Looking for a 2025 summer reading challenge that supports indie bookshops? Bingo! You’ve found the one.
Whether you’re in the northern hemisphere and celebrating summer, or in the southern tucked under a blanket, heat up your audiobook reading and support your local indie with Libro.fm’s July challenge! Everyone who completes the challenge will receive a reward and be entered for a chance to win prizes.
This July, go for either Bingo or Blackout with 25 prompts. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean buying an audiobook a day; the challenge also encourages readers to support your indie and community in non-financial ways. Plus, you can cross out multiple tasks at once, like listening to a bookseller-recommended thriller via our new web player — that’s three in one!
Download your bingo card and submit your entry by August 4, 2025 at blog.libro.fm/heat!
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of tips and tricks to guide you through the challenges.
Thank your indie bookshop (write a card, send a DM, email, etc.)
You may have noticed that this prompt is where a Free Space typically goes 👀 That’s because we think indies deserve all the love, all the time! For small businesses run by real people, a personal message means a lot.
Attend an event hosted by your library or bookshop
Bookstagram in real life?! Connect with your fellow bibliophiles and make new friends at a local event. Find independent bookshops to visit in your area with this map.
Grab a new release on audio
The classics are great, but this summer is all about the heat! Check out our hot, new releases.
Buy a book or audiobook from your indie on Prime Day
What’s even better than sitting out Prime Day? Actively supporting your indie — now that’s hot! Learn more about why Libro.fm is dedicated to working with indies and providing an alternative to Amazon-owned Audible.
Read a banned book on audio
We at Libro.fm are dedicated to ensuring representation in books and resisting book bans, exclusion, and censorship. Check out our collection of frequently banned and challenged books on audio.
Listen to a thriller on audio
There’s something extra spicy about a narrated thriller. Plus, reading on audio means there’s no flipping ahead to spoil the surprise! (Unless you fast forward, of course, which we will respect.) Explore thrilling and mysterious reads.
Take an audiobook walk
Get out and enjoy the summer weather! You can even play a game with your audiobook. How many pieces from the plot and scenery can you observe in your own neighborhood?
Read a bookseller-recommended audiobook
At Libro.fm, our bookselling partners really know their stuff. Get into their favorites.
Share your favorite Libro.fm audiobooks on social media
We want to hear from you! What do you think makes for a good audiobook? Is it narration? Suspense? Romance? And don’t forget to tag us @librofm 😉
Sign up for a library card, or get your friends/family to
We know you love your local library, of course, but now it’s time to make it official. Get yourself a library card! If you already have one, get one for your kids to keep their critical thinking and reading skills on track for the beginning of the school year. Check out our guide for more ways to support your local library.
Listen to a memoir on audio
Memoirs really come to life on audio with that personal touch of narration.
Contact your rep(s) about book bans
Reading banned books is a great start to supporting authors and resisting censorship, but there are more ways to get involved in the fight. Learn more about book bans and ways you can take action.
Sign up for your indie’s email list, or follow on social
Indies have a lot going on, from sales and new releases to in-person events, and you don’t want to miss out! Stay up to date with email lists or by following their socials.
Refer a friend to Libro.fm
The more the merrier — invite a friend to join the Libro family! You can even start a mini book club.
Use the Libro.fm web player
Have some emails to send? A presentation to put together? Our new web player makes multitasking even easier while you type away at any task.
Gift an audiobook or credit bundle
Have any loved ones with a summer birthday coming up? Gift them an audiobook you know they will love or a credit bundle so they can choose their own.
Use our bookshop map filters to support a new-to-you indie
Our bookshop map highlights indies that are queer, disabled, and/or owned by people of color.
Get a friend to join this reading challenge
A little friendly competition never hurt anybody. Who can get to Bingo or Blackout first?
Relisten to a favorite audiobook
Run it back! You might gain a whole new perspective the second time around.
Rate/review Libro.fm in the app store
Shameless plug: Show us some love in the app store!
Preorder an anticipated audiobook
I see you shiver with antici…pation! Here’s a list of the top preorders.
Listen to a Libro.fm Podcast episode
With fifty episodes to choose from, our podcast has a little something for every book lover. We talk literature and life with award winning authors, artists, librarians, booksellers, and more.
Read a new-to-you author on audio
Discover your new favorite author by branching out this summer!
Leave a Google/Yelp review of your indie
A little love can go a long way for local businesses. Boost your favorite indie bookstores on Google or Yelp with a thoughtful review.
With so many ways to participate and win, we hope this list has you fired up to join our July Challenge!
We’re sure you’ll find a way to make it your own. And even when the challenge ends and the last Bingo has been called, we’ve got hot new releases and steamy stories to keep the fun going all year long.
Learn more about the challenge and get started at blog.libro.fm/heat.