reflection at the end of a busy week, when we look back on the highs and lows of our reading year. If you are a goal setter, it’s also time for our Annual Reading Goal Review. I always like to assess the past year’s goals before setting new ones. So, today is all about what we read in 2025.

I’ll share how I did, and, if you are so inclined, feel free to share some of your 2025 reading successes…or failures. Hmm…let’s not call them failures. More like….kafuffles. That sounds friendlier. Nothing wrong with a few goal kafuffles in the grand scheme of things, right? And I had more than a few kafuffles this year!!!!

Today’s Giveaway is a little different, so be sure to read the fine print before entering!

To enter this giveaway you can, a) reflect on a 2025 reading goal OR b) if you’re not a goal oriented person, share a book that made an impact from your 2025 reading list. Then, in the same comment, list a book that will help you reach your goal. So it looks like this:

“I am still two books shy of my goal to read-to-zero Hannah Linder. The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder.”

OR

“Still thinking about the characters from A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh. I need to read more of her books! The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh.”

NOTE: BOOKS MUST BE CHRISTIAN FICTION

You can enter up to three times in three separate comments 

Books can be published any time up through to March 2026. Currently published books will be ordered this coming week for winners, otherwise it will be an IOU for a title releasing later.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: These giveaways are available in paperback or ebook format to US and Canadian readers. Ebooks available internationally if you have a .com kindle account (US Amazon)

See? Easy Peasy. But if you’re still not clear, don’t be shy about asking questions.

Here we go! Time to face up to what worked and what didn’t when it came to my goals this year.

Overall, I’m pleased with how much I accomplished with my Author Goals – with the exception of my Read-to-Zero goals. I did make some progress with two of the authors on my list, Hannah Linder (2 left to read!) and Annah Conwell (I’m a little more than halfway through her books.) but otherwise I really didn’t make any headway. Something to think about for 2026 (ack, that’s this year!)

As far as book goals — I accomplished what I set out to do with diverse settings and diverse characters and I hope to increase that in 2026. I even exceeded my Non-Fiction goal! (gasp!) Where I epically failed, er, majorly kafuffled, was with the targeted series I wanted to catch up with or keep current with. I was really haphazard with my tracking and didn’t include a lot of the series I did complete (though they weren’t on my targeted list.) I did manage to complete 8 series out of 15 of the ones I had picked for this goal. I need to be more organized in 2026!

I had made goals for both upgrading this blog and getting more savvy on Instagram and those were dismal failures as well! Ah well, there’s always next year, right? 🙂

DRAW WILL BE HELD ON AND WINNER ANNOUNCED ON

Saturday January 3 2026

(You can enter any of the giveaways up until noon EST on Saturday January 3 2026 Winners will be announced later that afternoon or early evening.

126 thoughts on “Reader’s Choice Week Giveaway – Winter 2026 – Goals in Review”

      1. You absolutely must read this Kav!!! Why wait?? 😂

        I’d love to know what you think of the series conclusion (maybe do a review of it??) 😊

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  4. I love all your yearly numbers, so fun to track readerly stuff. In fact, I’m starting a brand new spiral notebook after filling up my last one. It’s like an adult version of fresh back to school supplies, I’m ready for the new year.

    I set my goal last year on Goodreads at 200 books. I finished that mid-August and ended up with 328 books. That seems like a lot, but I’ve been reading a lot of shorter/novella length books that range from 150-250 pages. I think using the number of pages on Good Reads reading stats is more accurate for me. I have doubled my pages from 35,000 in 2022 to 73,000 in 2025 since using the text-to-speech feature on my kindle. Using full length minimum page count of 320 my would put me at 228 full length books. which seems more accurate. Sorry to go down the nerdy book math trail, lol.

    My 2nd goal-I try to read at least 3 new authors a month/36 a year. I ended up with 5 per month/60 new to me authors.

    My 3rd goal-I try to keep up with favorite author new releases as closely as I can, so…

    My first pick is Laura Frantz and The Belle of Chatham

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  6. Susan Tuttle is another favorite author. I can’t wait for The Hidden Key of Brook Sumner.

    Thank you, Kav, for Readers Choice Week, our quarterly bookish treasure hunt. So much fun to discover all the new books! tracey14567 at gmail dotcom

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    1. Eeeepppp, yes, new notebooks to turn into reading journals and wish lists and goal trackers and….happy sigh. I always get the bug in September for back to school and buy a bunch that I set aside for the New Year but then come December I decide that what I bought just won’t do so, of course, I go on the hunt for more. There’s something so satisfying about bookish notebook buying! Bwahahaha! Spent part of this week setting my main journal up but I still have the goals one to wrestle with.

