The When Are You Reading Challenge is back for 2026, once again hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It involves reading a book set in each of twelve time periods. Determining what year a book belongs in is the decision of the participant. On the whole, the rule is to choose a year where the largest part of the action occurs or the most important event.
I’ve managed to complete the challenge for the past few years, including in 2025. Not surprising perhaps given the amount of historical fiction I read but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to match every time period.
A provisional list for the 2026 challenge is below. I’ve deliberately tried to include books that have been in my TBR pile for a long time. Some of them even appeared in a similar post last year! Links from the title will take you to the book description on Goodreads or, once I’ve read them, to my review.
If you love historical fiction but often find yourself sticking to one or two favourite time periods, or you’re keen to read more historical fiction in 2026, why not sign up?
Pre-1200: Agrippa by Robert Harris
1200-1499: The Pretender by Jo Harkin
1500-1699: Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris
1700-1799: The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small by Neil Jordan
1800-1899: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
1900-1919: The Heart Stone by Judith Barrow
1920-1939: Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
1940-1959: A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia
1960-1979: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
1980-1999: The Midnight Hour by Eve Chase
2000-Present: A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré
The Future: The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller
What Cathy Read Next... 