As we leave one month behind and head into the next, I really feel like I’ve made a lot of progress on my challenges in June! How did it go for you? Do you tend to read queer books during Pride, and if so are there any that really stood out? We had a lot of content for Pride in Horror over at Divination Hollow so if you’re still on the hunt for queer media, jump over and check it out.
2026 Reading Challenges
Updates: #1 / #2 / #3 / #4 / #5
Goal: 38/70 (+9)
The Divination Hollow Reviews Horror Challenge 2026
11/12 (+5) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
Written by an author who isn’t cis, het and white
Yes, this is the last outstanding prompt on my DHR challenge! I’ve really enjoyed doing this one, created by prompts from the DHR contributors, but I’ll be very glad to finish and have less horror to read! For this particular prompt, I picked up Hailey Piper’s All the Hearts You Eat. So far, it’s really good. Part vampire, part ghost story, very weird and spooky in the best possible way.
Read
Written by a woman of colour
For this one, I picked a book by one of my favourite authors, a book which, quite frankly, had been sitting on my TBR for way too long. And I was not disappointed by You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight. Kalynn Bayron proves herself as good at YA Horror as she is at YA Fantasy.
Quoth the Raven – Gothic
J.J.A. Harwood’s The Shadow in the Glass was a ‘currently reading’ last time, and my opinion – which at the time was ‘it’s okay’ – remained pretty much the same throughout. Not the best gothic out there, and one which left more random questions than actual answers.
Must be the Season – Something Witchy
We Call Them Witches was an interesting take on a post-apocalyptic landscape with monstrous creatures the protagonist and her family call witches. There’s a sapphic element to this, too, and it felt very fitting for Pride Month.
Who Ya Gonna Call – Featuring Ghosts
For this one I went for Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman – an author I’ve been wanting to read for a while. I wasn’t impressed with this. It read as very much standard fare, and though it’s told from the POV of the women murdered by the killer in the book, they’re all very two dimensional.
Don’t Fear – ‘Reaper’ in the title
Curse of the Reaper, however, was a really enjoyable audiobook, and though it uses a few cliches, it does so in a way that gave them a bit of life. Really well crafted and an author I’ll be reading more of.
Books to Read: None!
Musicals Reading Challenge 2026
9/24, +1 Bonus (+2) Prompts Completed
Currently Reading
2010s: The Greatest Showman – From Now On – Found Family
I have just started Homegrown Magic, so I’m still at that ‘getting into it, too early to make a judgement’ stage. If it delivers what it promises – a delightful queer romantic fantasy – then I think I’ll enjoy it.
Funny Girl – I’m the Greatest Star – Featuring an entertainer
This is my current audiobook – Leather & Lark. After Butcher & Blackbird, I knew I needed to pick up the next one ASAP. And so far I am absolutely loving it.
Read
2000s: Moulin Rouge! – One Day I’ll Fly Away – An escape or an adventure (or both!)
For this I picked Melissa Welliver’s To the Death. It was okay – a bit tell over show, a little bit shallow, and I don’t think it quite landed the way the author wanted it to.
Anything Goes – Friendship – Friendship!
On the other hand, Tell Me I’m Worthless was excellent! Such a brilliant book, and I’m so, so glad I finally read this one.
Books to Read: London: The Biography, Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night, This Wretched Beauty
Twenty Genres in 2026
10/20 (+3) Prompts Completed
Read
Horror
I picked Tell Me I’m Worthless for this one – I did put this on multiple challenges, mainly because I was so keen to read it!
Romance
A Thief and a Gentleman was so, so good! I really need to read the rest of the series. If you like queer cosy fantasy then definitely grab this one.
Sci-Fi
For Sci-Fi, I picked Karen Lucia’s Blackburn Station. I was so excited to read this, especially as Karen is currently a contributor over at DHR!
Books to Read: The Diabolical Bones, Whipping Girl, The Groom That Got Away
Grim Readers 2026 Horror Reading Challenge
10/12 (+3) Prompts Completed
Read
Haunted Places – Buildings or locations with a dark imprint
Points to whoever guessed what book I had for this one…yes, Tell Me I’m Worthless again! I haven’t been able to have as many crossover books with my challenges this year, but this one slipped into three challenges and only one being a specific horror one, so I don’t think that’s too bad!
Summertime Slaughter – Takes place on vacation, summer break, or just warm months
Hopefully a ‘vacation spot’ counts…or, at least, a former summer camp which now serves as the backdrop for an extreme horror experience! You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is, honestly, a great summer slasher read, and one I highly recommend. Especially as it’s by one of my favourite authors.
Supernatural Terror – Ghosts, demons, or anything paranormal
And Bodies of Work makes a reappearance! I thought this was quite fitting for this prompt, just wish the book itself had been a bit stronger.
Books to Read: The Fiends in the Furrows II, Maeve Fly
Netflix Movies & TV Shows
16/24 (0) Prompts Completed
And once again…nothing. I am getting closer to picking up some of the books from this challenge, and I keep flipflopping between removing all the current ones on there and replacing them with fresh ones for the prompts I’ve yet to complete, and leaving it as is. Maybe a case of seeing how I feel closer to the time!
Books to Read: So You Want to Talk About Race, All That Remains, A Discovery of Witches
I hope your reading has gone well in June. Did you reach your monthly goals or make progress on challenges? Depending on what the weather’s looking like for July, I really might have to consider some Christmas-in-July books just to cool myself down!
Unwrapping Words 