Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Autumn 2026 Edition – Goal Review

Quarterly reading goal reviews have become a Best Reads Blog tradition and I can’t believe we’ve reached the half way point already! Where does the time go, I wonder? Hours spent reading I’m guessing

I’ll share my progress (or not!) here just for some fun book nerdy stats and, if you’re so inclined, you can share a goal or two in the comments. But no pressure – a goal can be as simple as ‘read a book.’

So, to enter this giveaway, just share anything goal related in the comments. Then, in the same comment, list a book that will help you reach your goal. So it looks like this:

“I want to catch up on some suspense series. Night Prey by Susan Sleeman.”

NOTE: BOOKS MUST BE CHRISTIAN FICTION OR CLOSED DOOR

You can enter up to three times in three separate comments — and you can use the same goal or a different one each time, but a different title for each entry.

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

WINNER’S CHOICE OF PAPERBACK OR EBOOK FOR US AND CANADIAN ENTRIES. EBOOKS ONLY FOR INTERNATIONAL READERS WHO HAVE A US KINDLE ACCOUNT.

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

Here we go! We’re at the three quarters point and it’s time to face up to what’s been working and what hasn’t when it comes to my goals this year.

Some scrambled thoughts on my progress:

  • I’ve all but nixed my read-to-zero authors which is disappointing. I’m still tracking a few but I kinda went off track and kept adding more on a whim and now there’s way too many to achieve this goal. I’ll need to be more strategic next year.
  • Same with my Keep Current Author list — I only have four written down and I know I’m up to date with many more. I just lost the oomph for tracking and I made the mistake of not targeting the authors I wanted to keep current with at the beginning of the year.
  • I’m surprised at the ratio of contemporary fiction related to the other genres. I felt like I read a lot of contemporary but I guess maybe a lot of it was mystery and suspense so they got tallied differently? Or maybe I wasn’t as diligent at tracking over the dreaded move months. 🙂
  • Yikes! I still have nine books to read on my 26 in 26 list. I only read four this last quarter. No excuse either since I have all the books or can get them from the library. Still doable by the end of the year, but I need to remember to check the list and read the books! lol
  • Serious About Series – this goal has been a little less structured as well. I have twenty-three series on the list (of course, I added four new ones in the last few months…gah!) but I am caught up with thirteen of them and am getting close with two more. Still, it’s going to take a concerted effort to catch up with them all. And I have to stop adding new series to the list!!!!

You have until noon EST Saturday October 3rd to enter this giveaway. Winners will be announced on Sunday October 4.

146 thoughts on “Reader’s Choice Giveaway – Autumn 2026 Edition – Goal Review”

    1. Read a book that’s not only been on my TBR list since I first read about it, but that I’m dying to read.  And it’s a Regency too, which I’m well over due to read one.

    PRIDE AND PRACTICALITY by Pepper Basham

    Release date – November 3, 2026

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  7. 2. Read a book from an old favorite author that’s been way too long since I read one of her books and a book I can’t wait to read.

      A CASTLE OF SAND by Wanda E Brunstetter

      Release date – October 1, 2026

      2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. 3. Try to keep up with the K-9 books, especially those in the K-9 Companions series that I love.

        THE VETERAN’S CHRISTMAS K-9 by Lisa Jordan

        Release date – November 24, 2026

        2clowns at arkansas dot net

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        1. You are such a champion for Wanda E. Brunstetter – I really need to read more of her books. She’s another author who has been writing for ages and yet I’ve read only two or three of her books. Good luck, Kay!

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      1. I love goal review day with all the quarterly stats. You’re looking good!

        I’ve read 234 books of my 250 yearly Goodreads goal.

        Genre breakdown-118 contemporary 50%, 73 suspense 31%, 45 historical 19%, since I’ve been reading on KU this year my contemp. count has gone up and my historical has gone down.

        I’ve read 48 new to me authors of my 40 yearly goal. Now I’m going for 50.

        I’ve read 23 of my 26 in 26 books, the last 3 haven’t been released yet.

        For the fun of it, I started a read a book from all 50 states, I’ve read 44 of the 50, some are harder to find but I’ve got some picked out and still have a few to look for.

        Connilyn Cossette is on my keep current author list and my read to zero goal list, so surprise…

        *Throne of the Heavens

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        1. Tracey, that is an impressive amount of books for your goal! You mentioned that you are on Goodreads. Is your account private? Do you allow people to follow you? I just joined Goodreads and would love to follow your updates if you don’t mind.

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          1. Hi Sylvia, my Goodreads account is set to private, I’ve had some men trying to “friend” me who havent even read any books, like zero books, so I like to keep it that way. I’ll look for you and send you a friend request, or you can look for me 🙂

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          2. I looked you up, there are over 50 Sylvia Millers! I need to know where your from to narrow it down, or you can send me a friend request. I don’t thin there are any other Tracey Hagwood’s on Goodreads.

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          4. Thanks for the link, I found you, followed and added you as a friend, welcome to Goodreads!

