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2026 Reading Challenge

2026 Reading Challenge: March Recap and April Preview

Congratulations to everyone who completed the third month of the 2026 Reading Challenge! Our March winner is Sandy Chi, who wins a pen and notebook set in honor of the month’s theme: a book written in letters or diary entries. Here are a few of the books you read this month. (Reader comments may be edited for length and clarity.)

Cover of 84, Charing Cross Road84, Charing Cross Road, Helen Hanff
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library

“This book had been on my list for a few years and I’m so glad the epistolary prompt for March finally put it at the top of my list! It’s a calm and very pleasant post-war period correspondence between a New York woman and English booksellers, all of whom are chock full of personality. The people in this book will stay with me. This is a very quick read but it gave me an enormous reading list to follow Helene’s explorations of English literature.” — Alaina

Cover of The Murder of Roger AckroydThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Agatha Christie
Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book

“I’m a huge Christie fan, so this book hit all the sweet spots for me! One of her most famous endings and deservedly so. Everything about this book is cleverly constructed, and the diary formatting works to structure the mystery in a super interesting way. Plus, lots of great Poirot moments!” — Nobel

“I picked up this book thinking it would be a normal mystery, but Agatha Christie really fooled me in the cleanest way. The story feels simple at first, but every person in that village is acting a little weird, so you keep guessing and second-guessing yourself. And then the ending…bro, I literally closed the book and sat there like WHAT. HOW. HOWWW. I even re-read the last pages because my brain refused to accept it. Honestly, after finishing it, I kept thinking back to early chapters and realizing she hinted so many times and I still missed it.” — Sonali

Cover of The Perks of Being a WallflowerThe Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower has moments that genuinely hit. Charlie’s loneliness feels real and the tenderness is hard to shake. But somewhere along the way, it started feeling more like a mood than a story, and I never quite fully connected with it the way I wanted to.” — Sandy

“This was another great read. It touches on a lot of sensitive topics in a very natural way that makes me use my brain to put it together.” — Masha

Cover of The Diary of a Young GirlThe Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library

“What makes it remarkable isn’t just the historical context. It’s the interior life on display. A teenager rigorously interrogating her own identity, relationships, and sense of self under conditions of extreme external constraint. It’s one of the most intimate documents we have of consciousness trying to remain intact when the outside world is systematically trying to erase it.” — Fresnel

“Reading Anne Frank’s diary felt different than any other book I’ve read. It’s so honest and so normal in some parts that you forget she’s writing all this while hiding for her life. And then suddenly it hits you again, and the whole thing becomes heavy in your chest. By the time I finished it, I felt this strange mix of sadness and respect. She writes with so much hope, and knowing what happens to her later makes every line feel heavier. I closed the book feeling quiet, like I needed a minute to just sit with it. It stays with you in a way that’s not dramatic, just painfully real.” — Sonali

What to Read in April

In celebration of National Library Week (April 6-12), we’re challenging you to read a book recommended by a librarian in April. You can find a few recommended reads below, and we’ve assembled a big list of recommendations from the Northeastern Library staff, all of which are available in print, e-book, or audiobook format from the library.

Make sure to stop by the Snell Library lobby on Wednesday, April 15, and Thursday, April 16, to browse recommended books from the print collection. It’s also your last chance to pick up Reading Challenge swag this semester. Remember: whatever you read, make sure to tell us about it to enter the prize drawing!

Cover of Atmosphere Atmosphere: A Love Story, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Listen to the audiobook

Recommended by: Bahare Sanaie-Movahed, Geospatial & GIS Specialist
Bahare says: “A compelling and emotional read that blends personal journeys with broader themes, making it both engaging and thought-provoking.”

Cover of Born a CrimeBorn a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, Trevor Noah
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book

Recommended by: Karen Merguerian, Head of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
Karen says: “Trevor Noah’s story of growing up in South Africa describes apartheid from a child’s perspective, but at the same time, Noah brings his adult sensibility and his appreciation for humor and absurdity.”

Cover of With a VengeanceWith a Vengeance, Riley Sager
Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

Recommended by: Tamara Uhaze, First Year Experience Librarian
Tamara says: “This is a quick mystery/thriller set on an antique passenger train in post-WWII America. As Anna, the protagonist, looks for answers about the downfall of her family, she realizes she is trapped on the train with a murderer. You spend time getting to know each of the suspects and their role in Anna’s life, building toward the reveal of a grand conspiracy. This was an enjoyable read without too much time commitment.”