      Whoa — congrats on exceeding your GR goal! And isn’t if satisfying when the count down switches from ‘you are x number of books behind’ to ‘you are x number of books ahead’?!

      I like your goal of keep current with authors…maybe I should look at a way to track that. I end the year knowing I’m all caught up and then I blink midway through the next year and I’m suddenly behind again. But I’d need to do a lot of research to figure out who is releasing this year and that info isn’t always available. Maybe I need to make a list (a looonnng list) of authors I’m caught up with and then make their new releases a priority when they crop up. Hmmm. Thinking out loud here. 🙂

      Thanks for enthusiastically participating in this week’s festivities, Tracey! Good luck!

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      1. I actually got 2 very nice journals for Christmas but they’re the 6×8 size. They’re good for church notes or great quotes but I need a full-size page for my reading notebook. My finished notebook covered 3 years and looks a mess, so I’m thrilled with a new one. I love setting up all the new pages.

        Re tracking authors/books: I get some info from mailing lists, and some from publisher sites like Baker and Kregel. And of course RC week is a wealth of bookish info. I have at least 25 names on my favorite list and I track their upcoming books. Some of them put out 5-10 books a year! All the other books are just a bonus 🙂

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      2. I bet Susan May Warren is one of those 25 authors on your list — and definitely one who releases more than one book a year! 🙂 I’m going to use one of my earlier notebook purchases to take notes when I’m on instagram or watching a book tube video. I end up jotting titles down on scraps of paper or in the middle of a notes on something else and the information is soon lost forever. 🙂

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      3. She is one of my top authors, but I have 2 others who published more books last year than SMW. Jo Gafford published 11 books in 2025 and I’ve read all of them. Shanna Hatfield published 10 and I’ve read all those. They are both indie publishing and their books are on KU so I’ve read one right after another and backtracked complete series.

        I always thought I’d hit 100 books by Susan Warren first because I’ve read her for 20 years and I’ve read 93 of her books. No one else was even close, but after reading Shanna for 2.5 years I’ve now read 103 books/series of hers! I just started Jo last April, so not even a full year and I’ve read 87 of hers. Those are my top 3 as far as numbers go.

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  7. Stay current with a favorite author. Atlas – Ronie Kendig

    Kav, Thank you for hosting Reader’s Choice Week. You do SO MUCH to promote Christian fiction! You are truly a blessing!

    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

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    1. My goal was to read more new-to-me authors.  While I did read some, I don’t feel I did that goal justice.  I’m going to try to do a lot better this year.  One that would get me off on the right footing would be:

    THE CHRISTMAS RING by Karen Kingsbury

    Release date – October 21, 2025

    This book also fits other goal too like reading more books that involve Christmas and military.

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  11. 2. Goal was to read more K-9 stories.  While I did pretty well in this category, I have so many more on my list that I “need” to read to feel like I can mark this goal a success.  One of the books that helped in this goal was THE SOLDIER’S K-9 COMPANION by Belle Calhoune.  One that would help me to get a good footing on doing better this year would be:

      HEALING THE VETERAN by Ciara Knight

      Can you spot the military theme here?  Doubt you would ever guess I’m an old Army brat. 😊

      2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. 3. Read an entire series was a goal that I seemed to have missed the mark on this year.  However, I did read PERILOUS TIDE by Elizabeth Goddard, which was the second book in the Hidden Bay series.  If I could read the 3rd and last book in that series, I could start off 2026 with at least one series under my belt encouraging me to read another whole series in 2026. 

        That would mean reading:

        DEADLY CURRENT by Elizabeth Goddard, which releases soon on February 17, 2026.

        2clowns at arkansas dot net

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      1. I feel ferhoodled when I see how many books y’all have read & kafuffled when I look at my goals & see which ones I didn’t adhere to very well! lol I set my goal to read 100 books & I read 120. I’m pleased with that bc I started watching every Detroit Tiger’s baseball game with hubby from spring to fall. That’s almost 3 hrs of reading time I’m giving up daily! And they only take 1 day off per week to travel. 😲

        My goals have typically been – More diversity, new to me authors, indie books, keep up with favorite authors. I didn’t do that great with diversity this last quarter so since this is set in Scotland…

        1) A Royal Request by Paige Edwards (new to me author & diversity

        dianalflowers at aol dot com

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      2. I’ve read every book this author has ever written since The Frontiersman’s Daughter except her latest novellas. So to keep up…

        2) The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz

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      3. As far as debuts & indies I’ve not done so well. So here’s one that is both! Love the cover!

