Book Riot’s monthly check-in: what the author finished in August, what she plans for September, and how she’s approaching the 2026 Read Harder Challenge and seasonal reading.
August reading was light: a nonfiction reread for book club, a fantasy-architect manga volume, and a D&D-adjacent graphic novel.
September TBR leans into fall: a book-club reread, a completed manga series binge, an Indigenous horror anthology, and sapphic gothic novels saved for early spooky season.
# September?
Book Riot's monthly check-in lays out what the author finished in August, what's queued for September, and how the Read Harder Challenge is progressing. The month acts as the bridge into fall releases and the beginning of a long horror season.
The author notes a reading slump in which most reading time went to fanfiction, which limited progress on the broader TBR.
September is treated as the beginning of the main reading season. Specific plans include:
The author frames September as a month for gothic mood reads and long series catches rather than full-on horror binges.
The post notes that 2026's Read Harder Challenge is two-thirds complete at this point in the year. The author asks readers how their personal challenge progress is going and which tasks remain.
Some content, including the author's full list of August finishes and September TBR details, is flagged as All Access member content. The piece also includes brief reminders about community features: comments require All Access membership to post, and the comments are moderated under Book Riot's community guidelines. Affiliate links are present in the original post.
The tone is practical and personal: the author plans to break a slump by prioritizing library holds, book-club rereads, and completed series available for binge-reading. They emphasize using September to shift into fall reading momentum and to prepare for October's heavier horror focus.
Readers are invited to share what they read in August, what's on their September TBR, and which Read Harder Challenge tasks they've completed or left to do.
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