A year of reading independently published books – together.
In 2026, I’m committing to reading only indie and small-press books.*
To discovering the original, edgy, daring, brilliant and unfettered worlds created by independent authors.
Indie Reads 2026 is an open invitation to join me.
No reading list (though I’ll happily share suggestions and recommendations).
No quota.
No pressure.
Just a year of discovering new stories.
Get involved
How to take part
- Read indie books during 2026 (as many or as few as you like).
- Share what you’re reading using #IndieReads2026.
- If you’d like to join the group chat, tap here.
That’s it.
How does it work?
Keep reading to find out all the details and answers to your frequently asked questions.
What counts as indie?
Any book that is:
- independently published
- small-press published
- self-published
Do audiobooks count?
As long as they meet the above criteria, yes!
What will the process be?
The reading challenge kicks off on 1 January 2026. I’ve created a dedicated Instagram channel. All you need to do is:
- Tell us what books you’ve read and I’ll keep track of it all.
- You’ll get 20 points for every book you read. Plus 10 points for every review you leave on any platform of your choosing. (So even if you don’t read as many books as another participant, you could still win the prize. The emphasis is on having fun and giving back to the indie author community – not ploughing through books for the sake of it.)
- At the end of the year, I’ll tally up the total and the reader with the most points will receive a copy of one of my books.
I’m firmly of the opinion that reading should be a pleasure, not a chore. So there’ll be no pressure to read a certain amount and no shame for DNFs. This is fun – first and foremost.
Why am I doing this?
Indie Reads 2026 is my way of slowing down, paying attention and celebrating stories that might otherwise slip past us. I’ve read lamentably few books this year as I’ve been so busy – so I’m hoping this will encourage me to widen my bookish horizons and meet a realm of new characters. Plus, as an indie author, I know how much we appreciate when a light is shone on our work.
If that sounds like your kind of year, you’re very welcome here.
* apart from the ones I read for my book club, which may or may not be indie, depending on what the other members choose.