Cover of Shuggie BainShuggie Bain, Douglas Stuart
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book

Recommended by: Irene Gates, Processing Archivist
Irene says: “A beautifully compassionate portrait of alcoholism, queer adolescence, and working class life amidst high unemployment in 1980s Scotland. A deeply moving book that will make your heart ache.”

Cover of The ReformatoryThe Reformatory: A Novel, Tananarive Due
Read the e-book

Recommended by: Kerri Vautour, Marketing and Communications Manager
Kerri says: “In 1950, a 12-year-old Black boy is sent to a segregated reform school after hitting a white boy who was harassing his sister. Robbie experiences the violence of the reformatory himself, but his ability to see ghosts shows him just how horrifying the history of the place is. The true monsters aren’t the ghosts of the dead; it’s the violence and racism perpetrated by the living.”

Cover of The Thursday Murder ClubThe Thursday Murder Club: A Novel, Richard Osman
Find it at Snell Library | Listen to the audiobook

Recommended by: Amanda Calabrese, Integrated Systems Librarian
Amanda says: “This is the funniest cozy murder mystery I’ve ever read (no surprise — author Richard Osman is a British comedian). A group of true crime fans in a retirement community gets involved in solving actual cases, and the characters are so lovable. Ibrahim is my favorite. If you like this one, there are currently four more in the series. They also made a Netflix movie, but if you didn’t like that, the book is way better.”

Happy reading!

2026 Reading Challenge: February Recap and March Preview

Happy March, and congratulations to everyone who’s participated in the 2026 Reading Challenge so far! Our February winner is Zoe Brazile, who wins a finals week study room stocked with snacks, treats, and swag. In February, we challenged you to read a book under or around 200 pages. Here are some of the short books you read this month. (Reader comments may be edited for length and clarity.)

Cover of Convenience Store WomanConvenience Store Woman: A Novel, Sayaka Murata
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library

“An amazing portrayal of what it’s like to be neurodivergent. Despite the seemingly mundane life of the protagonist, I found the story to be captivating and never found myself bored.” — Brody

Cover of The River Has RootsThe River Has Roots, Amal El-Mohtar
Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Listen to the audiobook

“Beautifully condensed piece of magical realism that packs an emotional punch. Perfect for fans of folk magic, fairy tales, and stories centered on the complexity of sisterly love.” — Sandy

Cover of Small Things Like TheseSmall Things Like These, Claire Keegan
Read the e-book

“Claire Keegan’s is a story of hope and quiet strength against oppressive systems such as the church and religion. It’s inspiring, thought-provoking, and incredibly compassionate. The story is contained, which heightens the tender feelings of the story. It moves and loves similarly to its small-town Irish setting — unnoticed but profound.” — Alex

Cover of Not Too LateNot Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua, eds.
Find it at Snell Library | Read the e-book

“This book is a great antidote to climate despair! It was edited by two activists in the 2020s who coordinated big names working on climate action and policy from around the world. Not a long read, but a rich read.” — Alaina

Cover of Strange HousesStrange Houses, Uketsu
Read the e-book

“A super light and fun horror read! This was an interesting genre of Japanese horror.” — Chloe

 

 

What to Read in March

This month, we’re challenging you to read an epistolary novel: that is, a book written in letters or diary entries. (It doesn’t have to be a novel — it could also be a collection of letters or a published diary.) Need ideas? Check out the e-books and audiobooks recommended by your librarians. If you’re on the Boston campus, you can also stop by Snell Library on Wednesday, March 11, and Thursday, March 12, to browse books from our print collection and pick up Reading Challenge stickers and bookmarks.

Remember: whatever you read, make sure to tell us about it to enter the prize drawing!

Cover of North WoodsNorth Woods: A Novel, Daniel Mason
Find it at Snell Library | Read the e-book

When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of characters. An English soldier, destined for glory, devotes himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave — only to discover that the earth refuses to give up its secrets. As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive.

Cover of The AppealThe Appeal: A Novel, Janice Hallett
Read the e-book

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and their castmates rally to raise the money for an expensive experimental treatment. But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy — nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tensions grow, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material — emails, messages, letters — with a growing suspicion that the killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.