        3) Where Stillness Speaks by Chelsey Welwood

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        1. Kav, this is such a wonderful beginning to the new year! Thanks so much for doing this & all you do to bless the lives of CF authors & ours!

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          1. Thanks so much, Diane. And hooray for exceeding your goals! I honestly couldn’t read as much as I do if it weren’t for audio books and I know there’s controversy over whether listening to a book should count as reading (which I think is ridiculous) And it also helps that I don’t sit through baseball games with an adoring husband 🙂 Oh, and I’m usually in a state of ferhoodleness so you’re in good company. Bwahahaha!

            I love diversity goals in reading whether it’s authors, characters or settings. I read through 43 states, 7 provinces and 17 countries last year, hoping to top that in 2026. Though I find it funny that there are some states that don’t get any representation either in Christian Fiction or cozy mysteries – I wonder why that is? Good luck, Diane! I’m envying your southern temps – I’m on the third day of no heat and it’s getting old. Went down to -22 (-7 F) last night. Grrrrr. The holidays and a missing part have the repair job stymied.

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          2. Of course listening to audio books is reading! What the what? I listen to my Kindle books when I have to stay in one place for awhile. Who said it isn’t reading? That’s plain silly. I’m glad I have a friend to stay ferhoodled & kafuffled with! I do read during the baseball commercials, but the players only switch fields between innings & it sure doesn’t take them long! Shortest commercials ever. Sheesh!

            Your diversity stats are awesome! I definitely need to visit more countries this year! I know the South gets plenty of representation bc we’re so unique. hahaha 😜 Actually we have a lot of cool lakes & islands here that make for a good story.

            Oh my! That’s so wrong about your heat not working. Especially with those temps. We all need to band together here & pray about that situation! 🙏 Keep us posted!

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        2. Oh, this looks good Diane and highly rated too. I’m going to add this to my list for new author, and it’s on KU for the win! thanks for the heads up 🙂

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          1. You’re welcome, Tracey! It’s such a great find & an accidental one at that! I was scrolling another author’s books on Amazon & stumbled on it. I saved it to my TBR & forgot about it til this morning! It wouldn’t have fit any of the other RCW categories bc it was published in Aug ’25. Don’t you just love that cover?

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        3. Actually I haven’t done well with debut books, but checking on Goodreads I have read quite a few indies. I believe I owe that to our entertaining book BINGO games!

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          1. Kav, I just saw on Chelsey’s author pg that it’s now available on audiobook. Not sure about Canada, tho, and how that works.

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      4. Not so much as a goal, but a 2025 surprise! I listened to an audio book on Libby from my local library. After all of Kav’s experiences she shared of her narrators, I was intrigued. I had no idea I had access to listening to an audio book because I wasn’t signed up to an audio provider, or so I thought. I was putting together a jigsaw puzzle one Saturday and while looking for an author I was reading, I looked in Libby. There was one on audio. The only thing was once I began listening, I couldn’t find a spot to stop. When I am reading I like to stop inside a chapter rather than at the end. So, I listened to the entire book as I continued to work the puzzle.

        new to me author

        1) The Winter Bride (Runaway, #3) by Katie Flynn – Penguin, January 20, 2026 Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House lanehillhouse(at)gmail(dot)com Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

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        1. Bwahahaha! I love that an audio book turned into a compulsive listen! And I love listening to one when I work on a puzzle. I got some lovely ones over the holidays so I predict many indoor listening hours ahead on these frigid days. 🙂 Good luck, Kathleen!

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      7. Congratulations Kav and all of your readers on another great reading year! I read so many great books in 2025. Goodreads tells me my total was 219, compared to 208 in 2024.

        I have very general and simple goals. The first is to keep current with favorite authors.

        #1. South of Somewhere by TI Lowe. I have to catch up on 2 of her older books that I own and will try to do that this year to read to zero.

        Sandyavery at comcast dot net

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      9. #3. Not Exactly Mr. Darcy by Carolyn Miller is for my goal of reading new to me authors. She has so many books I’m intimidated to know where to start, but this one piques my interest.

