It’s time for a new set of pop-up prompts. These are for anyone who needs a little nudge when deciding what to read each month, or for readers who want an extra challenge throughout the year.

Pick a book that takes a classic folklore monster—like a vampire, werewolf, zombies, or Frankenstein’s creation—and updates the mythology.

Here are a few other suggestions (there are so many more out there!):

• The First Days by Rhiannon Frater (zombies)
• Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff (vampires)
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood (werewolves)
• Feed by Mira Grant (zombies)
• Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi (vampires)
• Wolfsong by TJ Klune (werewolves)
• World War Z by Max Brooks (zombies)
• Salem’s Lot by Stephen King (vampires)
• MOngrels by Stephen Graham Jones (werewolves)
• Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (zombies
• The Passage by Justin Cronin (vampires)

This could be a fun, quirky paranormal romance, or something where the witch is evil and dangerous.

Here are a few other suggestions:

• Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
• Once Upon a Blue Moon by Avery Arujo
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
• The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike
• The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
• Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

For more reading prompts and to see my progress on these and other challenges check out this page.

If you’re playing along, don’t forget to tag your posts on Instagram or Threads using the #JRIA26 hashtag.

Happy reading!