Cover of PiranesiPiranesi, Susanna Clarke
Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book

Piranesi’s house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls lined with thousands upon thousands of statues. Within the labyrinth of halls, an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, while rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid. He lives to explore the house. There is one other person in the house — a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person in the house, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing the world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.

Cover of TrustTrust, Hernan Diaz
Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Listen to the audiobook

Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of the world of seemingly endless wealth — all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.

Cover of ShatteredShattered: A Memoir, Hanif Kureishi
Read the e-book

In late 2022, in Rome, Hanif Kureishi had a fall. When he came to, he realized he could no longer walk. So began a yearlong odyssey through the medical systems of Italy, with the hope of somehow being able to return home to his house in London. While confined to a series of hospital wards, Kureishi felt compelled to write, but being unable to type or hold a pen, he began to dictate to family members the words that formed in his head. The result was an extraordinary series of dispatches from his hospital bed: a diary of a life in pieces, recorded with rare honesty, humor, and verve. Shattered takes these dispatches and charts both a shattering and a reassembling: a new life born of pain and loss but also animated by new feelings of gratitude, humility, and love.

 

2026 Reading Challenge: January Recap and February Preview

Can you believe it’s already February? The first month of the 2026 Reading Challenge flew by. Speaking of flying, in January, we challenged you to read a book about exploration, travel, or a journey. Congratulations to Avni Sangai, the first winner of 2026, who takes home a Northeastern travel mug to accompany them on all their adventures!

And congratulations to everyone who read a book and told us about it this month. Check out some highlighted reads below. (Reader comments may have been edited for length or clarity.)

What You Read in January

Cover of The Mystery of the Blue TrainThe Mystery of the Blue Train, Agatha Christie
Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

“The Mystery of the Blue Train honestly felt like I was traveling with them. Agatha Christie just throws clues at you like she’s testing your brain on purpose. I kept thinking ‘okay, I solved it now,’ and then boom, totally wrong again. The whole luxury train vibe mixed with murder was actually too good. I finished it and sat there like…what did I even just read? This was wild.” — Sonali

“This story is spot-on with the travel and discovery vibe. It fired up my passion for books that bridge different lives.” — Quoc

Cover of The OdysseyThe Odyssey, Homer
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library

“I first read The Odyssey in high school, and at the time, I mostly experienced it as a classic adventure filled with monsters, gods, and trials. Rereading it for this challenge, I gained a much stronger appreciation for its longing for home. I think being a senior made me realize that I will be embarking on unfamiliar journeys soon. I’m unsure if they are far from home, and if so, when my path will bring me back, and so through this reading, I was able to sort out my anxieties and come full circle to excitement for the potential of these adventures.” — Kajal

Cover of KatabasisKatabasis, R.F. Kuang
Find it at Snell Library | Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

“I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a literal journey to Hell and back that was fascinating, beautifully written, and hurt my brain (in a good way). I found R.F. Kuang’s portrayal of Hell to be fascinating, although I wished there was slightly more Dante influence in her interpretation. The characters’ exploration of Hell was fun, devastating, weird, and at times, slow…but all around, I loved this book and highly recommend it. Starting off 2026 with a 5-star read!!” — Caroline

“Katabasis is about a grad student who journeys through the various rings of hell to retrieve her advisor. Arguably relatable to many of us.” — Sherwin

Cover of Into Thin Air

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster, Jon Krakauer
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library

“About the 1996 Everest Disaster (narrated by a guy who survived the ordeal), an absolutely crazy situation that I’m surprised I’d never heard about until this book.” — Quinn

 

 

What to Read in February

Because February is a short month, we’re challenging you to read a short book. Specifically, try reading a book that is under or around 200 pages. This could be a novella, a book of poetry, an extended essay, or even a comic book. Need ideas? Check out the e-books and audiobooks recommended by your librarians. If you’re on the Boston campus, you can also stop by Snell Library on Feb. 11 and 12 from 1 – 3 p.m. to browse books from the print collection and pick up Reading Challenge swag.

Remember, whatever you read, make sure to tell us about it to enter the prize drawing!

