2026 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - First Quarter Check-In

I apologize for being so late with this update! I've been in such a funk, both in reading and life in general. Too much going on in the world. It's overwhelming and really starting to wear me down. You will see how bad of a funk I'm in below. 

How did the first quarter go for you?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year. Plus, I'm going to try to do the Complete the Word Bonus Challenge. I picked FRIGHT since it has an H - Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo. Here's how it's going so far...

• Winter - set in winter or snow on the cover or winter in the title
• Epistolary horror - found footage, told in letters and/or diaries
• Cult and/or ritual
• Haunted house
• Full moon and/or woods on the cover
• Indigenous, Asian, or Latino author
• Pumpkins/Jack O' Lanterns on the cover
• Black author
• Book published in the 60's, 70's, or 80's
• Social justice horror
• Yule/Christmas holiday themed
• Whatever scares you the most 
  Marla, Jonathan Janz (creepy...creepy scares me the most. lol)

F

R

I 

G

H - Hell Bent, Leigh Bardugo

T

So, as you can see, I'm not doing great. I am hoping I can turn things around starting this month. Wish me luck! Next up for me is The Siren of Groves Peak by Glenn Rolfe. It probably won't fit the challenge though. Oh well.

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2026
challenge page in the menu above.

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

Thanks for bearing with me! Wishing you terrifying reading. 

2025 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - First Quarter Check-in

Sorry I'm late! Big thanks to Marla for posting her update on Instagram...a nice kick in the pants since I forgot. 

So, how did the first quarter go for you?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year (plus, I'm trying for the Cryptid Bingo). Here's how it's going so far...

• Vampires
• Witches
• Folk Horror
• Written by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) author
• A Ghost Story
• Written by a female author
• Cosmic Horror
• Frightening Cover
• Adapted as movie/series
• Katsu, Ketchum, King, or Koontz - Holly, Stephen King
• Black, gray, orange, or red cover - Horseman, Christina Henry
• Book featuring a Cryptid (mark off one BINGO square!) - The Dover Demon, Hunter Shea

I'm currently reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde which will fit the "adapted as movie" category. I watched the 1945 film last week when I started the book.

Here's my updated Cryptid Bingo Card

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2025

challenge page in the menu above.

My Spring into Horror Readathon is going on this month over on Seasons of Reading so I expect I'll get some categories knocked out. If you would like to join us, stop over there. You can join in at any time during the month AND we're having a 24-Hour Readathon on April 12. 
Here are my planned reads for the readathon:

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

2024 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - First Quarter Check-In

The first quarter of 2024 is in the books. So, how did it go?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year. I'm doing well...I've already read four books!

• Witch, dark, blood, bone, or body in title
• Nature gone wild (when plants or animals attack)
• Creepy character/object (House, doll, child, etc.)
• Holiday horror (Christmas, yule, etc.)
• Short story anthology or collection - Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele, Editor
• Takes place during Halloween season
• Winter theme, or winter on cover - A Winter Haunting, Dan Simmons
• A book that is also a movie - I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Iain Reid
• By BIPOC author
• Classic horror novel
• Dark Academia novel (here's a list on Goodreads) - Ninth House, Leigh Bardugo
• Gothic novel

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2024

challenge page in the menu above.

Not sure what's up for me next, but my Spring into Horror Readathon is going on this month over on Seasons of Reading so I expect I'll get some categories knocked out. If you would like to join us, stop over there. You can still sign up.

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 First Quarter Check-In

The first quarter of 2023 is in the books. How did you fare? 

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year and I'm happy to say, I've finished three books.

• Book by BIPOC author - My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones
• Set in the past - The Greeen Man, Kingsley Amis
• Folk Horror - The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2023 challenge page in the menu above.

Next up for me are The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin (Title with dead, blood, or bone) and Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi (black, red, or white cover). 

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

Announcement! The Spring into Horror Readathon is going on through the month of April. You can still sign up. Full details at the Seasons of Reading blog.

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2022 First Quarter Check-In

I'm so sorry for being late with this! Thankfully, Gilda messaged me which was a much appreciated reminder. 

First quarter is done and I guess I'm not doing too bad. I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year. I'm currently on my second book (and almost finished) The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (BIPOC male author), and planning to read my third one by end of month which is Ten by Gretchen McNeil (Slasher category). First book read, in the BIPOC female author category, was Certain Dark Things by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia. 

Not quite sure what's up for me next, but probably either The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice (Vampires category) or The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (Serial killer from the past category).

So, how's it going for you with the horror reading? Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

...and, as always, thank you for joining me!

Get new posts by email:

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - First Quarter Check-in #IReadHorror

Can't believe it has been three months already! 

I've managed to check two off my list of 12 books. I'm doing the Chilling level. (Full challenge details here...you can still sign up.)

What I've read so far:

Winter theme, or winter appearance on the cover (snow, ice, etc.)

The Ascent by Ronald Malfi (short review on Goodreads)

Written by a woman

The Witch's Trinity by Erika Mailman (Review)

I'm currently reading these books for the listed categories:

Historical horror (must be an historical novel written by a contemporary author)

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

A body of water (featured in story, on cover, or in title)

Cradle Lake by Ronald Malfi

Hoping to get to Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia this month as well (Woman on cover category) since it is my Spring into Horror Readathon this month. 

So, how's it going for you with the horror reading? Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.).