The 2026 State of Reading Report: Human Recommendations Surpass Algorithms in the AI Era

Everand and Fable release second annual report revealing surge in social reading and format shifts

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a year when AI dominated headlines, readers quietly wrote a different story: they trust each other more than algorithms. Everand and Fable, Scribd, Inc.'s reading services, today released their 2026 State of Reading Report, revealing that personal recommendations have overtaken all other sources as the primary way people discover books.

Drawing on an analysis of year-to-date user activity on Everand and Fable, paired with a national consumer survey, the report reflects actual reader behavior – not consumption volume or editors' picks – revealing what, why and how people truly read as we head into 2026.

The headline finding: "people I know personally" is now the top source of book discovery, surpassing platforms, social media, and AI-driven tools. That human connection continues after the last chapter: sharing a book with a friend or family member surpassed "saving to a shelf" as the most common post-read action. The data also shows format evolution, with audiobooks edging ahead of ebooks as the most common way people read digitally.

"Despite rapid technological progress and a year defined by AI experimentation, readers are choosing relationships over recommendations," said Tony Grimminck, CEO of Scribd, Inc. "While word of mouth isn't novel, this shift is happening within digital reading, as people find new spaces – like Everand and Fable – where sharing can scale. On Fable alone, more than 820,000 people joined a new book club this year. Connecting with others who share a love of reading is a top motivator for participating. In an increasingly fast moving world, reading provides a space to escape, whether to be entertained or to learn something new."

Reading Becomes a Daily Routine

More than half of people say they're reading more than last year, rising to 64 percent among 18–24-year-olds. And 72 percent say reading has become more popular, especially among younger readers (81 percent).

Their activity backs that up:

• Half (49 percent) read between 6–15 books per year, and Fable readers finished an average of 20. 
• 55 percent increase year-over-year (YOY) in users who have already met their 2025 reading goal on Fable.
• Average reading streaks hit 29 days, up 300 percent YOY.
• Nearly a quarter million readers maintained 30-day streaks.

Reading is something people plan for and protect. Monday is the most active reading day and Saturday the quietest.

Format preferences are shifting as well. A quarter still prefer print, but the majority want flexibility: 57 percent consume both audiobooks and ebooks. While audiobooks have passed ebooks, smartphones are now the top reading device, driven by convenience and portability.

Reading Emerges as Top Stress Reliever

In a high-stress year, people leaned into reading for calm:

• 54 percent cite stress relief as their reason for reading more this year.
• 83 percent feel relaxed when reading.
• Half of people re-read three or more books this year, mainly for comfort, such as to fall asleep and for escapism.
• Reading before bed rose 10 percent YOY.

While social media depicts aesthetically-driven subway and cafe reading, most reading happens privately, reiterating its habitual effect and perhaps a shift towards quiet, restorative rituals.

Reading is becoming increasingly social. Over one-third (37 percent) of readers participated in a book club this year. More active readers belong to three or more clubs. Book clubs span formats: one-third are in person (up 8 percent YOY), 25 percent fully virtual, and 15 percent are hybrid. Many cite recommendations as a key reason for joining, reinforcing the growing influence of personal connections.

Genres and Stories that Ruled 2025

Romance; mystery, thriller and crime; and science fiction and fantasy remain the most-read in 2025, underscoring the appetite for comfort and escapism. However, 80% read a new genre this year, signaling an openness for exploration, including niche subgenres from cowboy romance to dark academia.

While the trope may be that men don't read fiction, fantasy spiked among male readers this year, their second most popular genre (up from No. 5 YOY).

Spicy plot twist: Though spicy romance is often associated with younger readers, data shows that consumption actually rises with age, with spicy reads peaking among Gen X.

Most-Read Titles of 2025

Series, fandoms and highly-anticipated releases dominated. Yarros' Empyrean series garnered 1M hours read on Everand this year.

1. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
2. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
3. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
4. Lights Out by Navessa Allen
5. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
6. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
7. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
8. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
9. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
10. The Crash by Freida McFadden

Readers maintained an average book rating of 4.05 out of 5. Light Bringer by Pierce Brown earned the highest rating (4.79) on Fable, making it readers' favorite.

The Next Chapter

Readers' top wish-list features are seamless switching between ebook and audiobook formats, more personalized discovery, mood based recommendations, and AI that feels additive rather than intrusive.

With the rate of technological progress and industry exploration, these features may be closer than they seem. Until then, people remain the most trusted guide.

Read the full report here.

Methodology:

Everand is a digital reading service with millions of ebooks and audiobooks, and Fable is a social reading platform with over 100,000 book clubs. The 2026 State of Reading Report is based on:

• A survey of over 1,600 US adults ages 18-64 who self-report having paid for an audiobook/ebook subscription in the last two years.
• Activity based on hours read on Everand between January 1, 2025 through October 31, 2025.
• Data from all Fable users between January 1, 2025 through November 5, 2025.

About Scribd, Inc.

Scribd, Inc. provides access to the written and spoken word across a portfolio of unique products: Scribd^®, Slideshare^™, Everand^™ and Fable. Scribd is home to the world's documents, with specialized information shared by a global community of thinkers. Slideshare provides millions of presentations and other professional content. Everand is a destination for stories and knowledge, offering millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and more. Fable is the leading social reading platform, where readers discover, discuss, and share books through curated book clubs and personalized reading experiences. You can use these products on any web browser, and Everand, Fable, and Scribd are also available as iOS and Android apps.

For more information: press@scribd.com

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