Cover of All Systems RedAll Systems Red, Martha Wells (144 pages)
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Read the e-book | Listen to the audiobook

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone to watch its soap operas. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

Cover of My Sister the Serial Killer

My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite (226 pages)
Find it at Snell Library | Find it at F.W. Olin Library | Listen to the audiobook

Korede is bitter. How could she not be? Her sister, Ayoola, is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead. Korede’s practicality is the sisters’ saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood and that the trunk of her car is big enough for a body. Not that she gets any credit. Korede has long been in love with a kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where she works. But when he asks Korede for Ayoola’s phone number, she must reckon with what her sister has become and how far she’s willing to go to protect her.

Cover of The Summer WarThe Summer War, Naomi Novik (144 pages)
Listen to the audiobook

Celia discovered her talent for magic on the day her beloved oldest brother, Argent, left home. Furious at him for abandoning her in war-torn land, she lashed out, dooming him to a life without love. While Argent wanders the world, forced to seek only fame and glory instead of the love and belonging he truly desires, Celia attempts to undo the curse she placed on him. Yet even as she grows from a girl to a woman, she cannot find the solution — until she learns the truth about the centuries-old war between her own people and the summerlings, immortal beings who hold a relentless grudge against their mortal neighbors. Now Celia may be able to both undo her eldest brother’s curse and heal the lands so long torn apart by the Summer War.

Cover of What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About FatWhat We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon (208 pages)
Find it at Snell Library | Read the e-book

Anti-fatness is everywhere. In What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon unearths the cultural attitudes and social systems that have led to people being denied basic needs because they are fat and calls for social justice movements to be inclusive of plus-sized people’s experiences. Unlike memoirs and quasi-self-help books on “body positivity,” Gordon pushes the discussion further toward authentic fat activism. As she argues, “I did not come to body positivity for self-esteem. I came to it for social justice.” Advancing fat justice and changing prejudicial structures and attitudes will require work from all people. What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat is a crucial tool to create a tectonic shift in the way we see, talk about, and treat our bodies, fat and thin alike.

Cover of White HolesWhite Holes, Carlo Rovelli (176 pages)
Listen to the audiobook

Let us journey, with physicist Carlo Rovelli, into the heart of the black hole. We slip beyond its horizon and tumble down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we see geometry fold. Time and space pull and stretch. And finally, at the black hole’s core, space and time dissolve, and a white hole is born. In White Holes, Rovelli traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, investigating whether all black holes could eventually turn into white holes. He shares the fear, uncertainty, and frequent disappointment of exploring hypotheses and unknown worlds, and the delight of chasing new ideas to unexpected conclusions. Guiding us beyond the horizon, he invites us to experience the fever and the disquiet of science — and the strange and startling life of a white hole.

Announcing the 2026 Reading Challenge!

The Northeastern University Library is excited to announce its third annual Reading Challenge! For each month of 2026, library staff have selected a theme. If you read a book that first the monthly theme and then fill out a quick survey about what you read, you’ll be entered in a prize drawing. We’re giving away prizes every month, so you have 12 chances to win!

How to Participate

Step 1: Read a book that first the theme. Need inspiration? Check out Libby for on-theme audiobooks and e-books, or visit Snell Library during one of our monthly tabling events to browse selections from our print collection and pick up Reading Challenge bookmarks and stickers.

Step 2: Tell us what you read. Every month, we’ll draw one winning name from the list of readers who have completed our book survey

The Themes

Graphic listing each of the Northeastern University 2026 Reading Challenge themes, which are also listed in the text of this blog

The 2026 themes are:

January: A book about exploration, travel, or a journey
February: A book under 200 pages
March: A book written in letters or diary entries
April: A book recommended by a librarian
May: A book with a non-human protagonist
June: A book about activism
July: A book about American history
August: A book by an author local to your Northeastern campus
September: A book set on a college campus
October: A book of investigative journalism
November: A book about food
December: A book published in 2026

Paws, the Northeastern husky mascot, sits on a yellow couch in Snell Library holding a copy of Ready Player One and giving a thumb's up

The Prizes

The prizes vary monthly and include:

  • Northeastern University merch
  • Stocked study rooms and finals week care packages
  • Library posters featuring our own Paws the Husky

Stay Up to Date

Want to stay in the loop on the Reading Challenge? You can sign up for our newsletter to receive monthly book recommendations. Make sure you’re also following the Library News blog and our social media accounts (@NortheasternLib on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky) to find out the winner each month, and keep an eye on the library calendar to find out when we’ll be hosting events!

Questions about the challenge? Contact Brooke Williams, Research & Student Success Librarian. Happy reading!