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.CINDERELLA IS DEAD
5.RETRIBUTION RAILS
6.TALE AS OLD AS TIME
7.BEAUTY QUEENS
8.ONCE & FUTURE
9.THE BELLES
10.LAKESEDGE
11.THE PASSAGE
12.THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUIDEA DIVINA
13.LOVE AND OTHER GREAT EXPECTATIONS
14.TRUTHWITCH
15.THE DISASTERS
16.A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES
17.THE QUEENS OF INNIS LEAR
18.LADY OF QUALITY
19.THE ONES WE'RE MEANT TO FIND
20.THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES
21.THE CITY WE BECAME
22.AETHERBOUND
23.ASH
24.CIRCE
25.UPROOTED
26.THE SANDCASTLE EMPIRE
27.THE GRIMROSE GIRLS
28.THE PRINCESS AND THE SCOUNDREL
29.A RUSH OF WINGS
30.GHOSTWOOD SONG
31.ARE YOU LISTENING?
32.REBELWING
33.THE BOOK OF COLD CASES
34.DARK AND SHALLOW LIES
35.THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE
36.THE STARLESS SEA
37.THE REST OF US JUST LIVE HERE
38.THISTLEFOOT
39.FIENDISH
40.THE WITCHES OF NEW YORK
41.FIRE AND HEIST
42.FEED
43.MIRANDA AND CALIBAN
44.THE SECRET INGREDIENT OF WISHES
45.DEVILS UNTO DUST
46.HAMLET - MANGA CLASSICS
47.COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES
48.SEASONAL FEARS
49.OUT NOW
50.THIS WAY MADNESS LIES
51.FORESHADOW
52.VAMPIRES NEVER GET OLD
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