November 2026 Mini-Challenge
Who’s in the mood for a new mini? This month’s mini is a completely different experience: a slow release challenge. Mark your calendars and check this page each Monday for your next prompt!
How does this November Mini-Challenge work?
This November, we’re mixing it up! Welcome to Mood Mondays. Each Monday in November, we will release two different mood boards. (A mood board is a collage of photos that communicate a specific theme.) Pick one mood board each week and match a book to that mood.
How it works:
- Each Monday we’ll release two different mood boards. (For example, Week One mood boards offer a choice between “cozy autumnal” or “dark and eerie.”)
- Pick ONE mood board that appeals to you most.
- Match a book to that board and start reading! (It may match the overall feel, or your choice may tie in to one or two specific photos.)
- Check back the following Monday for your next mood board.
What if I don’t like the moods that week? Over the course of the month, we will release eight different mood boards. (Two per week to give you lots of options!) If you do not like the mood board choices for a specific week, feel free to choose a second board from another week. At the end of November, you’ll have matched four books to four different mood boards.
Why don’t you release all eight boards at once? We’re mixing things up this month with a brand new type of challenge — a slow-release mini. This means that you pick and read books as the prompts are released slowly over the course of the month. One book per week. Take your time and savour this challenge!
Wait… the boards are the prompts? Yes! These weekly prompts are graphic-based. This is your chance to get creative! To keep them accessible for everyone, each week will also include detailed written descriptions of each mood board.
Downloads
Week One:
Ready to see this week’s moods? Introducing moods one and two: “cozy autumnal” and “dark and eerie.” Find a book that matches the vibes from one of these mood boards. You may choose the mood board as a whole as your inspiration, or a particular photo or two to inspire your book choice.
Below, you’ll find downloadable versions of the mood boards, along with written descriptions to keep this challenge accessible for everyone. Remember, this challenge is all about how these boards make you feel. This will be a highly subjective mini. Get creative and have fun with it!
Download week one mood boards here:
Mood 1: Cozy Autumnal
This board is giving cozy fall vibes. It’s warm and inviting, full of orange and red hues, warm woods, and hints of sunlight through fall leaves. There are nine different photos, each capturing the feel of crisp autumn days. This board is full of coffee warming cool hands, ripe apples, pumpkins, bright fall leaves, cozy knits, and candles.
DETAILED IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Photo One: Golden sunlight filtering through tall trees. A dirt path through a fall forest full of orange and yellow leaves. Photo Two: A cozy table set with warm amber-coloured tea and a plate of biscuits. Scattered around the table are other decorative items: a brown glass candle, a squash, a woven basket, an apple, and some nuts. The photo is full of warm wood colours, and fairy lights twinkle in the background. Photo Three: A large white fireplace with a big wreath, surrounded by wood walls and floor. Bright sunlight falls onto the couch and fireplace. Photo Four: An apple pie sits on a wooden table. Lit wax candles, apples, and cinnamon sticks surround the pie. A knit reindeer sweater hangs on a wooden chair. Photo Five: A woman’s hand holds an orange ceramic mug of coffee. In the background are pumpkins, a candle, and a scone set on a fluffy white blanket. Other decorative items include a leaf, acorns, and a knit toque. Photo Six: A little golden coloured dog is out for a walk. He stands on a forest floor of wet, red leaves with trees in the background. Photo Seven: A wicker basket full of red apples, freshly picked. Photo Eight: Three brown, knit sweaters stacked on a rough wooden stool. Photo Nine: A coffee selfie. A woman’s hand holds a white mug of milky coffee. The camera is angled towards the ground; you see her jeans and boots and a sidewalk scattered with leaves.
Goodreads List: Cozy Autumnal
Mood 2: Dark and Eerie
Our second board is entirely composed of black-and-white photography. The photos are simple but evoke mystery, intrigue, or suspense. It feels dark and eerie with lots of shadows, gritty textures, smoke, and stone architecture.
DETAILED IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
Photo One: A black-and-white photo of a plastic chair sitting in the middle of a spotlight. The background is black against the dramatic lighting. Photo Two: A top-down, black-and-white shot of grass. It is a close-up photo of dark, pointy leaves. Light hits the tips of the foliage, but the background is black. Photo Three: A dark, architectural photo of a stone castle wall. The arches and arched windows are black inside, giving a neglected air. The walls are crumbling and stained with age. Photo Four: A black-and-white photo of a mysterious man in a brimmed hat and cloak walking past a stone column and wall. Photo Five: A monochrome, stone hallway in a historic-looking building. The ceiling is arched, leading towards an arched glass window full of bright light. Photo Six: A man stands backlit and silhouetted in a dark doorway. The walls around him are stone. The hallway reflects hints of light amidst deep shadows. Photo Seven: A black-and-white photo of the moon. A wispy white cloud drifts across the image. Photo Eight: A stained and damaged cement wall and floor. Photo Nine: A dark forest path filled with fog. Tall trees are shrouded in mist, and the edge of the forest disappears into the fog.
Goodreads List: Dark and Eerie
Week Two:
Check back Monday, November 9th for mood boards #3 and #4!
Week Three:
Check back Monday, November 16 for mood boards #5 and #6!
Week Four:
Check back Monday, November 23 for mood boards #7 and #8!
Mini-challenge tips:
1) Do I have to complete this challenge in November?
No, feel free to complete this mini-challenge whenever you like. Some members prefer to focus on finishing the main 2026 challenge first, and then go back to complete all the minis afterward. Others enjoy the added challenge of completing mini-challenges in the month they’re released. Do whatever works for you!
2) Is this a part of the main 52 books in 52 weeks challenge?
Yes and no. Mini-challenges are related to our 52 books in 52 weeks challenge, but are also completely optional. Some members may decide to complete the full challenge and all the minis. Other members may choose to skip mini-challenges or to complete some of the minis but not all of them. Some challenge participants might only be joining in for the minis. It’s up to you how (or if) you’d like to participate.
3) Can I use the same books as my 52 book challenge?
It all depends on your personal reading goals! You can choose to read these books in addition to your regular 52 Book Club reads, or you can double up and combine them with prompts still left on your 2026 list. This challenge will make 74 prompts for the year so far. Your challenge, your rules!
Love the idea – gets me out of a reading slump with this creativity and wealth of choice.