So, great news for my reading goal last year: I read 110 books which blew my goal of 52 books on Goodreads out of the water! The less than great news: only a whopping 9 of those were physical books from my #beatthebacklist2022 goal list. Still, considering some outside forces that kept my brain power and focus at the lowest levels they've been in a VERY long time, I feel OK about that. Rereading (which was honestly the bulk of my reading this year) still counts for me, and bonus it was comforting in a way I really needed. So I am not going to be too down on myself for that.
Really, this challenge is less about achievement as such for me, and more about encouragement and progress. I enjoy tracking which books I've read and filling out the bingo card I get from the official challenge page (Over here if you want to join in the reading game! https://austinedecker.com/beat-the-backlist/ ), and even if I don't hit many on my goal list, it's still a step in the right direction AND helps me remember that some of these books exist buried as they are on my TBR Mountain lolsob. (No, seriously tho - after purging 32 books from my shelves this morning as a "clearing out some space for 2023" exercise, I STILL have 101 unread books sitting on my shelves. My book hoarding habit continues apace, I guess!)
Anyway! I was amused to realize today while looking back through old blog posts that I've participated in this challenge for 5 years now, and I definitely plan to continue to do so as long as our host keeps posting about it and creating the bingo cards! Are there any reading challenges y'all find yourselves coming back to year after year? Drop me a comment and I'll check them out!
And now, without further ado: the 2023 Bingo Card and my current (tentative) list of goal books from the physical TBR!
Physical TBR Mountain Goal List for #BeattheBacklist2023
1.SWEEP OF THE HEART - 1/01/23 - "a character is lost royalty"
2.THE MERMAID'S VOICE RETURNS IN THIS ONE - 1/14/23 - "free space"
3.THE TEA DRAGON SOCIETY - 1/27/23 - "less than 170 pages"
4.NIGHTWORK - 3/28/23 - "standalone"
5.LADY OF QUALITY - 3/30/23 - "all the romance"
6.VAMPIRES NEVER GET OLD - 4/20/23 - "here there be monsters"
7.THE CITY WE BECAME - 5/12/23 - "multiple points of view"
8.OVER THE WOODWARD WALL - 5/17/23 - "an author writing under a pseudonym"
9.SEASONAL FEARS - 5/29/23 - "protagonist name starts with "M""
10.CINDERELLA IS DEAD
11.RETRIBUTION RAILS
12.TALE AS OLD AS TIME
13.BEAUTY QUEENS
14.ONCE & FUTURE
15.THE BELLES
16.LAKESEDGE
17.THE PASSAGE
18.THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUIDEA DIVINA
19.LOVE AND OTHER GREAT EXPECTATIONS
20.TRUTHWITCH
21.THE DISASTERS
22.A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES
23.THE QUEENS OF INNIS LEAR
24.THE ONES WE'RE MEANT TO FIND
25.THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES
26.AETHERBOUND
27.ASH
28.CIRCE
29.UPROOTED
30.THE SANDCASTLE EMPIRE
31.THE GRIMROSE GIRLS
32.THE PRINCESS AND THE SCOUNDREL
33.A RUSH OF WINGS
34.GHOSTWOOD SONG
35.ARE YOU LISTENING?
36.REBELWING
37.THE BOOK OF COLD CASES
38.DARK AND SHALLOW LIES
39.THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE
30.THE STARLESS SEA
41.THE REST OF US JUST LIVE HERE
42.THISTLEFOOT
44.FIENDISH
44.THE WITCHES OF NEW YORK
45.FIRE AND HEIST
46.FEED
47.MIRANDA AND CALIBAN
48.THE SECRET INGREDIENT OF WISHES
49.DEVILS UNTO DUST
50.HAMLET - MANGA CLASSICS
51.COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES
52.OUT NOW
53.THIS WAY MADNESS LIES
54.FORESHADOW
As always, I know I’ll end up reading new releases or new backlist books I get or reread or well… Let’s just say this list tends to be all over the place when compared to the “official” goal TBR above. But hey, it still counts as reading. I just don’t get to use my handy Bingo card for these. LOL
Bonus Books 2023
2.1.MAGIC TIDES - 1/20/23 - eBook - First Read 2023 Release
3.1.BACKPACKING THROUGH BEDLAM - 3/26/23 - eBook - First Read 2023 Release
7.1.MIDDLEGAME - 5/15/23 - Audiobook & eBook - Re-Read of Backlist Title
8.1.DEAR WRITER YOU NEED TO QUIT - 5/18/23 - Audiobook & eBook - First Read of Non-Physical Backlist Title
8.2.HOW TO KEEP HOUSE WHILE DROWNING - 5/19/23 - Audiobook - First Read of Non-Physical Backlist Title