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        2. Wow, congrats on your Good Reads goal – just sixteen books shy of the number which will be easy to reach in the next three months! Love your genre breakdown. I’m really surprised at my low contemporary ratio, I feel like I’ve read a ton of rom/coms this summer….and 73 suspense novels is higher than your normal, isn’t it? Seems to me suspense isn’t always your go-to…unless it’s being written by Susan May Warren! And I love that you’ve already exceed your new to you author goal. But I’m kinda jealous that you are so far along with your 26 in 26 books. Just three to go! I really need to make mine a priority! 44 states is impressive. I just counted mine and I didn’t do as badly as I thought — 40 states. Rhode Island is a killer! 🙂

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          1. My suspense reading has really gone up since I’ve subscribed to KU. I’ve tried a lot of books that way, some I couldn’t get very far into and had to stop. On the flipside I’ve found some terrific books that aren’t too graphic. SMW has for sure increased my suspense count. I feel like I’m letting my historical books down though 😂

            I’ll have to look what I read for Rhode Island, those small states are definitely the hardest, I think I still have Connecticut to read.

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          2. Alright Kav, I’ve been thinking about my suspense genre since you said 73 seems high for me, and it does. I went back and looked them up. I’ve read 16 in the Guideposts Mysteries of Blackberry Valley cozy series, 10 from Madison Love series, 10 from Jo Grafford series, 10 from Susan Warren, 8 from Jorgia Yates series. So, 54 from series and 19 various other suspense. Once I get hook on a series I like to read them all.

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      3. I love your “serious about series” category, I’m serious about them too.

        ***Trail of the Brave by Susan Warren, 3rd book in the Call of the Wild series

        This has been a great week exploring all the new releases coming! I’ve enjoyed seeing all the entries and have added some new finds to my fall reading list.

        Thank you so much for RC Week and all the giveaways! tracey14567 atgmail.com

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        1. I’ve had fun this week too — still updating my TBR book and then next up to see which books will come out in audio and what the preorder prices are for print copies then I need to make a game plan. Which books do I buy, which ones do I request my library to buy? And should I have a focus…like Christmas and indie? Decisions, decisions. lol Good luck, Tracey!

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      4. Kav, I’m always so impressed with your reading goals tracking charts (and Tracey’s too!) Y’all are my reading heroines! I’m just too lazy plus have had a rough year physically & am kinda hit & miss with it.

        I typically strive for more adversity, new to me authors, & keeping up with series (which I’m not great at). For adversity I have Toni Shiloh & Rhonda McKnight’s newest books to read this mth, been to England, Ireland, Scotland, Calcutta, & the Caribbean with ML Tyndall. New to me authors have been Chelsey Welwood, Valerie Bodden, Jessica Brodie, Jenelle Hovde, Vera Bell, etc. I’ve actually kept up with Nancy Mehl’s latest series & Colleen Coble’s Sanctuary series.

        New to me author I’ve heard so much about:

        1) The Sisterhood of Unlikely Friends by Sara Brunsvold

        dianalflowers at aol dot com

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      6. New to me author:

        3) The Dogwood Gospel by Cindy Morgan (love books about circuses!)

        Thanks so much for all the work you put into these RCW weeks, Kav! It’s always so much fun and informative as well.

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          1. Reading should always be fun so if stats and goals takeaway from that fun, then definitely steer clear. I love adding diversity to my reading as well and armchair travelling is the best! I take it your journeys with ML Tyndall were in the company of pirates? 🙂 Good luck, Diane!

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          2. I so love reading your goal stats and am very impressed with you and Tracey! WOW! I’m definitely not good at keeping goal charts (but I do have goals) and I love the fact you include this as a category and bring it to our attention! If not, I might read the same genre of books, the same fave authors, and miss a lot of good ones out there. I remember a time when I didn’t make it a point to read many new to me or diverse authors. That sure has changed, thanks to you!

            Aye matey! 486 pages (blimey!) of not only one, but two swoon-worthy pirates! And a few malodorous ones as well. lol

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      7. Kav, I am in awe of your stats and of Tracey’s also! My most pressing goal is to finish my reviews. I’m guilty of being like a customer at a buffet so I am often struggling to get all reviews finished in a timely manner!

        Another goal is to read Thrones of the Heavens by Connilyn Cossette. I have read ALL of her previous novels.

        Connie

        cps1950ATgmailDOTcom

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        1. Ohhh, I got behind on reviews this week but generally I don’t allow myself to pick up the next book until I’ve written a review for the previous one. It’s too hard otherwise. I’m kinda angsting right now because I have four reviews pending and am close to finishing another book. Ack! Bibliophile anxiety! Good luck, Connie!

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      8. 1.I’ve been able to read a lot more this year, which necessitated an upping of my goal. So now I’m going for 4 books a week (208 for the year) rather than my usual goal of 3 a week (156/year).

        The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright

        rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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      9. 2. I’ve been listening to a lot more audio books this year! (This may be partially why my read count is higher this year). Currently I can listen while doing work projects, and I have a really extensive project I’ve been working on all summer/fall. I think I’m at around 30 audiobooks, which is much higher than my usual 6-12.

