Reading Challenges

Books with main characters in their 50s. From middle age fiction to memoirs, these reflect a wide range of 50 something life experiences.

The best books set in Australia or New Zealand. From the beaches to the outback, these titles include novels, historical fiction, memoirs, and non-fiction books.

Whether you are participating in our Decades Reading Challenge or found this list while researching books about the 60s and 70s – you’ve come to …

This list of recommended books spanning a character’s lifetime includes a wide variety of fiction titles as well as some excellent memoirs.

The best books set in the southern countries of Asia from memoirs, historical fiction, and some even funny modern fiction.

The best books set in the 1960s, including novels and historical fiction, memoirs and non-fiction, as well as important books from the 1960s written during that decade.

Look for books with main characters in their 40s? These 40-something main character books cover a huge variety of topics, backgrounds, and lifestyles.

After taking a little armchair vacation to the islands in April for the Book Voyage reading challenge, this month we’ll be reading books set in …

These books set in the 1950s include fiction and non-fiction, and both classic books written in the 50s and new releases.

Looking for books with characters in their 30s? This selection of titles with protagonists in their 30s cover a huge variety of topics, backgrounds, and lifestyles.

Armchair travelers will love this list of books that take place on an island. From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, and from the tropical South Pacific to the cooler US east coast, this island books includes rom coms, historical fiction, memoirs, travelogues, and more.

This 1940s book list includes some great fiction reads set in WW2, but we’ve also found some fabulous books NOT set during wartime. Reading is a great escape when you’re stuck at home and any of these novels will transport you to another time AND help you check off your April book in the Book Girls’ Guide Decades challenge!

This list of highly-rated books all feature main characters in their 20s. From post-coming-of-age stories to starting careers and novels to memoirs, this diverse book list covers topics relevant to life as 20-somethings.

The best Eastern European novels and non-fiction books, set in over 20 different countries. The list includes some wonderful YA books set in Russia and Eastern Europe, and plenty of historical fiction, memoirs, and more.

A list of the best book about the 1930s, including classic literature, historical fiction novels, and non-fiction reads about some of the most fascinating events of the decade.

These books with teenage characters all feature main characters between 13 and 19 years old. The list has a wide range of book recommendations, including both YA and adult fiction, contemporary and historical fiction, and non-fiction.

For month two of the Book Voyage reading challenge, we will be reading books set in Western Europe! Of all the regions on our armchair …

This great selection of historical fiction books set in the 1920s includes classic novels originally published in the 1920s, plus highly rated new non-fiction and fiction books set in the 1920s.

We are so excited to kick on the Decades Reading Challenge, starting this month with the 1910s! We’ve compiled a list of thirty of the …

It’s time for our third annual yearlong reading challenge! For 2022, we’re excited to announce that the theme for the new year is “Lifetime of …

These adult novels with a child protagonist all feature kids under the age of 12 as the main character. The list has a wide range of book recommendations, including contemporary and historical fiction.

Love to armchair travel? This list of books – each spanning multiple continents – is a great resource for those who want to read around the world.

While many readers may automatically think of books set in the USA for North America, we’d like to encourage our fellow American’s to armchair travel to one of the continent’s other countries or territories, including: Canada, Greenland, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

This month the Book Voyage reading challenge is whisking us away to South America. For many of us, our first introduction to South America likely came from …

The Decades Reading Challenge has reached the 21st century and this month we’ll be reading books set after the millennium. You can read all about …

This month the Book Voyage reading challenge is taking us to the vast continent of Africa. Africa is the second-largest continent by geographic area, and …

We are now nine months into the Decades Reading Challenge and we’ve worked out way up to the end of the 20th century. This month …

This month the Book Voyage reading challenge is taking us to the complex region of the Middle East. This geographical region of the world, which …

As we work our way through the Decades Reading Challenge, this one is extra special to The Book Girls, because both of us were born …

Whether you’re joining us as part of the Read Around the World Children’s summer reading challenge, or you found this booklist searching for the best children’s books …