        Thanks Kav for the fun this week and my ever expanding TBR list! Sandy

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        1. The great thing about Carolyn Miller’s books is you can jump in anywhere, even in the middle of a series (if that doesn’t appall you!) Her books read well as standalones even with a secondary cast of previous heroes and heroines. She makes it easy to fall into the story and feel like one of the gang right away and I’ve never felt left out, even if I dive in the middle of a series. (unsolicited advise, here…oops)

          Congrats on your GR reading goal! That awesome sauce. I’m not usually someone who enjoys the competitive nature of number goals but for some reason, the GRs goals is the exception. Good luck, Sandy!

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      10. I scraped in my 156 books for the year (an average of 3 a week), but I feel a bit like I cheated, having blitzed through two novellas the evening of Dec 31st to make it. Nonetheless, that’s my idea of a good New Year’s Eve!

        1.The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright

        rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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      11. I read (or listened to) the most Indie-published books I’ve ever read in a year. I wish I had kept better track, but it’s somewhere around 15, and several of those were new-to-me authors.

        2. Regency and Regicide by JJ Fischer would be an indie book that will up my count for next year!

        rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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        1. New Years Eve reading should be a thing. A room full of readers who look up from their books at the stroke of midnight, salute each other with their books and then go back to finish their chapter whereupon they all go home. My kind of New Year’s Eve party! Bwahahaha!

          Hooray for meeting your goal. I don’t pay attention to page count much. I do tend to read more novellas around Christmas as well, but a book is a book no matter the length! There are so many indie authors and I’ve discovered some gems this year. I’m excited to meet more new-to-me indie authors this year. Good luck, Rachael!

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      12. My goal was to read 52 books in 2025… I read 50. But, I’m still happy about it because I experienced a reading slump toward the end of the year, so considering that… I feel like 50 was good! 🙂

        One of my reading goals is read Becky Wade’s Sons of Scandal series. Uneasy Street is the only one I need to finish off the series!

        Jolene – iwant2save34 at gmail dot com

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      13. I’ve been trying to be better about quitting books before finishing if reading them becomes onerous, which is hard for the completionist in me. I think managed to quit two books and two series this year. Looking back, I probably should have quit one or two more books, but sometimes my desire to add one to the read count overcomes my dissatisfaction with the story.

        3. The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright will surely be a book I WILL enjoy and not have to worry about quitting before the end, and thereby securely add it to my read count!

        rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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        1. I’m a huge believer of not finishing I book that isn’t grabbing me. Mind you, I usually make up my mind early on. I give a book a three chapters grace — I I’m not drawn in by then I’ll move on to the next book without a worry. Usually it’s forever, but occasionally, I might add to it a possibility list to try again at another time. FYI – from what I’ve heard chattered on various bookish social media platforms – if you read more than 50% of the book before giving up you can count it as read. And, yes, once you start The Souls of Lost Lake you won’t be able to put it down for sure! 🙂 Good luck, Rachael!

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      17. I read Elizabeth Camden’s Novella Summer of Dreams in 2025 and really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to read From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden ever since 🙂

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      20. Enjoyed your charts, statistics and comments from others. Your reviews for NetGalley are becoming a more significant aspect of your reading. Also noted your balance basically between contemporary and historical. I took statistics as part of my college degree and have always found it applies in an interesting fashion to daily life as well as business. So, I read 35 books this past quarter. I veered out of my mostly historical rut by adding in some romantic suspense. I also tried one book with a tiny bit of the supernatural. Nah on that one! My wish list is for an author who is a fun and total escape from everyday concerns. I have nothing from one of Jen Turano’s series. Behind the Scenes.

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        1. The Net Galley stats really surprised me. I’ve definitely been getting more from them – guess because I’ve established myself as a timely reviewer. They like a high percentage of reviewed books though I hear lots of booktubers joke about how low their percentages are. Some have books from years ago that they haven’t reviewed yet they still get approved for new ones. I’m guessing because they have a large reach. I get antsy if I have too many NGs unread for very long. I have three reviews coming next week because, of course, I got approved just when I shut down for the holidays. 🙂 I was also surprised by the balance between contemporary and historical – even suspense isn’t far behind. I guess I’m a well-rounded reader. 🙂

          Good for you stepping a see bit out of your comfort zone and trying that light supernatural. Sometimes those work for me and sometimes they don’t. I think it helps if they are quirky rather than seriously paranormal. Still not my automatic go to. Jen Turn is actually an author I am caught up with so — yay. Good luck, CC!

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          1. You are simply trying to honor your commitment to NetGalley, as did I during the 4-5 years I reviewed with them. It was a fun way to stay in the know about new books and authors. I always thought or assumed that responsible reviewers or bloggers would eventually have more opportunities.