        The Resurrection of Evania James by Jaime Jo Wright (being print, it won’t help the audio count, but it will help my total book goal!)

        rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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      10. 3. I’m not doing as well on reading Indie authors as I would have liked (especially given my high read count), but Autumn by the Sea by Melissa Tagg would count toward that!

        rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

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        1. Hooray for moving the goal post ahead! 🙂 Audio books are definitely how I read more books — I walk everywhere and l listen along the way so it’s an excellent opportunity to get more reading time in. And now that you have mentioned Melissa Tagg I’ve remembered that I have the last book in that series on my TBR waiting for me. Good luck, Rachael!

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      11. I think for me, staying up to date with an author is enough of a goal for me…lol! So in order to do so, this one will keep me current with Hannah Linder:

        Tenderly Betrayed by Hannah Linder (November)

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      20. According to Goodreads I have read 160 of 175 for the year.
        my goal for this post is to acquire books that slipped past me. ( author’s backlist)

        #1 A Declaration of Hope by T. Elizabeth Renich

        paulamarys49ATgmailDOTcom

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        1. That Good Reads count is fantastic, Paula, you’re definitely well on your way to achieving that goal…early even. Ohhhh, I like this goal. Must make a note of it for next year — illusive books that keep evading me. That could take all year. lol Good luck, Paula!

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      23. I always love seeing your charts! So far I’ve succeeded on catching up on two of my ‘read to zero’ authors (Crystal Caudill, and Megan Soja – until November when Soja’s next book releases). I’ve also read a few new-to me authors in this quarter!

        Read to zero “In These Hills” by Tamera Alexander

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      26. You are doing great with all your goals, even if you’ve had to tweak things a bit. And, you have some great books left on your 26 list. It’s impossible to keep up with all the series, especially when more are released like every day, LOL! I have completed 23 series so far this year, and will finish another one either today or tomorrow. I had a personal goal to read 50 of my own books this year and I am currently reading number 49, so I am on target there as well. One of the series I need to catch up on is Shelley Shepard Gray’s ABC’s. So I would like the opportunity for D is for Daisy by Shelley. Thanks for the opportunity. cilydav at hotmail dot com

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      28. And, another new author I would like to try is Heather Wood, and her book Weaving Roots. I met her at an author event 2 years ago and have been meaning to read her books, but here we are. Thanks again, Kav! Have a great day!

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        1. My problem with series is that instead of concentrating on finishing the ones on my list, I keep starting new ones! I have no shelf control as they say. 🙂 Wow, Cindy, you are crushing your goals well before the deadline! And completely 23 (soon to be 24) series is a fantastic accomplishment! The Chalet Next door eluded me last year too. Maybe this Christmas will be it’s time to shine. Good luck, Cindy!

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          1. I understand. I have a notebook where I keep all the series that I have started and the books that need to be read in order to finish the series, and every few months I go through and pick a book from a series or the whole series to binge. But, I am also constantly adding to it. At one point I had started over 50 series…because there are so many…and I may still be close to that number, I no longer count, LOL! But, for a few months this year I also intentionally DIDN’T start books in a series. I either read from previously started series or read standalone novels.

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        1. I have heard such great things about Wishtress and yet I’ve checked it out of the library multiple times and keep returning it unread. Time to place another hold and actually read the book this time! And I have Havoc and Chaos on hold from the library. Haven’t read anything in this series yet. Good luck, Caryl!

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        1. I just checked out A Cry in the Dark from the library…again. I had it once before but wasn’t brave enough to read it and there were lots of holds on it so I sent to back but my name has come up again and she’s back. Seems like October is the perfect month to read a spooky book! Good luck, Sarah!

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      34. I still need to finish out Becky Wade’s Sons of Scandal series, so I’d choose Uneasy Street by Becky Wade.

        On a good note, my goal of books to read in 2026 was… 26! I’ve finished 23, so I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll be able to make that goal by the end of December. Happy reading, Kav!

        Jolene – iwant2save34 at gmail dot com

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        1. That’s fantastic, Jolene! And isn’t if fun when the Good Reads Tracker tells you how many books ahead you are? Instead of gloomily announcing how many you are behind by? lol Good luck!

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      36. 1) Dual-timeline, Christian historical mystery. What could get better to pull me into a mystery? The Life She Forgot (House on the Edge of the Cliff #1) by Joanna Davidson Politano – Grafted Page Press, April 21, 2026 Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House lanehillhouse[at]gmail[dot]com

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      37. 2) Indie Publisher ~ Australia. Read book 1 and am interested in what happens next in the series! Carry Me Away (Blue Wren Shallows #2) by Dorothy Adamek – Crabapple House Publishing, November 5, 2019 Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

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      39. Impressive stat keeping and your progress too! My only stat is total books read as per Goodreads, which is 164. That’s about my average and on track for 200+ for the year.

        My goal is to keep current with favorite authors.

        #1. The Christmas Courier by Roseanna White.

        Sandyavery at comcast dot net

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      42. It’s always fun to see all the charts you include. 🙂 I’ve managed to complete a few series this quarter and read several new to me authors, too. 

        I’ve been looking forward to reading more Christmas books this year – The Christmas Book Flood by Roseanna M. White

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