Tag: Mt TBR

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2022?

Bookish Question #211 | What books are you looking forward to reading in 2022?

My TBR list has a lot of books that I want to read, and which I am slowly (very slowly) making my way through.

The speed at which I crawl through the to-read pile may or may not have anything to do with the speed at which I also purchase new books. As I have recently heard, buying books and reading books are two separate hobbies.

If I tell you some of the books I especially want to read from my to-read pile, maybe I’ll actually read them! Here goes …

  • Desert Willow by Patricia Beal, because I enjoyed A time to Dance, so really should read this.
  • Why I Still Believe by Mary Jo Sharp, because so many people leave the faith as adult,s and I’d like to understand that better …. which includes understanding why people stay.
  • Over the Waters by Deborah Raney, because it was recommended to me.
  • The Holy Bible (English Standard Version), because I try and read a different version each year and the ESV is new to me.
  • The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble, a one-year chronological reading plan based on the ESV (and which has a Bible app plan and a daily podcast, so I can chose to read or listen each day).
  • Daring Greatly by Brenee Brown, because she’s an author who has been recommended to me by both Christians and nonChristians, so she seems to have bridged the Christian/general market divide.
  • Forgiven by Carol Ashby, another book/author that’s been recommended to me.
  • A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams, which I keep meaning to read yet somehow haven’t.
  • Canyon War by Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer, because it’s got a great opening line, and features a nineteenth-century female doctor.
  • Operation Romance Books 1-4 by Elizabeth Maddrey. I’ve actually just read the first two and discovered the box set while researching this post … so please excuse me while I read #3 and #4.

I will also be reading the next releases from some of my favourite contemporary and historical romance authors, including:

  • Carolyn Miller
  • Becky Wade
  • Tari Faris
  • Meredith Resce (her Luella Linley series is brilliant)
  • Elizabeth Camden
  • Elizabeth Musser
  • Christine Dillon
  • Carla Laureano
  • Lynn Austin
  • Janet W Ferguson
  • Susan Meissner
  • Courtney Walsh
  • Mila Holt

And, of course, all the books from debut and new-to-me authors I’ve yet to find out about.

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2022?

What do you recommend I add to my to-read pile?

How out of control is your to-read pile?

Bookish Question #172 | How out of control is your to-read pile?

Could you get through it in a reasonable time, or will it take a while, or is all hope lost?

I am definitely in the latter category.

For the last few years, I’ve done an annual Mt TBR (to be read) challenge on Goodreads. I start each year with good intentions of working my way through my extensive physical and electronic to-read piles. I finish each year having read around fifty books from that pile … but still having managed to add to the pile.

Each year, I tell myself I’m not going to buy more books, not even those 99 cent Kindle specials.

Each year, I admit I lied.

I currently have 100 books in my Mt TBR folder on my Kindle, 11 that I have bought this year and not yet read (and I am trying to read more as I buy them so I don’t add to Mt TBR), and 177 in my free books folder. And an unknown number (but over 1,000) unread books that aren’t even on this Kindle. And perhaps not even on the last Kindle. And there are the paperbacks …

I admit it. All hope is lost. And I have no regrets.

What about you? How out of control is your to-read pile?

Have you Set a Reading Challenge for 2021?

Bookish Question #158 | Have you Set a 2021 Reading Challenge?

Yes!

I’ve signed up to read 150 books this year through the Goodreads Reading Challenge.

I don’t see at as much as a challenge as a way of keeping track of what I’ve read (helped by the fact that most new books I read are on Kindle, which automatically marks a book as Read at Goodreads).

I’ve also signed up to the Mt. TBR Challenge again, in the never-ending attempt to reduce the number of unread books I own. I’ve done this challenge for the last four or five years, usually aiming for 48 books per year. I actually aimed for 60 last year, but only got 48 so that’s the level I’ve chosen this year. Now to read books I own and not buy new ones!

I set myself the challenge of reading 30 books by new-to-me authors in 2020, and I achieved 47!

My rationale for this challenge was that I want to be able to support debut authors. The problem is that if I focus too much on debut authors, I don’t have time to read new books from favourite authors. So while I will still record how many new-to-me authors I read this year, I won’t be aiming for a specific number.

Another personal challenge was to read 50 independently published books last year. I managed 45. This is another figure I’ll continue to track, but won’t set a specific goal. I want to focus on content, not how the book was published. The reality is that the books I buy tend to be independently published, because they’re cheaper (yet the author receives a similar royalty per copy sold).

I also aimed to read 12 writing books and 12 marketing books last year.

I actually read 12 writing books (win) but only 4 marketing books. My focus this year is going to be on writing, so I’m going to ignore all the unread marketing books and focus on the writing books (and the writing).

So my Reading Challenge targets for 2021 are:

  • 150 books
  • 48 books off my to-read pile
  • 12 writing books

What about you? Have you set a 2021 reading challenge? If so, what is it?

Are you doing a reading challenge in 2019?

Bookish Question #90 | Are you Doing a Reading Challenge in 2019?

Are you doing a reading challenge in 2019?

If so, which challenge are you doing? What are you challenging yourself to read?

I’ve participated in—and completed—the Goodreads Reading Challenge every year since 2011, although my self-selected target has been higher some years than others.

For 2018, I’m aiming for a lower target than 2018: 150 books read. However, this will only include books I actually finish—last year’s total included a bunch of books I started and didn’t finish for various reasons (mostly bad writing, bad editing, or characters I didn’t connect with). I included them on my Goodreads Read list because I didn’t know any other way to get them off my Currently Reading list … but now I do*, so I’ll be deleting DNF books from my Goodreads shelf rather instead.

*To delete a book: go to your My Books table, find the book, and select the cross at the end of the line. That will delete the book from all your shelves, and will also delete your review.

I also have some other self-imposed reading challenges:

Trim the Currently Reading List

Goodreads tells me I have around 50 books on my Currently Reading list. I’d like to get that down to below five (which more accurately represents the number of books I’m reading at once—a novel, a book on writing or marketing, the Bible, and maybe another non-fiction book).

Climb Mt TBR (To Be Read)

I have an enormous pile of unread books (ebook and paperback), so I’ve joined the Mt TBR challenge on Goodreads, and am hoping to clear 48 or more books from my To Read pile. The rules of this challenge are that I have to have owned the book before 1 January 2019 (so no review copies), and have to have read less than 25% of it before the start of the year. I don’t have to finish the books for them to count—deciding I don’t like the book and don’t want to finish it still means it’s off that To Read mountain.

Read Indie

I’d like to read more indie books this year. Reviewing means I tend to prioritise review copies, which are often from the major publishers. I saw one of the admins of the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group said she’s going to try to ensure 25% of the books she reads in 2019 are from indie authors. I’m going to aim for 40, which is a little over that 25% mark.

Read New-to-me and Debut Authors

I’d also like to read more new-to-me authors (which includes debut authors). It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of reading all the same authors all the time. Again, I’m going to aim for 40 books from new-to-me authors.

Read Writing Craft

I also want to continue to upskill myself in writing, editing, publishing, and marketing, so I’d like to read more books in those areas. My sensible side says one a month, I have dozens in my To Read pile (and even more I’d like to buy).

Note that some books will count for more than one challenge, and it’s even possible for a book to count towards all four!

Are you doing a reading challenge in 2019? If so, which challenge are you doing? What are you challenging yourself to read? #BookishQuestion #BookWorm Share on X

Are you committing to a reading challenge for 2019? If so, what?