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      23. I have no specific goals. For one, I never stick to them anyway, lol! My outstanding goal is to read the physical books I have on my shelves, or at least make a good dent in them (which is rather overwhelming)…..I admit I’ve done a horrible job of. Ah well, maybe this might be my year?? Doubtful 😂😂 Too many books, too little time 😉

        Here’s one that is on my top 2025 want-to-read list….and might just fulfill my “goal” of FINALLY reading a book by Carolyn Miller. though I do have three of her physical books languishing on my shelf (see what I mean?)

        Not Exactly Mr. Darcy by Carolyn Miller

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      24. Even though I absolutely loved the two books I’ve read by Politano, I admit I haven’t stayed current on her books. This one is especially intriguing to me:

        The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano

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      25. Basham is a favorite of mine, and another author I’ve had trouble keeping up with. This book might help me get closer to a read-to-zero 😂

        The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham

        teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

        I love seeing your reading goals and stats met Kav! You’re an inspiration to us all

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      26. You are an awesome reader, Kav! I’ve taken the Goodreads Challenge the past few years and always exceeded my goal, but 2025 was a different story. I read 135 so I fell short of reaching my goal of 140. One of the books on my 2026 want-to-read list releases on Feb. 3rd. Marrying the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund.
        Connie
        cps1950ATgmailDOTcom

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      27. I enjoy biblical fiction and was especially engaged by Before the King, the Heather Kaufman book that released in January of 2025. In a few weeks, the third book in the Women of the Way series will be released, and I’m chomping at the bit to read Up from Stone by Heather Kaufman!
        Connie
        cps1950ATgmailDOTcom

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        1. You came pretty close, Connie. Congrats on your 2025 reading achievements! I’ve heard great things about Heather Kaufman. I’m not a huge biblical fiction reader but maybe she might change my mind this year? Good luck, Connie!

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      28. I’ve never been much for making reading goals. I do set a goal of books to read on Goodreads and I didn’t even make that this year. =(

        I have slowly been making my way through Lynette Bonner’s w Wyldhaven books on her YouTube channel. I love the characters in the small town. I think I only have one or two more to listen to.

        Then I would love to have a copy of Through Dust and Ashes, book 1 in her Oregon Promise series!

        pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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        1. Goal setting isn’t for everyone. The important thing is to enjoy reading and if goal setting drags you down…then, eh, don’t bother. 🙂 I haven’t read anything by Lynette Bonner, I don’t think. Must check her out. Good luck, Patty!

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          1. Check out her YouTube page and you can listen for free and check her out. Maybe find the first Wyldhaven book and listen to a chapter or two!

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      29. Goodreads is a great way to keep track of my reading progress but it also shows my reading habits. My top genres for 2025 were Christian Romance and Christian Historical Fiction. No surprise there but I am a little surprised that Mystery/Suspense wasn’t right there with them! Whiteout by Dani Pettrey & Lynette Eason is on my TBR list for January, and it is a Romantic Christian Suspense novella collection.
        Connie
        cps1950ATgmailDOTcom

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      30. My goal for 2025 was to read fewer books to allow myself time for other activities. Instead of my usual goal of 225 books I lowered it to 175. I read 208. So I still read over 200 but I also fit in a class at the community college for advanced floral design. This semester I’m taking two classes so my 2026 goal is 175 again. One of my more specific goals is to read every book by my favorite authors, including Love in a Mist by Sarah Eden.

        colorvibrant at gmail dot com

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      32. Goal- read a book by a new-to-me author: Under the Scottish Sky by Amy Coburn Crawford

        Thanks Kav! It’s always fun to look at our stats.

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        1. Floral Designs sounds fun. I love growing flowers but I’m hopeless at making an attractive arrangement! Congrats on taking that course and still exceeding your goal! Good luck, Heidi!

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      36. I’ve read a good many of Roseanna M. White’s books, but haven’t read to zero. Several are on my TBR pile, but one that I don’t have yet is The Collector of Burned Books. That would definitely help toward my goal.

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      37. Here we go again on the goofy Goodreads tracking! My goal was 175 books. According to one graphic I did 148. Another has me at 229! Oh well, I read a lot of great books this year. Guess I will set it at 175 again.
        For this challenge: trying to track down and complete a series that I loved a long time ago. I have the first book but need 3 others.
        Judith Pella Daughters of Fortune.
        #1 The second book in the series: Somewhere A Song.
        paulamarys49ATgmailDOTcom

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